Nickel, Okereke lead No. 19 Vanderbilt over Texas A&M 82-69

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tyler Nickel scored 25 points to lead No. 19 Vanderbilt to an 82-69 victory over Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon.

AK Okereke added a season-high 23 points while Devin McGlockton had 17 for the Commodores (21-4, 8-4 Southeastern Conference), who have won five of six since a three-game losing skid in mid-January.

Marcus Hill had 20 points for the Aggies (17-8, 7-5 SEC).

Vanderbilt led 36-32 at the half, paced by Nickel and Devin McGlockton who both had 11 points. Marcus Hill had 12 points in the opening 20 minutes for the Aggies.

Nickel’s 25 points are the most he’s scored against an SEC opponent this season.

The Commodores took control late in the second half, with a Chandler Bing dunk with 2:49 remaining and a 3-pointer from AK Okereke with 1:34 left sealing the victory. Okereke scored 15 of his 23 in the second half.

Vanderbilt sophomore Tyler Tanner was held to four points in the game on 2-of-10 shooting. He had scored in double figures in all 24 Vanderbilt games this season prior to Saturday and had scored 20 or more in three-straight. Tanner’s second half minutes were limited after picking up his fourth foul on a double technical with Texas A&M’s Federiko Federiko with just over 10 minutes remaining.

The Aggies struggled from 3-point range, converting on just eight of 29 attempts from behind the arc.

Vanderbilt leads the all-time series with the Aggies 13-8. Saturday’s win was the Commodores’ third straight against Texas A&M.

Texas A&M hosts Mississippi Wednesday night.

Vanderbilt travels to Missouri Wednesday night.