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No. 13 Dores Look to Extend Home Streak in the New Year Against Troy 1-1-05 1/1/2005 Noon Tip for Women Precedes Men’s 4 p.m. Contest NASHVILLE, Tenn. — No. 13 Vanderbilt looks to keep its 48-game nonconference home winning streak in tact when the Commodores host Troy at 12 p.m. Sunday. The game will be taped by CSS and shown on Jan. 4 at 8 p.m. (CT). The Commodores are coming off a 91-37 win at UNO last Thursday night. Senior forward Ashley Earley scored her 1,000th career point in a career-high 26-point performance to lead the ‘Dores to the win. Vanderbilt scored 57 second half points and shot 71 percent in the second stanza to break open a 34-16 halftime lead. Sophomores Cherish Stringfield and Caroline Williams came off the bench to combine for 22 points. Williams scored a career-high 10 points. Dee Davis added 11 points in the win. On the season, Earley continues to lead the team averaging 19.7 points per game and 9.2 rebounds. Dee Davis (11.6) runs the offense averaging 15.2 points per outing. Carla Thomas (14.4) and Abi Ramsey are the other two Commodores averaging in double figures. Vanderbilt averages 87.5 ppg while wracking up a +37.9 scoring margin. The ‘Dores are shooting a Southeastern Conference best 52.5 percent from the field and holding their opponents to a 34.5 percent field goal percentage. The Commodores have already connected on 76-of-199 from three-point range good enough for an SEC best 38.2 percent. Defensively, Vandy forces 27.5 turnovers per game while picking up 14 steals per game. Vanderbilt entered last week ranked No. 13 in the ESPN/USA Today’s Coaches Poll and No. 15 Associated Press Poll. Troy (2-6) dropped its second game of the season at Providence last Thursday night. Laura Lee Holman went 4-for-8 from three-point range and scored a game-high 16 points and Alecia Jones added a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Trojans in the 59-56 loss. Troy only shot 36.4 percent in the game, but out-rebounded Providence, 40-34. On the season, Amy Lewis leads the team averaging 13.1 ppg. Jones averages 10.6 points per game and grabs a team-high 7.6 boards per game. Holman is the team’s top three-point threat connecting on 12-of-37 from three-point range. The Trojans are allowing 63.8 points per game. This will be the first meeting between Vanderbilt and Troy in 20 years. Vanderbilt and Troy have only met once on the hardwood. The Commodores defeated the Trojans, 82-51, during the 1985-86 season. The Troy game is the first of three games in seven days for the Commodores. Vanderbilt host Atlantic Coast Conference member NC State Thursday at 7 p.m. The ‘Dores open Southeastern Conference play next Sunday Jan. 9 against South Carolina for “Jam the Gym.” The South Carolina game is fan appreciation day. Tickets are $1. |
