Nov. 4, 2012
Vanderbilt Gamenotes 
| Delta State Gamenotes
The Commodore men’s basketball team plays its final exhibition game on Monday night when Delta State comes to Memorial Gym for a 7 p.m. tip off. The game will be broadcast live on Vanderbilt’s flagship station in Nashville, WLAC 1510-AM, and on the Internet at vucommodores.com as a part of the All-Access package.
Vanderbilt won their first exhibition game on Friday night against NAIA member St. Xavier (Ill.), 77-69, behind a 22-point, 17-rebound performance from redshirt sophomore forward James Siakam. Both would have been career highs for the Douala, Cameroon, native. Four other Commodores, Kedren Johnson (19), Rod Odom (12), Kyle Fuller (11), and Kevin Bright (11) also tallied double figures.
Here are other notes from the Commodores’ first game against St. Xavier.
Starters
Juniors Rod Odom and Kyle Fuller, sophomores Kedren Johnson and Shelby Moats, and freshman Kevin Bright started for the Commodores. It was Johnson, Moats, and Bright’s first career starts.
Notes
Sophomore James Siakam came off of the bench and tallied a double-double in the first half with 10 points and 11 rebounds and ended the contest with 22 points and 17 rebounds, 11 offensive, in 27 minutes of action. Before the game, Siakam had only six career points in 25 total minutes.
At the half, the Commodores out rebounded St. Xavier, 30-12. For the game, the margin was 52-27.
Vanderbilt held the Cougars to only 24.0% from the floor in the first half. For the game, the Cougars could only muster a 39.7 percentage from the floor, although they shot 51.5% in the second half.
Vanderbilt was 2-20 (10%) from three on Friday night. St. Xavier was 27.3%.
Fuller led the team with six assists and there steals on the night.
The Commodores posted a 44.1% shooting percentage (44.1%), with Siakam leading the way with a 9-11 performance.
Johnson and Fuller each played 37 minutes to lead all Vanderbilt players.
A total of 47 fouls were called, and both teams attempted a combined 60 free throws. Vanderbilt was 23-35 (65.7%) from the line, while the Cougars posted a 17-25 mark (68%).
About Delta State
The Division II Statesmen are guided by Jim Boone, who is in his 27th season as a head coach but his first at Delta State. The Statesmen play in the Gulf South Conference.
The Statemen finished the 2011-12 season at 6-21, but return their leading scorer (Terry Leake) and rebounder (Cornel Knight) from last season. Delta State dropped their first exhibition contest to Mississippi Valley State, 62-59.
Note about Statesmen coach Jim Boone
Boone coached Tusculum in 2007, and barely missed out on upsetting VU in an exhibition game. VU escaped with an 80-79 win on Nov. 5, 2007. The Dores won 26 games that season. Read a full recap of that contest here.