Jan. 9, 2009
TV: Raycom | Radio: 104.5 FM | XM: Channel 200
ESPN360.com Webcast | 
Live Audio | 
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Vanderbilt will take a six game winning streak to Rupp Arena to open SEC play against Kentucky on Saturday afternoon. The game, slated for a 1 p.m. CT start, will be televised by Raycom Sports, and the contest can be heard on the Vanderbilt-ISP Radio Network and VUcommodores.com, with Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson on the call.
The Commodores won their last non-conference game of the 2008-09 season against Massachusetts, 78-48, in Amherst, Mass., on Jan. 3. The 30-point road win was the largest for Vanderbilt since Jan. 3, 2004, when the Commodores defeated TCU, 95-60. The 48 points allowed tied for a season best defensive performance in 2008-09(Morehead State, Nov. 16).
Vanderbilt’s conference leading defense limited the Minutemen to only 28.6 percent shooting on the day, and only 17.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Commodores also outrebounded UMass, 48-28, their largest rebounding margin of the season.
In the latest NCAA rankings on Jan. 5, the Commodores were ranked sixth in the nation in field goal percentage defense at 35.6 percent and ranked 21st when it came to scoring defense (68.4). Vanderbilt ranks first in the SEC in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense.
Junior A.J. Ogilvy led the way offensively with 14 points, while Jermaine Beal, Darshawn McClellan and Lance Goulbourne each added 10 points in the victory. Ogilvy and Goulbourne led the way on the glass with eight rebounds apiece. Ogilvy leads all Commodore scorers at 16.5 points per contest. Jeffery Taylor (12.5), Beal (11.8) and Brad Tinsley (10.4) also average double figures.
Vanderbilt and Kentucky will meet for the 171st time on Saturday, with the Wildcats leading the overall series 129-41. Kentucky leads 75-14 all-time in Lexington and 29-2 at Rupp Arena, although the Commodores have won two out of the last three meetings at Rupp and five out of the last six meetings overall. The lone loss came in a 79-73 double overtime classic last season at Kentucky.
Kentucky is Vanderbilt’s second-most played rival, with Tennessee being the first (173 games). Head Coach Kevin Stallings has a 7-12 record against Kentucky in his Vanderbilt career, but has won five out of the last six meeting with the Wildcats.
Kentucky enters the game with an 11-4 record, and recently had a six game winning streak snapped at Louisville on Jan. 4. Jodie Meeks leads all Wildcat and SEC scorers with 24.4 points per game, while Patrick Patterson adds 19.5 points per contest. Meeks and Patterson form the league’s top scoring duo.
The Commodores, an inaugural member of the Southeastern Conference, will begin their 76th season in the league. Vanderbilt has a career 606-609 record against the SEC.