Vanderbilt basketball teams are off to a roaring start

The big picture: The football team is coming off of a historic season, and now both of its basketball programs are ranked in the top 10 of the most recent AP polls.

Zoom in: Vandy women's hoops is off to its best start in school history at 18-0 following Thursday's win over Mississippi State.

• The Commodores are ranked No. 5 in the most recent poll and sit atop the SEC standings at 5-0.
• Vandy's most impressive win came Jan. 4 when they downed perennial powerhouse LSU 65-61.
• The straw that stirs the drink for Vandy is sophomore guard Mikayla Blakes, a bona fide star at this point in her career, averaging 25 points per game.

What she's saying: Vanderbilt is led by coach Shea Ralph, who told the Tennessean after a recent victory that she can be demanding with her team because she sees its great potential.

• "I'm never happy," Ralph said. "But, this is where I like to live. I think I can be more honest with this team because I think our ceiling is really high."

The other side: The Vanderbilt men's program suffered its first loss of the season on Wednesday, falling to Texas 80-64.

• The Commodores (16-1) are ranked No. 10 in the AP poll as they enter the heart of their SEC schedule.
• Hometown hero Tyler Tanner, who played at Brentwood Academy, has leveled up this season. He's averaging 17 points and five assists per game.
• Men's coach Mark Byington turned the program around in just his second season.

The bottom line: Both hoops teams are poised to make noise in March Madness.

• Combine that with the football program's first 10-win season, and it's perhaps the best time ever to be a Vandy fan.