Dec. 28, 2015
Event: Fordham Holiday Classic
Teams: Vanderbilt (9-2), New Mexico St. (9-2), Fordham (4-7), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (3-6)
Host: Fordham University
Day, Date: Tuesday-Wednesday, Dec. 29-30
Tipoff times: Noon and 2 p.m. (Central) each day
Radio: 560 AM / 95.9 FM (for VU games)
TV: None
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, Dec. 29 (First Round)
Noon — Texas A&M-Corpus Christi vs. Fordham
2 p.m. — Vanderbilt vs. New Mexico State
Saturday, Nov. 28 (Second Round)
Noon — Third-place game
2 p.m. — Championship game
With hopes of capping off a December to remember, the Vanderbilt women are in New York this week for the Fordham Holiday Classic. The surging Commodores will carry an eight-game winning streak — including a 4-0 mark in December — into the tournament. They will face New Mexico State in the first round on Tuesday at 2 p.m. (CT), and will then face either Texas A&M-Corpus Christi or Fordham, the tournament’s host, in the second round of the two-day event. Here’s a closer look at the tournament:
l Win, win, win: Returning to the floor after an eight-day break between games, the Commodores will be looking to extend a dominating stretch in which they have reeled off eight straight wins, six of which have come by double figures. The winning streak has lasted well over a month, starting with a win over Presbyterian on Nov. 23. … Vanderbilt is averaging 72 points per game during the streak, while the VU defense has limited opponents to 59 points or less in six of the eight games, including three games in which they limited their opponents to 39 points or less. … The eight-game streak is Vanderbilt’s longest since the 2013-14 season, when the Commodores won nine straight (Nov. 24-Jan. 2).
l The skinny on the Commodores: Vanderbilt has three players averaging double figures in scoring this season: Rachel Bell is averaging a team-high 12.0 points per game, Christa Reed is averaging 11.7 and Jasmine Jenkins is averaging 10.0 ppg. … Rayte’a Long is leading the team in rebounding at 4.5 per game, and Minta Spears is leading the Commodores in assists (5.0 per game) and minutes played (32.1 per game). … Long also leads the Commodores in field-goal percentage (among those with at least 10 attempts). She is shooting 65.4 percent, making 17-of-26 attempts from the floor. … Vanderbilt as a team ranks ninth in the country in field-goal percentage at 48.9 percent (through Dec. 28). The Commodores also rank 13th in the nation in both 3-point percentage (39.4) and defense (allowing 51.5 points per game).
l Vanderbilt vs. the field: The Commodores are 5-0 all-time against the other three teams participating in the Classic. Here’s a look at how Vanderbilt has fared in their previous match-ups against each team.
Vanderbilt vs. New Mexico State: Tuesday’s first-round game between Vanderbilt and New Mexico State will mark just the second-ever meeting between the teams — and the first in almost 30 years. Vanderbilt defeated the Aggies 90-77 on Jan. 4, 1987 in the first round of the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Vanderbilt vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: If Vanderbilt plays Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday, it will be the fourth all-time meeting between the teams. Vanderbilt has won the previous three match-ups — all of which have come during head coach Melanie Balcomb’s tenure. The most recent meeting came Nov. 14, 2008, when the Commodores rolled to an 85-51 season-opening victory at Memorial Gym. That contest represented the third consecutive season in which Vanderbilt played TAMU-CC. During the 2006-07 season, Vanderbilt beat the Islanders 102-75 in Nashville and during the 2005-06 campaign, VU posted a 65-51 win in Corpus Christi.
Vanderbilt vs. Fordham: If Vanderbilt plays Fordham on Wednesday, it will be just the second-ever meeting between the teams. The Commodores downed Fordham 93-44 on Nov. 27, 1999 at Memorial Gym in the first round of the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament at Memorial Gym.
l Scouting New Mexico State: With their 9-2 start this season, the Aggies have now won 31 of their past 36 games — a hot streak that included a 22-3 run to end last season. … They will carry a three-game winning streak into Tuesday’s game against Vanderbilt, which includes a 52-47 road win over rival New Mexico on Dec. 20 in their final game before the Christmas break. … NM State is averaging 72.3 points per game, and has two players averaging in double figures: Sasha Weber, who is averaging a team-high 13.5 ppg, and Brianna Freeman, who is averaging 11.7. … Freeman also leads the team in rebounding at 7.9 per game. … Weber currently ranks No. 12 in the country among active players in career 3-pointers with 221.
l Scouting Fordham: The Rams come into the tournament having lost six of their past eight games, but have faced a challenging schedule during that stretch, including games against Texas Tech, Syracuse, Seton Hall and Princeton. … Fordham is averaging only 55.4 points per game, but the Rams’ defense has been solid, limiting opponents to just 59.1 points per game. … Samantha Clark is the team’s leading scorer at 13.6 points per game, and is also the Rams’ top rebounder at 8.6 ppg. … G’mrice Davis ranks third on the team in scoring at 10.2 ppg and second in rebounding at 7.8 rpg. … Hannah Missry is averaging 11.7 ppg.
l Scouting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: The Islanders come into the tournament on a four-game losing skid and are seeking their first win since Dec. 1, when they beat UT Rio Grande Valley. … Brittany Mbamalu is the team’s leading scorer at 12.7 points per game and Shay Weaver is also in double figures at 11.0 points per game. … Camesha Davis leads the Islanders in rebounding at 7.6
l VU’s most recent game: In Vanderbilt’s most recent game on Dec. 21, Kristen Gaffney converted two free throws with just under a minute remaining and Christa Reed made two more with nine seconds left to help the Commodores squeak past UT Martin 64-61 and extend their winning streak to eight games. UT Martin had a chance to tie the game after Reed’s late free throws, but the Skyhawks (7-5) were unable to get a shot off on their final possession against Vanderbilt’s pressure defense. Reed scored a game-high 20 points, going 6-of-9 from the floor and 6-of-6 from the foul line, and Rachel Bell added 10 or the Commodores (9-2). Vanderbilt senior Rayte’a Long finished with six points and a team-high seven rebounds.
