Jan. 14, 2018
Vanderbilt (4-14, 0-4 SEC) vs Kentucvky (9-9, 1-3 SEC)
Monday Jan. 15, 2018 | 6 PM CT | SEC Network
Nashville, Tenn. (Memorial Gym)
Complete Game Notes (PDF) | | SEC Network Stream
Starting Five
1. The Commodores will play in their first SEC Network prime time game on Monday night when they host the Kentucky Wildcats at 6 pm at Memorial Gym. This will be the first and only meeting this season between the regional foes. Vanderbilt is looking to snap its current four-game skid and to pick up its first SEC win of the season. Vanderbilt leads the all-time series, 28-24 but the Wildcats have won nine of the last 10 meetings.
2. Vanderbilt enters Monday’s game on the heels of an 81-70 loss to the No 12/13 Missouri Tigers, the second consecutive meeting with a top-15 foe. For the second straight game, Cierra Walker led the offense with 17 points while Autumn Newby tallied her fourth game with double figures rebounds with 10 rebounds. Chelsie Hall (10), Erin Whalen (15) and Kayla Overbeck (12) were also in double figures.
3. Monday’s meeting with the Wildcats is the lone meeting between the teams this season and the Commodores own a 28-24 all-time series lead. Vanderbilt is looking for just its second win in the last 10 meetings in Monday’s contest. The Commodores last defeated Kentucky in 2015-16 when the Dores upset the ranked Wildcats, 71-69 in Lexington. The last Vanderbilt home win against Kentucky was in 2009-10, a 68-55 victory. Prior to the 2009-10 season, Vanderbilt had won 13 straight in the series dating back to the 1999-200 season.
4. Cierra Walker has been a spark for the Commodores since the start of SEC play. The Oregon native is averaging 8.6 points per game on the season but that number jumps to 13.0 points per game against SEC foes. Walker has reached double figures in three of Vanderbilt’s four SEC games and tallied a season-best 20 points in a close game with No. 7 Tennessee. Walker has started the last two games and is averaging 18.5 points per game in those games. In the four games she’s started she’s averaging 12.25 points per game.
5. Vanderbilt freshmen Chelsie Hall and Autumn Newby are making a name for themselves during their rookie seasons. Hall is leading the Commodores in scoring with 13.8 points per game while Newby is Vanderbilt’s top rebounder with 7.0 rebounds per game. Hall extended her double figure scoring streak to six straight games with 10 points against Missouri. In the current streak Hall is averaging 17.1 points per game. Newby recorded her fourth game of double digit rebounds with 10 rebounds against the Tigers.
Setting the Scene
-The Commodores are back in Memorial for the second game of its three-game homestand. The Commodores and Wildcats will square off at 6 PM from historic Memorial Gym with the game televised on the SEC Network.
Last Time Out
-Vanderbilt dropped its fourth straight game with a heartbreaking 81-70 setback to the No. 12/13 Missouri Tigers. For the second consecutive game, Cierra Walker led the offense with 17 points and was joined in double figures by Erin Whalen (15 points), Kayla Overbeck (12 points) and Chelsie Hall (10 points). Autumn Newby added 10 rebounds to lead the defense.
-The game was a matchup of two of the top three-point shooting teams in the league. The teams combined for 20 three-pointers between them with Missouri’s Jordan Chavis and Cierra Walker having 10 between the two of them.
Scouting Report
-Kentucky enters Monday’s game with a 9-9, 1-3 SEC record after a 56-53 road win at Florida on Thursday night. The Wildcats are led by Maci Morris who is averaging 15.4 points per game and is joined in double figures by Taylor Murray who is contributing 10.1 points per game. Alyssa Rice is cleaning the glass to the tune of 7.2 rebounds per game. The Wildcats have eight players averaging at least 2.0 rebounds per game and seven players averaging at least 3.0 points per game.
With A Win
-The Commodores will move to 5-14 on the season and will pick up their first SEC win of the season and move to 29-24 in the all-time series with the Wildcats.
-A win would also snap Vanderbilt’s current four-game skid, which is tied for the longest losing streak of the season. The Commodores started the season 0-4 before a win over George Washington in the opening game of the Paradise Jam.
Martin Luther King Day Game
For the second straight season, the Commodores will be playing on Martin Luther King Day. Vanderbilt has played this important day five times dating back to the 2005-06 season and has a 2-3 record in games played on Martin Luther King Day.
WNBA Fever Connection on the Sidelines
Mondays’ game will have a WNBA Indiana Fever feel as Vanderbilt head coach Stephanie White and Kentucky assistant Lin Dunn each served as head coach of the Fever. Dunn and White won the WNBA Championship together in 2012. White, an Indiana native, also played for the Fever.
Full Strength vs. Missouri
For the first time in several weeks, all 14 players available to play, were available against Missouri. The Commodores have been dealing with injuries throughout the season and the Missouri game marked the first time in SEC play that all of the Commodores players were available.
Cierra Walker Playing Her Best Hoops Right Now
Cierra Walker has had an excellent start to SEC play. Walker entered SEC play averaging just 7.3 points per game but against SEC foes is averaging 13.0 points per game which trails just Chelsie Walker who is averaging a team-best 15.0 points per game against SEC teams. Walker has reached double figures in three of Vanderbilt’s four SEC games and over the last two games is averaging 18.5 points per game.
Newby Hits the Glass
Autumn Newby recorded her fourth game with double figure rebounds with 10 in Vanderbilt’s last outing against Missouri. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native is leading the Commodores on the glass and is averaging 7.0 rebounds per game as one of the SEC’s top rebounding freshmen.
Overbeck Rounding Back into Form
2017 SEC All-Freshman team selection Kayla Overbeck is rounding back into form and it showed against Missouri. Overbeck, who missed the Tennessee game with a concussion, played 27 minutes against Missouri and was a perfect 4-of-4 from both the floor and the free throw line for 12 points. Overbeck has been in double figures in eight games this season and is averaging 7.6 points per game. Additionally, Overbeck has grabbed a rebound in each of her last 14 games and is averaging 4.4 rebounds per game.
Whalen Strong off the Bench vs. Missouri
Sophomore Erin Whalen has played well as of late. Whalen posted a season-best 15 points against Missouri for her second consecutive game in double figures and her sixth game in double figures this season. Whalen is most productive in the second half and is averaging 4.4 points in the second half compared to just 2.7 points in the first half.
