Jan. 29, 2007
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Next Home Game: Feb. 3 vs. Georgia
Three wins over nationally ranked teams in the past two weeks have helped Vanderbilt earn a No. 24 ranking in the latest Associated Press Poll released Monday.
The Commodores (15-6, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) own their best league start of the eight-year tenure of head coach Kevin Stallings after four consecutive conference wins, including victories over then-No. 10 Alabama (94-73) in Nashville; then-No. 25 Kentucky (72-67) in Lexington; and then- No. 21 LSU (64-53) in Baton Rouge.
Vanderbilt’s current four-game SEC win streak marks the school’s longest since the Commodores posted five consecutive victories during the 1997 campaign.
“The last few weeks have been great, but we’ve got to keep it going,” junior forward Ross Neltner said. “It’s not about being ranked in the Top 25, it’s about getting to the NCAA Tournament.”
The Commodores started the season 1-3, but have won 14 of their last 17 contests and own a five-game win streak against nationally ranked opponents.
“I’m happy for the players,” Stallings said. “They’ve fought through a lot of adversity this season and have focused on getting better every day. I’m happy people are noticing their success.”
The ranking is the first for Vanderbilt since the Commodores were listed at No. 22 in the Jan. 19, 2004 AP poll. That season, Vanderbilt was ranked for five weeks, including the Jan. 5 poll that listed the Commodores at No. 20 after an 11-0 start. Vanderbilt later advanced to the Sweet 16 of the 2004 NCAA Tournament before losing to eventual national champion Connecticut.
Vanderbilt travels to top-ranked and SEC Eastern Division-leading Florida (19-2, 6-0 SEC) on Wednesday. Game time is set for 6 p.m. CT.