Vanderbilt releases non-conference hoops schedule

Commodores could face nine teams who advanced to postseason play last season.

The 2017-18 Vanderbilt men’s basketball non-conference schedule has been set, and the Commodores, who played the number one strength of schedule in 2016-17, are at it again in 2017-18, with nine of their potential games against teams who played in the postseason a year ago. Six possible opponents, USC, Rhode Island, Seton Hall, Virginia, Kansas State, and Middle Tennessee, all played in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, with NIT participant Belmont, 2017 NIT Champion TCU, and CollegeInsider.com Tournament team UNC Asheville also on the challenging slate.

The Commodores will play nine of their non-conference games in Memorial Gym, including games against Pac 12 member USC, Big 12 members Kansas State and TCU, and 2017 Conference USA champion Middle Tennessee.

Vanderbilt’s two true road games will come against Belmont at the Curb Center on November 13 and at Arizona State on December 17.

The Commodores’ Thanksgiving tournament takes them to Brooklyn, N.Y., and the Barclays Center for the NIT Season Tip-Off, with potential games against Rhode Island, Seton Hall, or Virginia, all teams that advanced to the 2017 NCAA Tournament. The bracket for the tournament in Brooklyn has not been released. Home games against Austin Peay and UNC Asheville will also be a part of the NIT Season Tip-Off.

Vanderbilt returns eight letter winners and four starters from the 2016-17 edition of the Commodores which finished 19-16 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.

Season tickets are available for as low as $123 ($115 + $8 handling fee) a ticket by calling 615-322-GOLD, logging on to vucommodores.com, or visiting the McGugin Center ticket office.

Austin Peay

Date: November 10

Location: Memorial Gym as part of NIT Season Tip-Off

All-Time Series Record: Vanderbilt leads, 15-1

Last meeting: An 80-41 Vanderbilt win on November 13, 2015 at Memorial Gym.

2016-17 Record: 11-19, 7-9 in OVC.

Notes on Austin Peay: Vanderbilt’s game with the Governors will be the 17th all-time and the first since the season opener of the 2015-16 season, when the Commodores won 80-61 at Memorial Gym…It will be the first game for new head coach Matt Figger, who replaces longtime Austin Peay coach Dave Loos.

Belmont

Date: November 13

Location: Curb Center

All-Time Series Record: Vanderbilt leads, 5-0

Last meeting: An 80-66 Vanderbilt win at Memorial Gym last season.

2016-17 Record: 23-7, 15-1 in OVC, NIT Postseason Second Round

Notes on Belmont: Vanderbilt returns a home game from last season to Belmont, where they last appeared in 2003 when the Commodores opened the Curb Center…The Commodores defeated the Bruins last season, 80-66, on November 15 at Memorial Gym. The win was the first for head coach Bryce Drew at Vanderbilt.

UNC Asheville

Date: November 17

Location: Memorial Gym as part of NIT Season Tip-Off

All-Time Series Record: Vanderbilt leads, 3-0

Last meeting: Vanderbilt won, 80-66, on December 7, 1995.

2016-17 Record: 23-10, 15-3 in Big South, CollegeInsider.com First Round

Notes on UNC Asheville: Vanderbilt will meet the Bulldogs for the first time since 1995, when they defeated UNC Asheville, 80-66, in 1995…Senior Ahmad Thomas returns to lead the Bulldogs after pacing the team in scoring (18.0 points/game) and rebounding (6.6 rebounds); he was also named the 2016-17 Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

USC

Date: November 19

Location: Memorial Gym

All-Time Series Record: USC leads the series, 4-1.

Last meeting: USC won the least meeting, 77-72, on December 5, 1975 at Memorial Gym.

2016-17 Record: 26-10, 10-8 in Pac 12, NCAA Tournament Second Round

Notes on USC: The Commodores and Trojans will begin a home and home series in 2017 in the two team’s first meeting since 1975; Vanderbilt will return the game next season in Los Angeles…The Trojans advanced to the NCAA Tournament 2nd Round before losing to Baylor…USC leads the all-time series, 4-1, with Vanderbilt’s only win coming in the 1968-69 season at Memorial Gym (85-75).

Rhode Island (Possible Opponent in NIT Season Tip-Off)

Date: November 23-24

Location: Brooklyn, N.Y. (Barclays Center)

All-Time Series Record: Rhode Island leads, 2-0.

Last meeting: Rhode Island defeated Vanderbilt, 82-69, on November 10, 1998 at the CoSIDA Classic in Providence, R.I.

2016-17 Record: 25-10, 13-5 in Atlantic 10, NCAA Tournament Second Round

Notes on Rhode Island: The Rams are a potential opponent for the Commodores in the NIT Season Tip-Off in Brooklyn…The last meeting between the two teams came in 1998 in Providence…Leading scorer from 2016-17 E.C. Matthews returns for Rhode Island.

Seton Hall (Possible Opponent in NIT Season Tip-Off)

Date: November 23-24

Location: Brooklyn, N.Y. (Barclays Center)

All-Time Series Record: Vanderbilt leads, 1-0.

Last meeting: Vanderbilt won the only meeting between the two schools, 85-67, on December 22, 1967, at Memorial Gym.

