Feb. 4, 2009
TV: ESPN2 | Radio: 104.5 FM | XM: Channel 199 | VU Notes | UA Notes
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RELATED LINK: “Stallings and Pearson discuss their matchup”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Vanderbilt Commodores return home after a two game road trip to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide Thursday night at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ESPN2, and the action can be heard live on the Vanderbilt-ISP Radio Network and VUcommodores.com, with Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson on the call.
Vanderbilt and Alabama will meet for the 126th time on Thursday evening, with the Crimson Tide holding a 64-61 advantage in the overall series. However, the Commodores lead the series 38-18 in Nashville, and have won their last nine against the Crimson Tide at Memorial Gym, which dates back to Feb. 2, 1990. Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings has a 6-5 record against Alabama, and a 4-0 record at Memorial Gym.
Vanderbilt ended a four-game losing streak at Auburn on Saturday afternoon in an 82-75 victory over the Tigers. Junior point guard Jermaine Beal scored a career-high 21 points on seven made 3-pointers, also a career-best, to lead the Commodores. Sophomore A.J. Ogilvy and freshman Jeffery Taylor scored 14 points apiece, and freshman guard Brad Tinsley added 13 points for Vanderbilt.
The Commodores shot a season-high 60.9 percent (28-46) from the floor against the Tigers, the best in SEC play this season, and made 58.8 percent of their 3-point attempts (10-17) against Auburn, also a season-best for Vanderbilt. The Commodores, however, did not have as much luck from the charity stripe, making only 16 of 31 free throw attempts (51.6 percent).
Ogilvy leads all Vanderbilt scorers on the 2008-09 season, averaging 14.4 points per contest. Taylor adds 12.7 points per game, Beal averages 12.4 points, and Tinsley chips in 10.4 points per contest. Ogilvy leads all VU players on the glass with 6.7 rebounds per game. Taylor pulls down 6.5 rebounds per contest and is second on the team behind Ogilvy.
Alabama enters the game Thursday with a 13-8 overall record, 3-4 in SEC action. Alonzo Gee leads the Crimson Tide at 14.4 points per game, while Senario Hillman chips in 13.1 points and JaMychal Green adds 10.1 points per contest.
