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No. 15 Commodores Topple Tigers 1-13-05 1/13/2005 AUBURN, Ala. — Sophomore forward Carla Thomas scored a career-high 32 points, including 22 second-half points, and Vanderbilt overcame an eight-point deficit in the final eight minutes as the No. 15 Commodores (13-2, 2-0 SEC) rallied to defeat Auburn for the eighth consecutive time, 73-67, Thursday night in Beard Eaves Coliseum. Senior Ashley Earley added 22 points as Thomas and Earley combined for 54 of the 73 Commodore points. Natasha Brackett led Auburn with 18 points and Marita Payne had 13 points and eight blocks. Nicole Louden and Nitasha Brown each finished with 12 points. Thomas fell one rebound shy of a double-double collecting nine rebounds. Vanderbilt shot 52.9 percent from the field, but was held to a season-low 1-for-5 from three-point range. The ‘Dores out-rebounded Auburn, 19-7 in the second half and outscored Auburn, 42-29 in the half. VU out-rebounded the Tigers, 34-24, in the game. Dee Davis finished with six points and eight assists. Vanderbilt trailed 59-51 with 8:01 remaining in the second half. Thomas completed a three-point play to pull the ‘Dores within, 59-54, with 7:44 left. Earley then added a lay-up cutting it to 59-56. A jumper from Louden extended the Auburn lead to 61-56. Thomas then scored two quick baskets to make it, 61-60 with 4:27 left. A three-pointer from Brackett gave the Tigers a 64-60 lead with 3:57 left, but a jumper from Thomas and lay-up from Katie Antony tied the game, 64-64, with 2:57 on the clock. Two free throws from Earley gave the Commodores the lead for good as VU outscored Auburn, 9-3, in the final three minutes to go ahead to the win. The Commodores erased a 38-31 halftime with a 7-0 run in the first five minutes of the second half. Abi Ramsey hit a three-pointer and Davis added a jumper. Thomas’ lay-up tied the game, 38-38, with 16:43 left. Two free throws from Thomas gave the Commodores their first lead of the game, 40-38, with 15:29 left. A three-pointer from Brown put the Tigers back ahead, 41-40, with 15 minutes remaining. Another lay-up from Thomas gave the Commodores a 42-41 lead with 14:50 remaining. Louden’s 10 points helped Auburn to the 38-31 halftime lead. The Tigers shot 51.5 percent from the field and forced the Commodores into 10 turnovers. Earley scored 11 points in the first half while Thomas had 10 first half points. Vanderbilt shot 51.9 percent from the field in the first stanza. Auburn jumped out to an early 8-4 lead behind six points from Louden. Vanderbilt got within 10-9 on a basket from Earley. The Tigers extended their lead to 20-13 with 6:41 left Natasha Brackett hit a jumper. The Commodores then rallied to pull within 22-21. A jumper from Earley tied the game, 25-25, at the 3:48 mark of the first half, but Auburn used an 11-2 run to go ahead, 36-27 with 1:33 left before halftime. Vanderbilt now returns home to host No.10 Tennessee Sunday at 2 p.m. The Lady Vols defeated Arkansas, 73-54, in Knoxville Thursday. Tickets for the Vanderbilt-Tennessee game still remain. Tickets are $17 and can be purchased by visiting the Vanderbilt ticket or by calling 322-GOLD. |
