Tigers  83    Commodores  89

Missouri (4-1) at Vanderbilt (4-1)

Sports Network | December 2, 2009

GAME NOTES: The Missouri Tigers of the Big 12 Conference and the Vanderbilt Commodores of the SEC are set to collide in Nashville this evening.

Missouri opened the season with four consecutive victories, but the team fell to Richmond by a 59-52 final on Sunday. The 52 points in that clash clearly marked the worst offensive effort of the season for the Tigers, who have yet to play a true road game.

As for the Commodores, they have won their last two games to move to 4-1 overall, and three of the four victories have come by double figures. Vandy has been idle since November 25th when it knocked off a solid Arizona squad by an 84-72 final in front of the home crowd.

Vanderbilt has won two of its three previous meetings with Missouri, and the teams haven't met since 1986.

Missouri is averaging 80.0 ppg this season, and the team has managed to limit opponents to 57.6 ppg on 38.4 percent shooting from the field. The Tigers are outrebounding foes by nearly five boards per contest and have blocked 29 shots. Kim English is pouring in 16.4 ppg, and Laurence Bowers contributes 11.0 ppg and 6.2 rpg while shooting 63.2 percent from the field. Last time out against Richmond, the Tigers connected on only 32.7 percent of their field goal attempts, including a 2-of-11 effort from three-point range. They finished with a mere five assists against 12 turnovers. English scored 14 points off the bench in 28 minutes of action, and T.J. Tiller contributed 11 points.

Vanderbilt is scoring 75.4 ppg while limiting foes to 64.6 ppg on 38.1 percent shooting from the field. Jermaine Beal is netting 15.4 ppg, and Jeffery Taylor provides 14.4 ppg. The third and final double-digit scorer on the roster is center A.J. Ogilvy, who brings 10.8 ppg to the mix. Both Ogilvy and Taylor are pulling down 6.8 rpg, and Ogilvy has blocked 13 shots. In the win over Arizona last time out, Vanderbilt connected on 53.4 percent of its field goal attempts, helping the squad overcome a 15-of-29 effort from the foul line. Strong defense in the second half helped the Commodores to hold on for the win, as they limited the Wildcats to 40 percent field goal efficiency over the final 20 minutes.

In what figures to be a close game from start to finish, give an edge to Vanderbilt. The Commodores have the obvious advantage of playing at home, and Ogilvy is due for a big game.

GAME NOTES: The Missouri Tigers of the Big 12 Conference and the Vanderbilt Commodores of the SEC are set to collide in Nashville this evening.

FACTS & STATS: Site: Memorial Gym (14,168) -- Nashville, Tennessee. Television: ESPNU. Home Record: Missouri 3-0, Vanderbilt 1-0. Away Record: Missouri 0-0, Vanderbilt 1-0. Neutral Record: Missouri 1-1, Vanderbilt 2-1. Conference Record: Missouri 0-0, Vanderbilt 0-0. Series Record: Vanderbilt leads, 2-1.

Wednesday, December 2nd, 9:30 p.m. (et)

Vanderbilt 76, Missouri 71