Eagles Flock to Memorial

Inside Scoop: Bahamas Strengthens Team Bond

Matchup
• Vanderbilt is 8-10 all-time against Tennessee Tech, but has won three in a row and six of the last seven in the series since 1987-88.

• Dating back to the first matchup Dec. 7, 1978, the Golden Eagles won the first seven games in the series until Vanderbilt’s first win 111-83 on Dec. 13, 1983 in Nashville.

• In the last matchup between the programs, the Commodores won 89-57 in Memorial Gym on Dec. 18, 2016.

• All eight Vanderbilt wins in the series have come by double digits.

Looking Astern
• Vanderbilt lost two close games in the Bahamas. The Commodores led both games after three quarters, but eventually fell in the final minute of both contests.

• In the opening game of the Junkanoo Jam on Nov. 28, Vanderbilt led by four heading to the fourth and trailed by one in the final minute before falling to Rutgers 62-56 at the Gateway Academy Gym in Bimini.

• The following night, senior Mariella Fasoula and freshman Koi Love each had a double-double at the Gateway Academy Gym in Bimini, but Vanderbilt fell to Seton Hall 69-65.

Below Deck: Vanderbilt
• Vanderbilt is 5-0 when holding opponents under 40 percent shooting from the field.

• The Commodores are 4-0 when they have fewer turnovers than their opponent (1-3 with more or equal).

• Vanderbilt has outrebounded every opponent this year. The Commodores are 13th in the NCAA in rebounding and 22nd in rebounding margin (+11.4)­ – third in the SEC.

• Vandy leads the SEC with 11 steals per game.

• Vandy has forced the third-most turnovers in the SEC this year (20.5 per game).

• In eight games this season, Vanderbilt has had four different leading scorers and four different leading rebounders.

• Vanderbilt won its first two games for the first time since 2014-15 (started 5-0). The Commodores also won their road opener for the first time since 2014 at Wisconsin. The three-game winning streak in November was the program’s first since December of 2016.

• Last season, Vanderbilt scored 80 points three times. In just the first six games this season, the Commodores eclipsed 80 points three times and 100 points once. The 106-point outing at Tennessee State was the program’s first over-the-century mark since 2011 at Florida.

Plan of Attack
• Vanderbilt head coach Stephanie White’s halftime adjustments have been evident. Vanderbilt has won the third quarter in seven of its eight games. Excluding No. 4 UConn, the Commodores have more than doubled up the opposition in the third quarter 130-63. That averages to an advantage of 19-9 every third quarter.

Court Marital
• Sophomore Jordyn Cambridge entered the week ranked No. 3 in the nation and atop the SEC in steals. She has 30 steals this season after she totaled 20 steals in 24 games as a freshman last year.

• Cambridge was the first Commodore with seven steals in a game (Nov. 17 vs. Saint Louis) since Jennifer Risper on Nov. 23, 2008 against Michigan.

• At five-foot-nine, Cambridge leads the Commodores with seven blocks this season (she had two blocks last season). Cambridge hauled in a career-high eight rebounds at Tennessee State on Nov. 25. She has 6+ rebounds in five of eight games this season (career-high five rebounds entering this season).

Alexander the Sophomore
• Sophomore Brinae Alexander scored in double figures in her first six games this season and was Vanderbilt’s leading scorer before her injury in the first quarter on Thanksgiving Day against Rutgers at the Junkanoo Jam in Bimini, Bahamas. Vanderbilt was 5-1 prior to her injury (0-2 since).

• In the season opener, Alexander (20 points, four steals) was the first Commodore in more than eight years to finish with 20+ points and 4+ steals in a game. The last Vanderbilt player to pull off the feat was Jence Rhoads when she went for 21 and 5 against Arkansas on March 4, 2010.

Home Port
• Vanderbilt opened the season with five straight games at Memorial Gymnasium and went 4-1 with its only loss to No. 4 UConn (62-50).

• The Commordoes did not leave the friendly confines of the Music City for their first six games. The first road contest of the season was at neighboring Tennessee State (Nov. 25).

• The first time the Commodores left Nashville this season was on a flight to the Bahamas. Vanderbilt played Rutgers and Seton Hall at the Junkanoo Jam in Bimini, Nov. 28-29.

• The only other road contests for the Commodores in the nonconference season will be in Seattle, Washington. Vanderbilt will take on UC Irvine (Dec. 20) and Washington (Dec. 21) at the Husky Classic.

Mariella Fasoula
• Leads the SEC and ranks 12th in the country with 57 made field goals this season.

• An All-SEC second team selection last year, senior Mariella Fasoula was named to the preseason All-SEC second team by the media and coaches this year.

• Fasoula was one of 20 players named to the Lisa Leslie Award preseason watch list. The three-year-old award is given annually to the nation’s top center.

• The Greece national team member and communication studies major started all 29 games for the Commodores in 2018-19. She scored in double figures in all but six of those contests and led the team with 15.9 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game.

A Vandy Win Would…
… make the Commodores 6-3 for the first time since 2016-17 (started 10-1 in White’s first season).
… make the Commodores 9-1 in their last nine nonconference home games against unranked foes.
… be the third straight at home.
… mark the fourth in a row over Tennessee State.

A Vandy Loss Would…
… be the first three-game losing streak this season.
… mark the first to Tennessee Tech since Jan. 31, 1991 and first at home in the series since Jan. 12, 1981.
… be less good than a win.

On Deck
• Following a 10-day break, the Commodores host Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 15 (3 p.m.).

• The following weekend, the Commodores will travel to Seattle, Washington, to take on UC Irvine (Dec. 20) and Washington (Dec. 21) at the Husky Classic.