The Vanderbilt men’s basketball team on Thursday announced the resumption of a competitive in-state rivalry.
The Commodores will face Memphis in each of the next two seasons, with Vandy traveling to FedEx Forum Dec. 17 as part of the 2025-26 schedule.
Vanderbilt will host the Tigers, members of the American Athletic Conference, at Memorial Gymnasium the following season, with an exact date still to be determined.
The all-time series between the schools is tied 8-8, but Memphis has won four straight against the ‘Dores, including a 77-75 victory at the FedEx Forum in December 2023 and a 76-67 triumph at Memorial in November 2022.
Only four of the 16 games in the series have been decided by 10 or more points.
Vanderbilt is coming off a 20-13 record last season, which included an 8-10 mark in the SEC. The Commodores made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017, losing in the first round to St. Mary’s.
Vandy will feature a much different roster in the coming season.
Seven ‘Dores entered the transfer portal following the 2024-25 season: guard Jason Edwards (who committed to Providence), forward Jaylen Carey (Tennessee), guard MJ Collins (Utah State), guard Alex Hemenway (Evansville), guard Karris Bilal (Louisiana), forward JaQualon Roberts (Davidson) and forward Kijani Wright.
Key returning players for Vanderbilt include combination forward Devin McGlockton, small forward-shooting guard Tyler Nickel and combination guard Tyler Tanner.
But Vanderbilt added eight players in the portal, including guard George Kimble III (from Eastern Kentucky), guard Miles Duke (Oklahoma), forward Tyler Harris (Washington), forward Jalen Washington (North Carolina), forward Mason Nicholson (Jacksonville State), forward AK Okereke (Cornell), guard Frankie Collins (TCU) and guard Mike James (N.C. State).
The Tigers have produced eight straight seasons of 20-plus wins, including a 29-6 mark last season, which ended with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Colorado State. Memphis played that game without its starting and reserve points guards, both of whom were injured.
Memphis will also showcase a roster revamp, as Tigers coach Penny Hardaway brought in 13 players during the offseason. The most recent was 7-1 Simon Majok, who averaged 17.3 points, nine rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 30.7 minutes per game while playing in Serbia last season.
Hardaway was a member of the Memphis team that beat Vanderbilt 72-70 in overtime at Memorial Gymnasium in January 1992. That Tiger team also featured David Vaughn, a former Whites Creek High School star who ranks among the most decorated prep players Nashville has ever produced.