Vanderbilt-LSU notes

March 11, 2011

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Starting Lineup
– Vanderbilt started junior Brad Tinsley and junior Jeffery Taylor at guard, junior Lance Goulbourne and freshman Rod Odom at forward and junior Festus Ezeli at center.
– The Commodores move to 2-0 with this starting lineup (other win vs. Davidson).
– Taylor has now started 94 of his 95 career games.
– Tinsley made his 86th start, Ezeli his 41st, Goulbourne his 18th, and Odom his eighth.
– First-team All-SEC selection John Jenkins missed Thursday’s game with a sore left foot. He is a gametime decision for Friday’s quarterfinal matchup with Mississippi State.

Postgame Notes:
– Vanderbilt now holds a 59-48 advantage in the all-time series against LSU, and narrowed LSU’s lead in neutral-site games to 7-5.
– Head coach Kevin Stallings improves to 10-6 against LSU, and 1-3 against the Tigers in the SEC Tournament.
Brad Tinsley hit a three-pointer with 15:18 remaining in the first half to extend Vanderbilt’s consecutive game streak with a three-point basket to 793.
– Vanderbilt moves to 31-49 all-time at the SEC Tournament in their 50th overall appearance. The Commodores are now 8-12 all-time in SEC Tournament games held in Georgia and 6-9 in games played at the Georgia Dome.
– Stallings moves to 6-10 all-time in the SEC Tournament.
– In their fourth ever appearance and fifth overall game as the number three seed in the East, Vanderbilt’s record moves to 2-3 all-time. The Commodores are now 9-8 all-time in the first round since the league went to two divisions in 1992.
– Vanderbilt’s winning total of 62 points is the third-fewest in a win since 1979 – Vanderbilt defeated Florida, 47-46, in two overtimes in 1982, and defeated Kentucky, 60-55, in 1981.
– The Commodores made 3-of-22 shots (13.6%) from beyond-the-arc, their lowest percentage of the season from three. LSU was 3-of-13 from three. Vanderbilt moves to 2-2 on the season when they match three-point baskets with an opponent.
– From the field, Vanderbilt was 36.4%, and held LSU to 30.5% from floor. It was VU’s best defensive performance in SEC play, and the second-best of the season (Davidson).
– Vanderbilt outrebounded LSU, 48-32, including 12-6 on the offensive glass.
– VU committed 15 turnovers against LSU, and LSU outscored Vanderbilt, 21-10, in points off of turnovers.
– The Commodores scored 32 points in the paint, compared to 20 for LSU. Both teams had six second-chance points. VU outscored the Tigers, 6-2, in fast-break points, and LSU outscored the Vanderbilt bench, 18-12.

Player notes:
Jeffery Taylor scored a game-high 21 points, and added 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season and eighth of his career.
– Taylor was 8-of-10 from the charity stripe.
– The Commodores are now 16-2 in games in which Taylor scores 15 or more points.
Lance Goulbourne grabbed 13 rebounds, his eighth double-digit rebounding game of the season and his career.
Festus Ezeli and Brad Tinsley each scored 10 points.
– Ezeli had three blocks against LSU. He is averaging 4.57 blocks per game in his last seven games.
Kyle Fuller played a career-high 29 minutes.