Thoughts on the Week Ahead

There are a number of things I am contemplating coming into the final week of the SEC season. First off, I have been thinking in my head the potential NCAA seeding we could receive based on the variety of ways this weeks games could play out. Secondly, I have been thinking about the implications of the fact that Coach Stallings started John Jenkins on Saturday. We all know it's a big deal to start Jenkins for Tinsley 27 games into the season.

To begin, here are the facts: Vanderbilt is 22-6 (11-3) with an RPI of 11 and Strength of Schedule of 20. We are also 5-2 against teams with an RPI between 1 and 50. That is a big statistic for our resume because we have essentially collected 5 quality wins in the eyes of the tournament committee (Tennessee, @Tennessee, @St. Mary's, Florida, and Missouri)

So, best case scenario: I think if we win on Tuesday in Gainseville and we close out the season with a victory over South Carolina we are in really good shape. That would mean we would be 13-3 in the SEC and have 6 quality wins. If we then win at least our first round game in the SEC tournament I think we are good for a 4 seed. If we make it to the finals of the SEC tournament which is very feasible, we should secure a 3 seed. Now, if we WIN the SEC tournament, which requires beating Kentucky, I think we have a serious case for a 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. Critics always say, "you can't beat a good team 3 times," so according to the critics if we're a good team we should take down Kentucky if we see them again.

Having said that, what if we go on the pessimistic route. What if we lose at Florida and beat South Carolina at home. Then lets say we bust in the SEC tournament and get knocked out in our first game. If this happens we will be 12-4 in the SEC and we will show the committee a resume of 23-8. I think that would make us good for a 5 seed, even though historically going 12-4 in the conference would generally mean a 4 seed or better. The truth is, having the SEC tournament in Nashville, I think the committee needs us to at least make the semifinals to prove anything. Further, going to the finals is probably the standard we are held to given our body of work throughout the season.

Moving on to topic number 2. What does it mean that Stallings decided to start Jenkins? I think that this was Coach Stallings saying to his team and the rest of the country, I brought this kid along, who is a fabulous player, and he's finally ready t ocontribute his full potential to our team. So to me, although I think Brad Tinsley is a great player, this move signifies Vanderbilt making its move to the next level as a team. It makes sense that Coach saw this move coming, but he wanted to make sure it was truly time before he made the move. If the change goes as planned, Vanderbilt should seek its full potential with Jenkins in the starting lineup. I've always wondered why our 5 star recruit, 15th best freshman in the land doesn't start. It was all a psychological play on Coach's part, he wanted to get the most out of his young player, and hopefully this was the best course of action.

Bottom line is, we have a big week ahead of us. hopefully the guys will go get it, I'll have a breakdown of the two specific matchups later on in the week. Check back tomorrow for more.

Rad OMEN Takes Us into Saturday Night

Heres to taking this week's victory celebrations to new heights...


Jump to the full screen YouTube video

Vandy @ Arkansas Highlights (Thanks ESPN)

Makin' the Piggies Squeal: Dores Win 89-72

Coming off a dangerously close overtime game against UGA, Vandy maintained momentum and tore through a razorback team that in recent years has had the 'Dores number in Fayetteville. Arkansas had won 5 of the least 6 meetings, but that would stop today.

Interestingly, Stallings made a slight alteration to the starting lineup, opting for Johnny J over Tinsley. Vandy started the game hot going on a 10-4 run, and they never looked back. Despite a phenomenal performance by Arkansas forward Marshawn Powell who led the piggies with 27 points, the Dores maintained at least a ten point differential for almost the entire contest.

Jeff Taylor was a force, leading the time with 18 points, 5 boards, and 2 assists. He went 6-10 from the field, and was a perfect 6-6 from the stripe. Once again demonstrating an uncanny ability to get to the hole, he threw down a beautiful reverse slam off an assist from Tinsley. In that mold, Vandy's ball movement was drastically improved. Passes were quick and accurate, and the players showed vision not seen since the win over Tennessee at Memorial.

AJ added 14 and was essential in getting the Razorbacks in early foul trouble. Stallings clearly intended to send a message to Tinsley who has struggled in recent weeks, and coming off the bench Brad answered. He had 13 points, 8 from free throws, and also tied for a game high 6 boards.

Having been limited in playing time much of the season, Darshawn made the most of his 20 minutes today by breaking into double digits with 11 points, going a solid 5-7 from the field. Johnny-boy had 13, and went 3-5 from behind the arc. Surprisingly, coming off a 28-point performance against Georgia, Dolla had a quiet game; unable to find a rhythm he only made 3 of his 11 shots.

