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Vanderbilt Hosts Annual Thanksgiving Tournament 11-25-04 11/25/2004 Commodores to Give Away 2,000 schedule magnets Friday and 1,000 Vanderbilt beads Saturday Vanderbilt hosts its annual Thanksgiving Tournament Friday and Saturday at Memorial Gymnasium. The Commodores (2-0) open the tournament against Rhode Island (1-1) Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. Siena (0-2) and UT-Martin (1-1) will follow at 4 p.m. VU is coming off a 61-28 win over Savannah State Monday night. The Commodore defense held the Lady Tigers to the fewest points allowed in school history as Savannah State scored 28 points and shot only 25 percent from the field. Senior forward Ashley Earley led the team with her second straigh double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. On the season, Earley leds the team averaging 19.5 points and 12 rebounds per game. Sophomore Carla Thomas is right behind averaging 17 ppg. Rhode Island (1-1) lost a heart-breaker in overtime to Harvard Monday night on the road, 83-77. Peta Kneen led the team with 23 points and 10 points. The Rams opened the season with a 71-58 win at home over Northeastern. Kneen averages 24.5 ppg in leading four players averaging double figures. Tanya Rhodes (17.5), Safi Mojidi (13.0), Chrys Washington (10.0 ppg) and Justine Boisvert (10.0 ppg) are all threats for the Rams. As a team, Rhode Island shoots 42.3 percent from the field including 38.7 percent from behind the arc. Kneen is the leading three-pointer shooter having made 9-of-14 attempts (.643). Vanderbilt defeated Rhode Island in the opening round of the Gatorade Holiday Classic in Miami, Fla. last season. The Commodores had to come-from-behind on their way to a 74-61 win. Senior Jenni Benningfield led all scorers in the hard-fought contest with an impressive double-double of 31 points and 13 rebounds. Abi Ramsey established new career marks for scoring (21 points) and rebounding (nine boards). Hillary Hager was the only other Commodore player in double-figures with 11 tallies and supplemented that total with six steals. The Commodores shot at a .535 clip from the field, hit eight three-pointers and held the Rams to only 36.1% shooting from the floor. The two teams combined for 46 turnovers and 45 fouls in the hard-fought contest. VU leads the all-time series, 1-0, after winning the first meeting last season. Vanderbilt fans will be treated to two special promotions during this weekend’s tournaments. VU will give away 2,000 basketball schedule magnets at Friday’s game with Rhode Island and 1,000 Vanderbilt Mardi Gras Beads at Saturday’s game. Siena (0-2) and UT-Martin (1-1) will face off in the second game of the opening round at 4 p.m. Friday. The Saints are looking for their first win of the season after losing to No. 24 Maryland, 73-52, last Sunday and falling, 63-52, Tuesday evening to Virginia Commonwealth. Katelyn Dooley scored a team high 15 points and three assist while junior forward Whitney Cave had 12 points and pulled down nine rebounds against Maryland. Dooley led the team again with 14 points against VCU. UT-Martin (1-1) enters the tournament fresh off a 70-62 over Kentucky Wesleyan. Danielle Page leads the team averaging 13.5 points per game. Jenny Lannom averages 115 ppg and 6.0 rpg. Lannom led three players in doubel figures with 17 points in the win over Kentucky Wesleyan. Page added 16 points. The winner of Game 1 between Rhode Island and Vanderbilt will face the winner of Game 2 between UT-Martin and Siena Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. The losers of Game 1 and Game 2 will play at 2 p.m. Saturday. |
