NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tyler Tanner scored 20 points and dished out eight assists, Duke Miles scored 15 with seven assists and No. 22 Vanderbilt earned a 91-74 victory over No. 4 Florida on Saturday in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament.
The fourth-seeded Commodores (26-7) advanced to Sunday’s title game against third-seeded Arkansas (25-8). The No. 17 Razorbacks handled Vanderbilt its largest loss of the year, a 93-68 decision in which it never led, on Jan. 20 in Fayetteville, Ark.
Jalen Washington scored 17 points for the Commodores (26-7), who also got 12 from Devin McGlockton and 11 from AK Okereke.
Thomas Haugh had 19 points and nine rebounds to lead the Gators (26-7), who saw their 12-game winning streak come to an end. Florida also received 15 points from Boogie Fland, 13 from Alex Condon and 12 from Rueben Chinyelu.
Vanderbilt took a 39-27 lead on McGlockton’s 3-pointer with 3:29 remaining in the first half and maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way. The Commodores shot 54.5% from the floor and 47.6% (10 of 21) from 3-point range.
The Commodores overcame a 38-23 rebounding deficit by scoring 24 points off 14 Gators turnovers.
Okereke hit a 3-pointer to start the half and put Vandy up 50-34 before the Gators’ Condon and Chinyelu each drew their third fouls just over a minute into the second half. Condon picked up a fourth with 16:20 remaining.
Vanderbilt’s Chandler Bing hit a layup as he was crashing to the floor after an Urban Klavzar shove and completed a three-point play for a 65-46 lead with 11:45 remaining.
On the next possession, Bing took a crosscourt pass from Okereke, drove the left baseline and threw down a dunk that put Vandy up 67-46.
Miles drove the lane and kicked it to McGlockton for an open 3-pointer that extended the Commodores’ advantage to 74-51 with 8:19 left.
Florida coach Todd Golden called timeout and was subsequently whistled for a technical foul. Miles hit both free throws to make it 76-51.
Vanderbilt’s inside trio of Washington, McGlockton and Jayden Leverett each had four fouls when the latter picked one up with 7:09 remaining.
But the Gators put Vandy in the double bonus with 6:03 left, when Miles hit both free throws to push the lead to 78-56.
Vanderbilt committed a pair of turnovers late that helped Florida cut its deficit to 84-70 on a Fland dunk with 2:32 to go, but the Gators got no closer as the Commodores put away the victory.
–Chris Lee, Field Level Media
