Nov. 20, 2017
Box Score | Box score (PDF) | Howell’s Photos 
| Press Conference
NASHVILLE – Freshman Chelsie Hall tallied a career-best 25 points to go with five rebounds and two steals but it wasn’t enough as Vanderbilt (0-4) fell to Ball State (4-0), 88-79, on Monday at the annual Education Day game. Cierra Walker and Rachel Bell were also in double figures with 15 and 12 points, respectively.
The Skinny
Date: Nov. 20, 2017
Time: 12 PM CT
Place: Nashville, Tenn. (Memorial Gym)
Records: Vanderbilt (0-4), Ball State (4-0)
At The Top of the Charts
Points: Chelsie Hall – 25 points
Rebounds: Chelsie Hall – 5 rebounds
Assists: Cierra Walker/Rachel Bell – 3 assists
Steals: Chelsie Hall – 2 steals
How It Happened
First Quarter: Ball State 17, Vanderbilt 11
Both teams started slow from the floor but Ball State took the early lead, 6-3, at the first media timeout but it was the visitors that took an 8-12 lead with three unanswered buckets. Cierra Walker stopped the run with a three-pointer but not before the Cardinals took a 17-11 lead into the quarter break. The Commodores struggled from the floor shooting 26.7 percent. (4-of-15) and grabbing just seven rebounds.
Second Quarter: Ball State 36, Vanderbilt 29
The Commodores continued to dig out of the first quarter hole and even tied the game at 19 at the 6:30 mark but the Cardinals used a 11-3 run to take a 30-22 lead forcing White to call a timeout to regroup. Freshman Chelsie Hall nailed a long jumper at the top of the key to stop the momentum but the visitors extended their lead and took a 36-29 lead at the break.
Third Quarter: Ball State 56, Vanderbilt 50
Chelsie Hall reached double figures for the second time in her career with a bucket on the Commodores first possession on the half and Vanderbilt slowly tried to chip away at the Ball State lead. Kaleigh Clemons-Green was a spark with a trey and a charge on the defensive end.
With buckets from Rachel Bell and Hall, the Dores got the lead to just one point, 43-42, and with a steal and layup from Hall forced a Cardinal timeout. The Cardinals used a 11-3 run to extend its lead to nine points with 1:55 but baskets from Blessing Ejiofor and Rachel Bell kept Vanderbilt within two possessions at the end of the quarter.
Fourth Quarter: Ball State 88, Vanderbilt 79
A bucket from Clemons-Green opened the quarter and Vanderbilt got the lead to three points at the 6:40 mark but Ball State used a 17-4 run to open up an 11-point lead – the largest of the game to that point – with 3:18 left in the contest a lead they wouldn’t give up the remainder of the contest.
Inside the Lane
-Today’s game was the annual Education Day game and had 3,000+ school-aged children in attendance. It was the second consecutive early start for the Commodores as their last game at Tulane was also an Education Day game.
-Today’s meeting was just the second-ever meeting between the programs with the last meeting coming back in the 1986-87 season. Ball State is the second team from the MAC Vanderbilt has played this season, joining Central Michigan.
– Chelsie Walker recorded a team-best 25 points in tonight’s contest and became the first 20-point scorer for the Commodores this season.
Stat of the Game
After shooting 26.7 percent in the first quarter, Vanderbilt shot 51.0 percent the remainder of the contest.
Up Next
The Commodores will hit the road for Washington, D.C., and the Paradise Jam hosted by George Washington over the Thanksgiving break. Vanderbilt kicks off tournament action on Thanksgiving against host George Washington on Thursday at 12:30 PM CT.
Next Five Games
Nov. 23 – at George Washington, 12:30 PM^
Nov. 24 – vs. Syracuse, 2:30 PM^
Nov. 25- vs. Wisconsin, 12:00 PM^
Nov. 29 – at St. Louis, 7 pm
Dec. 2 – vs. Iowa State, 3 pm
^- Paradise Jam (Washington, D.C.)
*-Big 12/SEC Challenge
All game times CENTRAL
Keep Up with the Commodores
For more information on the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team check them out on the website at www.vucommodores.com , Twitter at @VandyWBB., Instagram at @VandyWBB and on Facebook at Vandy Hoops.
