Dec. 15, 2008
TV: ESPN2 | Radio: 104.5 FM | XM: None
ESPN360.com Webcast | 
Live Audio | | 
Game Notes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt will participate in the Big East/SEC Invitational this Tuesday at the Sommet Center in Nashville against South Florida at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by ESPN2, and the game can be heard on the Vanderbilt-ISP Radio Network, with Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson on the call.
Vanderbilt ended a two game losing streak last Wednesday against Alabama A&M, 78-55, at Memorial Gym. The Commodores got a team high 18 points from Jeffery Taylor and double digit efforts from A.J. Ogilvy (17) and Jermaine Beal (14) in the win over the Bulldogs.
VU shot a season-best 59.1 percent from the floor, and held Alabama A&M to 32.3 percent from the floor, the seventh Commodore opponent to shoot less than 40 percent from the field on the season. The Commodores also outrebounded the Bulldogs, 34-30, the sixth time Vanderbilt has outrebounded an opponent all season. VU is 6-0 in those games.
The Commodores are led by Ogilvy, who is averaging 15.3 points per game, which ranks 10th in the SEC. Three freshmen are next for Vanderbilt in scoring – Taylor (13.8), Brad Tinsley (11.2), and Lance Goulbourne (11.0), while Beal is the fifth double-digit scorer at 10.4 points per game. Taylor tallied a career-high 18 points on eight of nine shooting against Alabama A&M, and has scored in double digits in every game of his college career.
Vanderbilt and South Florida will meet for the third time overall in the series, and for the second time in Nashville. South Florida won the last meeting on Nov. 29, 1985, in Clemson, S.C., at the Clemson IPTAY Tournament. The teams have never met in Tampa.
South Florida is 3-4 entering Tuesday night’s contest, after dropping a 70-55 decision to Niagara Sunday night in Tampa. Jesus Verdejo leads a trio of Bulls in double figures with 17.6 points per contest. Dominique Jones (17.0) and Mike Mercer (12.0) also average double figures. Mercer played in his first game against Niagara Sunday after transferring from the University of Georgia.
Vanderbilt’s defense has been a staple all season for the Commodores. VU is only allowing opponents to shoot 36.6 percent on the year, and only two opponents (VCU, UIC) have shot higher than 40 percent in a game. Vanderbilt has only allowed one opponent, UIC on Dec. 3, to score 70 points or more (74). Five of Vanderbilt’s opponents have failed to crack the 35 percent mark from the floor.
Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings is one win away from the 300 victory mark in his 16-year head coaching career. He now has 299 career wins after the win against Alabama A&M, and 176 in his 10-year career at Vanderbilt. Stallings ranks third all-time in Vanderbilt coaching wins behind Roy Skinner (278; 1959, 1962-76) and Bob Polk (197; 1948-58, 1960-61).
The Commodores will appear on the ESPN family of networks for the first time this season against USF at the Sommet Center. Vanderbilt is slated to appear on the ESPN family of networks four other times this season. In all, the Commodores will appear on television, either regionally or nationally, 20 times.