Vanderbilt Basketball

Jerry Stackhouse is on the Vanderbilt Commodores' radar as they look to replace former head coach Bryce Drew.

247Sports' Evan Daniels reported Stackhouse, who's an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies, and Charlotte Hornets assistant Ronald Nored are "names of interest" for the Vanderbilt vacancy.

The fact Stackhouse has yet to enter the head coaching ranks—on either the NBA or college level—is surprising.

The 44-year-old was a two-time All-Star and spent 18 years in the NBA as a player, giving him the kind of experience teams often covet when they begin a coaching search.

In a short amount of time, he has made a name for himself on the sideline as well. After spending one season on the Toronto Raptors staff, he became the head coach of the team's NBA D-League affiliate, Raptors 905. Raptors 905 won a D-League title in 2017, with Stackhouse earning Coach of the Year.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Stackhouse interviewed with the Raptors last offseason after they fired Dwane Casey. The New York Post's Marc Berman reported he met with the New York Knicks as well.

Toronto promoted another assistant, Nick Nurse, while the Knicks landed on David Fizdale as their next head coach. Stackhouse then left the Raptors and joined the Grizzlies last June.

Going to Vanderbilt would likely be a means for Stackhouse to further position himself for an NBA coaching job down the road.

The Commodores are headed in the right direction despite winning only nine games this year. Joe Toye is the only senior on the roster, and the team's top four scorers are either freshmen or sophomores.

The only question is whether Stackhouse would prefer to move down to the college level or hold out for an opportunity in the NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers will both be looking for new head coaches this summer, and a few more teams are likely to join that list in the months ahead.

Vanderbilt announced Friday that it is parting ways with head men's basketball coach Bryce Drew after just three seasons on the job.

Drew released a statement on Twitter on the decision:

Stadium's Jeff Goodman was the first to report that Vandy athletic director Malcolm Turner had made a bold decision just two months into his tenure by opting to fire Drew on the heels of a 9-23 season that included an 0-18 mark in SEC play.

In three seasons at Vanderbilt, Drew led the Commodores to the NCAA tournament one time.

Turner released the following statement in conjunction with the announcement of Drew's dismissal:

"Vanderbilt is committed to competing at the highest levels on and off the court. After careful consideration, we've decided to make a change to the leadership of our men's basketball program. Bryce has represented Vanderbilt in exceptional fashion in his time here. I appreciate all of the contributions Bryce has made over the past three seasons to Vanderbilt, and we wish him all the best."

Per Steve Layman of News Channel 5 in Nashville, many were surprised by Drew's firing:

While Vandy had a rough 2018-19 season with no wins in SEC play and went just 12-20 the previous season as well, Goodman noted that firing Drew was a somewhat curious decision given his recruiting success.

Drew landed a pair of McDonald's All-Americans in Darius Garland and Simisola Shittu, who were both set for significant roles as freshmen in 2018-19, although Garland appeared in just five games due to a knee injury.

If Garland opts to enter the NBA draft, it is expected that he could be a lottery pick, which is something the Commodores have never produced.

Also, Vandy had one of the youngest teams in the country this season, and with only one senior on the entire roster, it seemingly has a great chance to bounce back in 2019-20, especially if Garland decides to return for one more season.

The 44-year-old Drew ends his time at Vanderbilt with a 40-59 mark, which included a 19-16 record in 2016-17 and a narrow first-round loss to Northwestern in the NCAA tournament.

Before joining Vanderbilt, Drew was the head coach at Valparaiso for five seasons, going 124-49 with two NCAA tournament appearances.

Given Drew's strong recruiting ability and history of success at the mid-major level, he figures to be a hot coaching candidate should he decide to catch on elsewhere in 2019-20.

Scotty Pippen Jr., who is a 3-star recruit out of Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, California, announced that he will be attending Vanderbilt University, per a Twitter announcement: 

Pippen Jr. is the son of Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, a six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls. He is a 6', 160-pound guard who also had offers from Colorado State, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara and Washington State.

Pippen explained to Evan Daniels of 247Sports why he picked Vanderbilt over those schools:

"I picked them because I have a good relationship with the coaches," Pippen said. "I like the school a lot. I think it’s a great fit for me academically and athletically. I feel like they needed me at the point guard position."

Pippen also explained how he may fit into the Commodores' future plans when he steps on campus. "They just needed a point guard," he said. "They want me to come in right away and be able to play the point and help run the team."

Josh Gershon, a 247Sports analyst, provided a quick scouting report for Daniels as well:

"Pippen is a consistently improving point guard who is having a strong senior season after making a big jump as a prospect throughout the spring and summer with the Oakland Soldiers. He has good speed and improved athleticism, sees the court well and is a capable scorer from all three levels. Between his obvious bloodlines and constant improvement, there are plenty of reasons to believe in Pippen's future."

