MBB Opens Homestand with Nationally Televised Game against Kentucky

Feb. 11, 2008

GAME AT A GLANCE

Last Game: Jermaine Beal hit a jumper with 0.6 seconds remaining to lift Vanderbilt to a thrilling 66-65 win at South Carolina Saturday. Recap Kentucky (12-9, 6-2 SEC) at No. 19 Vanderbilt (20-4, 5-4) Tues., Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. CT Memorial Gym (14,316) Nashville,Tenn. – Sold Out TELEVISION: ESPN Play-by-Play: Brad Nessler; Color: Jimmy Dykes RADIO: 104.5 the Zone Play-by-Play: Joe Fisher; Color: Tim Thompson SIRIUS: Channel 126 SERIES INFORMATION Kentucky leads the all-time series, 129-40; UK leads 48-23 in Nashville; UK leads 75-14 in Lexington; UK leads 6-3 on neutral floors. LAST MEETING Kentucky defeated Vanderbilt 79-73 in a double overtime affair at Rupp Arena on January 12. COACHES Kevin Stallings is in his ninth year at Vanderbilt (164-112) and his 15th overall (287-175). Billy Gillispie is in his 1st season with Kentucky (12-9) and 6th overall (112-67). UK TIDBITS Kentucky leads the SEC and ranks 12th nationally at the foul line, shooting 76 percent… In league play, UK ranks first in the SEC in FG percentage (.476) and rebounding margin (+4.9)… UK has held its last 13 opponents under 50 percent shooting… In SEC action, Patrick Patterson is averaging a league-high 41.0 minutes, Ramel Bradley is averaging 36.3 minutes, and Joe Crawford is averaging 35.9 minutes… Joe Crawford is shooting 61 percent (11-for-18) from three-point range over his last four games. UK PLAYERS TO WATCH In SEC play, senior guard Ramel Bradley is averaging 11.6 of his 18.0 points after intermission. He has posted double figures after halftime in each of the last seven games in which he has played the second half. Freshman forward Patrick Patterson is one of two SEC players to rank among the top 10 in both points (7th, 16.9 ppg) and rebounds (4th, 7.9 rpg).

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SEC Quotes: Stallings and Gillispie Discuss Matchup

VU Notes | UK Notes & Preview | Season Stats | SEC Standings

Upcoming Home Games at Memorial Gym
Tuesday, Feb. 12, vs. Kentucky at 8 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 16, vs. Florida at 2 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 23, vs. Georgia at 3 p.m. CT

NASHVILLE – After playing six of its first nine SEC games away from home, the Vanderbilt Commodores return to the friendly confines of Memorial Gym for a nationally televised contest against the Kentucky Wildcats at 8 p.m. CST. Brad Nessler and Jimmy Dykes will handle announcing duties on ESPN, while Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson will have the call on the Vanderbilt/ISP Radio Network.

The Commodores have won three consecutive games, and its last two on the road, after a miraculous coast-to-coast lay-up by Jermaine Beal, his only made basket of the game, to defeat South Carolina, 66-65, on Saturday at the Colonial Center in Columbia, S.C. Vanderbilt, who was winless on the road in the SEC before last Wednesday’s game at Georgia, gutted out the win against the Gamecocks in a game that featured 13 lead changes and six ties. The Commodores’ Shan Foster paced the Vanderbilt effort against South Carolina with 21 points, and freshman A.J. Ogilvy pitched in 15 points, despite missing some key free throws in the final minutes against South Carolina. Both Foster and Ogilvy each added eight rebounds apiece for Vanderbilt.

Key statistics for Vanderbilt in the win over the Gamecocks included the rebounding column, a stat the Commodores won 35-29, including 11-6 on the offensive glass, which resulted in a 12-4 advantage in second-chance points. VU moved to 10-0 on the season when outrebounding their opponent.

The Commodores also only turned the ball over ten times, the second consecutive game in which Vanderbilt turned the ball over 10 or fewer times. VU had 22 turnovers in their first contest against Kentucky, a 79-73 double overtime win for the Wildcats at Rupp Arena, the venerable, 30-year old building’s first double overtime affair.

Kentucky and Vanderbilt will meet for the second time this season after the early SEC-season classic on January 12. The Commodores battled the Wildcats to double overtime despite the aforementioned turnover problem and a 45-23 disadvantage on the boards. The loss was VU’s first on the 2007-08 season.

The Wildcats and Commodores will meet for the 170th time Tuesday night, with Kentucky holding a 129-40 advantage in the overall series. In Nashville, UK holds a 48-23 lead, although Vanderbilt has won the last two at Memorial Gym and three out of the last four.

Commodore head coach Kevin Stallings is 6-12 against Kentucky, and has a record of 4-4 against the Wildcats at Memorial Gym.

Kentucky enters Tuesday’s game with a 12-9 overall record, a 6-2 mark in SEC play, and a season-best five game winning streak.

Freshman Patrick Patterson leads four Kentucky players averaging double-digits at 16.9 points per game. Joe Crawford adds 16.6 points, Ramel Bradley chips in 16.0 points, and Jodie Meeks scores 10.1 points per game. Patterson also leads Kentucky on the glass with 7.9 rebounds per game.

The game tips off at 8 p.m. CST.

KENTUCKY’S PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP