Oct. 31, 2006
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Vanderbilt plays host to former Lipscomb head coach Don Meyer and his Northern State (S.D.) Wolves Wednesday, Nov. 1, at Memorial Gymnasium. The Commodores’ lone exhibition game of the preseason is set to start at 7 p.m. The contest will not be televised.
The Commodores return seven letterwinners from the 2005-06 campaign led by junior swingman Shan Foster, who recently was named First Team All-Southeastern Conference by the league’s coaches and Second Team All-Conference by SEC Media.
Foster ranks as the SEC’s third-leading returning scorer after averaging 15.9 points last year. Considered among the league’s best 3-point shooters last season, Foster ranked second in 3-pointers per game (3.00) and fourth in 3-point shooting (41.5 percent).
Foster combines with senior guard/forward Derrick Byars to form arguably the best wing duo in the SEC. Byars ranked second among conference newcomers a year ago, averaging 12.4 points. The Memphis native and Virginia transfer, led the Commodores in assists with 3.2.
Other returning lettermen include junior guard Alex Gordon (5.7 ppg, 2.6 apg), who started 18 games at the point last season, including four of Vanderbilt’s six road victories. Senior guard Dan Cage (5.9 ppg) boasts outstanding perimeter shooting skills, making 46.1 percent of his 3-point tries (35-of-76) last season. Fifth-year senior center Ted Skuchas (3.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg) started 16 games last season. Junior post player Alan Metcalfe (2.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg) showed potential inside as the 2006-07 campaign concluded. Junior walk-on guard Aubrey Hammond returns for his third year. The crowd favorite has seen limited action as a Commodore.
Four newcomers look to make an impact. Versatile junior transfer forward Ross Neltner sat out last season after departing LSU. The 2003 Kentucky Mr. Basketball averaged 2.9 points and 2.8 rebounds as a sophomore in Baton Rouge playing behind the 2005 SEC Player of the Year Brandon Bass and SEC Freshman of the Year Glen Davis. Neltner averaged 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds as a senior at Fort Thomas Highlands.
Athletic redshirt freshman George Drake was named the Alabama 2A Player of the Year his sophomore through senior seasons at Calera High School. He averaged 22.6 points and 8.5 rebounds as a senior.
Freshman Jermaine Beal is a multi-faceted guard who finished his high school career as DeSoto’s all-time leading scorer while averaging 21.5 points, 6.0 assists and five rebounds.
Freshman forward JeJuan Brown is an energetic post player from Biloxi who averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds as a senior.
The Commodores were picked to finish fourth in the Eastern Division by media attending last week’s SEC Media Days in Birmingham, Oct. 25-26.
Wolves mentor Don Meyer coached at Lipscomb 24 years where he led the Bisons to 13 national tournament appearances and the 1986 NAIA title.
Wednesday’s game marks the fourth exhibition meeting between the two schools. All games have been played in Nashville with Vanderbilt winning each contest: 87-70 on Nov. 5, 2005; 86-57 on Nov. 6, 2003; and 72-59 on Nov. 11, 2001.