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No. 15 Commodores Look to Win Eighth Straight Over Auburn 1-13-05 1/13/2005 Game Notes No. 15 Vanderbilt (12-2, 1-0 SEC) takes to the road for only its second Southeastern Conference game of the season when the Commodores travel to Auburn Thursday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Beard Eaves Coliseum. The Commodores rebounded from its second loss of the season with an 88-43 victory over South Carolina in its SEC opener last Sunday. Sophomores Caroline Williams and Dee Davis each scored 17 points to lead four Commodores in double figures. Ashley Earley posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds while Carla Thomas had 16 points and Abi Ramsey added 14 points. Vanderbilt shot 48.3 percent from the field including 52.4 percent from three-point range. Davis also added a career-high nine rebounds. The Commodores dropped only their second game of the season last Thursday when NC State snapped VU’s 49 nonconference home-game win streak in a 65-64 win in Memorial Gym. Davis led VU with 13 points. Vandy shot a season-low 41.2 percent. On the season, the Commodores continue to put up big numbers in scoring leading the nation in scoring offense (85.1 ppg). VU has a +34.9 scoring margin. The Commodores shoot .519 from the field and .392 from three-point range. Earley continues to lead the team averaging 19.0 ppg while Davis is second with 14.9 points per game. She also averages an SEC-best 6.7 assists per game. The Com modores enter the week ranked No. 15 in the ESPN/USA Today’s Coaches’ Poll and No. 17 in the Associated Press Poll. Auburn (9-5, 0-1 SEC) looks to snap a three-game losing streak after dropping its SEC opener on the road at Florida in the Tigers’ last game, 67-60. Louise Emeagi scored a career-high 29 points and Tiffany Presley hauled in 10 rebounds, but the Gators converted 19-of-27 free throws to go on to the win. Auburn has the SEC’s top shot blocker in Marita Payne, who has 58 total blocks while averaging 4.14 blocks per game. Natasha Brackett leads the team averaging 15.6 points per game while Emeagi is the other Tiger averaging double figures with 12.2 ppg. Payne grabs 9.4 boards per game, which is second in the SEC. This will be the 31st meeting between Vanderbilt and Auburn on the basketball court. Auburn leads the all-time series, 16-14, but the Commodores have won the seven meetings including three games last season. Vanderbilt defeated Auburn, 67-63, in Nashville last season; 68-60 in Auburn last season and 76-74 in last season’s SEC Tournament. The last time against Auburn, Abi Ramsey connected on a pair of free throws with 5.4 seconds remaining to lift Vanderbilt through to the SEC Tournament semifinals as the Commodores knocked off Auburn, 76-74. Auburn’s Natasha Brackett missed two free throws in the last 38 seconds which could have given Auburn the lead. Vanderbilt shot 60.4 percent from the field and 61.5 percent from three-point range. Hillary Hager and Jenni Benningfield each scored 18 points to lead five Commodores in double figures in the win. Vanderbilt will return home for an in-state showdown with No. 10 Tennessee in Memorial Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. and the game will be televised on Fox Sports South. Tickets are still available for the Tennessee game for $17 and may be purchased online or by calling 322-GOLD. |