Pippen joins a strong class of 2019 that already included two 4-star recruits: 6'8" power forward Dylan Disu and 6'6" shooting guard Austin Crowley. He fills out a well-rounded class ranked No. 30 in the country by 247Sports.

That class may find opportunities to contribute sooner rather than later for a Vanderbilt program that is struggling: The team went just 12-20 last season and is 0-2 to start SEC play. The Commodores are 9-5, but they only have a No. 80 listing on the Ken Pomeroy College Basketball Rankings thus far.

Still, Drew is only in his third season leading the program and guided to the team to the NCAA tournament in his first season, so this class could help him vault Vanderbilt back to March Madness before long.

Vanderbilt Commodores freshman guard Darius Garland will miss the rest of the 2018-19 college basketball season because of a knee injury suffered Friday night in a loss to the Kent State Golden Flashes.

Commodores head coach Bryce Drew announced the update on the meniscus injury Tuesday.

"Darius had a very successful surgery, and will be better than ever when he returns," Drew said. "Unfortunately, he will be out for the remainder of this season."

Garland averaged 16.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 53.7 percent from the floor, including 47.8 percent on three-point attempts, across five appearances.

The Brentwood Academy (Tenn.) product was a 5-star prospect and the No. 14 overall player in the 2018 recruiting class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Adam Sparks of the Tennessean noted the prized recruit was happy for the opportunity to play basketball at a school close to home where he wouldn't receive unwanted attention.

"I like it a lot," Garland said. "People know who I am, but I'm treated like a regular student."

His injury is a significant setback for Vanderbilt, which opened the regular season 4-0 before Friday's loss to Kent State out of the MAC.

Aaron Nesmith should see the biggest uptick in playing time on the wing. Maxwell Evans should also receive some extra minutes in the backcourt rotation.

The Commodores will play their first game without Garland on Tuesday night when they face the Savannah State Tigers at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville.

Vanderbilt landed a high-impact player to its frontcourt Wednesday, as power forward Simi Shittu committed to play for the Commodores in a video for The Players' Tribune:

According to 247Sports, Shittu is a 5-star recruit who ranks as the No. 7 overall player, No. 1 power forward and the No. 1 player from the state of Vermont.

Although Shittu is from Canada, he currently lives in Vermont and plays at Vermont Academy, where he has developed into one of the most dominant forces in the class of 2018.

While Shittu is a big at 6'8" and 210 pounds who seemingly continues to grow, he is also a versatile weapon capable of playing and excelling at multiple positions.

As seen in this video courtesy of Overtime from the 2017 Peach Jam, Shittu is able to get into passing lanes and create instant offense in transition:

Per Matt Whitfield of ZagsBlog.com, Shittu fancies himself something of a Swiss army knife due to his two-way game: "I affect the game in many ways on both offense and defense. I have a high motor. I rebound really well. I score the ball."

Shittu also compared himself to the likes of Milwaukee Bucks wing Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James and Golden State Warriors agitator Draymond Green.

Provided those comparisons are anything close to accurate moving forward, it's no wonder that so many of the top programs in college basketball attempted to secure a commitment from Shittu.

According to 247Sports, UConn, Duke, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Oregon and Maryland were among the many high-profile schools that offered scholarships.

Shittu essentially had his pick of the litter, and he continued to cement himself as an elite prospect throughout the recruiting process.

Despite having the makings of a one-and-done prospect due to his incredible skill level, Shittu is the type of player who can leave a lasting impact on a program.

Shittu's commitment to the Commodores is huge for the program and another boon for a team that also has 5-star point guard Darius Garland and 4-star small forward Aaron Nesmith incoming in the Class of 2018.

Under Bryce Drew, the Commodores reached the NCAA tournament in the 2016-17 season and are looking to build upon that successful campaign. Shittu's commitment is the latest indication that the program is trending in the right direction.

Darius Garland, a 5-star point guard from the Brentwood Academy in Tennessee, committed to Vanderbilt on Monday, according to Paul Biancardi of ESPN.com. 

"This was the best fit for me and my family," Garland told Biancardi. "I can have the best of both worlds in academics and basketball at Vanderbilt. Someday the ball will stop bouncing and I want to prepare myself for that situation. My family put me in position to be successful so I want them to see me play as much as possible."

Garland, who stands 6'1", is considered the No. 2 point guard in the class of 2018 and the No. 7 player overall by Scout.com. He averaged an impressive 23.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals for Brentwood Academy last season, as the team finished 30-2.

While there is plenty of debate about who the best point guard is in this class—arguments can be made for Garland, Tre Jones and Immanuel Quickley, among others—Garland's well-rounded game should make for a quick transition in the college game.

His range, in particular, should serve him well at the next level, and the fact that his defensive game has continued to evolve is a major plus as well.

In the college game, where guard play is vital, Garland is set up to be an instant starter for Vanderbilt and one of the most intriguing players to watch next season.

