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Game Notes
The 20th-ranked Vanderbilt women’s basketball team returns home to host Auburn in the second meeting between the teams this season. The game will be televised live on CSS at 8 p.m. (CST).
The final three home games for the Commodores feature Give Back Thursdays. Thursday’s home game with Auburn will benefit the Nashville Rescue Mission Clothing Drive. Any fan who brings an article of clothing to the game will receive one free admission ticket.
Vanderbilt has won three straight games after snapping a three-game losing streak with a win at Kentucky. The Commodores went 1-0 last week after rallying to defeat Mississippi State, 106-98, in double overtime on the road last Thursday. Sophomore Carla Thomas scored a career-high 33 points including 21 second-half points and grabbed a career-best 17 rebounds. Senior forward Ashley Earley scored 22 points and added a season-high 16 rebounds against the Lady Bulldogs as the tandem combined for 55 of the 106 VU points and 33 of Vandy’s 58 rebounds. Dee Davis added 15 points while Caroline Williams had 12 points and Abi Ramsey finished with 10 points. The Commodores shot 50.6 percent from the floor and out-rebounded Miss. State, 58-25 including a 26-5 advantage on the offensive boards. Vandy has been hot lately during its three-game win streak. Thomas has averaged 23 points and 7.3 boards while Earley has been averaging 19.7 points and 11.3 rebounds in the last three games. Senior Abi Ramsey also has been hot hitting 40 percent of her three-pointers while averaging 18 points. Vandy has been shooting 52.4 percent from the floor and 40.6 percent from three-point range during its winning streak.
SCOUTING THE AUBURN LADY TIGERS
Auburn (12-9, 3-5 SEC) looks to build on a two-game winning streak when the Lady Tigers travel to Memorial Gym Thursday night. The Lady Tigers have won three of their last four games including wins over Alabama, Arkansas and South Carolina. Auburn’s lone loss during the stretch is a five-point loss (52-57) at No. 1 LSU. Auburn is coming off a 56-47 win at South Carolina in which the Lady Tigers rallied in the second half to overcome South Carolina. Junior center Marita Payne has been named the SEC Player of the Week after recording the school’s first triple-double. Payne scored 15 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked 13 shots against Arkansas. She now has an NCAA leading 111 total blocks on the season while averaging 5.2 blocks overall and 7.0 blocks in SEC play. Senior guard Natasha Brackett continues to lead the team averaging 15.3 points while Louise Emeagi chips in 11.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per outing. Payne averages 9.1 points and 8.8 boards.
THE AUBURN SERIES
This will be 32nd meeting between Vanderbilt and Auburn on the basketball court. Auburn leads the all-time series, 16-15, but the Commodores have won the last eight meetings including this season’s first meeting in Auburn, 73-67. Vandy won 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.
LAST TIME AGAINST AUBURN
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 rallied to defeat Auburn for the eighth consecutive time, 73-67, in Beard Eaves Coliseum in January. 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.
UP NEXT FOR THE COMMODORES
Vanderbilt hits the road for its second meeting with No. 5 Tennessee. The Commodores and Lady Vols take to the court Sunday at 2 p.m. (CST). The game will be televised on ESPN2.
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