Jan. 17, 2008
View Box Score | Postgame Notes
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Wayne Chism scored a season-high 18 and had a career-high 18 rebounds to help No. 6 Tennessee beat No. 16 Vanderbilt 80-60 in a matchup of the Southeastern Conference’s best shooters.
The Volunteers (15-1, 3-0 SEC) were 8-for-22 on 3s, while the Commodores (16-2, 1-2) completed only 3 of their 21 attempts. Vanderbilt entered the game averaging 9.29 3-pointers a game, second in the SEC only to Tennessee’s 9.73.
The Commodores’ 36.8 percent on field goals and 14.3 percent from behind the arc were their worst of the season.
Chism’s rebounds were the most by any Tennessee player since 1996, helping to shake the Vols’ season-long struggle on the boards.
Tennessee went on a 17-6 run to open the second half, ending with a 3-pointer by Chris Lofton to put the Vols up 59-38 with 11:24 left.
Vanderbilt responded with a 15-2 run that ended with Shan Foster’s 3 to narrow the gap to 61-53.
But Tyler Smith grabbed a steal and went in for a dunk, and the Vols held their margin through the end of the game.
Vanderbilt led 12-11 9 minutes into the first half, but a Tyler Smith layup launched a 20-6 run by the Vols that ended with back-to-back 3s by Brian Childress and Chism to put Tennessee up 33-18 with 3:57 in the half.
Tyler Smith and JaJuan Smith both finished with 14 points and Chris Lofton added 11.
Vanderbilt’s Shan Foster sank 14 points and grabbed six rebounds, A.J. Ogilvy had 12 points and Darshawn McClellan also had six rebounds.
It was the first matchup with a ranked opponent this season for the Commodores, who have now dropped two straight after opening the season with 16 wins, their best start in history.