Blue Raiders  53    Commodores  73

Middle Tennessee (7-6) at Vanderbilt (10-3)

Sports Network | January 4, 2010

GAME NOTES: Non-conference foes will collide in an in-state battle tonight, as the Vanderbilt Commodores welcome the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders to Nashville.

Middle Tennessee has put together a four-game win streak that has enabled the team to move to 7-6 overall and 2-0 in Sun Belt Conference action. Saturday's 68-58 victory over UL-Lafayette marked the fourth consecutive game in which the Blue Raiders have limited an opponent to 58 or fewer points. They are just 1-4 in true road games thus far, but the lone road win did come in the most recent road test.

Like Middle Tennessee, Vanderbilt carries a four-game win streak into this tilt, and the club has yet to play an SEC contest. On Saturday, the Commodores were completely dominant in an 82-46 romp over Southern Miss that enabled them to move to 7-0 at home. The last three wins have come by an average of 38 points against rather suspect competition, but plenty of challenges lie ahead in league play.

Vanderbilt owns a 26-4 series advantage over Middle Tennessee, including a 65-57 decision over the Blue Raiders last season.

Through 13 outings, Middle Tennessee is scoring 70.0 ppg while allowing 65.4 ppg to opponents. In the recent victory over UL-Lafayette, the Blue Raiders managed to overcome their high total of 20 turnovers by earning a 37-24 rebounding advantage and a 21-14 edge in points from the foul line. James Washington led Middle Tennessee with 23 points and five assists, while J.T. Sulton pitched in 11 points off the bench. Yates has only played six of the 13 games thus far, but his is averaging a team-high 15.3 ppg. Montarrio Haddock checks in with 13.4 ppg, and Washington provides an additional 12.2 ppg.

John Jenkins is the leading three-point (.477) and free-throw (.909) shooter for Vanderbilt, and he has elevated his scoring output to 10.1 ppg. There are four total double-digit scorers in all for the Commodores, and Jeffery Taylor is tops with 14.1 ppg on 53 percent field goal efficiency. Jermaine Beal provides 12.8 ppg, while center A.J. Ogilvy checks in with 12.7 ppg and 5.8 rpg. Through 13 games, Vanderbilt is scoring 78.5 ppg while limiting opponents to 64.5 ppg on 38.4 percent shooting. In the victory over Southern Miss last time out, Jenkins hit all six of his three-point tries en route to 20 points. The Commodores shot 53.1 percent from the field, and they also knocked down 21-of-25 free throws. Defensively, they held their overmatched opponent to 28.1 percent field goal efficiency.

Both of these teams enter this game on a roll. Still, Vandy is an easy choice, as it is perfect at home thus far and has been absolutely dominant recently.

GAME NOTES: Non-conference foes will collide in an in-state battle tonight, as the Vanderbilt Commodores welcome the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders to Nashville.

FACTS & STATS: Site: Memorial Gym (14,168) -- Nashville, Tennessee. Television: FSN. Home Record: Middle Tennessee 6-2, Vanderbilt 7-0. Away Record: Middle Tennessee 1-4, Vanderbilt 1-1. Neutral Record: Middle Tennessee 0-0, Vanderbilt 2-2. Conference Record: Middle Tennessee 2-0, Vanderbilt 0-0. Series Record: Vanderbilt leads, 26-4.

Monday, January 4th, 9:00 p.m. (et)

Vanderbilt 79, Middle Tennessee 61