Nov. 7, 2013
TODAY’S FEATURED PLAYER: Jasmine Lister
Sr., Guard, 5-4
Hometown: Corona, Calif.
In the past four seasons, Jasmine Lister has become a mainstay in Vanderbilt’s starting lineup.
She is also normally on the floor when the game ends.
And many times, she plays every minute in between.
Lister – who was recently named preseason All-SEC by the conference’s coaches and by the media – has made it a habit to be in the game from start to finish. There were 12 contests last season in which she logged all 40 minutes of action, including a stretch of four consecutive games.
She has averaged 35 minutes of playing time per game in her 98 career contests at Vanderbilt, and has started all 98 games. Last season, she led the conference in minutes played.
The durable and dependable point guard has amassed 1,027 points and 447 assists in her career, and led the conference in assists her sophomore season. But beyond the numbers, it is her leadership abilities that have turned her into one of the premiere floor generals in the nation, and have enabled her to become an iconic Commodore.
Today, Lister is our featured player as we continue our Countdown to Tipoff – a two-week preview package that has now narrowed down to just one day to go.
Lister recently sat down for an interview with vucommodores.com to talk about the coming season and a few other topics. Here’s what she had to say:
FIVE QUESTIONS WITH JASMINE
QUESTION: Now that your senior season has arrived, do you ever find yourself wanting to hit the “pause button” and make things slow down?
LISTER: Right now, I think everything is going at a good pace, and I am not necessarily wanting anything to slow down because I feel like I am filling my time with things that are productive. I feel like I can prioritize my time (in terms of) what’s important to me and how I want to have a senior year with no regrets.
QUESTION: Last year you had a dozen games where you never left the floor, playing all 40 minutes. Is that a stat that you take pride in?
LISTER: I definitely think it’s a stat that I take pride in because it kind of tells me how much endurance I have. It (shows that) I can endure all 40 minutes of a game … (and still have) intensity and be a leader on the court. It’s a lot to manage, and it shows me whether or not I’ve grown and if I’ve gotten better at being able to endure certain situations in a game.
QUESTION: In regard to be being a vocal leader, is that a role you have grown into or is that something that just kind of comes naturally for you?
LISTER: As a point guard, you have to be a vocal leader, and kind of get people where they need to go. I think that I have gotten better at it, but I still have room to get better at it. It’s really just a matter of how vocal I need to be, and how vocal I need to let other people be. Because it’s not just one voice; our whole team has a voice. I think I have shifted from `I need to be as loud as I can’ to `letting other people have a voice as well.’
QUESTION: Is there one story (or one moment) from your career at Vanderbilt that you are looking forward to telling your children, and maybe even your grandchildren, about?
LISTER: Definitely beating Tennessee my sophomore season. (Just to do it) with our fans here, and I just felt like everyone was on that night. We were just shutting them down. And then the celebration in the locker room, with Coach G (Tom Garrick) jumping in the ice tub afterwards – it was like a movie, almost. Everyone was screaming. Nothing could go wrong, it seemed like. It was just the best game, and I will tell everyone about it (when) they ask me about Vanderbilt basketball.
QUESTION: With this year’s team being so young, have you embraced the leadership role moreso than ever before?
LISTER: Yes, I think I have, specifically (in terms of) setting an example and getting people on the same page, because the freshmen and sophomores have not necessarily been through what I have been through. So just getting them to understand the style of Coach Balcomb’s play. … I think I definitely have embraced it. I’ve really taken on that role since the seniors on last year’s team left. Sometimes I feel a little old when someone will ask `how do I do this’ and I am like `come on, it’s kind of common sense.’ (Laughs) But I was asking (those same questions) when I was freshman.
JASMINE’S FAVORITES
Favorite movie: Nacho Libre
Favorite fast-food place: Miguels
Favorite athlete (past or present): Kobe Bryant
Favorite vacation spot: Catalina Island
Favorite celebrity: Chris Paul
Favorite TV Show: The Good Wife
Favorite band/artist: The Dream
Favorite thing to do on an off day from practice: Shoot
Favorite book: The Purpose Driven Life (by Rick Warren)
Favorite song: Pass me over (by Anthony Hamilton)
Most famous person you’ve ever meet: Lisa Leslie
Famous person you would most like to meet (past or present): Derrick Rose
What is your oddest talent: I can beat box
My ultimate dream job: Being a missionary for children in Philippines
Name one thing on your bucket list: Buy my mom a Mercedes