2016-17 Record: 21-12, 10-8 in Atlantic 10, NCAA Tournament First Round

Notes on Seton Hall: The Commodores and Pirates have only met one time prior to this season in 1967 at Memorial Gym…The Pirates return all four of their leading scorers from 2016-17 - Khadeen Carrington (17.1 ppg), Desi Rodriguez (15.7), Angel Delgado (15.2), and Myles Powell (10.7). Carrington is from Brooklyn.

Virginia (Possible Opponent in NIT Season Tip-Off)

Date: November 23-24

Location: Brooklyn, N.Y. (Barclays Center)

All-Time Series Record: Vanderbilt leads the series, 5-1.

Last meeting: Vanderbilt won the last meeting, 61-48, in Charlottesville on December 5, 1995.

2016-17 Record: 23-11, 11-7 in ACC, NCAA Tournament Second Round

Notes on Virginia: A meeting with the Cavaliers would be the seventh all-time meeting between the two schools…A meeting in Brooklyn would be the first on a neutral floor…Redshirt junior Jack Salt hails from Auckland, New Zealand’s Westlake Boys High School, the same school as redshirt sophomore Yanni Wetzell.

Radford

Date: November 28

Location: Memorial Gym

All-Time Series Record: Two teams have never met.

Last meeting: Never met.

2016-17 Record: 14-18, 8-10 in Big South

Notes on Seton Hall: Redford and Vanderbilt will meet for the first time in the history of the two programs at Memorial Gym…The Highlanders’ leading scorers from 2016-17, Ed Polite, Jr. (11.8 ppg), and Justin Cousin (11.0) return for Radford in 2017-18.

Kansas State

Date: December 3

Location: Memorial Gym

All-Time Series Record: Kansas State leads the series, 5-4.

Last meeting: Vanderbilt win, 82-76, on March 28, 1993, in the National Invitational Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

2016-17 Record: 21-14, 8-10 in Big 12, NCAA Tournament First Round

Notes on Kansas State: The Commodores and Wildcats will begin a home and home series this season at Memorial Gym…This year will will mark first meeting between the two teams since 1993…The Commodore football team will also play Kansas State in a non-conference game; 2017 marks the first time since 2007 that the men’s basketball and football teams have shared a Power Five non-conference opponent (2007, Wake Forest).

Middle Tennessee

Date: December 6

Location: Memorial Gym

All-Time Series Record: The Commodores lead the all-time series, 29-6.

Last meeting: Middle Tennessee won the last meeting last season in Murfreesboro, 71-48.

2016-17 Record: 31-5, 17-1 in Conference USA

Notes on Middle Tennessee: The Blue Raiders won 31 games a year ago and have won 56 games in the last two seasons…The meeting with Middle Tennessee will be the 17th all-time at Vanderbilt, with the Commodores owning a 16-0 record in the previous meetings, including a 10-0 mark at Memorial Gym…Like Kansas State, the two teams will also face off on the gridiron.

Arizona State

Date: December 17

Location: Tempe, Ariz.

All-Time Series Record: Arizona State leads, 3-0.

Last meeting: The Sun Devils won, 87-68, at the 2004 Las Vegas Invitational on November 27.

2016-17 Record: 15-18, 7-11 in Pac 12

Notes on Arizona State: The Commodores and Sun Devils begin a home and home series this year in Tempe. Arizona State will return the game next season at Memorial Gym…This will be Vanderbilt’s second trip to Arizona State - Vanderbilt played in the Arizona State Tribune Classic on December 29, 1994, and lost 67-61…Commodore freshman Saben Lee is from Tempe, Ariz.

Houston Baptist

Date: December 20

Location: Memorial Gym

All-Time Series Record: Two teams have never met.

Last meeting: Never met.

2016-17 Record: 17-14, 12-6 in Southland Conference

Notes on Houston Baptist: Vanderbilt will take on the Huskies for the first time on the hardwood in 2017…Senior center Josh Ibarra is the team’s leading returning scorer from 2016-17 after averaging 12.0 points per game…Rising senior forward Jeff Roberson and freshman Maxwell Evans are from Houston.

Alcorn State

Date: December 22

Location: Memorial Gym

All-Time Series Record: Two teams have never met.

Last meeting: Never met.

2016-17 Record: 18-14, 13-5 in SWAC

Notes on Alcorn State: Vanderbilt and Alcorn State will play for the first time on the basketball court this season…Senior Reginal Johnson is the leading returning scorer for the Braves after averaging 15.6 points per game…Braves’ coach Montez Robinson was named the SWAC Coach of the Year last season.

TCU

Date: January 27

Location: Memorial Gym in SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

All-Time Series Record: Vanderbilt leads 4-1.

Last meeting: Vanderbilt win, 78-55 at Memorial Gym on December 18, 2004.

2016-17 Record: 24-15, 6-12 in Big 12, won Postseason NIT

Notes on TCU: The Horned Frogs are the second Big 12 team on the non conference schedule, joining Kansas State…Vanderbilt is 1-3 all-time in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge…TCU won the Postseason NIT last year with an 88-56 win over Georgia Tech at Madison Square Garden…Head coach Jamie Dixon is in his second season with the Horned Frogs.