Feb. 20, 2009
TV: Raycom | Radio: 104.5 FM | XM: Channel 200 | VU Notes | UF Notes
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Vanderbilt Commodores hit the road for the next two games, with Florida being first on the docket this Saturday afternoon at the O’Connell Center. The game tips off at 2 p.m. CT, and will be televised on Raycom Sports. The action can be heard live on the Vanderbilt-ISP Radio Network and vucommodores.com, with Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson on the call.
The Commodores and Gators will meet for the second time this season, with Florida coming away with the first meeting, 94-69, on January 25 in Nashville. Gator forward Chandler Parsons led the way for Florida with 27 points, with 21 of those points coming on seven made three pointers. Junior guard George Drake led Vanderbilt with 14 points.
Vanderbilt and Florida will play for the 117th time on Saturday afternoon, with Vanderbilt holding a 61-55 overall advantage in the series. Florida leads the series, 37-20, in Gainesville, and has won the last seven games at home against the Commodores. Commodore head coach Kevin Stallings is 5-14 against the Gators, and 1-8 all-time against Florida at the O’Connell Center, with his only win coming on January 20, 2001 (63-61).
The Commodores have now won four out of their last five after defeating Kentucky, 77-64, Tuesday night at Memorial Gym. Junior Jermaine Beal and freshman Lance Goulbourne led four players in double figures with 17 points apiece – Beal was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line and Goulbourne’s scoring output was a new career high. Sophomore A.J. Ogilvy scored 15 points, and freshman Jeffery Taylor tallied 14 points in the win. Vanderbilt outrebounded the Wildcats, 37-26, and outscored Kentucky, 18-8, in second chance points, while shooting 46.5% from the floor and 45.5% from beyond the arc. The Commodores defense limited the Wildcats to 38.5% from the floor and only 31.6% from three.
The Commodores have shot 49.6% from the floor in their last five games, and 40.5% from beyond the arc. The Commodores also have a +4.8 rebounding margin in the last five games.
Ogilvy leads the Commodores in scoring on the 2008-09 season at 14.7 points per game. Taylor and Beal add 12.4 points per game, and freshman guard Brad Tinsley also chips in 10.4 points per contest. Ogilvy leads all VU players on the glass with 7.0 rebounds per game. Taylor pulls down 6.2 rebounds per contest and is second on the team behind Ogilvy.
Florida enters Saturday with a 20-6 overall record, 7-4 in the SEC, after defeating Alabama, 83-74, on Wednesday night. Sophomore guard Nick Calathes leads the Gators in scoring at 18.8 points per game and leads the league in assists at 6.5 per game. Sophomore center Alex Tyus is next at 12.5 points per game, and sophomore forward Chandler Parsons chips in 10.0 points per contest. Tyus leads the team in rebounding with 6.1 rebounds per game.