Vandy vs. Zona Preview
Arizona, AZ – After bouncing back from an opening-round tournament loss, Vanderbilt has a chance to salvage a winning trip to Hawaii.
The No. 24 Commodores look to conclude their stay on a positive note Wednesday when they face Arizona in the fifth-place game at the Maui Invitational.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook SBGGLOBAL.com have made the NA point spread favorites for Wednesday’s game against the NA. Current College Basketball Public Betting Information shows that X% of more than X bets for this game have been placed on the NA.
Hours after cracking the Top 25 for the first time since March 17, 2008, Vanderbilt (3-1) promptly lost 67-58 to Cincinnati in Monday’s tournament opener. The Commodores regrouped to beat Division II host Chaminade 68-41 in consolation play Tuesday.
Reserve John Jenkins scored 14 points and Jermaine Beal added 10 in the win for Vanderbilt, which used a 24-0 run in the second half to break open a four-point game.
While the long travel to the island could have played a part, Commodores coach Kevin Stallings admits his team has not looked fresh in most of its first two contests in a tournament where teams play three games in three days.
Vanderbilt left for the event one day after pulling out a 72-70 victory at Saint Mary’s on Saturday in Northern California.
"Our practice here, we looked heavy legged, we looked tired," Stallings said. "We had a relatively long travel day Saturday, but I don’t want to attribute it to that. It was literally at the 15-minute mark that we started playing like we have all season.”
After shooting a dismal 27.5 percent against Cincinnati, the Commodores shot 43.3 percent Tuesday, and held the Silverswords to a 23.8-percent effort from the field and 15 second-half points.
"Well, we are really happy to win that game,” Stallings said. "It is tough because you are coming back from a loss (Monday).”
Beal and sophomore Jeffery Taylor are averaging a team-leading 14.8 points apiece, but both are coming off their lowest scoring games of the season. The 6-foot-7 Taylor finished with nine, but played just 18 minutes against Chaminade.
With a victory Wednesday, Vanderbilt could possibly remain in the Top 25 after Cincinnati defeated a second straight ranked opponent Tuesday, beating No. 21 Maryland 69-57 to reach the Maui title game.
However, winning won’t be easy against Arizona (3-1), which beat Colorado 91-87 in overtime in consolation action Tuesday.
Guard Nic Wise scored 30 points, while Jamelle Horne added 17 and Brendon Lavender 16 for the Wildcats, who bounced back from a 65-61 loss to Wisconsin by shooting 52.6 percent.
Wise, the Wildcats’ top returning scorer with 15.7 points per game in 2008-09, is averaging 18.2 through four games this season. He scored 16 of his team’s final 19 against the Buffaloes, who overcame an eight-point deficit with 52 seconds left to force overtime. Wise was 9 of 15 from the field – including 5 of 9 from 3-point range – and added six assists.
Wise will be in for a test against a Vanderbilt defense that’s holding opponents to 36.9 percent shooting and 62.8 points per game.
Vanderbilt and Arizona are facing each other for the first time since the Commodores won 107-76 in their initial meeting Dec. 29, 1956.
Posted: 1/24/09 11:34PM ET