Overall the ‘Dores showed flexibility, adjusting nicely in the second half to Powell, and running the zone well. Stallings said after the game, “we seemed very in-sync, very together, and very purposeful.” Pointedly, Vandy did what they had to do. Stallings was happy to get the Arkansas “monkey off [his] back,” and maintain position for a bye in the upcoming SEC tournament.

A day after the big sleazy, John Calipari, called an SEC Championship meaningless, the Vols knocked off his Wildcats in Knoxville. Miraculously, that loss keeps the Dores hopes alive for that “meaningless” distinction. They now stand one back of the conference leaders. Kentucky still has to play at Georgia against a very strong Bulldog squad, and then host a Florida Gator team that will be out to prove something to the NCAA Tournament committee. Regardless, for our championship dreams to become reality the ‘Dores must take care of business at Florida and then at home against South Carolina.

Memorialjim wants to throw BIG UPS to The Duffman, Meriwether, and Jordan Smart for getting time today, and to Aaron Knoll for hitting his free throws late in the game.

Recruitin' On Up: "Hot" Rod Odom

Understated is the word that most immediately comes to mind when looking at the Dore’s 2010 class. In typical Vandy fashion this group is composed of guys who will develop into fundamental role players, and holy shit is this group talented. Over the next week we will be breaking down this newest crop of Commodore netters.

Exhibit A: Rod Odom, SF

Once upon a time Concord, Massachusets was known as the birth place of the American Revolution, but from here on out it will be known as the hometown of future Commodore standout, Rod Odom. Standing at 6’8” 207 this kid has the size and athleticism to see significant time as a freshman. Ranked as the 19^th best small forward by rivals, and 88^th and 65^th in the class of 2010 by Rivals.com and Scounts Inc. respectively, Odom, originally committed to Arizona before signing his LOI to the ‘Dores. This stud sees the court like he is rocking a pair of x-ray specs, and thanks to superior court vision he has developed phenomenal passing skills. Scouting reports dating back to his freshman year have applauded his uncanny recognition of passing lanes, and note legitimate ball-handling abilities. The kid takes pressure well, and is not intimidated by quicker defenders. You can trust him with the ball, period. While he had been criticized in the past for being too skinny, Roddy grew four inches entering high school, making a concerted effort to add muscle to his frame. It shows. As a junior Odom averaged 16.5 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks. By all accounts Rod has become a dramatically more aggressive player in his senior year, and can plays the game confidently above the shoulders. He has repeatedly put together high double-digit rebounding performances this season in addition to some staggering offensive numbers. Against Noble and Greenough, a team that has repeatedly had the number of the Middlesex School Zebras, Rod put down 32 points with 13 rebounds and 7 assists - impressive stats to say the least. However, he isn’t a regular high school big man, getting his points as an inside presence, this kid can really shoot. Rod has a nice, quick shot, and requires little room to get it off. Not only does he drain buckets, but this efficiency also allows him to get defenders in the air opening lanes to take it to the hole. He is quite adept from inside the arc, but could use a little work to evolve into a three-point option. Suffice it to say, if Stallings can develop Odom’s range this could provide an invaluable option from deep. However, there are some legitimate defensive question marks. Rod is a smart, heady, player. His good decision-making and a high basketball IQ have helped him make up for a lack of natural quickness on the offensive end. If he wants to make an impact next year he has to develop the same type of awareness defensively to combat the SEC’s myriad of explosive big men. To say the least K-Stall is very optimistic, he said of big Rod, "He's got unique size and skill at 6-9. He handles the ball like a guard, he shoots the ball very well, and he's a good passer. He'll be another one of those forwards we've had in the past in the Derrick Byars, Dan Langhi, or Matt Freije-type mold." As a smart, fundamentally sound, and increasingly aggressive player “Hot” Rod Odom appears to be a great fit. With a Commodore team that will retain all but one of its starters next year, he will also have plenty of time to grow, a growth that we at Memorialjim look forward to watching.

Vanderbilt Commodores @ Arkansas Razorbacks

After just two days of rest the Commodores will come back and hit the road in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Fayetteville has historically given Coach Stallings a tough time; however, the Commodores cannot afford to make excuses with the Florida Gators right on their tail. Beal, Jenkins and Walker all had great games against Georiga, but this isn't Memorial Gym. Vanderbilt will need to rely on consistent defense, especially to shut down Arkansas top scorer Courtney Fortson, who averages just above 17 a game. Let's hope this one goes our way.

