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Commodores Defeat Wildcats, 73-67 1/27/2005
Commodores Defeat Wildcats, 73-67 Box Score LEXINGTON, Ky. — Vanderbilt’s starting frontcourt, Ashley Earley and Carla Thomas combined for 46 points and No. 21 Vanderbilt forced 23 turnovers as the Commodores snapped their three-game losing streak by knocking off Kentucky, 73-67, Thursday night on the road in Memorial Coliseum. Earley scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season for Vanderbilt (14-5, 3-3 SEC) while Thomas added 22 points. Abi Ramsey added 14 points as Vandy shot 49.1 percent in the game and won their ninth straight over the Wildcats. Freshman center Sarah Elliott led the Wildcats with a team-high 20 points. Samantha Mahoney had 15 points for the Wildcats who shot 51.8 percent in the game and 54.2 percent in the second half, but Kentucky committed the 23 turnovers which resulted in After Kentucky came within 69-65 with 3:47 left in the game on three-pointer from Angela Phillips. Thomas hit a jumper and Earley added two late free throws to seal the win. Vanderbilt extended its lead to 65-57 after Earley found Nicole Jules underneath for lay-up with 6:09 remaining. The Wildcats got closer after a 5-0 run. Angela Phillips hit a three-pointer to pull the Wildcats to within, 65-62 with 4:46 left. Baskets from Earley and Ramsey gave the Commodores a 69-62 lead with 4:19 on the clock. Kentucky cut its deficit to 55-52 with 9:40 to go in the game on two Danielle Payne free throws, but Ramsey hit back-to-back three-pointers to put the Commodores ahead, 61-54 with 8:41 left. Vanderbilt used a 17-8 run out of the locker room to take a 51-44 lead with 14:03 left after a three-pointer from Dee Davis. Thomas had six points during the run. The Commodores led 53-46 after two free throws from Earley with 13:06 left. Thomas scored 14 first half points and the Commodores shot 48.1 percent from the field in the first half. Earley added nine points in the half. Kentucky shot 50 percent from the floor. Potts and Elliott each scored 10 points in the first half, but the Wildcats committed 13 turnovers as the teams went into the locker room tied, 34-34. Vanderbilt wasted no time in building a 9-2 lead after a jumper from Thomas. The Commodores led 13-4 with 13:51 left after Ramsey drove into the lane a banked in a shot. The Commodores led 19-10 after Caroline Williams, who earned her first start of the season, drove into the lane and hit a jumper off the glass at the 11 minute mark. Potts hit a three-pointer to cap a 7-0 Kentucky run pulling the Wildcats within, 19-17, at the 7:27 mark of the first half. Kentucky tied the game, 21-21, with 6:58 to go on Chante’ Bowman’s jumper. Potts hit another three-pointer to give UK its only lead in the game, 24-23, with 6:08 to show in the first, but the Commodores used a 10-3 run to go back ahead, 34-26. Kentucky then closed the first half with an 8-0 run capped with tip-in at the buzzer by Elliott tying the game, 34-34 at the break. Vanderbilt returns home to host former Vandy player Carolyn Peck’s Florida Gators Sunday at 12 p.m. The game will be televised live on CSS. The Commodores will celebrate alumni weekend and recognized the 1,000 point club. |
