Dec. 7, 2012
Pregame Notes
The Commodores started juniors Rod Odom and Kedren Johnson, sophomores Josh Henderson and Kedren Johnson, and freshman Kevin Bright. It was the fourth consecutive game that Vanderbilt has used that starting lineup, and the Commodores have a 2-2 record with that lineup. It was Odom’s 17th career start, Fuller’s eighth, Johnson and Bright’s sixth, and Henderson’s fourth – 41 total starts.
Postgame Notes
The Commodores won their first ever game against Xavier and are now 1-5 all time against the Musketeers. Vanderbilt is now 1-2 all-time in games played at Xavier.
The win over Xavier was Vanderbilt’s first true road win of the season, and the first overtime win in their last seven tries. The Commodores’ last overtime win before the Xavier win was a 96-94 win over Georgia on February 25, 2010, at Memorial Gym, and the last overtime win on the road since December 12, 2007, when the Commodores defeated DePaul, 91-85, at Allstate Arena.
For the game, Xavier outshot the Commodores, 45.5% to 44.9% and out rebounded VU, 33-31.
Vanderbilt junior guard Kyle Fuller scored a career-high 25 points and scored all 12 of the Commodores’ points in overtime. He also added five assists, four rebounds, and three steals.
Fuller’s 25-point effort was Vanderbilt’s third 25+-point individual game of the season. Kedren Johnson has the other two (25 vs. Nicholls State, 28 vs. Davidson).
Sophomore guard Kedren Johnson scored 19 points, the sixth time in seven games this season he has scored in double figures. Johnson added four rebounds, four steals, three assists, and two blocks in 41 minutes.
Freshman wing Kevin Bright notched his second consecutive double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Bright is the first Commodore to tally consecutive double-doubles since Festus Ezeli (at Alabama, 1/19/2012; vs. MIss. State, 1/22/2012). He’s the first freshman to have consecutive double-doubles since A.J. Ogilvy in 2007.
The score was tied five times and the lead changed seven times. Vanderbilt’s largest lead came at four with 1:10 to go in overtime, and the Commodores had a lead of 10-9 early in the first half and did not regain the lead again until overtime.
The Commodores trailed by as many as 13 points early in the second half.
Vanderbilt was 13-25 from the free throw line (52%), compared to 9-17 for Xavier (52.9%). The 25 free throw attempts was a season high for the Commodores.
VU outscored thé Musketeers, 16-9, on points off of turnovers and 12-9 in fast break points.
The three Vanderbilt players in double figures (Fuller, Johnson, Bright) marked the third time this season the Commodores have had three double-figure scorers.
Vanderbilt is now 3-1 when shooting 40% or better from the floor and 2-3 when their opponent shoots 40% or better. It was the first win for the Commodores when out rebounded by their opponent.
