NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tyler Tanner scored 20 points to lead No. 24 Vanderbilt to a dominant 93-47 win over Bellarmine in the first matchup between the teams.
Tanner, a preseason Associated Press All-American, shot 7 for 10 from the floor and also had six assists and two rebounds.
Berke Büyüktuncel had 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting, Ace Glass had 12, and Chandler Bing scored 11 for the Commodores (1-0).
DeMarcus Surratt led Bellarmine with nine points,
while Jacob Wassler had eight points.
Vanderbilt shot 60% from the field, 37% from 3-point range, 80% from the free-throw line, had 48 points in the paint, and scored 35 points off turnovers. They also recorded 12 steals, 19 assists, and outrebounded Bellarmine (0-1) 38-20.
The teams were tied at 14-14 with nine minutes left in the half, then Vanderbilt took command from that point with a 38-5 run that bled into the second half.
The Commodores returned Tanner and Bing, but lost four starters from last season's 27-win team, including Tyler Nickel, Duke Miles, Devin McGlockton, and AK Okereke.
They have one of the youngest teams in college basketball with seven freshman and four sophomores.
Vanderbilt is coming off their most successful season in over a decade. Mark Byington led them to their first NCAA tournament win since 2012, their first SEC Tournament championship appearance since 2012, and the 27 wins was most since 1992-93. This is their first time opening the season ranked since 2015-2016.
Bellarmine travels to Indiana on Thursday night.
Vanderbilt hosts Wake Forest on Thursday night.
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