Basketball wrap-up: 2010-11 review
Women Final Record . . . . . . . . . . 20-12 (10-6 SEC) SEC Finish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Third Leading Scorers. . . . Jasmine Lister (11.8) . . . . . . Jence Rhoads (11.7) . . . . . Hannah Tuomi (11.2) . . . Stephanie Holzer (11.1)
TIMOTHY SOFRANKO
The women’s basketball team is one of only eight programs that have advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last 12 seasons. Coach Balcomb’s squad had a unique mix of experience and youth this year. A pair of four-year starters in Jence Rhoads and Hannah Tuomi were joined by a number of freshmen phenoms, including Jasmine Lister and Stephanie Holzer. The Commodores battled injuries throughout the 2010-11 campaign, using 11 different starting lineups throughout the year as VU’s top five scorers missed a combined total of 18 games. In the end, Vanderbilt would make its 24th trip to the big dance, earning the No. 10 seed in the Spokane Region and making a second straight trip to the Xavier’s Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. This time, the ’Dores would fail to win at least one NCAA Tournament game as in each of the past 11 seasons, falling to seventh-seeded Louisville. n
Men Final Record . . . . . . . . . . . 23-11 (9-7 SEC) SEC Finish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Third (East) Leading Scorers. . . . . John Jenkins (19.5) . . . . . . Jeffery Taylor (14.7) . . . . . . . Festus Ezeli (13.0) . . . . . . . Brad Tinsley (10.6)
SCOTT ARNOLD
The men’s basketball team also advanced to the NCAA Tournament, making its fourth March Madness appearance in the past five seasons and its 12th trip overall. Coach Stallings’ solid junior class was bolstered by the emergence of a local sophomore, Hendersonville’s John Jenkins. The Commodores notched a number of key victories over ranked opponents during the course of the season, including North Carolina, St. Mary’s and Kentucky. The St. Mary’s victory improved VU’s nonconference home record under Stallings to 104-8. For their efforts, the ’Dores earned a No. 5 seed in the Southwest Region and traveled to Denver for their opening game of the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Despite 21 points apiece from Jenkins and junior Festus Ezeli, Vanderbilt fell to eventual Sweet 16 participant Richmond. n
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APRIL 2011
vucommodores.com
C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N
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