Jan. 27, 2016
Teams: Vanderbilt (14-5, 3-3) vs. No. 12/12 Kentucky (15-3, 4-3)
Day, Date: Thursday, Jan. 28
Tip-off time: 6 p.m.
Site: Memorial Coliseum (Lexington, Ky.)
Radio: 560 AM / 95.9 FM (Charlie Mattos on play-by-play)
Viewing: SEC Network Plus (online)
Game Notes: VU vs. Kentucky Game Notes 
When they hit the floor on Thursday night, the Vanderbilt women will be looking to create some Memorial Magic — but not the typical kind. The Commodores (14-5, 3-3) are traveling to Lexington, Ky., to face the No. 12/12 Wildcats (15-3, 4-3) at historic Memorial Coliseum. The 8,500-seat venue has served as the home court for the Kentucky women since 1974. The Wildcats — who have won nine straight against the Commodores — have posted an 11-1 home record this season, with the lone defeat being a 73-62 loss to No. 2-ranked South Carolina on Jan. 14. Vanderbilt hasn’t had much luck on the Wildcats’ home floor in recent years, having lost four straight in Lexington. The Commodores’ most-recent victory at Memorial Coliseum came during the 2008-09 season, and Vanderbilt has a 10-11 all-time record in Lexington. Here’s a closer look at Thursday’s game:
l Update on the Commodores: Vanderbilt enters Thursday’s game having won three of its past four games — including a 67-52 home win over Alabama on Monday night — to even its SEC record 3-3. The Commodores, who have gone 13-3 since Nov. 22, need just one more victory to match their win total from last season, when they finished 15-16 and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999. Vanderbilt is 0-2 against ranked opponents this season, and is seeking its first win over a ranked team since beating No. 14 Mississippi State 78-62 on Jan. 11, 2015.
l What’s trending: Vanderbilt is having one of the best statistical seasons in team history, with the Commodores ranking among the nation’s Top-15 in three significant categories. They are No. 8 in the nation in defense, allowing 51.5 points per game, No. 10 in field-goal percentage at 46.9 and No. 14 in 3-point accuracy at 37 percent. Vanderbilt leads the SEC in two of those categories — defense and field-goal percentage — and ranks No. 2 in the conference in 3-point percentage. … The Commodores have limited opponents to 59 points or less in 15 of 19 games this season, and have surrendered 49 points or less in eight games. Vanderbilt is limiting its opponents to 26.3 rebounds per game, easily the best mark in the SEC. (Missouri is second at 32.7)
l Star Power: Sophomore Christa Reed is Vanderbilt’s top scorer at 10.9 points per game, and is leading the SEC in 3-point accuracy at 44.8 percent. Reed also ranks sixth in the conference in 3-pointers per game at 2.1. … Sophomore Rachel Bell, who scored a team-high 23 points in the win over Alabama, is the only other Commodore averaging double-figures in scoring at 10.3 ppg. … Point guard Minta Spears ranks fifth in the SEC in assists (4.6 apg) and sixth in the SEC in minutes played (33.0 mpg). … Junior Marque’s Webb is VU’s top rebounder at 5.3 per game, and has collected double-digit rebounds in each of the past two games, including grabbing a career-high 13 boards in Thursday’s loss to Tennessee … Senior Rayte’a Long is having the best season of her career, shooting 67.5 percent from the floor and ranking second on the team in rebounding at 3.8.
l Scouting Kentucky: The Wildcats went 11-0 during their non-conference schedule, including a win over Duke, but have suffered three losses since Jan. 3, including falling to Auburn in their SEC opener, along with suffering setbacks against South Carolina and Ole Miss. … Kentucky is ranked 36th in the nation in offense (scoring 74.3 points per game) and 36th in defense (allowing 55.9 ppg) through Jan. 26. … The Wildcats, like Vanderbilt, are one of the best shooting teams in the country. They rank 18th in the nation in field-goal percentage (45.5) and 11th in 3-point percentage (37.5). … Kentucky’s Janee Thompson is the SEC’s assist leader at 5.3 per game, Makayla Epps ranks fourth in the conference in scoring at 16.6 points per game, and Evelyn Akhator is No. 2 in the SEC in rebounding at 9.6 per game. … Akhator ranks third in the conference in field-goal percentage at 52.3.
