Jan. 13, 2009
TV: None | Radio: 104.5 FM | XM: Channel 238
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| VU Notes | UGA Notes | VU’s 2008-09 Stats | SEC Stats
The Vanderbilt Commodores will open its 57th season of Southeastern Conference play at Memorial Gym when the Georgia Bulldogs come calling for a 7 p.m. Wednesday night tip off. The game, slated for a 7 p.m. CT start, can be heard on the Vanderbilt-ISP Radio Network and vucommodores.com, with Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson on the call. There will be no television for the game.
The Commodores saw its six game winning streak come to an end after a 70-60 loss to Kentucky at Rupp Arena on Saturday. Vanderbilt led for most of the first half, but a 12-2 Wildcat run at the end of the period gave Kentucky a 31-27 halftime lead, an advantage they would never relinquish the rest of the way. Kentucky led by as many as 20 with ten minutes to play, but the Commodores cut the Wildcat lead to six with 53 seconds to play before Kentucky made four free throws down the stretch to seal the 10-point win.
Vanderbilt played without the services of sophomore All-SEC big man A.J. Ogilvy, who missed the game with a bone bruise in his right heal. The 6’11 center from Sydney, Australia, has missed two out of the team’s last three games with the injury. Junior guard Jermaine Beal led all Commodore scorers with 18 points, while freshman Jeffery Taylor added his second double-double of his career with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Fellow freshman Brad Tinsley also scored in double figures with 11 points.
The Wildcats shot 43.6% from the floor in the win, only the third opponent this season to break the 40% mark, and scored 70 points, only the second team to eclipse the 70-point barrier. The Commodores shot 31.6% from the floor and 28.0% from three for the game. Vanderbilt outrebounded Kentucky, 35-34, and both teams were a combined 33-38 (86.8%) from the free throw line (VU – 17-19, 89.5%; UK – 16-19, 84.2%).
Vanderbilt and Georgia will meet for the 127th time on Wednesday night, with the Commodores holding an 80-46 advantage in the series. VU is 49-13 all-time against the Bulldogs in Nashville. Vanderbilt opens its 57th SEC home campaign Wednesday night, and the Commodores have an all-time record of 46-10 in SEC openers at Memorial Gym. Current head coach Kevin Stallings is 7-2 in SEC openers at home, and has won his last six. Stallings has a 10-8 record against the Bulldogs since being named the Commodores’ head coach before the 1999-00 season and has a 7-2 record against Georgia at Memorial Gym.
Georgia enters the game with a 9-7 overall record after dropping their SEC opener against Tennessee on Saturday. The Bulldogs are led by Trey Thompkins, who averages 14.3 points per game and Terrance Woodbury, who adds 14.2 points per contest. Thompkins also leads Georgia on the glass with 6.8 rebounds per game.
In the latest NCAA rankings on January 11, the Commodores were tied for first in the nation in field goal percentage defense at 36.1% and ranked 21st when it came to scoring defense (59.2). Vanderbilt ranks first in the SEC in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense.