March 20, 2015
Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Howell’s Photos 
NIT Second Round
No. 5 seed Vanderbilt 92, No. 8 seed South Dakota State 77
March 20, 2015
Nashville, Tenn.
Team Notes
-The Commodores played their 30th NIT game in program history and now hold a 20-10 record in the postseason tournament.
-With the win, they’ve reached the quarterfinals for the sixth time and first since 2005.
-The Commodores are 13-4 at home in the NIT and have won three straight home games dating back to the 2002 tournament.
-This was the first meeting in series history between Vanderbilt and South Dakota State.
-The combination of Wade Baldwin IV, Matthew Fisher-Davis, Riley LaChance, Damian Jones and James Siakam started for the eighth time this season. The Commodores are 6-2 with that starting five.
Game Notes
-Vanderbilt shot at a torrid clip in the second half. The Commodores made 81.8 percent of their shots (18-of-22) after halftime. From 3-point range, they were equally impressive, making 77.8 percent in the second half (7-of-9).
-For the fifth time this season, the Commodores had five players score in double figures – Wade Baldwin IV (20 points), Damian Jones (15), James Siakam (14), Matthew Fisher-Davis (12) and Luke Kornet (12).
-Fresh off a tying a program-best with 11 blocked shots against St. Mary’s on Wednesday, the Commodores set the school record with 13 versus SDSU. Five players contributed to the block party – Matthew Fisher-Davis (4), Luke Kornet (4), Damian Jones (2), James Siakam (2) and Jeff Roberson.
-The team made 12 3-pointers – and shot 57.1 percent from beyond the arc – to tie for the second-most this season. Six players made a 3-pointer. -South Dakota State led just once in the first half, 7-5, with 16:48 left. But that lead lasted all of 26 seconds before Wade Baldwin IV put the Commodores back in front with a 3-pointer on the next possession.
-The game was last tied at 24 with 4:57 to go in the first half. A James Siakam slam dunk sparked a 9-3 run to end the period and take a 33-27 lead into halftime.
-SDSU jumped in front right out of the break with a 9-0 run as it made four of its first six shots to take a 36-33 lead at the 17:55 mark of the second half.
-The game went back and forth for a while with both teams exchanging leads with SDSU never leading by more than four.
-The Jackrabbits took their last lead, 59-57, with 9:13 left. Then Vanderbilt’s Damian Jones threw down a one-handed slam dunk to start a 16-0 run in less than three minutes. During that stretch, the Commodores went wild from 3-point range. Wade Baldwin IV started it off and then Matthew Fisher-Davis made four straight 3-pointers, this after he missed his first seven shots. The Commodores pushed the lead to as many as 17 closed out the game by making their last nine shots and 10 of 11.
Individual Notes
-Freshman guard Wade Baldwin IV was one assist away from a triple double. He set career-highs with 20 points and 10 rebounds (including eight in the first half). He finished with nine assists, one away from tying his career high and also one assist away from becoming just the second player in school history to notch a triple double.
-Freshman guard/forward Matthew Fisher-Davis had a career night with a personal-best four blocks and tied a career-high with four 3-pointers for 12 points – all in a two-minute span in the second half.
-Sophomore center Damian Jones had 15 points for his 28th game in double figures and third straight.
-Senior forward James Siakam finished with 14 points for his 16th game this season in double figures and third in the last five games.
-Sophomore forward Luke Kornet scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting and has scored in double figures 16 times this season. He also tied a career high with four blocks.
