While rebounding struggles continue to plague Alabama basketball, the Vanderbilt team that the Crimson Tide faces this week has cleaned up where it struggled on the glass in seasons past.
Commodores coach Mark Byington has revamped the roster. One that’s taken the program that was the smallest in the SEC during the 2024-25 season to a long, strong, defensive-minded squad.
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Last year, Vanderbilt’s tallest player measured out to 6-foot-8, the shortest at 5-10, with five over 6-6. Since, Vanderbilt has grown over an inch down the roster, which now features eight players over 6-6.
The transfer portal brought No. 10 Vanderbilt (14-0) guards in Frankie Collins (TCU), Duke Miles (Oklahoma), and Mike James (NC State). But, most importantly, bigs like Jalen (North Carolina) and Mason Nicholson (Jacksonville State), as well as wings Tyler Harris (Washington) and AK Okereke (Cornell).
All of those guys — plus three freshman — return to complement two senior forwards in Tyler Nickel and Devin McGlockton — the guy who was a rebounding nightmare of sorts for No. 12 Alabama (11-3) in last year’s 103-87 win.
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With so many new faces for Vandy, coach Nate Oats said Alabama isn’t centering all of its attention on the 6-8 McGlockton, but he’s “definitely a focus.”
Against the Crimson Tide last year, McGlockton’s 14 rebounds of 39 total for Vanderbilt weren’t a season or career high. He came five short. Yet, even when Alabama was better on the glass, the team still allowed career-best rebounding efforts to big men like Malik Dia, who grabbed 19 boards for Ole Miss, and Corey Chest, who registered 18 for LSU prior to joining the Rebels.
Although he’s made one start at the five, the addition of a natural center like 6-10 Washington, who is averaging about 19 minutes, frees up McGlockton to have more time at the four position and all-around support in the frontcourt that he anchors.
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This season, McGlockton is averaging a team-high seven boards per game and over 10 points, shooting 57.4% from the field. He’s hit double figures on the glass in three contests this year. Meanwhile, Washington has led rebounding in three games, including against South Carolina in Vandy’s SEC opener.
“I mean, they play the four and five a lot on the perimeter like us,” Oats said. He compared Byington’s use of McGlockton and Washington to how Alabama used Noah Clowney and Charles Bediako during the 2022-23 season.
Clowney would play at the four position until 7-footer Charles Bediako headed for the bench, which would prompt Clowney to switch to the five spot.
“If you don’t guard him the right way, he’s capable of making threes. He’s tough, he’s physical and rebounds,” Oats continued, reminding just how “good” this team is beyond the post.
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“The guards move the ball. They shoot it, protect the paint. They got a good system. They know how to pull off ball screens,” Oats said. “Have we completely put all our focus on McGlockton? No …”
Oats specifically mentioned two other Vanderbilt players that he was keying in on.
Breakout sophomore Tyler Tanner and Miles are both among KenPom’s top five athletes in the league and up for conference player of the year, according to Oats. However, Miles’ availability for Wednesday is up in the air as he deals with a knee issue that sidelined him against South Carolina.
“But we haven’t put our total focus on any one guy because they’ve got a lot of really good players, McGlockton being one of them,” Oats said.
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Alabama and Vanderbilt tip off at 8 p.m. CT on Wednesday, January 7. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2, which can be streamed via Fubo, Sling and ESPN+.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama basketball braces for deeper frontcourt challenge from Vanderbilt
