How the game was won: Vanderbilt guard John Jenkins hit four 3-pointers and a layup in a seven-minute stretch during the second half, helping the Commodores (19-8, 8-4) build the game’s first double-digit lead and pull away for a hard-fought road win over Georgia (12-14, 3-9).
Turning point: Georgia actually led 40-35 with 13:38 left in the game, but Jenkins led a 15-0 run to put the Commodores up 50-40 with 8:05 remaining.
Stat of the game: 19:03. Neither team recorded an offensive rebound until Nemanja Djurisic’s tip-in with 57 seconds left in the first half gave Georgia a 29-25 lead.
Player of the game: Jenkins. One of the league’s top shooters, Jenkins entered the game averaging 19.8 points per game and exceeded that average against the Bulldogs. He scored 16 of his game-high 28 points in the second half as Vandy rallied from a 29-28 halftime deficit. He was good on 6 of 8 shots from 3-point range.
What it means: Vandy was probably an NCAA tournament team regardless, but the Commodores avoided a loss that could have damaged their tournament chances by pulling away in the second half. Meanwhile, Georgia gave another game effort and fell short in the second half, dropping a step further away from a possible spot in a second-tier postseason tournament.