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The Breakfast Buffet: Tyler Tanner, SMU, Bennett Stirtz

Who’s hungry for college basketball?

Here’s today’s installment of “The Breakfast Buffet”, a daily column that can be found here every single morning getting you caught up to date on everything that’s happened from the day/night before and everything that’s going to happen in the next 24 hours.

Mangia!

Things To Sample

Tyler Tanner is the best point guard that you don’t know about
But you will if the Dores keep winning. Vanderbilt’s 14-0 start has been a major storyline during the first two months of the 2025-26 college basketball season and Tanner has had a major hand in that run. The sophomore point guard — who was a reserve on last year’s team that made in the NCAA Tournament and lost to Saint Mary’s — has made a massive jump in his second season of college basketball. After averaging 5.7 points, 2.2 assists, and 1.9 rebounds a year ago, Tanner is blowing up as a sophomore. The 6-foot point guard had 19 points, 14 assists, and four rebounds in Saturday’s win at South Carolina and has tallied 28 assists and just three turnovers in his last three games. He’s averaging 16.2 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.7 rebounds during the 2025-26 season. Mark Byington’s squad will next host Alabama on Wednesday.

SMU has officially arrived under Andy Enfield
Saturday’s 97-83 win over North Carolina at Moody Coliseum was a one-sided victory by the Ponies, who flirted with the NCAA Tournament a year ago in their first season under Enfield, but never really pushed the issue despite winning 24 games. That doesn’t seem like it will be the case in 2026. The Ponies have a star in veteran guard Boopie Miller — who had 27 points and 12 assists against the Tar Heels — and several other role players who excel in their respective roles. Just as he did at both Florida Gulf Coast and USC, Enfield has gradually built the Ponies into relevant basketball program. Remember: He took the Eagles to the Sweet 16 in 2013 and the Trojans to the Elite Eight in 2021 before taking his current post in Dallas. SMU is currently 11-2 and will next visit Clemson on Wednesday.

Bennett Stirtz is more valuable to his team than any other player in America
That doesn’t mean that he’s the best player in college basketball or going to be named a first-team All-American in March, but Stirtz’ value to Iowa is greater than any other player’s value to their respective team. Cameron Boozer has routinely dragged Duke across the finish line in many big games this season, but if he wasn’t available to play on a given night, the Blue Devils have other talented players to fill the gaps. The Hawkeyes do not. Remember: The 6-4 Stirtz (17.8 points, 5.2 assists) — who had 27 of Iowa’s 74 points in Saturday night’s win over UCLA — is the only player on this team that’s currently averaging in double figures. The Hawkeyes are 12-2 in their first season under Ben McCollum.

On The Side

  • UConn has won five straight meetings against Marquette entering today’s game at Gampel Pavilion.
  • Anyone else see a young Stephon Marbury when they watch Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff (19.5 points, 6.0 assists)?
  • St. John’s loss to Providence on Saturday at MSG is going to travel all the way to Selection Sunday. And not in a good way. Unless the Friars make a move towards the top of the Big East, this will likely be a Quad 3 loss for Red Storm. That’s not good if Rick Pitino’s squad winds up being a bubble team.
  • Georgia’s 13-1 mark through 14 games is its second-best start since 1931.
  • Seattle’s Chris Victor has been the breakout star in the WCC. The Redhawks took Gonzaga to overtime in Spokane on Friday night and already own wins this season over both Stanford and Washington. Seattle will visit Saint Mary’s tonight in Moraga.

Daily Specials

  • Creighton at Seton Hall
  • Marquette at UConn
  • Seattle at Saint Mary’s
  • Washington at Indiana
  • Loyola Marymount at Gonzaga

Leftovers