The 12th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers will
take on the 22nd-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores this evening with an SEC battle
and state bragging rights on the line.
Tennessee has won its last three games to move to 18-4 overall and 6-2 in
conference. On Saturday, the Vols were completely dominant in a 79-53 romp
over South Carolina, and they have held their last three opponents to 60 or
fewer points. Of the 18 wins that Tennessee has recorded thus far, only three
have come in true road games.
Losses in two of the last three games have dropped the Vanderbilt Commodores
to 17-5 overall and 6-2 in conference action. On Saturday, the club fell to
Georgia by a 72-58 final on the road, but there is obvious reason for
confidence tonight considering an 11-0 home record.
Vanderbilt beat Tennessee, 85-76, two weeks ago, but the Vols still own a
108-68 advantage in the all-time series.
Scotty Hopson continues to pace Tennessee in scoring with 13.2 ppg on the
strength of his 41.1 percent shooting from three-point range. Wayne Chism, who
has been the team's top point producer in three consecutive outings, checks in
with 13.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg, and the Vols are generating 77.0 ppg while allowing
a mere 63.9 ppg on 38.7 percent shooting. Tennessee has forced 398 turnovers
while committing only 280 giveaways, an obvious key to success. Chism scored
30 points against South Carolina on Saturday, as he shot 11-of-17 from his
center position. Both Hopson and Bobby Maze added 11 points for the Vols, who
limited the Gamecocks to 27.6 percent shooting. A 44-37 rebounding advantage
also helped the cause, as did a 19-14 edge in points from the foul line and a
low total of six turnovers.
Vanderbilt is generating 78.0 ppg this season, and the club is holding its
opponents to 68.2 ppg on 40.8 percent field goal efficiency. There are four
double-digit scorers in the fold for the Commodores, and Jermaine Beal leads
the way with 14.4 ppg. A.J. Ogilvy checks in with 13.5 ppg and 6.2 rpg, and
Jeffery Taylor provides 13.3 ppg on his 52.3 percent shooting from the floor.
John Jenkins adds 10.4 ppg off the bench for Vandy, which was grossly
outplayed by Georgia on Saturday. The Commodores connected on only 32.8
percent of their field goal attempts and were outrebounded by a 43-28 margin.
They permitted the Bulldogs to shoot 53.2 percent from the floor, including
66.7 percent in the decisive second half.
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