Vandy Hosts Gamecocks Before Heading to Paradise

Fresh Faces … 

• Vanderbilt returns two starters Yaubryon Chambers, all eight games, and Brinae Alexander, five game starts, from the shortened 2020-21 season.
• After losing six players to graduation and the transfer portal, Vandy welcomes six newcomers a combination of five true freshmen and one graduate transfer.

Jacksonville State Breakdown …

• The Gamecocks are now 2-1 after facing AUM (W, 89-39), Davidson (L, 58-69), and Samford (W, 56-53).
• This is Jacksonville State’s only Power 5 matchup of the nonconference season.
• The Gamecocks are led by ninth year head coach Rick Pietri, who is the winningest coach in program history.
• Jacksonville State returns a core group of six seniors that bring crucial on-court experience, including Kiana Johnson, Kennedy Gavin, Kaiya Burnett, Shawnta Shaw, Kyra Williams and the leading returning scorer from a year ago, Imari Martin. Johnson leads the senior class as the only four-year senior for Coach Pietri’s Gamecocks.
• Vanderbilt holds a 1-0 lead in the all-time series over Jacksonville State after facing the Gamecocks back on November 5, 2019. The Commodores won 88-66.

Checking in from Paradise … 

Arizona

• The Wildcats are riding a three-game winning streak after defeating CSUN (87-44), No. 6 Louisville (61-59) and Texas Southern (93-38). Arizona hosts Marist Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m. MST before heading to the Paradise Jam.
• After its National Championship appearance last season, Arizona began the season ranked No. 22 by the Associated Press.
• The Wildcats have a pair of student-athletes on watch lists this season. Taylor Chavez, a junior shooting guard, was named to the Ann Meyers-Drysdale watch list which recognizes the nation’s top shooting guard in Division I. Fifth-year Sam Thomas was named to the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year and the Naismith Trophy watch list.
• Arizona was picked to finish fifth in the Pac-12 with Thomas and Cate Reese receiving preseason All-Pac-12 honors.
• The Commodores lead the Wildcats 2-0 after taking one game in Memorial Gymnasium and the other inside the McKale Memorial Center.

Rutgers

• The Scarlet Knights are 3-1 after a stretch of home games to open the 2021-22 season against St. Peter’s (W, 59-38), South Alabama (W, 64-45), Fairfield (W, 48-42), and Stony Brook (L, 53-44).
• Rutgers hosts Harvard Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. ET prior to taking on DePaul in the Paradise Jam.
• Rutgers congratulated class of 2016 graduate, Kahleah Copper on winning the 2021 WNBA Championship with the Chicago Sky as well as claiming the WNBA Finals MVP award. Copper is the sixth Scarlet Knight to win a WNBA Championship and the second to earn Finals MVP, joining Cappie Pondexter’s 2007 honor. Rutgers alumni under head coach C. Vivian Stringer have won seven WNBA titles.
• The Scarlet Knights received votes in the USA TODAY Sports/WBCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. Rutgers received 17 points, seven spots outside the preseason Top 25.
• Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 2-1 over Rutgers with both wins coming inside Memorial Gymnasium and one neutral site loss.

DePaul 

• The Blue Demons started off the 2021-22 season scoring over 100-points at home vs. Texas Southern, 114-71. DePaul added another victory after defeating Loyola Chicago 87-53 but was handed its first loss of the season by No. 23/17 Texas A&M on Monday, Nov. 15 in College Station, 75-95.
• DePaul hosts Northwestern on Nov. 21 at home in Wintrust Arena before taking on Rutgers to begin the Paradise Jam.
• The Blue Demons’ nonconference schedule is highlighted by five NCAA Tournament teams including NCAA runner-up Arizona in the Paradise Jam.
• DePaul was selected to finish second in the BIG EAST in the preseason coaches poll, with Sonya Morris and Lexi Held earning preseason All-BIG EAST Team honors for the second consecutive season.
• Morris was selected to the Ann Meyers-Drysdale watch list, which is the second year in a row for her earning this recognition, and the Naismith Trophy watch list.
• The Commodores hold a 5-2 edge in the all-time series, going 3-0 inside Memorial Gymnasium. Vanderbilt has also tabbed a neutral site victory in the series.

A Vandy Win Would …

•  Put the Commodores on a two-game win streak heading into the Paradise Jam. 
•  Give head coach Shea Ralph her first win(s) over Power 5 opponents.

A Vandy Loss Would …

•  Give Jacksonville State its first win in the all-time series.
• Put the Commodores of a three-game losing after the Paradise Jam, heading into the final game of November vs. Chattanooga.

On Deck

•  Vanderbilt returns to Memorial Gymnasium to host Chattanooga on Tuesday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m.