Jan. 23, 2007
 |
Next Home Game: Jan. 27 vs. Ole Miss
CollegeInsider.com has named Kevin Stallings as its national coach of the week following Vanderbilt’s two victories over nationally ranked opponents.
Vanderbilt (13-6, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) won its eighth consecutive home game at Memorial Gymnasium on Wednesday by hitting a season-high 15 3-pointers in handing No. 10 Alabama a 94-73 defeat.
Three days later Vanderbilt claimed its third consecutive win over No. 25 Kentucky and its second in a row at storied Rupp Arena with a 72-67 victory on Jan. 20. The Commodores made 11 3-pointers and shot 47.7 percent from beyond the arc — both season highs by a Kentucky opponent.
Since opening the season with an 86-70 home setback to then-No. 8 Georgetown, Vanderbilt has won four consecutive games against ranked foes. The Commodores topped then-No. 25 Georgia Tech, 83-64, on Dec. 9. Vanderbilt also outlasted then-No. 16 Tennessee, 82-81, on Jan. 10.
The Commodores travel to No. 21 LSU on Wednesday.
In his eighth season at Vanderbilt (135-102), Stallings is the first Commodore coach to register four wins over ranked teams in one season and the first to lead Vanderbilt to victory at Kentucky’s Rupp Arena. He guided Vanderbilt to a Sweet 16 appearance at the 2004 NCAA Tournament and has taken the Commodores to four appearances in the postseason NIT.
For his career, Stallings owns a 258-165 overall mark in his 14th year. He coached six seasons at Illinois State (1994-1999) where he amassed a 123-63 (.661) record before coming to Vanderbilt.
He played three seasons (1980-1982) at Purdue under Gene Keady before serving as an assistant in West Lafayette for six campaigns (1983-1988). He then worked as an assistant under Roy Williams at Kansas from 1989 to 1993. Stallings reached the NCAA Final Four as a player at Purdue in 1980 and twice as assistant at Kansas in 1990 and 1993.