Vanderbilt will always be known more for academics than athletics. But that doesn’t mean the Commodores haven’t been able to find success on the basketball court over the years, even if cheap Vanderbilt basketball tickets are usually easy to find. In fact, there is a long history of Vandy basketball, with the Commodores producing winning teams, All-Americans, and future pros. Plus, with the Commodores playing in the SEC, there are always big-time programs on their schedule, giving fans a reason to get their hands on last-minute Vanderbilt basketball tickets.

The Spectacular 60s

Vanderbilt basketball enjoyed a nice run of success starting in the 1960s under head coach Roy Skinner. In 1965, Skinner led the Commodores to their first SEC regular-season title for the first time since 1920. That same year, Vanderbilt reached the Elite Eight, which remains the best run in the NCAA Tournament in program history. Skinner turned the Commodores into one of the best teams in the SEC for the rest of his tenure, including another run to the Sweet 16 in 1974.

The Consistent Commodores

As a more academically-inclined school, Vanderbilt has sometimes had trouble keeping up in a power conference. But in the late 80s, the Commodores started to maintain a certain level of success across multiple head coaches. Whether it was the NCAA tournament or the NIT, Vanderbilt was frequently involved in postseason tournaments almost every year from the late 80s well into the 21st century. The program hit another peak under Kevin Stallings right after the turn of the century. In 2012, Vanderbilt won the SEC Tournament for the first time since 1951. That year also marked Vandy’s sixth NCAA Tournament in a nine-year span under Stallings, including two trips to the Sweet 16, creating another golden era for Vanderbilt basketball.