Jan. 2, 2008
| GAME AT A GLANCE | ||||
 Last Game:No. 15 Vanderbilt got out to the best start in school history Monday, beating Iona 97-73 behind A.J. Ogilvy’s 20 points and nine rebounds. Recap RICE (3-8) AT TELEVISION: None RADIO: 104.5 the Zone SIRIUS: Channel 126 SERIES INFORMATION LAST MEETING COACHES RICE PLAYER TO WATCH |
| 
|
View Official Game Notes | Visit Rice’s Website | Season Stats
Upcoming Home Games, Call 322-GOLD for Tickets:
Thursday, Jan. 3, vs. Rice at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 5, vs. UMASS at 3 p.m. CT
Wednesday, Jan. 9, vs. South Carolina at 7 p.m. CT
NASHVILLE – #15/15 Vanderbilt continues its busy New Year’s week when the Commodores take on the Rice Owls on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Memorial Gym. Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson will have the call on the Vanderbilt/ISP Radio Network, with no television scheduled for the contest.
Vanderbilt defeated Iona, 97-63, on December 31 to improve to 13-0 on the 2007-08 campaign, its best start in school history. The previous best beginning to a season was a 12-0 record by the 2003-04 Vanderbilt squad, which later went to the Sweet 16 that season. The Commodores are one of only six teams in the nation (North Carolina, Memphis, Ole Miss, Kansas, and Washington State are the others) with an unblemished record this far into the season.
The Commodores defeated MAAC foe Iona, 97-73, on New Year’s Eve at Memorial Gym behind a pair of 20-point performances by senior Shan Foster and freshman A.J. Ogilvy. Foster was six-of-13 from the floor and five-of-11 from three for the game, and Ogilvy scored his 20 points on only four made buckets and a 12-for-13 outing from the free throw line. The 12 free throws made in a game was the most for a Commodore since VU’s all-time leading scorer Matt Freije made 18 free throws against Indiana on November 24, 2003. As a team, Vanderbilt has gone to the free throw line 354 times in the 2007-08 season, 19 more than any other team in the SEC. That total is good for 8th in the nation as of January 2nd. A.J. Ogilvy has shot 102 free throws this year, the most among the top 15 free throw percentage leaders in the SEC. His 102 attempts is 30 more than the second-best total of 72 by Nick Calathes of Florida, and his total is good for a tie for 9th in the nation.
Leading 46-41 at halftime against the Gaels, the Commodores opened the second half on a 26-5 run to take a 72-46 advantage in the game. Vanderbilt scored the first 10 points of the half, and the Vanderbilt defense held the Gaels to only made two field goals in the first 9:15 of the second period.
Vanderbilt had one of its best shooting days of the season, making 28-of-50 (56.0 percent) shots from the floor and 11-of-20 (55.0 percent) from the three-point line. While Iona made 49.1 percent of its shots from the field, the Commodores were able to limit the Gaels to only 5-of-18 (27.8 percent) shooting from beyond the arc.
Rice and Vanderbilt will meet for the 18th time overall, and for the 12th time in Memorial Gym. The Commodores own a 14-3 series record against the Owls, and a 9-2 record against Rice in Memorial Gym. Vanderbilt owns a 66-18 record all-time against Conference USA. The Commodores won a meeting between the two teams last season in Houston, 74-69, on January 3.
Rice enters the contest with a 3-8 record after dropping its last time out at Texas A&M, 68-41. Patrick Britton leads the Owls in scoring with 11.0 points per contest. Paulius Packevicius leads Rice on the boards with 10.2 rebounds per game. Owl coach Willis Wilson is in his 16th season with Rice and overall as a head coach and has compiled a 219-227 record.
Rice junior Cory Pflieger and freshman Scott Saunders both have ties to the Middle Tennessee area. Pflieger, who is doubtful for Thursday’s game with a sprained ankle, is from nearby Dickson, Tenn., while Saunders, originally from New Orleans, La., attended Battle Ground Academy in Nashville last year.
Foster and Ogilvy are 1-2 in the latest SEC scoring statistics at 20.1 and 19.2 points per game, respectively. As a team, the Commodores are tied for the highest scoring offense in the SEC at 87.4 points per game and lead the conference in three-point field goal percentage (45.2%).
Tip-off is at 7 p.m. CT.
RICE’S PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
|