Derrick Byars stood behind the blue curtain that shielded players from the basketball court at Arco Arena. He wore a familiar headband, his Vanderbilt practice jersey and a sly smile, even as a stranger asked him why his name wouldn't be recognized in households outside of Nashville.
This was before he led the sixth-seeded Commodores to a blowout of George Washington, a double-overtime win over third-seeded Washington State and a Friday date in the East Region semifinals with second-seeded Georgetown.
"What better stage than this one right here?" Byars said, just before stepping through the curtain. "It's like I've been flying under the radar my entire career. But it's a good thing I feel. This is the biggest stage of all right here, and this is where you can even go from people not knowing you to your stock rising."
After Byars's performance in Sacramento, the rest of the country may finally know what the Commodores say they've known for months.
"Derrick's one of the best players in the country," Vanderbilt forward Dan Cage said. "He does it inside and outside, offensively and defensively. . . . He does it all."
Though he entered this season with little fanfare, Byars was named the SEC player of the year, then promptly heard how others in the league were more deserving. But some of those dissenters have been quieted by the Commodores' surprising run through the NCAA tournament.
In two tournament games, the senior has averaged 19.5 points per game, but statistics don't entirely measure Byars's impact on the Commodores.
A few minutes after Vanderbilt's upset of Washington State, Cage sat behind a table and marveled at his teammate.
"This whole game happened so fast and things are a blur," he said. "I'm just getting little images of all the winning plays Derrick made."
Facing one of the nation's best defensive teams in Washington State, the Commodores knew ball movement would be key. Byars spent most of the first half using his passing skills to get the Commodores' offense moving. But when Vanderbilt needed more scoring, Byars turned his attention to that. After laboring through a slow first half, Byars scored 19 of his 27 points after the intermission.
"It's something I've learned and something that's come with experience," Byars said. "I've learned to be a leader; I've learned to see the floor well. It's something you develop over time."
And later, when the Commodores needed plays in overtime, Byars delivered again. After Derrick Low had tied the score with a three-pointer in the closing seconds of the first overtime, Washington State stole the ball and had a chance to win when Byars, who blocked three shots all season, raced downcourt to swat away Taylor Rochestie's attempt to win the game.
As Byars's team battled during overtime to keep its season alive, it was as if the rest of the Commodores asked a question that's usually reserved for the team's practices.
"C'mon Derrick," Cage said, "Do something magical for us. Do something crazy for us. Get us two points."
Vanderbilt Coach Kevin Stallings said Byars's emergence has been the difference for the Commodores, who finished second in the SEC East this year after posting a 17-13 mark last season.
"He's the reason why we've had the success we've had," said Stallings, who has capitalized on Byars's ability to create his own shot, which added an important dimension to a roster stocked with jump shooters.
Coming out of high school, Byars signed with Virginia. He averaged more than 20 minutes per game for former Cavaliers coach Pete Gillen, but the two clashed regularly. After a sophomore season of what he called erratic playing time -- "30 minutes one day, five minutes the next" -- Byars left Virginia.
A scholarship had just opened up at Vanderbilt and the Commodores were coming off an appearance in the round of 16. The campus is also within driving distance of Byars's family in Memphis. He jumped at the chance for change and arrived looking for a new start.
"We knew how talented he was," Cage said. "A lot of guys were curious as to why he transferred. Because a player like that, as nice a guy and as good a guy as he is, as talented a player he is, you wonder what could have possibly allowed him to be unhappy at Virginia."
Stallings played Byars at three positions last season, including point guard. He averaged more than 31 minutes and 12 points per game. This season, Byars has upped his scoring average to 17 points.
"I think we all just kind of marvel from time to time at how easy he makes the game look, and yet how difficult some of the things he's able to do really are," Stallings said before the NCAA tournament. "His consistency has been really good, particularly in conference play and I think that's been the difference in Derrick's play maybe from other seasons."
