NASHVILLE, Tenn. — By the time the final buzzer of the first half sounded Tuesday, Vanderbilt had doubled Chattanooga’s point total and enjoyed a 23-point lead heading into the locker room.
The Commodores would go on to win 91-61 at Memorial Gymnasium to improve to 4-1 at home this season.
For the first time this season, all 12 active members for Vandy scored. The Vanderbilt bench produced a season-high 49 points.
Vandy (5-4) was paced by a career night from freshman De’Mauri Flournoy who scored 17 points while shooting 50 percent from the floor, 42.9 percent from 3 and 80 percent from the free throw line. Sacha Washington shined on the low-block yet again as she posted her second consecutive double-double, finishing the game with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The Commodores never trailed in the contest and tallied the first points of the game from a Brinae Alexander jumper. Vanderbilt’s defense thrived in the first half, only allowing 23 points and at one point holding the Mocs (1-7) scoreless for more than three minutes of game action.
The second stanza was much of the same with Vandy maintaining control down the stretch. Chattanooga was able to score 23 points in the final period, the most of the night. However, the Commodores scored at least 22 points in every period.
Vanderbilt’s 30-point victory can partly be attributed to their relentlessness on the offensive side of the ball. The Commodores scored 19 second-chance points to a mere four for Chattanooga.
The Commodores’ disruptive defense also recorded 12 steals, setting themselves up for a total of 25 fast break points.
Vandy also won the turnover battle by causing 23 Chattanooga miscues and scoring 38 points off of those turnovers.
After scoring 13 points Tuesday, Alexander moved to a team-leading 100 points on the season.
Jordyn Cambridge’s efficient 6 of 11 shooting and 15 points aided in the Vanderbilt victory. Kaylon Smith and Iyana Moore scored 10 points each.
Bella LaChance started in her first game as a Commodore and Asha Taylor who made her first appearance this season in the black and gold.
The Mocs were led by Destiny McClendon who scored 11 points and grabbed three rebounds in 19 minutes of action.
Vanderbilt heads to Kansas to take on the Jayhawks on at 2 p.m. Saturday as a part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
