Tim Corbin thrilled to see Vanderbilt freshmen contribute in SEC Tournament

Tim Corbin and the Vanderbilt Commodores got revenge on their SEC East rival Florida, in the best way possible. After the Gators defeated them earlier in the SEC Tournament, sending them to the losers bracket, the Commodores got revenge beating them when it mattered the most, in the single elimination semifinal round. Vanderbilt dominated Florida 11-6 in an upset victory over the top seed, while also handing them their first and only loss of the tournament.

One of the chief reasons Vanderbilt was successful against Florida on Saturday was the contributions of everyone on the roster. Even a few freshmen played a big role in the Commodores’ success during this tournament. Following the game, Corbin spoke highly of his freshmen’s contributions in SEC Tournament and what it means for them in the long run

“It’s just good experiences. It’s getting on the field and being able to compete, and those guys have handled themselves well,” said Corbin. “I think if you’re a freshman in this league, whether it’s Kurland or Maldonado, you have to have a level of maturity about you. You do not step on the field in the SEC and play for a team, particularly now, whether this continues or not, but you’ve got 24-, 25-year-old kids on the field. It is an old league, for sure.

“If you’re 18 and you’re playing and you’re playing reasonably well, you’re mature. You’re skilled, but you’re mature mentally, otherwise it doesn’t happen.”

Vanderbilt makes history with Saturday’s win

The win for Vanderbilt not only sent them to the championship game, but it was also historic. With the baseball win, Vanderbilt defeated Florida in the three major sports — football, men’s basketball, and baseball — in the same year for the first time since the mid-1970s. The long-time SEC East rivals have been battling each other for years and for the first time in a long time, Nashville reigns supreme.

“For the first time since 1974-75, Vanderbilt has defeated Florida in football, men’s basketball and baseball in the same academic year,” the tweet said.

Of course, football was the first box checked, with Vanderbilt winning 34-21 at home. Head coach Clark Lea was able to secure his first win against the Gators and the program’s first since the 2013 season. A significant step forward.

Jerry Stackhouse did his part twice, sweeping Florida in men’s basketball. Both came in the month of February with margins of victory of eight (Gainesville) and 16 (Nashville). You have to go back to the 2016-2017 season to find the last time Vanderbilt took both games from Florida.

On3’s Griffin McVeigh contributed to this article