Scouting Florida
Florida, currently ranked sixth in the AP poll and seventh in the ESPN/USA Today poll, enters the game with an overall record of 15-2 and a 4-0 mark in the SEC after earning a 77-75 victory at South Carolina Saturday. The Gators have won 11 consecutive games and have not lost in nine home games this season. Both of their losses have come on neutral courts.

Florida has four players averaging double-digit scoring, including senior Matt Bonner (15.4), freshman Matt Walsh (14.9), freshman Anthony Roberson (13.9) and sophomore David Lee (10.4). Lee (7.0) and Bonner (5.8) are the squad’s top rebounders.

Last season, Florida swept the two-game series with the Commodores. Vanderbilt’s last victory over Florida was a 63-61 road win over the No. 7 Gators Jan. 20, 2001. That also is Vanderbilt’s last road victory over a ranked opponent.

Three...Dot...Data vs. Tennessee
Vanderbilt is now 0-3 when their opponents shoot better than 50 percent...VU’s 47.3 field goal percentage is the highest in a loss this season...Brian Thornton got near a double-double for the second consecutive game with 16 points and eight boards...After not leading the team in assists for five games, Russell Lakey led the team in assists for the second consecutive game at Tennessee with five...For the first time this season, VU recorded no blocks...This was the seventh time the Commodores won the turnover battle, but the first time they did it in a loss...This was the first game this season in which VU’s first basket was a three-pointer.

Common Opponents
Vanderbilt and Florida have played just one common opponent in Tennessee. Vanderbilt lost to the Vols Saturday in Knoxville, while the Gators defeated Tennessee, 77-64, Jan. 15 in Gainesville, Fla.

Opponent VU UF
Tennessee L, 66-71 W, 77-64

Freije Moves to 34th in Career Scoring
Junior forward Matt Freije became the 35th member of Vanderbilt’s 1,000-Point Club after scoring 18 points at Tennessee. With 1,011 career points, he has already climbed to No. 34 on the school’s career scoring list.

The last Commodore to enter this exclusive club was Sam Howard last season. Howard finished his four-year career 32nd on the list with 1,026 points. Vanderbilt’s all-time leading scorer is Phil Cox, who scored 1,725 points from 1981 to 1985.

Triple Play
At Tennessee, Matt Freije and Corey Smith tied for game-high honors with 18 points apiece, while Brian Thornton added 16 points and eight rebounds. It was the first time this season the Commodores have had three players score at least 16 points in the same game.

Freije scored all 18 of his points in the second half as he shot 7- of-10 after the intermission. Smith was 4-of-6 from three-point range, which are both career-best marks. He also played a career-high 38 minutes. Thornton also had a second-half surge, scoring 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the second period.

Vanderbilt Playing Nation’s 12th Toughest Schedule
As of Monday, CollegeRPI.com has Vanderbilt’s schedule ranked as the 12th-toughest in the nation. Only Georgia (1) and Arkansas (5) have tougher schedules in the SEC.

This season the Commodores have played five teams ranked in the Top-16 of the national polls, including Connecticut (12), Indiana (6), Notre Dame (6), Alabama (4) and Kentucky (16).

Super Mario
Freshman Mario Moore exploded onto the Commodore offensive scene against No. 16 Kentucky, scoring a team-high and career-best 17 points on the strength of a career-best 4-of-7 three-point shooting effort. His previous high was 10 points at Michigan.

Moore made his biggest contribution in the first half where he hit three treys in two minutes. He added another basket and 3-of-3 shooting from the free-throw line to finish with 12 points.

Complete Notes