Vanderbilt basketball‘s three Tylers − Tanner, Harris and Nickel − took turns tying the score and giving the Commodores a lead on Jan. 17 against Florida.

One of them did that nine times during Vanderbilt’s 98-94 loss to the Gators.

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But the 20th-ranked Gators (13-5, 4-1 SEC) made the last shots, taking command of the No. 8 Commodores (16-2, 3-2) with a 6-0 run during the final 45 seconds. The host Commodores got their second consecutive loss and second overall loss this season after a program-best-tying 16-0 start.

Nickel, who twice gave the Commodores the lead and twice tied the score, finished with 14 points and buckets of disappointment.

“It would be one thing if it was an effort thing or something like that, and we could point to that,” Nickel said. “We didn’t play perfect, but I don’t think they’re a better team than us. So it’s real frustrating.”

To avoid a third consecutive loss, the Commodores must defeat No. 17 Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Jan. 20. Vanderbilt fell to Texas 80-64 on Jan. 14.

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What Tyler Tanner said about missing a game-tying shot

Tanner, who twice gave the Commodores a lead and finished with a team-best 20 points and five assists, missed his last chance.

He bounced the ball off the backboard and not into the rim with seven seconds remaining and a Florida defender seemingly dangling from his jersey.

Which was the plan.

“The refs were calling some fouls throughout the game down in the paint,” Tanner said. “(Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington) said to try to get get down there .. and draw a foul.

“And I ended up missing it.”

Byington said he wouldn’t want the ball in anyone else’s hands in the same situation.

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Exhibit A in this game came when a Tanner layup with 1:39 left in the first half gave the Commodores a 41-40 lead and completed a comeback from an 11-point deficit, a season-high.

“I have plenty of evidence to trust in Tyler Tanner,” Byington said. “And I’ll put the ball in his hands again next time.”

What Mark Byington said about Vanderbilt’s loss to Florida

Byington also received contributions from Harris, who tied the score 90-all with a pair of free throws with 2:46 left, and Jalen Washington, who gave Vanderbilt a lead four times while scoring 14 points.

Not to mention AK Okereke, whose 15 points more than doubled his season average.

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“It was a high-level game,” Byington said, “and I wanted to win. Our guys wanted to win desperately.

“It’s also January 17. … Sometimes a game like this, we’ll be able to pick out some things on how to be able to make improvements, especially on the film. … You want to be your best in March. This kind of game shows you things. It shows that we’re right there. The frustrating thing is, we’re right there and didn’t it done.”

Paul Skrbina is a sports enterprise reporter covering the Predators, Titans, Nashville SC, local colleges and local sports for The Tennessean. Reach him at pskrbina@tennessean.com and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @paulskrbina.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt basketball star Tyler Tanner on game-tying miss vs Florida