Dec. 10, 2014
UPDATE ON THE DORES
RECORD: 6-2
CURRENT STREAK: Won one
UPCOMING GAMES:
Sunday: at Elon, 1 p.m.
Dec. 18: at Marquette, Noon
Dec. 21: host Dayton, 2 p.m.
After being strenuously challenged in the classroom, the Vanderbilt players are ready to meet their next challenge on the court. The Commodores — who’ve had a long break between games due to final exams — travel to North Carolina this weekend to face Elon on Sunday afternoon. It will be Vanderbilt’s first game since Dec. 3, when the Commodores rolled past Mississippi Valley State, 63-37, at Memorial Gym. Here’s a look at what’s ahead for the team, along with a quick recap of Vanderbilt’s last game.
SPECIAL GUESTS
When the Commodores visit Elon on Sunday, it will be a historic game for the host Phoenix. The contest will mark the first time the Elon WBB program has ever hosted an SEC school.
FREQUENT FLYERS
By the time Christmas rolls around, the Vanderbilt players will have become very accustomed to life on the road. The Commodores are about to embark on back-to-back road trips (to Elon on Sunday and to Marquette on Dec. 18), which will mark Vanderbilt’s fifth and sixth games away from home this season. During November, the Commodores made a trip to Wisconsin (Nov. 20), and then played three games in the Gulfcoast Showcase in Estero, Fla., during the Thanksgiving break. When the Commodores finally do play a game at Memorial Gym, hosting Dayton on Dec. 21, it will mark the end of a 26-day stretch where the team had played just one home game — last Wednesday’s win over Mississippi Valley State.
WHEN TEDDY BEARS FLY
Vanderbilt fans can get in the festive spirit at Memorial Gym in the days ahead. The Commodores’ game on Dec. 21 against Dayton has been designated to include the annual “Teddy Bear Toss” promotion, which is always one of the most popular events of the season. Fans are encouraged to purchase new Teddy Bears and other stuffed animals to bring to the gym. The stuffed animals will then be donated to local children as Christmas presents. The game against Dayton will also be “Ugly Sweater Day” at Memorial Gym. All fans who wear their most gaudy Christmas sweater to the game can get a ticket for the discounted price of $5. NOTE: The Vanderbilt men’s team will host Ugly Sweater Night on Dec. 22, and fans wearing ugly sweaters can get a ticket for $10.
GIVE AWAYS
When the starting lineups are being introduced this season at Memorial Gym, the members of Vanderbilt’s starting five will each throw a T-shirt into the crowd. So be sure to make some noise when your favorite player is announced — you might just get a T-shirt from her! Vanderbilt fans can also look forward to several in-game promotions, including the T-shirt toss (thrown by cheerleaders during timeouts) and gold-shaker giveaways, along with free posters and wallet-sized schedules that are available at the marketing tables. After the game, the Vanderbilt players will throw miniature basketballs into the stands
STRONG FINISH AGAINST ST. LOUIS
In its most recent contest, Vanderbilt snapped a brief two-game losing streak by downing Mississippi Valley State, 63-37, on Dec. 3 at Memorial Gym. Scoring seven points in 58 seconds, redshirt freshman Rebekah Dahlman ignited a late-game run that capped off Vanderbilt’s victory over the winless Devilettes. Morgan Batey recorded her third career double-double, and second of the season, with 15 points and10 rebounds. Rachel Bell added 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting for Vanderbilt, and Kristen Gaffney finished with 10 rebounds. Although theCommodores were in charge throughout the contest, they struggled to find a rhythm on the offensive end against the Devilettes (0-6) — until thefinal six minutes. With the Commodores owning a solid — but somewhat underwhelming — 14-point lead, Dahlman got loose for a layup at the 5:53mark, and then buried a 3-pointer just 15 seconds later. She then capped her personal 7-0 run with another layup to give Vanderbilt a 55-34 lead with4:55 to go. The surge by Dahlman, who finished with nine points, sparked Vanderbilt’s 15-3 game-ending run.
