NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Vanderbilt University's men's basketball team made its first SEC Tournament finals appearance since 2012 on Sunday.
I headed to Double Dogs, a sports bar near Vanderbilt's campus, to find fans cheering on the Commodores as they watched the game together.
Halle Petrie, a third-year Vanderbilt medical student and Nashville native, said cheering for the Commodores is something she started long before she began attending the university.
"I've been going to games for a really long time, and I remember early 2010s when they were really good, and they did so good and they beat Kentucky one year and that was crazy, and now it's like they're going to the finals," Petrie said.
Fellow medical student August Kim said Vandy teams are often considered underdogs — and that could be an advantage.
"We've had an insane two years of Vandy sports, so if people keep underestimating us and we keep winning, that's fine," Kim said.
The support at Double Dogs wasn't limited to students, Nashville residents Joann and Cookie Warpool were also there, cheering on the Commodores.
"It's exciting to see Vanderbilt be put in the limelight over the past couple of months," Joann Warpool said.
After watching the team win on Saturday, Quincy Wyke carried over as much good luck as he could into Sunday's game.
"I said, 'I gotta wear what I wore yesterday,' so I have on the exact same thing, the only thing that's changed is I did wash it," Wyke said.
The game was neck and neck for much of it, until the very end when Arkansas ran up the score for the win.
The University of Arkansas Razorbacks came out on top, 86 to 75.
However, for those watching, the rise of Vanderbilt University athletics in many sports is a cause for excitement.
"They're on the big stage now, football, basketball, girls, baseball, hey, Vanderbilt's steppin up," said Cookie Warpool, a Nashville neighbor.
With March Madness starting soon, fans aren't counting the Commodores out.
"They're a very scrappy team," Petrie said. "I do have a lot of hope with these guys, and they're just riding a wave, and building so much momentum."
This story was reported on-air by Robb Coles and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Coles verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
Here’s a beautiful story of how one mother turned her grief journey into a gathering of gratitude… and organ donation awareness.
Robb Coles highlights a special event organized by Cari Hollis – whose 26-year old son Austin died two years ago. Austin agreed to be an organ donor – and that single gesture saved multiple lives.
Cari reached out to as many recipients she could find – several of whom traveled to Nashville for an emotional celebration in Austin’s honor. One woman – whose life was saved by receiving Austin’s lungs – put it simply: “He’s my angel”.
- Rhori Johnston
