Dec. 27, 2017
Vanderbilt vs. Lipscomb
Thursday, Dec. 28 | 7 pm
Nashville, Tenn. (Memorial Gym)
Complete Game Notes (PDF) | | SECN+ Stream
Starting Five
1. The Commodores are back on the hardwood on Thursday when they host backyard foe Lipscomb in its final non-conference game of the season. The Commodores and Lady Bison will top off at 7 pm from Memorial Gym. Thursday’s game will be the second straight against a Nashville-area foe as the Dores played Belmont in their last game before the holiday break. Thursday’s game will also be the fourth game of a four-game homestand.
2. Vanderbilt is coming off a 111-74 loss to Belmont on Dec. 21. Freshman Chelsie Hall scored a career-best 26 points in the loss while Rachel Bell added 15 points. Erin Whalen and Kayla Overbeck added 12 and 11 points, respectively off the bench. Overbeck also led the rebounding efforts with a team-best six rebounds. The loss was the fourth straight for the Commodores and Belmont’s first win in the last nine meetings.
3. Thursday’s matchup with Lipscomb marks the second mid-Tennessee team the Commodores will take on this season. Vanderbilt opened the season against Middle Tennessee on Nov. 11 faced Belmont on Dec. 21 and closes the non-conference slate with Lipscomb Thursday. In total, the Dores will face five teams, including Tennessee twice in SEC action, from the state of Tennessee this season. Vanderbilt leads the all-time series with Lipscomb, 15-0 with the last meeting coming during the 2012-13 season.
4. Rachel Bell became the 37th member of Vanderbilt’s 1,000-polint club in the Commodores last outing against NC State on Dec. 16. With 39 seconds left in the game, the Cumberland Furnace native, hit a jumper to push her over the mark. Bell is the first Vanderbilt player to reach 1,000 points since the 2012-13 season, when the Dores had three players reach the milestone. Bell is currently sitting at 1,017 career points has a chance to move into the top 25 by the end of the season.
5. The Commodores debuted new lineups in both its game against Memphis and NC State with several players earning their first starts of the season in the last two outings. Kayla Overbeck started against Memphis while Cierra Walker earned her first start of the season against NC State. On the season, Vanderbilt has used just four lineups and has gone primarily with Rachel Bell, Chelsie Hall, Kaleigh Clemons-Green, Autumn Newby and Christa Reed. Those five have been the starters in each of Vanderbilt’s win.
Setting the Scene
-The Commodores close their four-game homestand when they take on Lipscomb on Thursday. The Commodores and Lady Bison square off at 7 pm from Memorial Gym in the first 7 pm home game of the season for Vanderbilt.
Last Time Out
-Vanderbilt dropped a 111-74 contest to Belmont on Dec. 21. Chelsie Hall scored a team-best and career-high 26 points in the loss while Kayla Overbeck added six rebounds to lead the Dores on the glass.
-Freshman Chelsie Hall was a perfect 9-of-9 from free throw line against Belmont. Her nine free throws are the most in a single game for a Commodore this season.
-The loss was the fourth straight for the Commodores and gave Belmont its first win over the Commodores in the last nine meetings.
Scouting Report
-Lipscomb enters Thursday’s game with a 3-10 record after a 61-57 road win over Tennessee Tech on Dec. 21. The win snapped a six-game losing streak for the Lady Bison. Lauren Cagle leads the way with a team-high 16.6 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game. Cagle is the lone player in double figures.
-The Commodores and Lady Bison have several common opponents in Middle Tennessee, Belmont, Alabama and Alabama. Lipscomb and Vanderbilt have lost to each of the common opponents.
With A Win
-The Commodores will move to 4-10 on the season and will stop their four-game skid after winning back-to-back games against Saint Louis and Iowa State.
-Give Vanderbilt its 16th straight victory in the series, keeping Lipscomb winless in the all-time series.
Final Tune Up Before SEC Slate
Thursday’s game against Lipscomb will be the Commodores last chance to prepare before the start of the conference slate on Dec. 31 at LSU. The Dores have had an up-and-down non-conference slate but have had several good wins over Iowa State, Saint Louis and George Washington.
Hall Tallies Career Best vs. Belmont
Freshman Chelsie Hall proved she can fill the stat sheet with a career-best 26 points against Belmont. It was Hall’s second career game of 20 or more and her seventh game in double figures this season. Hall is Vanderbilt’s second-leading scorer with 13.2 points per game.
Hall Gets It Done at the Stripe
Nine of Chelsie Hall‘s career-best 26 points came at the charity stripe where the freshman went 9-of-9 against Belmont. Hall’s nine attempts are the most for a Commodore this season. Hall, who has the most attempts this season from the line, is shooting .763 for the season from the charity stripe.
Big RPI Opportunities on Tap for Dores Entering SEC action
The Commodores, who are looking to climb the RPI rankings, will open SEC action at LSU who is currently No. 55 in the RPI rankings. According to RealTimeRPI, the Commodores strength of schedule is in the top 25 and one of the toughest schedule in the SEC.
Home Sweet Memorial
The Commodores will close a four-game homestand with Thursday’s Lipscomb game. The Dores opened a four-game home stretch vs. Memphis on Dec. 16. The four-game home stretch will be the longest of the season although the Dores will have a three-game homestand in SEC play in mid-January when they host Missouri, Kentucky and South Carolina. Vanderbilt is quite successful at Memorial Gym sporting a 468-122 all-time record with only one sub-.500 home record, during the 1982-83 season in 40 seasons played at Memorial.
