Jan. 16, 2009
TV: FSN South | Radio: 104.5 FM | XM: Channel 199
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STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Vanderbilt Commodores continue play in the SEC with a trip to Starkville, Miss., to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. 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, and seen regionally on FSN.
The Commodores won their first SEC game of the season Wednesday night when they defeated Georgia, 50-40, in a defensive affair. Vanderbilt held Georgia to 40 points, the lowest opponent total since since Nicholls State scored 40 points on Dec. 16, 2006. VU has now held its opponents to less than 35.5 percent field goal shooting in eight games this year.
The 50-40 win marks the first time the ‘Dores have been victorious with that low a point total since they defeated Princeton 49-44 on Dec. 21, 1985. VU’s 50 points are the fewest points scored in a win over an SEC opponent since Vanderbilt defeated Florida 47-46 on March 3, 1982 in the first round of the SEC tournament. It was also the fewest points scored in a regular season Southeastern Conference win since VU defeated Alabama 49-35 on Jan. 8, 1951.
Vanderbilt improved on its field goal percentage defense, which was tied for the best in the nation entering the game with Georgia. The Commodores limited Georgia to 33.3 percent from the floor on Wednesday night, which dropped their field goal percentage defense mark to 35.9 percent.
A.J. Ogilvy, who missed the conference opener at Kentucky because of a right heel injury, returned to spark the Commodores to victory. Ogilvy played 29 minutes and scored a game-high 18 points, also notching a career high with four steals. He was the only Vanderbilt player to score in double figures.
Vanderbilt and Mississippi State will meet for the 113th time on Saturday, with the Commodores holding a 71-41 advantage in the series. However, MSU leads the series, 29-22, in Starkville, and has won seven consecutive games over VU in Starkville. Vanderbilt’s last win at Mississippi State came on Feb. 27, 1993, in an 80-39 affair.
Mississippi State enters the game with a 12-5 overall record and is the only team in the SEC West to start the season 2-0 in league play. The Bulldogs defeated Arkansas in their conference opener, and most recently topped Alabama in their home opener, 83-74.
MSU is led by Jarvis Varnado, who averages 12.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, and is also the nation’s leading shot blocker with 5.3 blocks per contest. Ravern Johnson (11.8), Barry Stewart (11.1) and Dee Bost (10.0) also average double figures for the Bulldogs.
Saturday’s game against the Bulldogs will be a rematch of a senior night masterpiece on March 5, of last season at Memorial Gym. Shan Foster made his last nine 3-pointers and scored 42 points in an 86-85 overtime win. Foster made his last 3 with 1.6 seconds remaining in overtime to give Vanderbilt the win.
Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings has a career 5-6 record against the Bulldogs, and has never won in Starkville. Mississippi State and Arkansas are the only places where Stallings has not won since being named coach of the Commodores in the 1999-00 season.