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No. 12 Commodores Cruise to 88-43 Win in SEC Opener 1-9-05 1/9/2005 Box Score | Photo Gallery NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Caroline Williams and Dee Davis each scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures and No.12 Vanderbilt held South Carolina to 27.3 percent shooting from the field as the Commodores cruised to an 88-43 win over the Gamecocks (5-10, 0-2 SEC) in their Southeastern Conference Opener. The Commodores (12-2, 1-0 SEC) won their ninth straight game in SEC play including four regular season games and four games in last season’s SEC tournament. Ashley Earley posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds while Carla Thomas added 16 points and Abi Ramsey had 14 points. Williams scored a career-high in points after going 5-of-8 from three-point range. Ramsey finished the game 4-of-7 from long range. Davis connected on a season-high 12-of-13 from the free-throw line and fell one rebound shy of a double-double hauling in a career-high nine rebounds. Vandy shot 48.3 percent in the game including 52.4 percent from three-point range nailing 11-of-21 three-point attempts. South Carolina only had 15 field goals in the game and went 8-of-16 from the foul line. The Gamecocks had 21 turnovers. The Commodores used the first five minutes of the second to build on a 43-13 halftime lead. Thomas scored nine points during the opening minutes of the half as VU led, 55-24, with 15:22 left. South Carolina got within 59-30 with 11:18 remaining on lay-up from Lauren Simms, but VU stretched its lead to 74-35 after three-pointers from Cherish Stringfield and Dee Davis. The ‘Dores then outscored South Carolina, 14-8, to make for the final score. Williams scored a career-high 14 points in the first half as VU exploded to 43-13 halftime lead. Williams and Ramsey combined to go 7-of-11 from three-point range. VU shot 46.9 percent in the first half including 50 percent from three-point range. Vandy held South Carolina to 13.6 percent from the field in the half and forced 13 turnovers. Vanderbilt jumped out to an 8-0 lead behind three-pointers from Williams and Ramsey. South Carolina got within 10-6 at the 10 minute mark on Lauren Simms’ three-pointer. The Commodores then used a 19-3 run to go ahead, 29-9 with 8:21 left. Williams scored eight of her 14 first-half points during the stretch. Williams hit two three-pointers and Ramsey added two more three-pointers during the run. The Commodores pushed their lead to 38-11 after free throws from Thomas, Earley and Davis. Thomas added two jumpers and Williams’ fourth three-pointer of the half gave VU a 41-12 lead with 1:33 left in the half. Simms led South Carolina with 13 points while Ilona Burgrova added seven points. Vanderbilt returns to action Thursday when the Commodores travel to Auburn for their second SEC game of the season. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Thursday night on the Plains. |
