Tyler Tanner scored 23 points, and Jalen Washington added a career-high 21 for No. 11 Vanderbilt, which finished its nonconference slate undefeated by overpowering New Haven 96-53 on Monday.
The Commodores (13-0) were without their full arsenal on Monday. Reserve guard Frankie Collins was already out after undergoing knee surgery, and Duke Miles, the team’s leading scorer at 17.1 points a game, was a late scratch due to an illness. Still, Vanderbilt had more than enough to jump out quickly over the Chargers (5-8). Tanner scored nine of the Commodores’ first 11 points, and they led 16-2 after four minutes.
The 6-foot sophomore finished the first half with 13 points and six assists as Vanderbilt led 47-27 at halftime. For the game, Tanner shot 9 of 16, and he finished with seven assists, five rebounds and three steals.
The Chargers, in their first season as a Division I team, missed eight of nine over a 4:29 stretch in the first half, enabling Vanderbilt to build its lead to 43-19. However, New Haven held the Commodores to just four points and 1-for-6 shooting over the final 4:17.
Vanderbilt did not let up in the second half, shooting 64.5% (20 of 31) after halftime and growing the lead to 96-50 in the waning moments. The Commodores’ 57.8% shooting on the night was their second-best effort of the season.
Washington, a 6-foot-10 transfer from North Carolina, got 14 of his points in the second half. He dominated inside, getting seven dunks, as he finished 9 of 11 from the field.
Tyler Harris, who started in place of Miles, added a season-high 16 points. Devin McGlockton posted his first double-double of the season for Vanderbilt, going for 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Jabri Fitzpatrick’s 12 points led the Chargers, who shot 39.7% from the field (23 of 58) and made a season-low two of their 15 3-point shots (13.3%, also a season low).
With the victory, Vanderbilt is 13-0 for just the second time in school history and three wins from matching the school’s best start, which was accomplished in the 2007-08 season.
