Jan. 8, 2008
| GAME AT A GLANCE | ||||
 Last Game:Shan Foster made eight of 12 3-pointers as Vanderbilt (15-0) extended the best start in school history by beating UMass 97-88 on Saturday. Recap SOUTH CAROLINA (8-6) AT TELEVISION: None RADIO: 104.5 the Zone SIRIUS: Channel 122 SERIES INFORMATION LAST MEETING COACHES USC TIDBIT USC PLAYER TO WATCH |
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Upcoming Home Games at Memorial Gym
Wednesday, Jan. 9, vs. South Carolina at 7 p.m. CT
Saturday, Jan. 19, vs. LSU at 12 p.m. CT
Saturday, Feb. 2, vs. Auburn at 4 p.m. CT
NASHVILLE – #12/13 Vanderbilt opens Southeastern Conference play Wednesday night when the Commodores host South Carolina at Memorial Gym. Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson will have the call on the Vanderbilt/ISP Radio Network.
The Commodores, who are off to a school-record 15-0 start, knocked off UMass, 97-88, in their last time out Saturday afternoon. Vanderbilt, who trailed by as many as 14 in the first half and nine in the second half, rallied back behind senior Shan Foster, who tallied a season-best 32 points and made a career-high eight three pointers. The Commodores took the lead 75-72 at the 7:12 mark in the second half, and reeled off the next nine points to take an 84-72 advantage which they never relinquished the rest of the way. The Commodore defense held the Minutemen without a basket for 3:23 during the run.
The Commodores used a hot-shooting second half to get the victory. Vanderbilt shot 21-of-38 (55.3 percent) from the field and a scorching 8-of-12 (66.7%) from the three-point line in the second stanza compared to 19-of-47 (40.4 percent) from the floor and 4-of-11 (36.4 percent) from three for the Minutemen.
Vanderbilt had a number of season bests against the Minutemen. The 97 points scored by the Commodores ties a season-high for most points scored in a game this season, the Commodores scored 61 points in the second half, its highest scoring half of the season, and VU made 13 three-pointers against UMass, which marks a season high.
Vanderbilt and South Carolina will meet for the 41st time Wednesday night overall, and for the 20th time at Memorial Gym. The Gamecocks hold a 21-19 advantage in the overall series, but the Commodores lead 10-9 in Nashville. VU has won three straight against South Carolina, dating back to January 18, 2006, when the Gamecocks came away from Memorial Gym with a 66-64 overtime win.
South Carolina enters the game with an 8-6 overall record after dropping its last game against UNC Asheville, 61-58, in Columbia on January 5.
Devan Downey, a University of Cincinnati transfer, paces the South Carolina offensive attack with 18.6 points per game. He also leads the team in assists per game (5.36) and steals per game (3.29). Downey played at Memorial Gym on December 10, 2005, when he was a member of the Bearcats and scored 18 points to lead UC to a 92-83 win over VU.
South Carolina guard Zam Frederick, a transfer from Georgia Tech, also averages double digits with 16.0 points per contest. Dominique Archie leads the team on the glass, averaging 6.3 rebounds per game, while also adding 10.7 points per game.
Gamecocks coach Dave Odom is in his 7th year in Columbia and has compiled a 122-92 record. Overall in his 22nd year, he has a record of 400-266.
Senior Shan Foster and freshman A.J. Ogilvy rank one and two, respectively, in scoring in the Southeastern Conference as of January 7. Foster pours in 21.1 points per contest, while Ogilvy adds 19.3 points per game, and leads all SEC freshmen. Only one pair of teammates has finished first and second in the league in scoring, and that came when Tennessee’s Ernie Grunfeld led the SEC with 25.3 ppg in 1975-76 with Bernard King second at 25.2 ppg.
Foster and Ogilvy were both honored as the SEC Player and Freshman of the Week, respectively, for their play in three games last week by the SEC Office in Birmingham. Foster and Ogilvy became the third duo to sweep the awards, joining Chris Lofton and Duke Crews of Tennessee, who won Christmas week of 2006, and LSU’s Glen Davis and Tyrus Thomas, who captured the awards for the week of February 20, 2006.
Foster needs one more three pointer to become the school’s all-time leader in three-pointers made. Foster currently sits at 296 made threes, which ties Vanderbilt great Ronnie McMahan, who played from 1992-95 and made 296 in his career.
There is no television for the game Wednesday night at Memorial Gym. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. CT.
SOUTH CAROLINA’S PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
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