Commodores Bounce Lady Buccaneers

Commodores Bounce Lady Buccaneers

11/25/2005

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Junior Caroline Williams scored career-high points for the second straight game to lead the No. 20/22 Vanderbilt women’s basketball team to a 83-39 win over Charleston Southern Friday in the first round of the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament presented by the City Paper.

Williams’ 23 points led all scorers and paced four Commodores in double-figures. Junior Carla Thomas scored 18 points, while sophomore Liz Sherwood added 14 points and senior Nicole Jules had 10 points. Shaunte Small led the Lady Buccaneers with 11 points.

The Commodores held CSU to 33 percent shooting from the field and forced 26 Lady Buccaneer turnovers. Junior Dee Davis led Vanderbilt with four steals while also dishing out a game-high eight assists.

Williams and Sherwood each hit 7-of-11 shots on the day, leading the Commodores to a 51 percent shooting day. Thomas was a perfect 10-of-10 from the charity stripe.

An 11-0 run by Vanderbilt midway through the first half helped the Commodores open up a 15-point advantage nine minutes into the game. By halftime, the lead had ballooned to 25 points. Williams had 17 of her game-high 23 in the first half.

The Commodores shot 61 percent in the second half and lead never shrank below 22 points in the second half.

Vanderbilt returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 26 for the championship game. The Commodores will face Colgate at approximately 4 p.m. CT. Charleston Southern will take part in the consolation game beginning at 2 p.m., with the Vanderbilt game following 30 minutes after game one’s completion.

Admission to both of Saturday’s game is free to the public. Fans will have the opportunity to make cash donations benefitting the Boys and Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee at the concession stands inside Memorial Gymnasium.