Ross Neltner scored a career-high 18 points to lead Vanderbilt past Elon Saturday night at Memorial Gym. (AP Photo/The Tennessean, George Walker IV)
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — With starting center Alan Metcalfe out with an injury, opportunity presented itself for a Vanderbilt reserve to step up in his absence.
As it turned out, several Commodores did just that.
In his first start of the season, Dan Cage scored 17 points and forward Ross Neltner added a career-high 18 as Vanderbilt (1-2) rolled to a 81-70 victory over visiting Elon (1-3) at Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday night.
Reserve JeJuan Brown, getting extra minutes as a result of Metcalfe’s departure, also added a career high 10 points.
Elon’s LeVonn Jordan scored 26 points, which included 22 in the second half. But the Phoenix had no answer for Vanderbilt’s three-point shooters, as the Commodores hit 10-of-24 from behind the arc, including a five-of-seven performance by Cage.
Vanderbilt jumped out to a 6-0 lead behind two quick three-pointers from Cage, and cruised to a 41-21 halftime lead.
The Commodores stretched the lead to 24 early in the second half after Shan Foster was intentionally fouled on a dunk, then hit two free throws.
The Phoenix kept the lead in the teens throughout most of the rest of the evening, but got no closer than the 11-point final margin.
Derrick Byars led Vandy with eight rebounds and seven assists, and Shan Foster also added 17 points for the Commodores.
Vandy shot 50 percent from the field for the game. Ola Atoyebi (12 points) and Brett James (14) were the only other double-digit scorers for Elon.
