Vanderbilt Commodores

Live Blog: Vanderbilt Basketball vs. Saint Mary's in NCAA Tournament

Reactions and score updates from Rocket Arena in Cleveland as the Commodores take on the nation's fifth-best scoring defense in the first round.

Taylor Hodges

General view of the tip-off between the St. Mary's Gaels and the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rocket Arena.
General view of the tip-off between the St. Mary's Gaels and the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rocket Arena. / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
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Vanderbilt’s turn in the spotlight that is March Madness has arrived.

The No. 10-seed Commodores are nearing the opening tipoff of their first round NCAA Tournament game against No. 7-seed Saint Mary’s (Calif.). Tipoff is scheduled for 2:34 p.m. at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

Read More: NCAA Tournament Predictions: Will Any Vanderbilt Team Be in a Celebratory Mood Friday Night?

Read More: Who is Saint Mary's? Here's a Quick Look at Vanderbilt's NCAA Tournament Opponent

Follow along here to find out if Vanderbilt can provide its own bit of madness with an upset win that would also be its first win in nearly a month.

Live Blog

(latest updates at the top)

FINAL: Saint Mary's 59, Vanderbilt 56

Second Half

0:00: That's exactly the type of endings March Madness is known for. Vanderbilt had set up its play, missed a three-pointer, got the offensive rebound and missed another three-pointer with one second left and Saint Mary's advances in the tournament to face Alabama on Sunday.

27.7: Big possession coming up for Vanderbilt. Commodores will be on offense, trailing 59-56. The game could be determined right here.

2:43: Vanderbilt calls its final timeout, still trailing 53-50. Saint Mary's has just one timeout left.

Taylor's Take: It was a weird moment to call a timeout after Edwards lost control of the ball for a moment, but not possession.

3:21: Saint Mary's 53, Vanderbilt 50

4:23: Saint Mary's leading Vanderbilt 50-47 and, despite a few great plays by Chris Manon, the Commodores are still struggling from the field...and of course as I write that, Jason Edwards makes a pull-up three-pointer, followed by Marciulionis making his own three-pointer. So, yeah, if you haven't already, buckle up.

7:30: Hopefully, everyone took my advice earlier and is buckled up for what's going to be a close, exciting finish that March Madness is known for. The Commodores are now the ones struggling to make baskets and have seen their lead evaporate.

8:00: Tie game, 43-43

8:26: Saint Mary's Augustas Marciulionis is back on the court with four personal fouls.

8:27: Vanderbilt is on a 3:23 scoring drought and has missed its last five field goals. Vanderbilt's lead has been reduced to just two points.

11:43: Well, Saint Mary's is finding the basket more in the second half. The Gaels have closed the deficit to six points and went on a 9-3 run to close the gap.

15:34: One of Saint Mary's best players, Augustas Marciulionis (back-to-back West Coast Conference Player of the Year) just took his fourth foul of the game and is on the bench. That's a huge loss for the Gaels, who trail 39-27.

16:58: The back-and-forth battle from the first half continues. Vanderbilt is making impressive plays and big mistakes. Saint Mary's is doing the same, but the Commodores are staying out in front, 36-27.

20:00: Saint Mary's will begin the half with possession.

Halftime: Vanderbilt 29, Saint Mary's 22

Taylor's Take: The Commodores must be headed into halftime feeling good about the first 20 minutes of its first round NCAA Tournament game. They're out-shooting Saint Mary's (45 to 35 percent field goal percentage), made more three-pointers (3-2), have forced more turnovers (6-2) and have scored 10 points off of those turnovers. And the rebounding battle is close with Saint Mary's ahead 17-15.

Saint Mary's could easily be ahead, though. The Gaels have really struggled to make shots and have had a lot of really good-looking opportunities. If they're able to find the hoop more often in the second half, Vanderbilt could find itself trailing.

First Half

4:20: Jason Edwards is flying high right now (yes, that's a joke because of the time), but Edwards has scored the last four points for Vanderbilt on a pair of awesome plays. Vanderbilt leads 24-16 and Edwards now has a game high 11 points. Also, Saint Mary's has six turnovers so far.

7:26: Vanderbilt 16, Saint Mary's 13

8:30: Saint Mary's is 1-for-8 from three-point range despite having some great looks. Vanderbilt isn't doing much better, going 2-for-11.

11:10: Buckle up, folks. We're in for a really good game. The score is tied 11-11 and both sides have reasons to be hopeful. Saint Mary's is getting great offensive opportunities, but much of it isn't find the hoop. Vanderbilt has had its moments, too, but this is just feeling like one of those exciting, close NCAA Tournament games that define March Madness.

13:00: Big advantage for Vanderbilt with Saint Mary's Mitchell Saxen picking up his second personal foul and will take seat on the bench. 11-9, Vanderbilt.

15:39: Well, there's some positive signs early on for Vanderbilt. The Commodores are tied with Saint Mary's 7-7 at the first media timeout. They're shooting 50 percent from the field and have forced two turnovers already.

19:20: AJ Hoggard scores the first points of the game on a fast break layup.

20:00: Opening tipoff goes out of bounds and VAnderbilt gains the first possession of the game.

Starting Lineups

Vanderbilt Commodores

  • AJ Hoggard, #11
  • Chris Manon, #30
  • Tyler Nickel, #5
  • Jason Edwards, #1
  • Devin McGlockton, #99

Saint Mary’s (Calif.)

  • Jordan Ross, #2
  • Augustas Marciulionis, #3
  • Paulius Murauskas, #23
  • Luke Barrett, #33
  • Mitchell Saxen, #11

Vanderbilt Commodores On SI:

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Taylor Hodges is a staff writer for Vanderbilt Commodores On SI covering all-things Vanderbilt. Taylor brings more than a decade’s worth of award-winning sports writing, photography and video experience covering every level of sports — from Little League baseball to professional sports and other sports like hunting and fishing. Taylor is fueled by his lifelong passion for sports that began the same day Kirk Gibson hit his legendary World Series walk-off home run, Arkansas beat Texas in Austin and No. 4 Notre Dame beat No. 1 Miami in the Catholics vs. Convicts game.

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