Prediction: 72-68 Commodores escape another close one

Highlights (courtesy of ESPN): Vandy 96 - UGA 94

Vanderbilt 96 Georgia 94 F/OT: RECAP

Jeez, where to start. That was quite the roller coaster of a game, I'm not sure whether I should be happy we escaped with a win, or pissed off that it took a miracle and then overtime to beat Georgia. Well, in the NCAA tournament they use the phrase "survive and advance" so I guess in that respect it's good to learn how to do that. I also don't think Georgia is that bad of a team, 12-14 is definitely not indicative of the way they have played this year. They beat Tennessee at home, beat us at home, and have lost a number of games by slim margins.

We led 36-31 at halftime after what was a pretty good first half, not great. We led by 8 at a point and I thought to myself, god it would be great to push this lead to 15. However, Georgia knocked down a pair of three pointers and basically told us they wouldn't be an easy out. The second half was pretty miserable, as Georgia just kept knocking down 3's, highlighted by Ricky McPhee's shot clock beating three with 10:00 left, to put UGA up by 5. However, when we really needed it we got consecutive buckets from Jermaine "Dolla" Beal, and my man Andre Walker nailed a 3 to make it 77-75. Finally, with 10 seconds left AJ Ogilvy tipped in a loose ball to tie the game at 77. The ensuing possesssion was a bit of a "mish-mosh" and it resulted in Lance Goulbourne stepping up with a big blocked shot to force overtime. I was sweating at that point. In overtime, the team basically took the memo from the crowd and willed their way to victory. Key shots from Beal, Walker and Jenkins, and free throws from basically everybody secured our 21st victory of the year and moved us to 10-3 in the SEC.

What did we learn today? We learned that Jermaine Beal is a superstar, he scored 28 points and had 7 assists, and he had two three pointers go in and out. We learned that John Jenkins is going to be a really good player once he gets the spotlight; he knocked down a much needed three in overtime. And of course, we learned that the ever so valuable ANDRE WALKER, is SO FUCKING VALUABLE. The guy just does it all. Normally he is good for a number of rebounds, assists, blocks, steals, and some buckets here and there. Tonight though, he gave us 17 points, none bigger than the three pointer he hit towards the end of regulation to pull the game within 2.

I didn't think Taylor or Ogilvy had their best games, but they certainly contributed at points, and Festus definitely lended his hand for a well played 19 minutes.

A few stats for you: we shot 35-39 (90%) from the free throw line. You know what Vitale always says, the teams that shoot the free throws down the stretch win close games. Look at Memphis in 2007-08, they couldn't knock down free throws and it came back to bite them in the national championship game.

We shot 7-16 (44%) from three point range, an astounding improvement from the 10% we shot last game.

You can break down all of the stats you want, but I guarantee if you talk to Coach Stallings, he will tell you, the raucous Memorial crowd inspired the Commodores down the stretch. The stadium atmosphere was relatively dead for most of the game. But when it mattered most, the fans came alive, and pushed Vandy to a much needed victory. Coach showed the students his appreciation after the game when he came over and thanked us, always cool.

Toronto Raptor Eats Cheerleader

Georgia Bulldogs @ Vanderbilt Commodores

February 6th in Athens, Georgia was probably the low point for the Vanderbilt Commodores, the point which we can all safely say we were “bummed out” by the performance of our team. We traveled to Athens as the heavy favorite to play a team that is quite underrated on their home court. What happened? We came home with a big L, by an ugly score of 72-58. Thus, it is fitting that the rematch in Nashville comes right after the disappointment of the Kentucky game. The Commodores enter the game at 20-6 overall, and 9-3 in the SEC. Georgia enters tonight’s matchup at a sad 12-13, and 4-8 in the league. After last night’s Florida victory over Tennessee, the Dores need this victory in order to keep the surging Gators off their heels. A win and they stay a game ahead of Florida for second place in the SEC East, but a loss and they see themselves in a tie with Florida, still having to go to Gainsville. Obviously this Georgia game is a must win.

Vandy has a lot to prove, mainly the fact that they are capable of making the 3 point shot. If Jermaine Beal, Brad Tinsley, and John Jenkins combine for one 3-pointer again, we’re in trouble. But given the nature of last Saturday’s loss, and the desperate need for victory, this is unlikely to happen. Tonight’s game is the type of game where our guys will be pumped up and ready to take care of business.

