Dec. 30, 2010
Vanderbilt Game Notes 
| Webcast, Live Stats, Twitter | Tidbits from Day 1 in Blacksburg
BLACKSBURG, Va. – After knocking off Delaware 72-51 in the opening game of the Hilton Garden Classic on Wednesday, Vanderbilt will look for its second tournament title of the season on Thursday when the Commodores play host Virginia Tech in the championship at 6 p.m. CT.
The Commodores (9-3) have won five straight games and have won by 20-plus points in three straight contests. Virginia Tech is 8-4 overall and is coached by Beth Dunkenberger, who is in her seventh season at Virginia Tech. The Hokies beat Alcorn State 87-44 to advance to the championship game.
When Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech last met one another it was also for a tournament championship â€â€ the 2008 Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament Championship, which Vanderbilt won 72-43. Earlier this season Vanderbilt won the Thanksgiving Tournament again by defeating Princeton, 74-68. Thursday, Vanderbilt will be looking for its first regular season tournament title away from Nashville since winning the Banknorth Classic in Vermont on Nov. 22, 2003. Vanderbilt topped South Alabama and Vermont to claim the title.
The Hilton Garden Classic is Vanderbilt’s first away tournament since Dec. 1 and 2, 2007 at the Contra Costa Times Classic in Berkeley, Calif. The Commodores defeated St. Mary’s 90-69 before losing to Cal, 67-59, in the championship. Under ninth-year Head Coach Melanie Balcomb, Vanderbilt has previously played in four non-postseason tournaments during her tenure, and sports a 6-3 record with one tournament title.
Thursday’s game will air on 560 AM in Nashville with play-by-play announcer Charlie Mattos on the call. Fans may also listen to the games online by subscribing to All-Access on VUCommodores.com. A webcast wil be available on hokiesports.com.
Tuomi Tops 1,000 Points
Tuomi scored 11 points against Delaware on Dec. 29 to become the 32nd player in school history to reach 1,000 career points. Tuomi entered the game needing six points to reach the milestone, which she hit on her first of two free throws at the 8:16 mark of the first half.
“I’m definitely honored to join the 1,000-point club,” Tuomi said. “I’ve worked hard to get to this point, but it isn’t all about the points scored. Vanderbilt has a great history and I’m happy to have my name mentioned in the same breath as so many outstanding players.”
Puleo Sizzles
Junior Angela Puleo put together the best game of her Vanderbilt career on Dec. 29 against Delaware. The Maryvile, Tenn., native made 5-of-5 three-point attempts and totalled a season-best 15 points. Her five three-pointers were also a career high dating back to her two seasons at Georgia.
Depth Shows Through
Vanderbilt’s depth showed against Delaware on Dec. 29 when the Commodores’ bench outscored Delaware’s 47-13. Three of Vanderbilt’s four players to reach double figures did not start.
A Look at Cassel Coliseum
Vanderbilt’s game at 6 p.m. CT Thursday will be played at Cassell Coliseum, which seats 9,847 and opened in 1964. The building is connected to Virginia Tech’s athletic offices and is adjacent to Lane Stadium, which is home to Virginia Tech’s football team.
Virginia Tech Facilities
Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum is connected to the Merryman Center, which among other things houses Virginia Tech’s football and women’s basketball offices, and is home to the Hall of Legends, which is considered the front porch of the athletic department. The building opened in 1998.
Check out the video to see a portion of the Hall of Legends. A majority of the Hall of Legends was closed because of the holidays and the departure of Virginia Tech’s football team to the Orange Bowl on Tuesday.
What is a Hokie?
It is not a bird like Virginia Tech’s mascot, HokieBird, may indicate. According to Virginia Tech’s website, “the answer leads all the way back to 1896 when Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College changed its name to Virginia Polytechnic Institute. With the change came the necessity for writing a new cheer and a contest for such a purpose was held by the student body.
“Senior O.M. Stull won first prize for his “Hokie” yell (Old Hokie Cheer below) which is still used today. Later, when asked if “Hokie” had any special meaning, Stull explained the word was solely the product of his imagination and was used only as an attention-getter for his yell. It soon became a nickname for all Tech teams and for those people loyal to Tech athletics. The official definition of ‘hokie’ is ‘a loyal Virginia Tech Fan.'”
