2006-07 Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 2006–07 Vanderbilt Commodores
men’s basketball team finished with a 22–12 record (SEC East
: 10–6, 2nd) and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament
. The Commodores were ranked No. 19 in the final ESPN/USA Today (Coaches) poll
.
The team was led by head coach Kevin Stallings
and played its home games at Memorial Gymnasium
.
, Kentucky
and Tennessee. They returned three starters: swingmen Shan Foster
and Derrick Byars
and point guard Alex Gordon. Foster was their leading scorer last season and was the third-leading returning scorer in the SEC. Vanderbilt lost two starters: Julian Terrell
, their top rebounder (7.2 rpg), and rising-junior DeMarre Carroll
, their second-leading scorer (12.1 ppg). Terrell graduated, while Carroll unexpectedly decided to transfer to Missouri
shortly after the 2005–06 season ended, a decision influenced by the fact that Mizzou's new head coach Mike Anderson
is his uncle.
Junior Shan Foster
was named by the league’s coaches to the preseason all-SEC first team.
(15–16 final record, 8–10 Southern Conference
). After that, Vanderbilt won 17 of their next 22 games, culminating in an 83–70 home win over then-No. 1 Florida
(33–5, SEC East: 14–2, 1st). They entered the NCAA Tournament winning only 2 of their last 5 games, including two losses to Arkansas (21–14, SEC West: 7–9, 3rd), but one of the wins was a come-from-behind 67–65 home win over Kentucky
(22–12, SEC East: 9–7, 4th), their fourth straight win over the Wildcats.
Vanderbilt finished the regular season tied for 2nd with Tennessee
(24–11, SEC East: 10–6) in the SEC East, four games behind eventual national champion Florida (35–5, SEC East: 14–2, 1st).
. The Commodores defeated No. 11 seeded George Washington
(23–9, A-10: 11–5, 3rd) in the first round, 77–44, and No. 3 seeded Washington State
(26–7, Pac-10: 13–5, 2nd), 78–74, in two overtimes, at ARCO Arena
in Sacramento, California
.
was named SEC Coach of the Year by his fellow SEC coaches, while senior Derrick Byars
was named SEC Player of the Year by the league coaches (the AP
chose Chris Lofton
of Tennessee). Stallings has now led the Commodores to 20 wins in three of the last four seasons. Byars led the Commodores in scoring with 17.0 points per game and was a unanimous selection to the All-SEC first team. Junior Shan Foster
, who averaged 15.6 points per game, was named to the All-SEC second team.
Including NCAA Tournament games, Vanderbilt finished the season 7–3 against teams ranked in the Top 25. Only North Carolina and UCLA had more wins against ranked opponents
* Opponent rankings were those of the Associated Press poll at the time the game was played.
Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball
The Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball team represents Vanderbilt University in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference . The Commodores have won three SEC regular season titles . They have competed in ten NCAA Tournaments, making it to the Elite Eight once and the Sweet 16 six times...
men’s basketball team finished with a 22–12 record (SEC East
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
: 10–6, 2nd) and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament
2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
. The Commodores were ranked No. 19 in the final ESPN/USA Today (Coaches) poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
.
The team was led by head coach Kevin Stallings
Kevin Stallings
Kevin Stallings is currently in his 11th season as the head men’s basketball coach at Vanderbilt University. Previously, he served as head coach at Illinois State University and was an assistant coach at Purdue University and the University of Kansas.-High school & college:Stallings was born in...
and played its home games at Memorial Gymnasium
Memorial Gymnasium (Vanderbilt University)
Memorial Gymnasium is a multi-purpose facility located in Nashville, Tennessee. Usually called Memorial Gym or simply Memorial, the building is located on the western end of the Vanderbilt University campus. It was built in 1952 and currently has a seating capacity of 14,316...
.
Preseason outlook
Entering the season, Vanderbilt was picked by the media attending the SEC's media days in October to finish 4th in a strong SEC East, behind the defending national champion FloridaFlorida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
, Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky , a founding member of the Southeastern Conference...
and Tennessee. They returned three starters: swingmen Shan Foster
Shan Foster
Shan Donte Foster is an American professional basketball player. Foster played shooting guard for the Commodores college basketball team at Vanderbilt University. He is the school's all-time leader in both points and three-point baskets made, and is also among the Southeastern Conference's...
and Derrick Byars
Derrick Byars
Derrick JaVaughn Byars is an American professional basketball player for the Pro A team Cholet Basket. Collegiality, he played for Virginia, and later for Vanderbilt...
and point guard Alex Gordon. Foster was their leading scorer last season and was the third-leading returning scorer in the SEC. Vanderbilt lost two starters: Julian Terrell
Julian Terrell
Julian Terrell is an American professional basketball player for Al Wasl SC in Dubai, United Arab Emirates...
