MBB Takes on UT Thursday on ESPN

Jan. 16, 2008

GAME AT A GLANCE

Last Game: Vanderbilt fought back from a 16-point second half deficit but fell in double-overtime to Kentucky at Rupp Arena on Saturday. Recap Vanderbilt (16-1, 1-1 SEC) at Tennessee (14-1, 2-0 SEC) Thurs., Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. CT Thompson-Boling Arena (21,758) Knoxville, Tenn. 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 143 SERIES INFORMATION Tennessee leads the all-time series, 105-66. The Volunteers lead 67-20 in Knoxville, Vanderbilt leads 45-31 in Nashville, and Tennessee leads 7-1 on neutral floors. LAST MEETING Tennessee won 84-57 in Knoxville on Feb. 10, 2007. COACHES Kevin Stallings is in his ninth year at Vanderbilt (160-109) and his 15th overall (283-172). Bruce Pearl is in his third season with Tennessee (60-20) and 16th year overall (367-104). UT TIDBITS Tennessee’s 80-56 win at South Carolina on Saturday was the Vols’ largest SEC road win since an 87-63 win at Mississippi State in 1998 … UT has forced an average of 21.1 turnovers (third most in NCAA) off an SEC-best 11.5 steals per game this year … The Vols lead the SEC with 20.6 assists per game … Tennessee is 37-2 at Thompson-Boling Arena since the start of the 2005-06 season and has a 24-game homecourt winning streak. UT PLAYER TO WATCH Sophomore forward Tyler Smith has made a significant impact for the Vols since transferring from Iowa after last season. The 6-foot-7 forward from Pulaski, Tenn., leads the Vols in rebounds (5.6 rpg), assists (3.6 apg), steals (2.0 spg), is second on the team in field goal percentage (.573) and third in scoring (13.3 ppg).

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Audio: Listen to 104.5’s Tuesday Interview w/ Coach Stallings

Quotes: Stallings and Pearl Discuss Matchup

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

Upcoming Home Games at Memorial Gym
Saturday, Jan. 19, vs. LSU at 12 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 2, vs. Auburn at 4 p.m. CT
Tuesday, Feb. 12, vs. Kentucky at 8 p.m. CT

NASHVILLE – #14/16 Vanderbilt travels to #6/7-ranked Tennessee for the 172nd career meeting between the two schools Thursday night at Thompson-Boling Arena. The game will be televised live at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN, and Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson will have the call on the Vanderbilt/ISP Radio Network.

Vanderbilt saw its record-setting 16-game winning streak to start the 2007-08 season come to an end Saturday afternoon at Rupp Arena, as the Commodores dropped a 79-73 double overtime game to Kentucky. It was the first ever double overtime game to take place at the downtown Lexington facility, which opened in 1976.

The Commodores got off to a sluggish start against the Wildcats, and trailed by as many as 16 in the second half before mounting a comeback. Senior Shan Foster nailed a three-pointer with 16 seconds to go in regulation to send the game into overtime tied at 65, and A.J. Ogilvy had a tip-in as time expired in the first overtime to send the contest into a second overtime. Kentucky outscored VU 7-1 in the second overtime period to come away with the 79-73 victory.

With Vanderbilt trailing 73-72 in the second overtime, Kentucky scored the final seven points of the game. A layup by Joe Crawford with 3:33 to play put Kentucky up to stay. Vanderbilt did not score a field goal in the second overtime period. Vanderbilt was outrebounded 45-23, including being outrebounded 17-4 on offensive rebounds. Kentucky won the second-chance points category 18-2.

After shooting a sluggish 8-of-19 (42.1 percent) from the floor in the first half, the Commodores heated up in the second half, making 14-of-25 (56.0 percent) from the floor and 6-of-11 (54.5 percent) from beyond the arc.

The Volunteers and Commodores enter the game with the two highest scoring offenses in the SEC at 86.7 and 86.0 points per game, respectively. Both teams are also atop the league in threes made per game – Tennessee makes 9.73 threes per game, while Vanderbilt connects on an average of 9.29 trifectas per contest.

Tennessee and Vanderbilt will meet for the 172nd time Thrusday evening, with the Volunteers holding a 105-66 series advantage and a 67-20 lead in Knoxville all-time. UT is Vanderbilt’s most played opponent in the history of the Commodore basketball program.

Tennessee enters the game with a 14-1 record after recently defeating South Carolina, 80-56, in Columbia this past Saturday. The Volunteers’ only loss this season came November 24 against Texas in a 97-78 defeat in Newark, N.J.

Senior guard JaJuan Smith paces three Volunteers in double figures with 14.9 points per game. Sharpshooter Chris Lofton averages 13.5 points per contest, while Tyler Smith chips in 13.3 points per game. Smith leads UT on the glass with an average of 5.6 rebounds per game.

Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl is in his third year in Knoxville and has compiled a 60-20 record. Overall, Pearl is in his 16th year and has a 377-104 record.

Senior Shan Foster and freshman A.J. Ogilvy rank one and two, respectively, in scoring in the Southeastern Conference as of January 14. Foster pours in 20.6 points per contest, while Ogilvy adds 19.4 points per game, and leads all SEC freshmen. Only one pair of teammates have finished first and second in the league in scoring, and that came when Tennessee’s Ernie Grunfeld led the SEC with 25.3 ppg in 1975-76 with Bernard King second at 25.2 ppg.

Foster and Tennessee’s Chris Lofton are in the top three on the all-time SEC list in three-point field goals made. Lofton, who has made 356 career triples, is second all-time behind Arkansas’ Pat Bradley, who has 366. Foster, who recently became Vanderbilt’s all-time leader in three’s made, is third all-time in the SEC with 302.

As a team, the Commodores still lead all Division I teams in three-point shooting percentage at 43.9%,

Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CT from Thompson-Boling Arena.

TENNESSEE’S PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP