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Vanderbilt Opens Up SEC Tournament Play Against Arkansas
3/4/2005
Game Notes
No. 17 Vanderbilt (21-6, 10-4 SEC) will open up play in the SEC Tournament Friday night when the Commodores face No. 11 seed Arkansas (16-12, 3-11 SEC) at 9:15 p.m. (ET)/8:15 (CT). The game will be televised live on FSN South.
Arkansas upset No. 6 seed Mississippi State in the first round, 80-73, to advance to the second round meeting with the Commodores. It will be the teams second meeting in the history of the SEC Tournament as VU leads the series, 1-0, in the tournament. Vanderbilt earned its first first-round bye sinced the 2001-02 season after rallying to defeat Georgia last Sunday.
Vanderbilt has won eight of its last nine games. The Commodores went 2-0 last week after rallying for wins over Alabama, 64-53, at home on Senior Night and picking up a road win over No. 18 Georgia in overtime, 66-59. Sophomore Dee Davis had a good week for the Commodores as Davis averaged 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.0 steals on the week. She finished the week 17-of-22 from the free throw line (77.3 percent). Senior forward Ashley Earley averaged 13 points and 13.5 rebounds on the week. She recorded her SEC league-leading 12th and 13th double-doubles respectively. Earley scored 12 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against Alabama and had 14 points and 15 rebounds in the win at No. 18 Georgia.
Earley hit the game-tying basket at the buzzer at the end of regulation to force overtime. Sophomore forward Carla Thomas also had a good week. Thomas averaged 15.5 points and 8.0 rebounds last week. Vandy has been playing well as a team in the last nine games. VU is shooting 48.6 percent from the field. Earley has been averaging 18.0 points and 11.3 rebounds. Thomas has averaged 17.8 points and 6.3 rebounds. Caroline Williams has also been hot from long range during the stretch. She has connected on 18-of 32 three-pointers (56.3 percent) in the last nine games. Senior Abi Ramsey needs just four points to become the 25th player in VU history to score 1,000 points.
THE ARKANSAS SERIES
Vanderbilt leads the all-time series, 11-4 after winning this season’s meeting in Nashville, Tenn., 78-43. It was the most lop-sided win for a team in the series as VU held Arkansas to its season-low, 43 points. Vandy leads the series at home, 6-1, and own a 4-3 record on the road. VU picked up the only win on a neutral court and is 1-0 against the Lady Backs in the SEC Tournament. The Commodores are 3-0 under Melanie Balcomb.
VANDERBILT AT THE SEC TOURNEY
Vanderbilt is making its 26th appearance in the SEC Tournament. The Commodores are 31-21 all-time in the SEC Tournament and have won the tournament title four times: 1993, 1995, 2002 and 2004. VU is the defending Southeastern Conference Tournament champions having won the last two tournaments held in Nashville. All four titles have come in the state of Tennessee. The Commodore SEC Tournament record against opponent follows: Alabama (1-2), Arkansas (1-0), Auburn (3-0), Florida (2-3), Georgia (4-5), Kentucky (3-1), LSU (4-3), Ole Miss (5-0), Miss. State (4-2), South Carolina (2-0), Tennessee (2-5).
THE LAST TIME AGAINST ARKANSAS
NASHVILLE — Carla Thomas scored 23 points and Vanderbilt (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today, No. 22 AP) held Arkansas to its lowest point total of the season in a 78-43 victory. Ashley Earley had 15 points and 11 rebounds, her 10th double-double of the season, and Abi Ramsey added 11 points for Vanderbilt (18-6, 7-4 Southeastern Conference). Sarah Pfeifer scored 13 points and Danielle Allen added 11 for Arkansas (15-9, 3-8). Vanderbilt seized control with an early 27-6 run. Thomas finished the outburst with a putback with 3:20 remaining for a 31-10 lead. Arkansas shot 6-for-27 from the field in the first half, missing all nine of its 3-point attempts, and trailed 37-14 at the break. Earley’s basket three minutes into the second half gave Vanderbilt a 48-18 lead. Thomas scored on the next two possessions to extend the lead to 32 points. Nicole Jules hit two free throws with 4:30 left to give Vanderbilt its biggest lead at 72-33.
UP NEXT
The Winner of Friday night’s game advances to play the winner of the game between No. 2 seed Tennessee and No. 7 seed Auburn Saturday night at 8:15 (CT) in the semifinals. The game will be televised on FSN South.
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