Nov. 10, 2011
Vanderbilt Gamenotes 
| Oregon Gamenotes
The number-seven ranked Commodores will get an early-season test on Friday night when Pac-12 member Oregon comes to Memorial Gym for a non-conference tilt. The game tips off at 9 p.m. CT, and can be seen live in high definition on FSN South and heard on the Vanderbilt Radio Network from IMG College.
Series Information
Series Record: Vanderbilt leads the all-time series, 4-2.
Last Meeting: The Commodores claimed a 76-75 on November 30, 2005.
Record at Vanderbilt: VU leads 3-0.
Record at Oregon: Oregon leads 1-0.
Record at Neutral Site: Tied at 1.
Coach Stallings vs. Oregon: 1-1.
More On The Oregon Series
– The Ducks participated in one of the more “magical” games in the 60-year history of Memorial Gym on November 30, 2005, when Nashville native Mario Moore hit a 30-foot shot at the buzzer to lead Vanderbilt to a 76-75 win over Oregon.
– Senior guard Brad Tinsley, from Oregon City, Ore., is the state’s second-leading “big school” all-time leading scorer, and the state’s fifth-leading scorer for all classifications with 2,330 points. Tinsley played against current Ducks players Garrett Sim and E.J. Singler.
– Redshirt freshman forward James Siakam was high school teammates with Ducks’ freshman guard Bruce Barron.
– Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings coached against Dana Altman from 1994-99 in the Missouri Valley Conference when Stallings was coaching at Illinois State and Altman at Creighton. Stallings compiled a 10-2 record against Creighton in his six-year tenure with the Redbirds.
Record in Season Openers
Since Memorial Gym opened in the 1952-53 season, Vanderbilt is 52-7 in the 59-year history of the building in season openers. Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings is 11-1 in season openers, with the only loss coming against Georgetown on November 15, 2006, at Memorial Gym.
Exhibition game – Vanderbilt 102, Xavier (La.) 62
Four Vanderbilt players scored in double figures, with senior forward Jeffery Taylor leading the way with 17 points, in the Commodores’ 102-62 win over Xavier (La.), their only exhibition game of the season. Freshman Kedren Johnson scored 16 points, junior guard John Jenkins added 15 points, and freshman Shelby Moats chipped in 10 points in the winning effort.
Vanderbilt shot 63.2% from the floor and 48% from three, and outrebounded the Gold Rush, 41-20. Senior forward Lance Goulbourne led the Commodores on the glass with eight rebounds.
Quick Hitters
– Vanderbilt enters the 2011-12 campaign as the number seven team in the nation according to the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
– It marks the first time since November of 1993 (23rd) that the team has been ranked in the preseason, and it’s the highest preseason ranking for a Commodore team since 1965, when VU was ranked fifth.
– The Commodores return five starters from last year’s team, but will miss the services of senior center Festus Ezeli, who sprained his MCL and PCL in his right knee in late October and will be out 6-8 weeks.
– Junior John Jenkins, the SEC’s leading scorer and leader in threes made in 2010-11 was named to the preseason All-SEC first team, along with senior forward Jeffery Taylor. Ezeli was named to the second team.
– First time in the Stallings’ era (since 1999) that he has five returning starters.
– Along with Jenkins, Ezeli, and Taylor, seniors Brad Tinsley (point guard) and Lance Goulbourne (forward) return as starters.
– Tinsley led the SEC in assists in 2010-11 with 4.6 per game, and notched the schools’ first-ever triple-double against Presbyterian (11 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists).
– Goulbourne was the team’s leading rebounder a season ago, and averaged 7.3 rebounds per game.
– 6’9 senior forward/center Steve Tchiengang will fill in for Ezeli while he is injured. Redshirt freshman center Josh Henderson may also see action.
– Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings is in his 18th season overall and 13th season at Vanderbilt and has an overall record of 359-211, and a record of 236-148 with the Commodores.
– Coach Stallings has had six 20-win seasons in the last eight, with five NCAA tournament appearances and two Sweet 16’s (2004 and 2007). He is the second winningest coach in Vanderbilt history behind Roy Skinner with 236 wins. Skinner has 278 wins.
Tough Schedule
The 2011-12 slate of games may be one of the most difficult the Commodores have ever faced and one that could see the Commodores take on as many as 13 teams that participated in postseason play a year ago. The home schedule includes the season opener against Pac-12 member Oregon (November 11) and a matchup with perennial NCAA tournament stalwart and Atlantic 10 member Xavier on November 28.
VU will travel to Louisville, also ranked in the preseason top 10, as part of the Big East/SEC Invitational on December 2nd, and will also host the ESPN Gameday franchise for the first time from Memorial Gym on February 11 against Kentucky.
Other NCAA Tournament teams on this year’s non-conference schedule – Bucknell (Nov. 19), Texas (possible opponent, Legends Classic, Nov. 21), Indiana State (Dec. 17), Marquette (Dec. 29).
Commodores on Television
Vanderbilt will appear on television 25 times in the regular season, with 17 slated for national broadcasts.