Jan. 22, 2016
Vanderbilt Gamenotes 
| Kentucky Gamenotes
The Commodores have braved the snowy conditions and are ready to take on Kentucky Saturday afternoon at Rupp Arena in the first of two games this season between the two teams. The game will tip off at 3 p.m. CT and will be televised on ESPN, with all of the action also available on the Vanderbilt IMG Sports Radio Network.
The two teams will meet for the 187th time Saturday, with Kentucky leading the all-time series, 140-46 and 61-7 in games played in Lexington. Vanderbilt last won at Rupp Arena in 2007.
Vanderbilt improved to 11-7 overall and 3-3 in the SEC with the 88-74 win over Tennessee on Wednesday night in Knoxville, their third straight win. Five Commodores scored in double figures, with Baldwin leading the way with a career-high 25 points. Matthew Fisher-Davis scored 18 points, Camron Justice added 12, Roberson 11, and Kornet 10.
The win over the Volunteers is the first time since 1993 and 1994 that Vanderbilt has won consecutive games in Knoxville.
The Commodores converted on 40.4% of its shots, 39.4% from three, and 74.4% from the free throw line. The Volunteers made only 32.9% of their shots from the floor, 20.0% from three, and 80% from the free-throw line. Wednesday marked the seventh time this season Vanderbilt has held an opponent under 35% from the floor.
Vanderbilt made 13 three pointers against the Volunteers for the second consecutive season in Knoxville. The 13 made threes was a season high, as were the 33 attempts. The Commodores are 29-62 from beyond-the-arc in their last three games (46.8%).
Game 18/Vanderbilt (10-7, 2-3 SEC) vs. Tennessee (10-7, 2-3 SEC)
Lexington, Ky. – Rupp Arena – 3 p.m. CT
TV Talent: Mark Jones (pxp), Dick Vitale (analyst)
Radio: Vanderbilt Radio Network from IMG College, vucommodores.com
Radio Talent: Joe Fisher (pxp), Tim Thompson (analyst)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 83, XM 190
Live Stats: vucommodores.com
Twitter Updates: @VandyMBB
Series Information
Series Record: Kentucky leads the all-time series, 140-46.
Last Meeting: UK win, 65-57, 1/20/15 in Lexington.
Record at Vanderbilt: UK leads, 42-24.
Record at UK: UK leads, 61-7.
Record at Neutral Site: VU leads, 5-3.
Coach Stallings vs. Kentucky: Coach Stallings is 11-22 against Kentucky.
Quick Hitters
- The Commodores were 29-39 from the charity stripe in the game against the Volunteers – both the makes (29) and attempts (39) are new season highs. VU is 51-75 in their last two games from the free throw line (68%).
- Vanderbilt ranks first in all games in the SEC in field goal percentage defense (.373), 3FG% defense (.270), and are second in scoring margin (+13.1), 3FG% (.408), and threes made (8.7 per game).
- Nationally, VU ranks second in 3FG% defense, 7th in FG% defense, 10th in 3FG%, and 18th in blocks (5.6).
- Kornet’s 10 blocks against Auburn set a new program record for blocks in a game – he surpassed three games with seven blocks by Will Perdue (vs. East Carolina, 12/28/87), Festus Ezeli (at Georgia, 2/16/11) and Damian Jones (at South Carolina, 2/13/14). The 10 blocks is also the most in the nation this season, and his 3.3 average per game would lead the nation, but NCAA rankings only account for players who have played in 75% or more contests (Kornet is at 72%).
- Vanderbilt has an overall record of 88-225 in games versus ranked opponents, and a 19-135 record in road games. Vanderbilt’s last win over a ranked opponent came on March 11, 2012, against number one Kentucky to win the SEC Tournament in New Orleans, and the Commodores have lost 12 consecutive games against ranked opponents. VU’s last win on the road came against #13 Marquette on Dec. 29, 2011 (74-57).
- Ten players have scored in double figures in a game this season – Wade Baldwin, Luke Kornet, Damian Jones, Jeff Roberson, Riley LaChance, Matthew Fisher-Davis, Nolan Cressler, Camron Justice, Josh Henderson, and Joe Toye.
- Fisher-Davis leads the SEC in 3-Point Field Goal Percentage (.495).
- Vanderbilt is 9-0 on the season when Kornet attempts more two point baskets than three’s.
- Head Coach Kevin Stallings, the school’s all-time winningest coach, is in his 17th season with the Commodores and 23rd overall as a head coach, and is now the dean of SEC coaches. Stallings has 324 career wins at Vanderbilt and 447 overall as a head coach. He has eight 20-win seasons in the last 12 seasons, with 11 total postseason appearances, six NCAA tournaments, and two Sweet 16’s (2004 and 2007). He is also one of five SEC coaches to win 300 or more games at one institution, joining Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp, Florida’s Billy Donovan, and LSU’s Dale Brown and Harry Rabenhorst, and is in 6th place all-time on the SEC wins list.
- The last time Vanderbilt defeated Tennessee and Kentucky on the road in the same season was 1974.
- The Commodores have three players at seven feet or higher in their front court – Josh Henderson (7’0), Damian Jones (7’0), and Luke Kornet (7’1). LSU has two seven footers, and the rest of the league has one or fewer.
949
Vanderbilt has made a 3-pointer in 949 consecutive games, a streak which began at the inception of the 3-point line in 1986-87. The Commodores rank second only to UNLV for the longest streak in Division I basketball. Vanderbilt, UNLV and Princeton are the only three schools in college basketball to have made at least one 3-pointer in every game played since the 3-point line was implemented.
Fresh Dressed
The Commodores will be wearing their new “R15e and Shine” Nike uniforms on Saturday. It will be a charcoal grey ensemble with reflective silver numbering and a Vanderbilt script across the front. It will be the first time this season Vanderbilt has worn the uniform.
Academic Success
Eight members of this year’s team were named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll or the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll for 2014-15.
Non-Conference Tough
According to KenPom.com, Vanderbilt has had a difficult non-conference slate. The Commodores’ non-conference schedule is ranked 78th in the nation, but seventh among all Power Five schools. Only Florida (42), UCLA (48), Texas (55), Stanford (59), Alabama (70), and Wake Forest (71) have had a tougher schedule accoring to KenPom.
About Kentucky
- Kentucky enters the game Saturday with a 14-4 overall record and a 4-2 mark in league play after a win at Arkansas on Thursday night.
- Jamal Murray leads the Wildcats in scoring, averaging 17.8 points per game. Tyler Ulis (14.9) and Isaiah Briscoe (10.1) also average double digits.
- Vanderbilt has lost seven straight at Rupp Arena, dating back to Jan. 20, 2007, when VU defeated UK, 72-67. The Commodores won in back-to-back seasons there in 2006 and 2007.