, their top rebounder (7.2 rpg), and rising-junior DeMarre Carroll
DeMarre Carroll
DeMarre LaEdrick Carroll is an American professional basketball player who was drafted 27th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association in the 2009 NBA Draft. Carroll formerly played for the University of Missouri and Vanderbilt University...
, their second-leading scorer (12.1 ppg). Terrell graduated, while Carroll unexpectedly decided to transfer to Missouri
Missouri Tigers
The Missouri Tigers athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of the University of Missouri, located in Columbia, Missouri, United States...
shortly after the 2005–06 season ended, a decision influenced by the fact that Mizzou's new head coach Mike Anderson
Mike Anderson (basketball coach)
Mike Anderson is the current head basketball coach for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. He is a former assistant coach under Nolan Richardson at Arkansas and is best known for using his up tempo "The Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball" to rebuild the basketball programs at both the UAB and the...
is his uncle.
Junior Shan Foster
Shan Foster
Shan Donte Foster is an American professional basketball player. Foster played shooting guard for the Commodores college basketball team at Vanderbilt University. He is the school's all-time leader in both points and three-point baskets made, and is also among the Southeastern Conference's...
was named by the league’s coaches to the preseason all-SEC first team.
Regular season
The Commodores got off to a rocky 1–3 start that included an embarrassing home loss to FurmanFurman University
Furman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina...
(15–16 final record, 8–10 Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
). After that, Vanderbilt won 17 of their next 22 games, culminating in an 83–70 home win over then-No. 1 Florida
Florida Gators basketball
The Florida Gators have two Gator basketball programs:*Men's*Women's...
(33–5, SEC East: 14–2, 1st). They entered the NCAA Tournament winning only 2 of their last 5 games, including two losses to Arkansas (21–14, SEC West: 7–9, 3rd), but one of the wins was a come-from-behind 67–65 home win over Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky , a founding member of the Southeastern Conference...
(22–12, SEC East: 9–7, 4th), their fourth straight win over the Wildcats.
Vanderbilt finished the regular season tied for 2nd with Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the National Collegiate Athletic Association college sports teams at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mike Hamilton is the most recent Men's Athletic Director, but resigned on June 7, 2011, and Joan Cronan is the current Women's...
(24–11, SEC East: 10–6) in the SEC East, four games behind eventual national champion Florida (35–5, SEC East: 14–2, 1st).
NCAA tournament
The Commodores were the No. 6 seed in the East Regional and lost 66–65 to No. 2 seeded Georgetown (30–6, Big East: 13–3, 1st) at East Rutherford, New JerseyEast Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
. The Commodores defeated No. 11 seeded George Washington
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
(23–9, A-10: 11–5, 3rd) in the first round, 77–44, and No. 3 seeded Washington State
Washington State Cougars
The Washington State Cougars are the athletic teams at Washington State University; the term applies to any of the school's varsity teams. Washington State University is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I...
(26–7, Pac-10: 13–5, 2nd), 78–74, in two overtimes, at ARCO Arena
ARCO Arena
Power Balance Pavilion is an indoor arena, located in the Natomas area of Sacramento, California. It is the home of the NBA's Sacramento Kings.-Background:...
in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
.
Awards
Following the end of the regular season, head coach Kevin StallingsKevin Stallings
Kevin Stallings is currently in his 11th season as the head men’s basketball coach at Vanderbilt University. Previously, he served as head coach at Illinois State University and was an assistant coach at Purdue University and the University of Kansas.-High school & college:Stallings was born in...
was named SEC Coach of the Year by his fellow SEC coaches, while senior Derrick Byars
Derrick Byars
Derrick JaVaughn Byars is an American professional basketball player for the Pro A team Cholet Basket. Collegiality, he played for Virginia, and later for Vanderbilt...
was named SEC Player of the Year by the league coaches (the AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
chose Chris Lofton
Chris Lofton
Christopher Franklin Lofton is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball with the University of Tennessee Volunteers...
of Tennessee). Stallings has now led the Commodores to 20 wins in three of the last four seasons. Byars led the Commodores in scoring with 17.0 points per game and was a unanimous selection to the All-SEC first team. Junior Shan Foster
Shan Foster
Shan Donte Foster is an American professional basketball player. Foster played shooting guard for the Commodores college basketball team at Vanderbilt University. He is the school's all-time leader in both points and three-point baskets made, and is also among the Southeastern Conference's...
