ATHENS, Ga. -- Zuzi Klimesova totaled 23 points and Chantelle Anderson added 14 as the #7/5 Commodores defeated #16/14 Georgia, 64-47, in Athens.

The Commodores jumped out to a 7-0 lead with Anderson hitting a 3-pointer from the top of the key at the 18:03 mark. Georgia's Jessica Pierce hit one of her three 3-pointers in the game to narrow Vanderbilt's lead to four, 16-12. The Commodore defense stepped up and held the Lady Bulldogs scoreless for the next 11 minutes, outscoring Georgia 23-0. Ashley McElhiney, and Jenni Benningfield each hit a 3-pointer along with two three's from Abi Ramsey in the run. Whitney Law hit a jumper with five seconds remaining to end the Lady Bulldog drought as the Commodores went into halftime with a 39-14 lead.

VU's defense held Georgia to just 5-25 from the field, including 2-7 from 3-point range, and outrebounded the Lady 'Dogs 17-13.

Christi Thomas scored six consecutive points as Georgia outscored Vanderbilt 10-0 to open the second period, 39-24. The Lady Bulldogs would cut VU's lead to nine, 47-38, before Benningfield hit another three joined by an Anderson layup and a Klimesova 3-pointer to extend VU's lead to 17, 55-38. The Commodores collected five offensive rebounds in the final five minutes, including two each from Candice Storey and Benningfield, while Klimesova tapped the final offensive board to McElhiney who dribbled out the game clock.

The Commodore win is only the fourth in 17 tries in Athens, Georgia, and the first since Feb. 14, 1999 when #19 Vanderbilt defeated #7 Georgia - the last time VU defeated a higher ranked team on the road.

Vanderbilt held Georgia to 14 first half points which ties the season low by a Commodore opponent this season. VU held Louisville to 14 points, followed by 15 points by James Madison and Wagner. UGA's 14 points was the fewest in a first half since 1994 when the Lady Bulldogs scored 12 in a loss to Vanderbilt.

VU's defense has held three consecutive SEC opponents to 47 points or less and less than a 39.8 field goal percentage. Georgia entered the game averaging 73.1 points a game and shooting 45.7 percent from the field.

VU outrebounded Georgia 31-23 led by Benningfield who came off the bench to play 31 minutes and total a game-high nine rebounds. Klimesova and McElhiney each totaled six assists.

VANDERBILT HEAD COACH JIM FOSTER:
We played a great first half and we didn't come out with the energy necessary in the second half. This is the SEC, teams do not roll over, they compete. We played a great 30 minutes and a lousy 10 minutes, but I'll take the great 30 minutes.

ON VU'S DEFENSIVE STRATEGY:
We didn't want them (Georgia) to score - we didn't want their 3-point shooters and their post layers to get good looks. They're big, they're talented and they're good.

If you would have told me that we would hold two SEC teams to 46 (at Alabama) and 47 (at Georgia) points, I would have you committed.

ON 11 MINUTE DEFENSIVE HOLD:
Coaches notice when you get stuck on a number on the scoreboard. We were stuck on 39 and I'm sure Andy (Landers) was happy when he moved off 14.

ON SECOND HALF GEORGIA RUN:
I knew as soon as we started making shots we would be fine. Our seniors went crazy, but then they calmed down. Ashley (McElhiney) hit a shot, then Zuzi hit one - that's when I knew we would be fine.

ON ZUZI KLIMESOVA:
Zuzi is the best 15-foot shooter in America. She can do a lot of things for us but there are some areas she can improve. She can become a better passer - she has improved as a defensive player. Zuzi has a competitive nature, she has learned to move her feet. (ZUZI ADDS ABOUT FOOTWORK: Years of agility training in the weightroom with Lori (Alexander - strength and conditioning coach). FOSTER: She is not afraid to work.

ZUZI KLIMESOVA:
ON HER EXCITEMENT AFTER THE GAME:
I am a senior, and every win becomes more important. I get very excited about wins.

ASHLEY MCELHINEY:
We fueled off our defensive play in the first half. Everyone was doing a great job.

GEORGIA HEAD COACH ANDY LANDERS:
We showed some fight to start the second half, but we've got to have that as we come out of the tunnel and keep it for 40 minutes. We've got to be more aggressive, more assertive.

It's just frustrating - our kids had little effect on them (Vanderbilt). Did they (VU) execute, yes, but we had little effect on them.

It's pathetic - on the offensive end, we threw it away, dropped it, missed layups - it seems like the only people feeding the posts were the posts. We get it down to 10 points and then we shoot a 3-pointer - what is sad about that is that every play we called was working and that wasn't the play we called - we decisioned ourself in a hole.

CHRISTY THOMAS:
They (Vanderbilt) didn't do anything, we were just ice cold. Our defense needed to pick up and it didn't.