Feb. 19, 2007
FREE POST-GAME VIDEO AND AUDIO AFTER VU’S WIN OVER NO. 1 FLORIDA – CLICK HERE
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The Vanderbilt men’s basketball team returned to the national rankings Monday following its 83-70 home victory over previously top-ranked Florida over the weekend.
The Commodores (18-8, 8-4 Southeastern Conference) are listed at No. 17 in the latest Associated Press poll and No. 21 in the ESPN-USA Today Coaches poll. It’s the highest ranking for Vanderbilt in the AP poll since it received a No. 8 listing in the final poll of the 1993 campaign. The Commodores are back in the ESPN-USA Today poll for the first time since the final rankings of the 2004 campaign that listed Vanderbilt at No. 25.
Derrick Byars and Shan Foster scored 24 points each and Ross Neltner added 15 points and a team-high six rebounds against Florida on Saturday, lifting Vanderbilt to its sixth win this season over a ranked opponent. Earlier in the week, the Commodores defeated South Carolina, 78-68 in Nashville on Feb. 14.
Earlier this season, Vanderbilt climbed into the Associated Press poll for the first time since 2004 with a No. 24 ranking in the Jan. 29 poll. After rising to No. 23 a week later, VU slipped out of the AP poll following an 84-57 loss at Tennessee on Feb. 10.
Vanderbilt has won six of its last eight heading into Wednesday’s 7 p.m. contest at Mississippi State (15-10, 6-6 SEC). The game will not be televised.