, who averaged 15.6 points per game, was named to the All-SEC second team.
Including NCAA Tournament games, Vanderbilt finished the season 7–3 against teams ranked in the Top 25. Only North Carolina and UCLA had more wins against ranked opponents
Roster and individual statistics
| Number | Name | Position | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | High School | GP | Min | Ppg | Rpg | Apg |
| 0 | Jermaine Beal | G | 6–3 | 205 | Freshman | DeSoto, TX DeSoto, Texas DeSoto is a city in Dallas County, Texas . Over the past eleven years since the 2000 U.S. Census Report, the City of DeSoto has grown in population from 37,646 to 49,047.... |
DeSoto | 34 | 16.8 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| 2 | David Rodriguez | G | 6–2 | 180 | Sophomore | Sarasota, FL Sarasota, Florida Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers... |
Out-of-Door Academy | 2 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| 3 | Alex Gordon | G | 5’11 | 164 | Junior | Pensacola, FL Pensacola, Florida Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752... |
Pensacola | 34 | 24.0 | 7.8 | 2.4 | 3.3 |
| 4 | Derrick Byars Derrick Byars Derrick JaVaughn Byars is an American professional basketball player for the Pro A team Cholet Basket. Collegiality, he played for Virginia, and later for Vanderbilt... |
G-F | 6–7 | 230 | Senior | Memphis, TN Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers.... |
Ridgeway | 34 | 31.4 | 17.0 | 4.9 | 3.4 |
| 11 | Alan Metcalfe | F | 6–9 | 265 | Junior | St. Helens, England St Helens, Merseyside St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census... |
Notre Dame Academy (Va.) | 21 | 7.5 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 0.1 |
| 14 | Aubrey Hammond | G | 6–4 | 184 | Junior | Charlottesville, VA Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for... |
Woodberry Forest School Woodberry Forest School Woodberry Forest School is a private, all-male boarding school located in Woodberry Forest, Madison County, Virginia, in the United States. Woodberry's current enrollment is 402. Students come from 28 U.S... |
13 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| 20 | Dan Cage | G | 6–5 | 215 | Senior | Indianapolis, IN Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S... |
Bishop Chatard | 34 | 28.9 | 11.2 | 3.3 | 2.2 |
| 31 | JeJuan Brown | F | 6–7 | 226 | Freshman | Biloxi, MS Biloxi, Mississippi Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County.... |
Biloxi | 34 | 13.3 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 0.6 |
| 32 | Shan Foster Shan Foster Shan Donte Foster is an American professional basketball player. Foster played shooting guard for the Commodores college basketball team at Vanderbilt University. He is the school's all-time leader in both points and three-point baskets made, and is also among the Southeastern Conference's... |
G-F | 6–6 | 200 | Junior | Kenner, LA Kenner, Louisiana Kenner is a city in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a suburb of New Orleans. The population was 66,702 at the 2010 census.... |
Bonnabel | 34 | 32.4 | 15.6 | 4.6 | 2.3 |
| 34 | George Drake | G | 6–4 | 213 | Freshman | Calera, AL Calera, Alabama Calera is a city in Chilton and Shelby counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is the location of Birmingham's Shelby County Airport. Its population was 3,158 at the 2000 census, but as of 2010 the population had nearly quadrupled to 11,620 making it the fastest growing city in... |
Calera | 33 | 10.3 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 0.6 |
| 41 | Ross Neltner | F | 6–9 | 247 | Junior | Fort Thomas, KY Fort Thomas, Kentucky Fort Thomas is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, on the southern bank of the Ohio River and the site of an 1890 US Army post. The population was 16,325 at the 2010 census, making it the largest city in Campbell County and it is officially part of the Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky metropolitan... |
