The Vanderbilt Commodores finished near the top of the SEC last season, barely missing out on an NCAA Tournament bid with a 22-15 record on the year. Unfortunately, their 2023-24 season got off to a horrible start on Tuesday night, suffering an embarrassing loss to the Presbyterian Blue Hose.
Presbyterian was amongst the worst programs in all of Division-1 college basketball last season. The mid-major program out of the Big Sky lost each of their final 18 games to end the season last year.
On paper, this game should have been a showcase for the bigger SEC program in Vanderbilt. But anything can happen in college basketball, and Presbyterian came out of the gates hot to start the season.
Presbyterian led by as much as 15 points in the second half, and they were able to hold on to secure a 68-62 victory to start their season on the right foot.
Vanderbilt falls to Presbyterian on opening night. pic.twitter.com/o9quhLr2mX
— Joey Dwyer (@joey_dwy) November 8, 2023
The Blue Hose obviously deserve a whole bunch of credit for the win. But Vanderbilt deserves just as much blame, and fans certainly blasted them on social media after the game.
Vanderbilt loses a buy game to Presbyterian. The epitome of brutality.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 8, 2023
Vanderbilt just lost to Presbyterian – a team that was 5-27 overall and 1-17 in league play a year ago. The Blue Hose are 50 games under .500 in the last four years.
Jerry Stackhouse is without Tyin Lawrence (ankle), Ven-Allen Lubin (hip) and Lee Dort (foot), but STILL …
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) November 8, 2023
This is the Templeton Center where Presbyterian plays it’s home games.
It sits 2,300 people.
Memorial Gymnasium where Vanderbilt plays sits 14,316. pic.twitter.com/GZLC3oLG9g
— Mid-Major Madness (@mid_madness) November 8, 2023
Vanderbilt just lost outright to Presbyterian as 16.5-point favorites 😳
Presbyterian only won three Division I games last season 👀 pic.twitter.com/FJUy4uLrTd
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) November 8, 2023
Presbyterian won three Division I games last season. They went 1-17 in conference play and haven't won a single game since the calendar flipped to 2023.
And they're currently up 15 at Vanderbilt with under five minutes left.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) November 8, 2023
Presbyterian is up 15 on Vanderbilt with five minutes to go.
The same Presbyterian who was picked LAST in the Big South preseason poll.
Wow. This sport.
— Mid-Major Madness (@mid_madness) November 8, 2023
For Vanderbilt to lose to a team that had just three victories over Division-1 teams last year is simply absurd. And it will likely be a loss that may go down as one of the worst in program history.
They will look to rebound later this week when they take on the South Carolina Upstate Spartans.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.