#18 MBB on the Road Again at Ole Miss

Jan. 29, 2008

GAME AT A GLANCE

Last Game: Florida used a huge first-half run to beat No. 14 Vanderbilt 86-64 Sunday in Gainesville. Recap No. 18 Vanderbilt (17-3, 2-3) at No. 22 Ole Miss (15-3, 2-3) Wed., Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. CT Tad Smith Coliseum (8,700) Oxford, Miss. TELEVISION: None RADIO: 104.5 the Zone Play-by-Play: Joe Fisher; Color: Tim Thompson SIRIUS: Channel 114 SERIES INFORMATION Vanderbilt leads the all-time series, 69-38. Ole Miss leads 28-19 in Oxford; VU leads 47-7 in Nashville; OM leads 4-3 on neutral floors. LAST MEETING Vanderbilt won 85-80 in Nashville on January 27, 2007. COACHES Kevin Stallings is in his ninth year at Vanderbilt (161-111) and his 15th overall (284-174). Andy Kennedy is in his 2nd season with Ole Miss (36-16) and 3rd year overall (57-29). OLE MISS TIDBITS Ole Miss is off to its best start since 2000-01… In this series, the home team has prevailed in 18 of the last 21 meetings… It was almost seven years ago since a pair of top-25 men’s teams squared off at Tad Smith Coliseum (No. 14 Ole Miss defeated No.20 Alabama 105-71)… The Rebels own the SEC’s top mark in rebounds (42.3/game), rebounding margin (+6.6) and offensive rebounds (16.2/game), while ranking second in scoring offense (84.0 ppg) and defensive rebounds (26.1/game)… They also sit in third in turnover margin, 3-pointers made and assist/turnover ratio and have forced 20 or more turnovers four times while committing 10 or less on six occasions. The Rebels have lost the turnover battle just five times this season. REBEL PLAYERS TO WATCH Senior center Dwayne Curtis enters the Vanderbilt game with 983 points at Ole Miss, 17 points shy of becoming the 30th member of the Rebels’ 1,000-Point Club. The Chicago native is currently averaging a career-high 15.2 ppg and is second in nation with a .684 field-goal percentage. He is also second in the SEC in both boards per game (8.7) and double-doubles (9). Freshman point guard Chris Warren has been a tremendous addition to the Rebels this season and leads Ole Miss in scoring (15.8 ppg), assists (5.17/game), three-pointers (2.94/game) and minutes played (30.4/game). The Orlando native has scored in double figures in all but one game (8 vs. Florida). He has dished out 5 or more assists in 10-of-17 contests.

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SEC Quotes: Stallings and Kennedy Discuss Matchup

VU Notes | OM Notes & Preview | Season Stats | SEC Standings

Upcoming Home Games at Memorial Gym
Saturday, Feb. 2, vs. Auburn at 4 p.m. CT
Tuesday, Feb. 12, vs. Kentucky at 8 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 16, vs. Florida at 2 p.m. CT

NASHVILLE – #18/19 Vanderbilt’s start to the SEC season does not get any easier when the Commodores travel to Ole Miss and the Tad Smith Coliseum for a mid-week showdown with the Rebels. Tip time is set for 7 p.m. CST, with no television scheduled for the contest. Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson will have the call on the Vanderbilt/ISP Network.

Vanderbilt dropped to 17-3 overall, 2-3 in SEC play, and 0-3 in road conference games on Sunday after an 86-64 loss to the Gators at the O’Connell Center. Florida jumped on the Commodores in the first 12 minutes of the game and held a 34-6 lead at the 8:23 mark in the first half. Vanderbilt would not get closer than 15 points the rest of the way.

The Commodores’ two top scorers, senior Shan Foster and freshman A.J. Ogilvy, were held to seven and nine points, respectively, in the loss to the Gators. Foster’s seven-point output ended a 23-game double-digit scoring streak, and Ogilvy had his first non-double digit scoring game of his career.

Senior guard Alex Gordon scored a game-high 13 points, while freshman forward Andre Walker came off of the bench to score a career-best ten points in a career-high 25 minutes.

The 22-point margin of defeat was the largest on the 2007-08 season, and the largest since an 84-57 loss at Tennessee on February 10, 2007.

Vanderbilt and Ole Miss will meet for the 108th time on Wednesday, with the Commodores holding a 69-38 series lead against the Rebels. This will be the 48th career meeting in Oxford, with the Rebels holding a 28-19 advantage. Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings owns a 6-3 record against Ole Miss in his coaching career, and a 2-2 record all-time at Tad Smith Coliseum.

Mississippi enters the game with a 15-3 overall record, 2-3 in SEC play, and have lost two consecutive road games in the conference to Auburn and Mississippi State. The Rebels began the season with a 13-0 start.

Freshman point guard Chris Warren leads the Rebels in scoring at 15.8 points per contest, and also averages 5.2 assists per game. 6’8 senior post man Dwayne Curtis averages 15.2 points and a team-high 8.7 rebounds per game, and sophomore guard Eniel Polynice adds 12.7 points per game.

Three out of the next four for the Commodores will be on the road, beginning with Wednesday’s game against the Rebels. Vanderbilt travels to Georgia and South Carolina next week, and takes on Auburn at Memorial Gym on Saturday at 4 p.m.

Tip off is set for 7 p.m. CST from Tad Smith Coliseum.

OLE MISS’ PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP