Vanderbilt Commodores Basketball Tickets

Nashville is known for its great music scene, including historic landmarks like the Grand Ole Opry, and plenty of modern venues. It’s also the home of the Vanderbilt Commodores men’s basketball team, and we highly recommend attending a game if you’re in town this winter.

Vanderbilt’s basketball program dates back to 1900, and the school is one of the founding members of the Southeastern Conference, joining nine other institutions when the SEC formed in 1932. The Commodores won SEC Tournament titles in 1951 and 2012, reached the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in 1965, and claimed an NIT title in 1990.

Vandy plays home games in the cozy, on-campus Memorial Gymnasium, which has one of the more unusual layouts in college basketball. The court is raised above the floor – sort of like a stage, as there was initially consideration of adapting it to a concert hall when the school contemplated de-emphasizing athletics in favor of its already stellar academic reputation.

The out-of-bounds areas along the sides of the court are very wide, and team benches are located beyond the baselines. Opposing coaches have long thought that the design gives Vanderbilt a significant home-court advantage.

Memorial’s rafters feature a pair of retired numbers. No. 43 is for forward/center Clyde Lee, who earned All-America honors along with the SEC Player of the Year Award in 1965. No. 25 is for Perry Wallace, who was the first African-American player in the SEC.

By all means, take in the music scene when you visit Nashville. Just make sure to experience the sweet shooting of the Commodores while you’re there.