WBB Tops Tide to Win Fifth Straight

Feb. 10, 2008

COMMODORES POSTGAME COVERAGE

WirthQUICK START COMMODORES In Vanderbilt’s last six victories, the Commodores have jumped out to big leads in the opening stanza of each game. Sunday’s game at Alabama was no exception, as the Commodores led 35-13 at the five-minute mark of the first half. The past six victories are listed below. Alabama: 35-13 South Carolina: 34-10 Georgia: 32-14 Florida: 23-12 Ole Miss: 36-8 Georgia: 27-11 WIRTH THE WORK Junior Christina Wirth led the Commodores in scoring for a team-high ninth time. Wirth had 20 points against the Tide — her third 20-point of the season, and the sixth of her career. LONG-RANGE LOCKDOWN During the past six games, Vanderbilt’s three-point field-goal percentage defense has been an outstanding 14.8 percent (13-of-88). The Commodores did not allow Ole Miss to make a single three, and have held a total of seven opponents under 20 percent this year. Below are the opponents’ three-point shooting for the past six games. Alabama: 1-12 South Carolina: 4-14 Georgia: 3-19 Florida: 2-18 Ole Miss: 0-11 Tennessee: 3-14 MAY I HELP YOU? Sophomore guard Jessica Mooney dished out a career-high nine assists on Sunday. With her 11 points, she came just one assist shy of her first-ever double-double. The Nashville native also shared the team lead with four steals on the afternoon. I’LL TAKE THAT Vanderbilt forced Alabama into 33 turnovers on Sunday — a season-high for a Commodore opponent. Belmont turned the ball over 31 times to the Commodores on Nov. 23, 2007.

View Box Score | 2007-08 Season Stats

Upcoming Home Games, Call 322-GOLD for Tickets:
Thurs., Feb. 14, vs. Kentucky at 7 p.m. CT (“Pink Out”)
Sun., Feb. 17, vs. Tennessee at 2:30 p.m. CT (Sold Out)
Sun., March 2, vs. Alabama at 2 p.m. CT

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team matched the largest margin of victory over a Southeastern Conference opponent in the Melanie Balcomb era, winning at Alabama, 92-47, Sunday at Coleman Coliseum.

The Commodores equaled a 2003 home win over South Carolina with the 45-point margin. Junior Christina Wirth scored a team-high 20 points — including 15 points in the first half as Vanderbilt opened a 47-19 lead at the break.

Freshman Hannah Tuomi finished the game with 12 points and nine rebounds, one board shy of her second SEC double-double, despite not playing in the game’s final 15:40. Sophomore Merideth Marsh and Jessica Mooney also scored double-figures for the Commodores (18-6, 7-2 SEC). Mooney paired 11 points with nine assists and four steals.

Alabama (8-16, 1-8) shot 1-of-12 from three-point range and committed 33 turnovers — a season-high for a Vanderbilt opponent.

Vanderbilt plays host to a pair of home games this coming week. Kentucky visits Memorial Gymnasium on Thursday, Feb. 14, for Vanderbilt’s annual “Pink Out” game. In conjunction with the WBCA’s “Think Pink” initiative and Vanderbilt’s “Baskets for Benefits” campaign, all fans are asked to wear pink to Thursday’s contest and are encouraged to pledge donations for every free throw the Commodores make. Donation forms can be found on Vanderbilt’s athletic web site, click here. The Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center have been designated as beneficiaries for the game.

The Tennessee Lady Vols will then travel to Nashville for a sold out game on Sunday. The nationally televised contest is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. CT, and will be televised nationally on Fox Sports Net.