Feb. 25, 2018
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NASHVILLE – The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team (7-23, 3-13 SEC) used a career-high 24 points from Kayla Overbeck and 14 rebounds from Autumn Newby to close the 2017-18 regular-season with a 78-73 win over Arkansas (12-17, 3-13 SEC) on Sunday afternoon in Memorial Gym.
The Skinny
Date: Feb. 25, 2018
Time: 2 PM CT
Place: Nashville, Tenn. (Memorial Gym)
At the Top of the Charts
Points: Kayla Overbeck – 24 points
Rebounds: Autumn Newby – 13 points
Assists: Kaleigh Clemons-Green – 4 assists
Steals: Two with two
How It Happened
First Quarter: Arkansas 20, Vanderbilt 19
Arkansas jumped out to a 5-0 lead before a free throw from the Commodores stopped the drought. Arkansas took a 9-1 lead before a bucket from Kayla Overbeck gave the Dores their first field goal two minutes into the game. Senior Rachel Bell checked in and seemed to give Vanderbilt a boost with a long jumper while Overbeck added two points inside as the Dores trailed just 11-7 at the media timeout. Out of the break, Arkansas went up 16-9 but Rachel Bell drained back-to-back triples to cut the lead to a single possession before a pair of free throws from Overbeck tied the game. The teams traded buckets but an Arkansas shot at the end of the quarter gave the Razorbacks a one-point lead, 20-19.
Second Quarter: Arkansas 36, Vanderbilt 32
Arkansas opened the quarter with a bucket to extend their lead as the Dores came up empty on their first three trips down the floor. Kayla Overbeck scored the first bucket for the Commodores at the 6:36 mark, to go 5-of-6 in the first half, but the Razorbacks took a 27-21 lead at the 5:49 mark. Erin Whalen drilled a triple, her third-consecutive game with a trey, to bring Vanderbilt within a single possession at the media timeout. Overbeck was the offensive spark as she reached double figures in the second quarter for the seventh time in the last eight games and combined with teammate Rachel Bell for 22 of Vanderbilt’s 32 first half points. Cierra Walker drilled a triple to beat the buzzer as the Commodores trailed 36-32 at the break.
Third Quarter: Vanderbilt 49, Arkansas 48
Vanderbilt scored the first two buckets of the second half to tie the game at 36 but a triple from Jailyn Mason returned the lead to the Razorbacks. The teams played close for the majority of the third quarter with neither team taking more than a two-possession lead the entire quarter. Erin Whalen drilled a triple, her third of the game, to give the Commodores a 45-42 lead at the 4:36 mark, just their second lead of the contest. With Arkansas leading 48-47, Whalen beat the buzzer and gave the Dores a 49-48 lead with under a minute left. Arkansas’ Malica Monk missed a wide open triple at the buzzer to give the lead to the Commodores heading into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter: Vanderbilt 78, Arkansas 73
Vanderbilt used back-to-back buckets from Newby and Clemons-Green to take a 56-53 lead forcing an Arkansas timeout. Vanderbilt extended its lead to 61-58 with seven fourth-quarter points from Christa Reed. Out of the media timeout, Monk laid the ball in to cut the VU lead to one point but a Cierra Walker triple returned the lead to the Commodores. With the Commodores leading 64-62, Arkansas tied the game on a bucket from Monk but the Dores sealed the game going 6-of-7 from the charity stripe over the last minute to send the seniors out with a victory.
Inside the Lane
–The Commodores celebrated the Class of 2018 with a postgame ceremony. Seniors Rachel Bell, Myka Dancy and Christa Reed were honored.
-Kayla Overbeck reached double figures for the sixth time in the last seven games with a career-best 24 points.
-Overbeck posted a career-high 24 points for her second 20-point game of the season.
-Autumn Newby reached double digit rebounds for the fifth time this season.
Up Next
Vanderbilt will be the No. 12 seed for next week’s SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. The Commodores will square off with the Razorbacks at 11 AM on Wednesday to open the SEC Tournament on the SEC Network.
Upcoming Games
Feb. 28-March 4 – SEC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.)
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.
