#15 MBB Welcomes Iona Monday at Noon

Dec. 30, 2007

GAME AT A GLANCE

Last Game: A.J. Ogilvy scored 21 points and No. 15 Vanderbilt tied for the best start in school history with a 92-85 victory over Tennessee-Martin on Saturday. Recap IONA (5-8) AT NO. 15 VANDERBILT (12-0) Mon., Dec. 31 at 12 p.m. CT Memorial Gym (14,316) Nashville, Tenn. TELEVISION: None RADIO: 104.5 the Zone Play-by-Play: Joe Fisher; Color: Tim Thompson SIRIUS: Channel 126 SERIES INFORMATION Vanderbilt leads 1-0. LAST MEETING Vanderbilt won 92-56 in first round of Wendy’s Invitational at Western Kentucky University on 11/28/80. COACHES Kevin Stallings is in his ninth year at Vanderbilt (156-108) and his 15th overall (279-171). Kevin Willard is in his first season with Iona (5-8) and overall. IONA PLAYERS TO WATCH Senior forward Dexter Gray is the Gaels top scorer (12.9 ppg) and second-best rebounder (5.5 rpg). Gray has led Iona in points in seven of 13 contests this season. Prior to Saturday’s 67-36 loss at Louisville, senior forward Devon Clarke had set a career-best with five straight 10+ point efforts with a team best 16 points vs. Western Michigan. Both Gray and Clark were shut down against the Cardinals, shooting a combined 2-for-19 from the field.

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Game Notes | Visit Iona’s Website | Season Stats

Upcoming Home Games, Call 322-GOLD for Tickets:
Monday, Dec. 31, vs. Iona at 12 p.m. CT
Thursday, Jan. 3, vs. Rice at 7 p.m. CT
Saturday, Jan. 5, vs. UMASS at 3 p.m. CT

NASHVILLE – #15/15 Vanderbilt plays its second game in three days when the Commodores take on the Iona Gaels Monday afternoon at noon at Memorial Gym. Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson will have the call on the Vanderbilt/ISP Radio Network, with no television scheduled for the contest.

The Commodores defeated UT Martin, 92-85, Saturday aftenoon to move to 12-0 on the 2007-08 season, which ties for the best start in Vanderbilt basketball history. The 2003-04 Commodore squad also started the season 12-0 in route to a Sweet 16 appearance at the end of that season.

Vanderbilt survived a feisty Skyhawk team and a torrid Lester Hudson, the nation’s third-leading scorer, who scored 36 points and grabbed nine rebounds. The Commodores, who led by as many as 13 in the first half, held off UT Martin in the second half to come away with its 12th win. With the score tied at 83 with 3:20 to go in the game, Vanderbilt went on an 9-2 run to close the game, with six of the nine coming on made free throws. The other three came on a shot from beyond the arc by senior Shan Foster.

Freshman A.J. Ogilvy led the Commodores in scoring, pouring in 21 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Ogilvy has scored 20 or more points in six games this season. The freshman was also perfect from the foul line, shooting 9-for-9 from the charity stripe. Foster added 16 points for Vanderbilt, with nine of those points coming on three three-pointers. He has now in possession of third place on the Vanderbilt all-time three-point field goals made list. Foster also attempted eight three-pointers, which moves him into second place on the Vanderbilt all-time three-point field goals attempted list with 676.

Vanderbilt and Iona will meet for the second time Monday afternoon, with the Commodores holding a 1-0 advantage in the series. Vanderbilt won 92-56 in the first round of the Wendy’s Invitational at Western Kentucky University on November 28, 1980. Vanderbilt owns a 2-0 record against the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, with the only two meetings coming against Iona and Manhattan. Monday’s game with the Gaels marks the first time a MAAC team has visited Memorial Gym. The previous games against Iona and Manhattan came on neutral floors.

Foster leads Vanderbilt and the SEC with 20.1 points per game. Foster and freshman A.J. Ogilvy rank one and three, respectively, in scoring in the Southeastern Conference as of December 29. Foster pours in 20.1 points per contest, while Ogilvy adds 19.2 points per game. Ogilvy is the SEC’s leading freshman scorer by 1.7 points per game over Kentucky’s Patrick Patterson (17.5 ppg).

Iona enters Monday’s game with a 5-8 record after dropping a 67-36 decision at Louisville on Saturday afternoon. Dexter Gray leads the Gaels in scoring, averaging 12.9 points per game. Milan Prodanovic also averages double-digits with 11.6 points per contest. Gary Springer leads Iona on the glass, averaging 8.0 rebounds per game.

Gaels coach Kevin Willard is in his first season at Iona and overall as a head coach.

Tip off is at noon CT at Memorial Gym.

IONA’S PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP