Nov. 6, 2011
The offseason has come to an end, and the 2011-12 edition of the Vanderbilt Commodores hits the Memorial Gym floor for the first time in an exhibition game with Xavier (La.) on Monday night. The game tips off at 7 p.m. CT, and can be heard live on the IMG College Vanderbilt Radio Network and on vucommodores.com as a part of the All-Access package.
The Commodores enter the game with Xavier (La.) as the number seven team in the country, according the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. It is Vanderbilt’s highest preseason ranking in 36 years (November, 1965).
Other quick tidbits about Vanderbilt entering Monday’s game include:
– Monday marks the first time since November of 1993 (23rd) that the team has been ranked in the preseason, and it’s the highest preseason ranking for a Commodore team since 1965, when VU was ranked fifth.
– The Commodores return five starters from last year’s team, but will miss the services of senior center Festus Ezeli, who sprained his MCL and PCL in his right knee in late October and will be out 6-8 weeks. 
– Junior John Jenkins, the SEC’s leading scorer and leader in threes made in 2010-11 was named to the preseason All-SEC first team, along with senior forward Jeffery Taylor. Ezeli was named to the second team.
– First time in the Stallings’ era (since 1999) that he has had five returning starters.
– Along with Jenkins, Ezeli, and Taylor, seniors Brad Tinsley (point guard) and Lance Goulbourne (forward) return as starters.
– Tinsley led the SEC in assists in 2010-11 with 4.6 per game, and notched the schools’ first-ever triple-double last season against Presbyterian (11 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists).
– Goulbourne was the team’s leading rebounder a season ago, and averaged 7.3 rebounds per game.
– 6’9 senior forward/center Steve Tchiengang will fill in for Ezeli while he is injured. Redshirt freshman center Josh Henderson may also see action.
– Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings is in his 18th season overall and 13th season at Vanderbilt and has an overall record of 359-211, and a record of 236-148 with the Commodores.
– Coach Stallings has had six 20-win seasons in the last eight, with five NCAA tournament appearances and two Sweet 16’s (2004 and 2007). He is the second winningest coach in Vanderbilt history behind Roy Skinner with 236 wins. Skinner has 278 wins.
Commodores Led SEC In Several Categories in 2010-11
Vanderbilt led the SEC in scoring in all games (75.9) and SEC games only (73.8 ppg). In all games, the Commodores finished statistically in the top three in scoring margin (3rd, +8.2), free throw percentage (2nd, .743), field goal percentage (3rd, .458), 3-point field goal percentage (2nd, .371), 3-point field goal percentage defense (2nd, .313), assists (3rd, 13.4), defensive rebounds (2nd, 26.0), and threes made (2nd, 7.7).
In SEC games only, Vanderbilt also led the league in three-point field goal percentage defense (30.5). VU finished in the top three in SEC games only in free throw percentage (2nd, .752), field goal percentage (3rd, .381), and threes made (3rd, 7.5).
Vanderbilt And National Rankings
The Commodores ended the 2010-11 season ranked 29th in the nation in scoring offense (75.9), 35th in scoring margin (+8.2), 27th in 3FG% defense (31.3%), 37th in free throw percentage (74.3), and 38th in blocks per game (4.8). Individually, John Jenkins ranked ninth in three-point field goals per game (3.1), 25th in three-point field goal percentage (40.8), and 30th in scoring (19.5 ppg). Festus Ezeli finished 18th in blocks per game (2.6), and Brad Tinsley ended the year 27th in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.46).
Player of the Week Bonanza in 2010-11
Four of Vanderbilt’s five starters (Brad Tinsley, John Jenkins, Lance Goulbourne, Festus Ezeli) claimed an SEC Player of the Week award last season.
Getting to the Line
For the second consecutive season, Vanderbilt topped the league in free throws made and attempted in all games and in the 16 conference games. Vanderbilt attempted 837 free throws on the season, for an average of 24.6 attempts per game, and made 622 (18.3 per game). In league play, the Commodores attempted 383 free throws (23.9) and connected on 288 of those attempts (18.0). Individually, Festus Ezeli was second in the league in free throw attempts with 216, with Jeffery Taylor finishing eighth in the conference with 167, and John Jenkins ninth with 161.
More free throw numbers
One more reason that the Commodores will miss center Festus Ezeli – of the returning players in college basketball, Ezeli is the seventh-leading player in the country in terms of getting fouled. Ezeli was 140-216 from the charity stripe last season (64.8%).
Looking For Three Consecutive NCAA Tournaments
The Commodores have appeared in two consecutive NCAA Tournaments, and are seeking a third consecutive berth for the first time in the program’s history.
Tough Schedule
– The 2011-12 slate of games may be one of the most difficult the Commodores have ever faced and one that could see the Commodores take on as many as 13 teams that participated in postseason play a year ago.
– The home schedule includes the season opener against Pac-12 member Oregon (November 11) and a matchup with perennial NCAA tournament stalwart and Atlantic 10 member Xavier on November 28. VU will travel to Louisville, also ranked in the preseason top 10, as part of the Big East/SEC Invitational on December 2nd, and will also host the ESPN Gameday franchise for the first time from Memorial Gym on February 11 against Kentucky.
– Other NCAA Tournament teams on this year’s non-conference schedule – Bucknell (Nov. 19), Texas (possible opponent, Legends Classic, Nov. 21), Indiana State (Dec. 17), Marquette (Dec. 29).
