NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — Tyler Nickel scored 30 points and No. 23 Vanderbilt used a dominant first-half offensive display to remain undefeated, pulling away from Central Arkansas for an 83-72 victory in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at Memorial Gym. The Commodores, one of 10 remaining unbeaten teams in Division I, improved to 10-0. The Bears fell to 4-7. Vanderbilt’s offense was nearly unstoppable in the opening period, building a 47-31 halftime lead that proved insurmountable. The Commodores shot 58% from the field in the first half, fueled by a blistering start from Nickel. The 6-foot-7 junior from Harrisonburg, Virginia, scored 19 of his game-high 30 points before the break, connecting on five 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes. His early barrage set the tone, with Vanderbilt hitting 10 of its first 14 shots to quickly build a double-digit lead. Central Arkansas, facing a significant talent and size disadvantage, struggled to contain Vanderbilt’s balanced attack. While the Bears shot a respectable 44% in the first half, they had no answer for the Commodores’ efficiency. Vanderbilt scored 16 points off nine Central Arkansas turnovers before halftime and added 16 fast-break points, exploiting the Bears’ miscues for easy baskets. The most important stretch of the game came early in the second half. After Central Arkansas’s Malchiah Marable opened the scoring with a three-point play, Vanderbilt responded with a decisive 6-0 run. Nickel hit another 3-pointer, and Tyler Tanner followed with one of his own, pushing the lead back to 19 points just over 90 seconds into the half. The Bears never got closer than 11 points the rest of the way, as Vanderbilt’s lead fluctuated between 13 and 18 points for much of the final period. Central Arkansas showed resilience after the break, outscoring Vanderbilt 41-36 in the second half. Camren Hunter led the Bears with 18 points, while Ty Robinson added 14 and Javion Guy-King contributed 13. The Bears improved their shooting and cut down on turnovers, but could not put together a sustained run to seriously threaten the Commodores’ control. Vanderbilt’s offense cooled after halftime, but its defense and rebounding ensured the comfortable victory. The Commodores finished with a 30-24 advantage in points in the paint and a 16-7 edge in points off turnovers. Tanner, a freshman guard from nearby Brentwood, Tennessee, provided a steady hand with 12 points and seven assists. Jalen Washington added 12 points off the bench. The game drew 7,227 fans to Memorial Gym, where Vanderbilt continued its best start to a season in over a decade. The Commodores’ early schedule has been favorable, but they have won each game by an average of 22.5 points. Central Arkansas, which has faced a gauntlet of high-major opponents this season including North Carolina and Arkansas, was competitive but ultimately overmatched by Vanderbilt’s offensive firepower. The Bears were projected by National Statistical’s ELO system to have less than a 1% chance of pulling the upset. Vanderbilt will put its perfect record on the line Wednesday with a road test at Memphis. Central Arkansas returns home to face Kansas Christian on Wednesday.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — The undefeated and surging Vanderbilt Commodores look to extend their perfect start when they host the Central Arkansas Bears in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at Memorial Gymnasium. Vanderbilt (9-0) enters the contest as one of the nation’s remaining unbeaten teams, boasting a high-powered offense that has scored at least 88 points in four of its last five games. The Commodores are coming off a 12-day break following an 88-69 victory over SMU on Dec. 3. A key catalyst for Vanderbilt has been guard Tyler Tanner. The sophomore is averaging 16.2 points and 5.3 assists per game and is coming off a career-high 26-point, six-assist performance against SMU. His backcourt leadership has been central to Vanderbilt’s efficient attack. Central Arkansas (4-6) seeks a signature road win to steady its season after a 68-75 loss at Texas A&M-Commerce on Dec. 7. The Bears have shown offensive capability, averaging 85.3 points in their four wins, but have struggled against high-major competition with losses to Arkansas and North Carolina by wide margins. The Bears will rely on guard Luke Moore, who leads the team in assists and has scored in double figures in five of his last seven games. In the loss to Texas A&M-Commerce, Moore logged 36 minutes with 11 points and six assists. Support comes from Camren Hunter (20 points in last game) and Ty Robinson (16 points). Vanderbilt holds a distinct advantage in experience and schedule strength. The Commodores’ perfect record includes wins over Saint Mary’s, VCU and a road victory at Western Kentucky. Central Arkansas, under first-year head coach John Shulman, has yet to defeat a Division I opponent with a winning record. This matchup marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs. For Vanderbilt, it represents a final tune-up before a challenging stretch that includes road games at Memphis and Wake Forest next week. For Central Arkansas, it is a formidable opportunity to build momentum before entering ASUN Conference play in January. Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon in Nashville.