Dec. 18, 2009
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Vanderbilt and Tennessee State will meet on the hardwood for the seventh time to begin a six-game Memorial Gym homestand for the Commodores this Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. The action can be heard live on the Vanderbilt-ISP Radio Network and vucommodores.com, with Joe Fisher and Tim Thompson courtside calling all of the action, and vucommodores.com will have a live webcast of the game. There is no television.
Vanderbilt emerges from an eight-day break after their last game against Western Kentucky, a game the Commodores dropped, 76-69, at the Nashville Arena on December 11, with today’s match up with the Tigers. VU has actually dropped two consecutive games, and will be happy to play in front of the home crowd, where the team has a 3-0 record on the 2009-10 campaign. Vanderbilt’s last game at home came against DePaul on December 5, a game the Commodores won, 79-68.
Against Western Kentucky, Vanderbilt was led by sophomore forward Jeffery Taylor, who scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds, both team highs. The 21-point effort was his second 20+ point game of the season and fifth of his career. Senior Jermaine Beal, who saw his 70-game starting streak come to an end against the Hilltoppers, came off the bench to score 12 points. He also added four assists for Vanderbilt.
The Commodores are led in scoring and rebounding by Taylor, who averages 15.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Beal adds 13.2 points per contest, and junior center A.J. Ogilvy chips in 12.7 points per game. Ogilvy is second on the team in rebounding at 5.6 rebounds per game.
Saturday’s game marks the 36th anniversary of the first time the two teams met on the court on December 8, 1973. Roy Skinner’s Vanderbilt team outlasted a very talented Tennessee State squad, 67-66, that night. Vanderbilt leads the all-time series, 6-0, with every game taking place at Memorial Gym.
Tennessee State enters the game with a 3-8 record, although the Tigers have won two straight with wins over Detroit and, most recently, against Alabama A&M. Josh Sain leads TSU in scoring with 14.6 points per game, and Robert Covington also averages double digits with 10.4 points per contest. Darius Cox leads the Tigers on the boards with 5.6 rebounds per game.
Single game tickets are available for Saturday’s game at the Vanderbilt Ticket Office for only $15. The number to call for tickets is (615) 322-GOLD, or visit vucommodores.com to order.