VU Men’s Basketball to Get Rings

The Vanderbilt men’s basketball team players and staff will receive their Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship rings prior to the Commodores’ baseball game with Kentucky on Friday night at 6:10 p.m. CT. Roll your eyes if you want but this is a well-deserved reward for a significant accomplishment.

Follow @VandyManiacom Sure we all wanted more but likely the 2011-12 Vanderbilt basketball squad did about as much as it could be done. Yes, a deeper run in the big dance would have been sweet but this Commodore squad did some things that few VU teams in history have ever accomplished. They also did something that only one other team in college basketball was able to do during the entire recent season… beat Kentucky.

Yes, Kevin Stallings’ men can hold their heads high and be proud of being the first Commodore squad since 1951 to win an SEC Tournament Championship. When they are old and grey it’ll be sweet for the players to be able to look at the rings on their fingers and be reminded of what they accomplished.

Not only did they pull off a major conference championship for Vanderbilt, but they did it by beating a team that would likely give an average NBA squad fits. When you consider the way Kentucky and its roster of soon-to-be professionals tore through the NCAA tournament you’ve got to be proud that your Commodores were able to down this juggernaut in order to bring a trophy home to West End.

We can add one more team to the list of great teams in Vanderbilt history. Remember Clyde Lee who built the decks in Memorial and his team in the 60s, the F-Troop of the 70s, The Bomb Squad of the 80s, Billy Mac and the SEC champions of the 90s, the Sweet 16 teams of the 2000s. Now you can add the SEC Tournament champion of 2012; the ones who did something that hadn’t been done in over 60 years.

Vanderbilt’s game with Kentucky starts at 6:30 pm CT. Show up early (6:10 pm) at Hawkins Field and show your support for the 2011-12 Commodore basketball team. Then root on the VU baseball team as it shocks a very good Wildcat squad.Follow @VandyManiacom