Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Young Vanderbilt Commodores will make a run eventually


More of the same for Vanderbilt in last night's thrashing in Memorial at the hands of the Vols:
• Sloppy ball handling.
• Nobody who wants to pull the trigger on a three-pointer.
• Nobody who can pull the trigger on a three-pointer.
• Ogilvy's failure to score against a long and athletic defense.
• A bunch of talented players who haven't jelled.

Remember how nervous these guys were in their first college game — against Alabama-Huntsville? Every game these guys play is a first. First time in Rupp. First time in Starkville. First time against the Vols and their rock-star-wannabe coach. On Sunday it will be their first game against Florida (oh boy).

Neither of the elder statesmen on the team, sophomore A.J. Ogilvy and junior Dolla Beal, have shown they can take over a game against a long and athletic defense. Both are nice players and good team guys who'll hurt you if you forget about them or aren't as tall or strong as them.

At some point this season, probably just when everything seems hopeless, the deer-in-the-headlights freshmen are going to mesh with Oglivy and Beal and make a run.

Thank goodness for George Drake who stepped up and hit more field goals than the entire starting lineup combined. Without him, it would have been ugly.

Also, Steve Tchiengang emerged as a three-point shooter — probably more of the Manute Bol novelty variety but, hey, we needed a couple of treys to make it respectable.

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