So for those of you reading this, show up to the game ready to make a difference like we did against Kentucky. There’s no doubt that it is our responsibility to make Memorial one of the toughest places to play, and I’m confident it will be a hostile environment once again.

Prediction: Vanderbilt 82 Georgia 69 -- Free Tacos

What The Hell is This Website?

In case you were wondering, we decided to start this blog, to appeal to your average Vanderbilt basketball fan. There will be articles for your die-hards, and articles for your rookie fans. I’ll be providing the unique perspective of an obnoxiously bias fan, and we will obviously be throwing in some hilarious posts. In the end, we want to increase the hype surrounding Vanderbilt hoops. I think we got this…

Bench Markers: Festus Ezeli

Six minutes, no more
Five fouls, oh my, where's Duffy?
The Beastus is tamed

You heard it, and haiku don't lie. My Boy Festus had quite the showing against Kentucky, contributing five fouls in an intriguingly small window of time. I can barely brush my teeth in six minutes, and you're telling me My Boy Festus came off the bench and was able to hack the shit out of Kentucky up and down the hardwood in that little time? Hell yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Ballsy shit right there. I mean did you see that thing with "Cousins" on the back of its jersey? It looked like Big Foot banged Queen Latifah and they gave their newborn a stupid headband. You try fouling that and I bet you end up in the toilet like the rest of the backup forwards Cousins eats for 4th meal. But not My Boy.

I don't care what you say, but My Boy Festus continuosly brings it. And that's why he tops the list as my first Bench Marker. He electrified Memorial against Mississippi State on February 3rd when he almost shattered the glass doing his best Dwight Howard impression, and I expect this from him everytime Stalling's gives him the nod. He even fouls like an animal when he needs to. In such a physical game, we have no chance if Cousins is unharmed in the paint, or Bledsoe can drive to the hole without getting some warm humble pie fresh outta My Boy Festus' oven (which he served nicely with his fifth and final). No matter what we need, My Boy Festus will step up and deliver. And that's why since day one we've been coached on life's 3 certainties: death, taxes, and My Boy Festus dominating the shit out of whoever crosses his path. The dude majors in Biology for chrissake.

Kentucky @ Vandy: The Aftermath

On March 23rd, 2007, current Oklahoma City star Jeff Green was the cause for what I would classify as “Vanderbilt fan misery.” The Commodores led 65-64 and were just 9 seconds from a trip to the Elite 8, and a chance to play the North Carolina Tar Heels. Just before Vanderbilt fans could celebrate, Jeff Green took a swift three steps to the basket, and banked it off the glass to give Georgetown a 66-65 victory. The key number was three. Three steps! He traveled, but as fans there was nothing we could do but sulk, and face the fact that we would have to wait until next year. Devastation is commonplace for Vanderbilt fans, but disappointment of this magnitude is rare. It is something that we see but every few years, and this Saturday, when Coach Cal and John Wall came to town, this feeling returned.

Vanderbilt came into Saturday as the clear cut second best team in the SEC, behind the Kentucky Wildcats. Thus, the game at Memorial was undoubtedly going to be a battle. And it was. Dick Vitale deemed it more like a football game than a basketball game, and he was right. Between the double technical on Kentucky freshman Eric Bledsoe and Jeffery Taylor, Steve Tchiengang’s five fouls, Festus’s five fouls, AJ’s four fouls, DeMarcus Cousins four fouls, the game was obviously a physical battle. When you play in such a physical game, you want it that much more; and that is the basis for the return of this misery.

We shot 2-20 from 3 point range, two of our big men fouled out, our potential all-American senior (call me crazy) scored just 6 points, the officiating was more or less horrible, and NBA top prospect John Wall made two spectacular plays in the last 30 seconds. Yet we still had a legitimate chance at the end! So when, Ogilvy’s runner in the lane bounced out, it engendered a sense of depression throughout the student section. Similar to the feeling in March of 2007, a place that was so recently full of such excitement and energy was reduced to a silent pit of depression. There was one difference between the Georgetown game and this Saturday’s Kentucky game. The Georgetown game happened in March, and there was no way to build on it. The Kentucky game however, happened in late February, when great teams discover themselves, and elevate their game to the next level. So for all of you fans that felt like I did this past Saturday; you must understand that Coach Stallings and his squad learned from this experience and can grow from it. And they will. With four regular season games remaining, the SEC tournament, and the NCAA tournament on the horizon, the athletic, deep, and talented Vanderbilt Commodore basketball team will be on display, ready to make a statement to any one that gets in their way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtQKzm3iXZg
(Jeff Green travel, watch the pivot foot)