Landing Garland was a huge development for the Commodores, given some of the bigger programs in the running for his signature. With two straight tournaments under its belt and the addition of Garland, the Vanderbilt program is on the rise.

Vanderbilt's only other commitment in the Class of 2018 thus far is 3-star small forward Aaron Nesmith, though Biancardi noted that Garland will turn his attention to helping recruit 5-star shooting guard Romeo Langford.

"I want to help change the culture at Vandy," Garland noted. "We can be a strong basketball program and a top school."

The ninth-seeded Vanderbilt Commodores appeared in line for an NCAA tournament win over the No. 8 Northwestern Wildcats on Thursday when Riley LaChance gave them a one-point lead with 17.8 seconds to go. 

However, an intentional foul by Matthew Fisher-Davis three ticks later sent the Wildcats to the line, where Bryant McIntosh knocked down what proved to be the game-winning free throws. 

After the loss, Fisher-Davis owned up to his mistake and admitted he thought the Commodores were still down following LaChance's layup. 

"I actually thought we were down one," Fisher-Davis said after the first-round loss, per the Associated Press' Eddie Pells. "Coach...pointed at him, but he was just telling me that was my matchup. I took it as (I should) foul."

BR Video

Despite the costly error, Fisher-Davis played a great game. The Commodores dropped 39 second-half points to nearly knock off the Wildcats, and all told, the junior dropped a team-high 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting, including 3-of-8 from three. 

Without that production, Vanderbilt may have never been in a position to take a late lead and give the Wildcats a scare. 

"He's the type of person (who's going to) feel some blame," forward Luke Kornet said, per Pells. "But in the second half, we have no chance if he doesn't make the shots that he made. We're with him no matter what."

Ultimately, Fisher-Davis told reporters his mental slip-up will prove to be a blip on the radar. 

"We all love each other like brothers," he said, per Pells. "They know I didn't do that on purpose, obviously. We had a great season. Nothing to be ashamed of."

While the Commodores are headed home, the Wildcats will turn their attention to a second-round date with the top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs, who dispatched the South Dakota State Jackrabbits 66-46 on Thursday. 

Northwestern projects as a sizable underdog in that clash considering it's coming off the program's first NCAA tournament win, but a strong offensive showing against Vanderbilt that featured 49.1 percent shooting from the field and 42.9 percent shooting from three suggests the Wildcats could make life tough for the Bulldogs on Saturday. 

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A late foul that shouldn't have been committed cost Vanderbilt in the last seconds of Thursday's NCAA tournament game versus Northwestern.

The Commodores took a 66-65 lead with 17.8 seconds to play, but guard Matthew Fisher-Davis then intentionally fouled Northwestern's Bryant McIntosh.

The Wildcats guard drained both free throws, and the No. 8 seed held on for the 68-66 win.

Northwestern will play No. 1 Gonzaga on Saturday.

Update: Friday, March 1 at 11:40 a.m. ET

After the heartbreaking loss, Fisher-Davis discussed his late-game gaffe.

"I actually thought we were down one," he said, per Eddie Pells of the Associated Press. "Coach...pointed at him, but he was just telling me that was my matchup. I took it as (I should) foul."

Fisher-Davis wasn't worried about backlash from his teammates.

"We all love each other like brothers. They know I didn't do that on purpose, obviously. We had a great season. Nothing to be ashamed of."

---End of update---

The Vanderbilt Commodores locked up their first 2017 recruiting class commitment Monday, when 4-star point guard Saben Lee announced he'll be playing college basketball in Nashville, Tennessee.

Lee, a 6'1" prospect from Tempe, Arizona, provided a statement on Twitter:

Playing his high school ball at Corona del Sol High School, Lee is the No. 2 prospect in the state of Arizona behind point guard Alex Barcello. Lee is also the No. 26 point guard in the country and the No. 129 prospect in the nation.

The first thing that jumps out about Lee is his athleticism. He has effortless hops and can jump out of the gym. With one more year of high school ball under his belt, he could be one of the best athletes in the nation by 2017.

He's not much of a shooter, which he'll have to work on if he wants to be a top point guard at the college level. But Lee makes up for his lack of shooting with a smart basketball IQ and solid handles. He works the pick-and-roll well and is not afraid to take contact.

Lee could be a Rajon Rondo type of point guard, which makes this a top-notch first signing for new Vanderbilt head coach Bryce Drew. The Commodores are on the rise after making the NCAA tournament last year, and back-to-back tournament appearances would give Vanderbilt great buzz when Lee arrives in 2017.

Composite and star rankings courtesy of 247Sports.

How to win an on-court argument: Just dab on 'em.

Vanderbilt guard Wade Baldwin stood in the background as his teammate Nolan Cressler got into it with Ole Miss guard Stefan Moody during Saturday night's 85-78 loss in Oxford, opting not to engage but rather, well, dance it out.

[Vine]