After the dust settled on the 2023-24 season for the Virginia Tech men's basketball team, there was a mass exodus out of Blacksburg. The Hokies were coming off a 19-15 season that saw them beat Richmond in the first round of the NIT at home before falling in the next round at Ohio State.
Shortly after the loss to the Buckeyes, the exodus started with point guard Sean Pedulla leaving for Ole Miss, center Lynn Kidd leaving for Miami, and guard Tyler Nickel also heading to the SEC, along with Pedulla, but Nickel went to Vanderbilt.
The losses were felt last year when the Hokies struggled through a 13-19 season, which created change for this season and saw a bunch of additions through the Transfer Portal and with some incoming freshmen. While things are going well in Blacksburg, Nickel is thriving with the Commodores.
Former Virginia Tech men's hooper thriving at Vanderbilt
Nickel is enjoying his senior year in Nashville with Vanderbilt. He is averaging 15.3 points a game, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. The 12-0 and Commodores are ranked 11th in the latest AP Top 25 poll released on Monday and are coming off a rout of Wake Forest, where Nickel went off.
In Vanderbilt's 98-67 rout of the Demon Deacons, Nickel scored 26 points and was 8-for-10 from behind the 3-point line. He was 9-for-12 from the field in total while blocking three shots, grabbing two rebounds, and a steal.
Earlier this year, Nickel had 30 points in a win over Central Arkansas when he knocked down eight of his 13 3-point attempts. Two years ago at Virginia Tech, Nickel averaged 8.8 points a game in 33 games while averaging 24.2 minutes a night. He was a key piece to Mike Young's rotation and hit 59 treys while shooting 39% from behind the arc. Imagine him on this year's Hokies team being another 3-point option?