Jan. 18, 2018
Box Score | Photo Gallery 1 
| Photo Gallery 2
Box score (PDF) | Press Conference
NASHVILLE – The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team (5-15, 1-5 SEC) gave the defending national champions all they could handle through three quarters. Erin Whalen had a career-high 25 points but the Commodores couldn’t stop South Carolina (15-3, 4-2 SEC) inside in a 95-82 loss.
The Skinny
Date: Jan. 18, 2018
Time: 7:00 PM CT
Place: Nashville, Tenn. (Memorial Gym)
At The Top of the Charts
Points: Erin Whalen – 25 points
Rebounds: Cierra Walker – 6 rebounds
Assists: Three players – 4 assists
Steals: Kayla Overbeck – 2 steals
How It Happened
First Quarter: South Carolina 22, Vanderbilt 18
South Carolina jumped out to a 9-2 run, sparked by a 7-0 start before a bucket from Cierra Walker. The Dores began to settle in and with a trey from Christa Reed cut the lead to 14-9 at the 5:54 mark. Reed was a big spark in the first quarter with seven first-quarter points. The three-pointer was big for the defending national champions as they had three in the first six minutes of the game all from Lindsay Spann. The Dores settled in and with a 5-2 spurt late behind a triple from Erin Whalen trailed by just four points at the break.
Second Quarter: South Carolina 48, Vanderbilt 40
After starting the quarter trailing by just four points, the Commodores found themselves down, double digits with 6:45 on the clock but a bucket from Erin Whalen stopped the 11-5 run out of the gate. The Dores used back-to-back triples from Whalen and Reed to get back in the game but struggle to stop the Gamecocks who maintained a double-digit lead until the 3:20 mark. Vanderbilt started a comeback late in the quarter and were able to whittle the lead to single digits, thanks to a big basket off the bench from Carter and a 9-5 run late to cut the halftime lead to just eight points.
Third Quarter: South Carolina 73, Vanderbilt 62
Erin Whalen continued her great game in the third quarter. Off the bench, the Charlotte native had four points early. She hit the 20-point mark with her third bucket of the quarter and teamed with Christa Reed for 37 of Vanderbilt’s 51 points midway through the quarter. Kayla Overbeck got in on the action with a great bucket underneath right before the media timeout. On the strength of 14-4 run over a four-minute span, the Commodores got the Gamecock lead down to two points late in the quarter. The lead didn’t get more than four points until late in the quarter when they rattled off a 11-2 run to close the third quarter, capped by a triple from Alexis Jennings.
Fourth Quarter: Vanderbilt 95, South Carolina 82
Despite getting the lead to two in the third quarter, Vanderbilt saw the Gamecocks continue their hot shooting in the fourth. South Carolina shot over 70 percent from the field for three quarters and was helped by 56 points in the paint. Trailing by 10 points midway through the half, Vanderbilt was able to get it to eight points four times but wouldn’t get any closer. Cierra Walker was stellar in the second half with 10 of her 13 points coming in the final frame. The Commodores bench was crucial in the contest, outscoring the limited Gamecock bench, 42-7.
Inside the Lane
-There is a USA Basketball connection in tonight’s game. Vanderbilt’s Kayla Overbeck and South Carolina’s Tyasha Harris played together on the u19 World Cup team that took second in Italy in the summer of 2017. Additionally, Dawn Staley is the head coach of the USA National team.
-With 13 points, Cierra Walker reached double figures for the fourth straight game.
-Erin Whalen posted a career-high 25 points for her first 20-outing of the season and her 20th career game in double figures.
-For the first time this season Vanderbilt had two 20-point scorers in the same game.
–Christa Reed‘s 23 points are a new season-high and her first 20-point outing this season and her 47th career game in double figures.
Up Next
The Commodores will hit the road for a Sunday matchup with Alabama. The game will tip off from Tuscaloosa at 2 PM CT and will air on the SEC Network+
Next Five Games
Jan. 21 – at Alabama, 2 pm
Jan. 28 – vs. Texas A&M, 2 pm
Feb. 1 – at Ole Miss, 6 pm
Feb. 4 – vs. Tennessee, 1 pm
Feb. 8 – at Georgia, 6 pm
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.
