Feb. 19, 2005
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Vanderbilt hopes senior Ashley Earley can continue her stellar play on the road when it visits Southeastern Conference rival Florida on Sunday.
Earley leads the 22nd-ranked Commodores (18-6, 7-4) with 18.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. She is also the nation's third-best shooter from the field, hitting 65.1 percent.
However, Earley has been even more impressive on the road, averaging 21.8 points and 11.6 rebounds to help the Commodores to a 7-3 record.
The 5-foot-10 forward had 24 points and 11 boards at sixth-ranked Tennessee last Sunday, but it wasn't enough as Vanderbilt fell 72-63. The Commodores bounced back with their fifth victory in six games Thursday, trouncing Arkansas 78-43 at home.
"We knew we needed to get a win," said Earley, who had 15 points and 11 rebounds for her 10th double-double this season. "We came out focused on defense, pressured the ball and got back to our transition game."
|
|
 |
Carla Thomas scored a team-high 23 points for the Commodores, who are second in the nation in both scoring offense (80.3 points per game) and field-goal percentage (50.6).
Thomas, a 6-3 sophomore, averages 16.1 points and 6.1 boards per game, shooting 58.1 percent from the field. Abi Ramsey added 11 points Thursday and hopes to continue tormenting the Gators (14-10, 5-6).
In the first meeting with Florida on Jan. 30, the senior guard set a single-game school record by hitting eight 3-pointers en route to a career-high 30 points, leading Vanderbilt to an 84-73 win.
Florida has been idle since its second straight win, a 67-56 victory over Mississippi State on Feb. 13. Senior Tashia Morehead scored a game-high 19 points for the Gators, who are 0-5 this season against ranked opponents.
The senior forward is averaging 18 points and 6.3 rebounds in her last three games.
Junior Bernice Mosby had 17 points and 16 rebounds against Mississippi State and leads the team with 15.7 points and 8.8 boards per game.
Florida coach Carolyn Peck will try to post her 100th career victory against her former school. Peck, a 6-foot-4 center, helped the Commodores to a 77-42 record and appearances in the 1986 and 1987 NCAA tournament before graduating in 1988. She is 99-51 over five seasons at Purdue and Florida.
Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 22-17, but Florida has won four of the last five meetings in Gainesville, Fla.
 Ashley Earley |
