Nov. 24, 2010
Vanderbilt Game Notes 
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Thanksgiving Tournament
Date: Friday, Nov. 26, 2010 – Sunday, Nov. 28
Schedule:
Friday
Quinnipiac vs. Vanderbilt – 5 p.m.
Princeton vs. USC – 7 p.m.
Sunday
Consolation Game – 12 p.m.
Championship Game – 2 p.m.
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Venue: Memorial Gymnasium (14,168)
Radio: 560 AM
TV: None
Webcast: vucommodores.com
After suffering its first loss of the season on Sunday (72-66) at 2010 Elite Eight participant Florida State, Vanderbilt’s women’s basketball team returns to the floor on Friday when the Commodores host their annual Thanksgiving Tournament. This year’s tournament field includes Princeton, Quinnipiac and USC. The opening games will be played at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, while the consolation and championship games will be held at 12 and 2 p.m., respectively, on Sunday.
Ranked No. 24/22, the Commodores (2-1) will open the tournament at 5 p.m. Friday against Quinnipiac (0-3). Vanderbilt’s game will be followed by Princeton facing USC at 7 p.m. Admission to all games of the tournament is free.
Vanderbilt’s game on Friday will be a rematch from last year’s nail-biter at Quinnipiac when the Bobcats hit a three-pointer at the buzzer in a 75-74 Vanderbilt win. The Commodores trailed by as many as 16 points in the game before rallying for the win.
Princeton is 2-1 this season with its only loss coming by one point at Rutgers. The Tigers qualified for the NCAA Tournament last year after winning the Ivy League. USC is 3-1 with its lone loss coming against Duke. USC defeated Georgia 71-63 on Tuesday. The Women of Troy are coached by former NBA star Michael Cooper.
All of Vanderbilt’s games will air on 560 AM in Nashville with play-by-play announcer Charlie Mattos on the call. Fans may also watch the games online by subscribing to All-Access on VUCommodores.com.
Thanksgiving Tournament Promotions
With the holiday’s officially upon us, Vanderbilt is offering many promotions during this weekend’s Thanksgiving Tournament. Once again there will be free admission to all tournament games.
Friday, Nov. 26
1st Half:
-10-tickets to the Ole Miss game
-Invitation to a Commodore practice and tour of the women’s basketball facilities
Halftime:
-4- tickets to the LSU game
-Autographed Basketball
2nd Half:
-Autographed team photo
-2- tickets to the Tennessee game
Sunday, Nov. 28
1st Half:
-Autographed team photo
-Autographed game warm-up top
Halftime:
-4-tickets to the Kentucky game
-Autographed Jersey
2nd Half:
-10-tickets to the Ole Miss game
-Invitation to a game day shoot around and tour of the women’s basketball facilities
Success in November
Under Head Coach Melanie Balcomb the Commodores are 43-5 in the month of November with all five losses occurring on the road.
Last Time Out
Playing at No. 16/14 Florida State, Vanderbilt dropped its first game of the year, 72-66, on Sunday. The Commodores were led by Christina Foggie’s 21 points and Jasmine Lister’s 17 points. Florida State held center Stephanie Holzer to 6 points after she had averaged 23 points in the first two games of the season.
No. 23/20 Vanderbilt trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half, but rallied to take a 38-37 lead with 13:32 to play. The lead would change eight times in the second half before Florida State seized control of the game with less than a minute to play.
Senior guard Jence Rhoads made her 2010 regular season debut against Florida State after suffering a right hamstring strain in the second exhibition game. Foggie also returned after missing the previous game with a strained calf.
Thanksgiving Tournament Facts
This is the 12th straight season Vanderbilt has hosted the Thanksgiving Tournament. Vanderbilt is 22-0 during that span in the tournament.
In total, Vanderbilt has hosted a home regular season tournament 21 straight seasons dating back to the first O’Charleys Tournament in 1990. Vanderbilt has won 38 straight home regular season tournament games and are 39-1 all-time with the lone loss being a 91-88 setback on Nov. 24, 1990 against Butler in the first O’Charleys Tournament.
The first regular season tournament Vanderbilt ever hosted was the O’Charleys Tournament, which was played from 1990-91 to 1992-93. The tournament was played over Thanksgiving in 1990 and 1991 before moving to December in 1992. Vanderbilt lost to Butler in the tournament’s initial championship game in 1990.
The O’Charleys Tournament changed names in 1993-94 to the MCI/First American Classic and remained under the same name through the 1998-99 season before Vanderbilt began hosting the Thanksgiving Tournament in 1999.
About Quinnipiac
Quinnipiac is coached by Tricia Fabbri, who is in her 16th season as Head Coach. The Bobcats are 0-3 this season with losses to Fairfield, Holy Cross and St. Bonaventure. Quinnipiac is located in Hamden, Conn., and has an enrollment of 7,400 students. The Bobcats return three starters from a team that finished 12-18 overall last season and 7-11 in the Northeast Conference. Vanderbilt is 3-0 all-time against teams from the Northeast Conference.
About Princeton
Princeton, 2-1, finished 26-3 overall last season and won the Ivy League with a 14-0 record. The team played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history under fifth-year Head Coach Courtney Banghart. The team returns all five starters from last year’s team. The Tigers are led by sophomore guard Niveen Rasheed, who averages 13.7 points per game. Vanderbilt is 3-0 all-time against Princeton with Vanderbilt defeating the Tigers 81-48 on Jan. 1, 2008 at Princeton. The only meeting in Nashville came Dec. 30, 2006 with VU winning 89-74. The Commodores are 12-0 against teams from the Ivy League.
About USC
USC, 3-1, is paced by junior guard Briana Gilbreath. The Trojans finished 19-12 overall and 12-6 in the Pac-10 last year under second-year Head Coach Michael Cooper. USC returns three starters from last year’s team. USC has won two national championships — 1983 and 1984. Vanderbilt has never faced USC before. Vanderbilt is 13-5 all-time against teams from the Pac-10, including 6-1 at home.
Three-Point FG% at FSU Best on Road since 2008
Vanderbilt shot 53.3% from three-point range at FSU — the highest by a Commodore team on the road since shooting 66.7% at Arkansas on Feb. 21, 2008.