l Sizing up the Series Thursday’s game marks the 50th all-time meeting between the Vanderbilt and Kentucky, with the Commodores owning a 27-22 lead in the series. The Wildcats have been in control of late, however, winning the past nine matchups. … Kentucky beat VU twice last season, including sending the Commodores to a season-ending loss in the second round of the SEC tourney … Vanderbilt has a 10-11 all-time record in Lexington, and has lost four straight on the Wildcats’ home floor. … Vanderbilt head coach Melanie Balcomb has gone 10-10 against Kentucky during her tenure at VU, including 3-4 in Lexington. … The Commodores went 22-1 against the Cats from the beginning of the 1991-92 season through the end of the 2008-09 campaign, but VU is just 1-10 against Kentucky since then.
l VU’s most recent game: Fueled by a 17-0 run in the fourth quarter, Vanderbilt defeated Alabama 67-52 on Monday night. Rachel Bell finished with a game-high 23 points, Marqu’es Webb added 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Morgan Batey had 10 points and 10 rebounds as Vanderbilt (14-5, 3-3) improved its all-time home record against Alabama to 18-1. Hannah Cook scored a team-high 13 for Alabama (13-7, 2-5). The Commodores collected a whopping 24 offensive rebounds, setting a new season high, and easily won the battle on the boards, 44-24. After building a 39-28 halftime lead, Vanderbilt made just 3-of-12 shots from the floor in the third quarter and Alabama outscored the Commodores 19-7 to move in front, 47-46. But Minta Spears, Batey, Bell and Webb helped Vanderbilt put together a 17-0 run in the fourth quarter to flip a three-point deficit into a 14-point lead.
l Last year’s games against UK: The Wildcats defeated Vanderbilt twice last season, posting a regular-season victory in Nashville on Feb. 8 and then saddling the Commodores with a season-ending loss in the second round of the SEC Tournament in Little Rock, Arkansas. Here’s a look at the two games:
Feb. 8, 2015: Kentucky 82, Vanderbilt 68 (Nashville) — Kentucky’s Linnae Harper finished with a game-high 22 points to help lead the Wildcats to an 82-68 win over Vanderbilt. Makayla Epps added 18 points, including 13 in the first half, for Kentucky. Morgan Batey and Heather Bowe scored 12 each for Vanderbilt, and freshman Rachel Bell had eight points and a team-high six rebounds. The Wildcats converted 21-of-23 attempts at the foul line, including going 19-of-20 in the second half. Kentucky appeared to be pulling away near the midway mark of the second half when the Wildcats built a 54-45 lead. But Dahlman brought Vanderbilt back by hitting back-to-back 3-pointers, trimming the Wildcats’ lead to 54-51 with 10:41 to go. Kentucky, however, made the necessary plays down the stretch, with Harper and Bria Goss (who finished with 13 points) doing much of work.
March 5, 2015: Kentucky 67, Vanderbilt 61 (Little Rock, Arkansas) — Facing No. 6-seeded and 12th-ranked Kentucky in the second round of the SEC Tournament, the No. 11-seeded Commodores played one of their best games of the season but fell short of the upset in a 67-61 season-ending loss. Vanderbilt trailed by only three points after a jumper by freshman Paris Kea with 1:26 to play, but came up empty on several key possessions down the stretch and Kentucky converted 3-of-4 free throws in the final 1:14 to fend off the Commodores. Kentucky’s Jennifer O’Neill scored a game-high 19 points and Linnae Harper added 18. Sophomore Marqu’es Webb scored 18 points and redshirt freshman Rebekah Dahlman had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Commodores.