JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Playing without their leading scorer, the Vanderbilt Commodores suffered a 44-31 loss to East Tennessee State University on Thursday night in Brooks Gym.
Graduate guard Ciaja Harbison (18.5 ppg) missed her second straight game and the remaining eight healthy Vandy players struggled to make baskets. The 31 points scored were a season low by 28 points.
Vanderbilt (6-4) shot just 23 percent from the field (11 for 48) and was outrebounded 47-38, including 22 offensive rebounds by ETSU (7-2) that led to 14 second-chance points. The teams combined to shoot 4 of 33 from the 3-point line.
Graduate guard Marnelle Garraud led Vandy in scoring with 12 points. Nevaeh Brown scored a game-high 14 points for ETSU.
ETSU ended the first quarter on a 9-0 run to lead 11-5 as Vandy went the final 6 minutes, 34 seconds without a point. The Dores were 0 for 8 in the stretch. After the Bucs hit a 3-pointer to start the second quarter, freshman guard Jada Brown ended Vandy’s drought with two free throws.
Despite shooting just 18 percent (4 of 22) from the field and committing nine turnovers in the first half, Vandy trailed ETSU just 20-14 at halftime. The 14 points scored in the half were a season low. The Dores held ETSU scoreless for the final 3:28 of the second quarter and limited the Bucs to 8 of 32 shooting (25 percent) overall in the opening 20 minutes.
Vandy cranked up the defense to start the second half. The Dores scored the first six points of the third quarter, including steals by Garraud and Yaubryon Chambers that led to fastbreak layups, to tie the game 20-20.
Garraud halted an 8-0 run by ETSU with a deep jumper to pull Vandy to within 30-24 entering the final quarter. But the Dores couldn’t get any closer as shots continued to bounce off the rim and ETSU pulled away to snap a seven-game losing streak to Vandy and notch its first win in the series since the 1980-1981 season.
Vanderbilt only forced 12 turnovers and scored just six points off them. The Dores committed 17 turnovers, which ETSU converted into 15 points.
Player Notes
• Chambers tied her career high with three steals.
• Garraud scored in double figures for a team-best seventh time this season.
• Demi Washington tied her season-high with six rebounds.
Up Next: Vanderbilt returns to Nashville to host UT Martin on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT (SEC Network) in Memorial Gymnasium.
Tickets: Students will continue to receive free admission to all home basketball games. In…