Highlands Highlands High School (Kentucky) Fort Thomas Highlands High School, also known as Fort Thomas Highlands, is a public secondary school located in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Operated by Fort Thomas Independent Schools, Highlands was founded in 1888. The school took its name from the original name of Fort Thomas, "The Highlands"... |
34 | 25.0 | 9.2 | 5.7 | 2.2 |
| 54 | Ted Skuchas | C | 6–11 | 242 | Senior | Audubon, PA Audubon, Pennsylvania Audubon is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,433 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Audubon is located at in the township of Lower Providence.... |
Germantown Academy | 34 | 15.5 | 4.0 | 2.6 | 0.4 |
2006–07 schedule and results
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time | Result | Overall | Conf. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
||||||
| November 1, 2006 | Northern State | Nashville, TN | W 98–94 | |||
| |
||||||
| November 15, 2006 | #8 Georgetown | Nashville, TN | L 70–86 | 0–1 | 0–0 | |
| November 21, 2006 | Wake Forest | Winston-Salem, NC | L 78–88 | 0–2 | 0–0 | |
| November 25, 2006 | Elon | Nashville, TN | W 81–70 | 1–2 | 0–0 | |
| November 28, 2006 | Furman | Nashville, TN | L 62–70 | 1–3 | 0–0 | |
| December 2, 2006 | Toledo | Nashville, TN | W 98–93 (OT) | 2–3 | 0–0 | |
| December 5, 2006 | East Tennessee State | Nashville, TN | W 104–62 | 3–3 | 0–0 | |
| December 7, 2006 | Lipscomb | Nashville, TN | W 59–50 | 4–3 | 0–0 | |
| December 9, 2006 | #25 Georgia Tech | Nashville, TN | W 73–64 | 5–3 | 0–0 | |
| December 16, 2006 | Nicholls State | Nashville, TN | W 76–40 | 6–3 | 0–0 | |
| December 19, 2006 | UPR-Mayaquez1 | San Juan, PR | W 102–59 | 7–3 | 0–0 | |
| December 20, 2006 | Tennessee Tech1 | San Juan, PR | W 75–62 | 8–3 | 0–0 | |
| December 21, 2006 | Appalachian State1 | San Juan, PR | L 79–87 (OT) | 8–4 | 0–0 | |
| December 29, 2006 | Alabama A&M | Nashville, TN | W 86–47 | 9–4 | 0–0 | |
| January 2, 2007 | Rice | Houston, TX | W 74–69 | 10–4 | 0–0 | |
| January 6, 2007 | Auburn* | Auburn, AL | L 65–68 | 10–5 | 0–1 | |
| January 10, 2007 | #16 Tennessee* | Nashville, TN | W 82–81 | 11–5 | 1–1 | |
| January 13, 2007 | Georgia* | Athens, GA | L 73–85 | 11–6 | 1–2 | |
| January 17, 2007 | #10 Alabama* | Nashville, TN | W 94–73 | 12–6 | 2–2 | |
| January 20, 2007 | #25 Kentucky* | Lexington, KY | W 72–67 | 13–6 | 3–2 | |
| January 24, 2007 | #21 LSU* | Baton Rouge, LA | W 64–53 | 14–6 | 4–2 | |
| January 27, 2007 | Ole Miss* | Nashville, TN | W 85–80 | 15–6 | 5–2 | |
| January 31, 2007 | #1 Florida* | Gainesville, FL | L 64–74 | 15–7 | 5–3 | |
| February 3, 2007 | Georgia* | Nashville, TN | W 66–61 | 16–7 | 6–3 | |
| February 10, 2007 | Tennessee* | Knoxville, TN | L 57–84 | 16–8 | 6–4 | |
| February 14, 2007 | South Carolina* | Nashville, TN | W 78–68 | 17–8 | 7–4 | |
| February 17, 2007 | #1 Florida* | Nashville, TN | W 83–70 | 18–8 | 8–4 | |
| February 21, 2007 | Mississippi State* | Starkville, MS | L 70–83 | 18–9 | 8–5 | |
| February 25, 2007 | Kentucky* | Nashville, TN | W 67–65 | 19–9 | 9–5 | |
| February 28, 2007 | South Carolina* | Columbia, S.C. | W 99–90 (OT) | 20–9 | 10–5 | |
| March 3, 2007 | Arkansas* | Nashville, TN | L 67–82 | 20–10 | 10–6 | |
| |
||||||
| March 9, 2007 | Arkansas | Atlanta, GA | L 71–72 | 20–11 | 10–6 | |
| |
||||||
| March 15, 2007 | George Washington | Sacramento, CA | W 77–44 | 21–11 | 10–6 | |
| March 17, 2007 | #13 Washington State | Sacramento, CA | W 78–74 | 22–11 | 10–6 | |
| March 23, 2007 | #9 Georgetown | East Rutherford, NJ | L 65–66 | 22–12 | 10–6 | |
| *Conference regular-season games. 1 San Juan Shoot-out. | ||||||
* Opponent rankings were those of the Associated Press poll at the time the game was played.