Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

1/31/2012 at 5:30pm

Vanderbilt began the 2011-12 season with its highest preseason national ranking ever, and the proceeded to throw it all away with four bad losses.

Now, barely back in the rankings at No. 25, it's as if hardly anyone outside of the Southeastern Conference has noticed that Vanderbilt has begun showing the form everyone else expected before this season — the Commodores enter Tuesday night's game at Arkansas having won 10 of their last 11 games. The only lost was a 78-77 overtime setback at the hands of talented but up-and-down Mississippi State.

Part of the improvement has been due to the return of 7-foot post Festus Ezeli, a preseason All-SEC pick who missed some of the nonconference slate with a knee injury. With Ezeli's post presence, the Commodores' defense has improved, and it's also taken some of the offensive pressure off All-SEC picks Jeff Taylor and John Jenkins.

Taylor, a 6-7 senior forward, averaged 20 points and 7.5 rebounds in wins last week over Tennessee and Middle Tennessee to earn SEC Player of the Week honors.

Meanwhile, the 6-4 Jenkins has improved every aspect of his game, Vandy Coach Kevin Stallings said Monday

"Obviously the thing that stands out to anyone is what a terrific shooter he is," Stallings said. "But he’s better off the dribble. He made some incredible plays late in the Middle Tennessee game to win the game for us. His defnse is 1,000 percent better. He’s a dependable defensive player for us now. He’s become a better assist guy, although I would like for it to bet better.

"John has given us so much more than he did a year ago, in leadership, talking, energy. He’s not just running out there trying to figure out where his next shot comes from. He’s out there trying to lead, and play both ends, and play the game the way in its entirety the way it should be played. His progress and improvement has really startled me because it’s been so great."

Vanderbilt poses a major threat in ESPN's Super Tuesday telecast at 8 p.m. to ending Arkansas' 15-0 start at home under first-year coach Mike Anderson.

"Arkansas has been very, very impressive to me and what Mike's been able to do there in his first year," Stallings said, adding that he was concerned with his team coming off two physical games against in-state rivals.

Vanderbilt and Missouri, where Anderson coached before taking the Arkansas job last spring, met in consecutive seasons with the teams splitting the games, so the experienced Commodores should have some idea of the pace and style Arkansas prefers.

Since beginning its 10-of-11 run, Vanderbilt's been quite good on the road, beginning with a televised blowout of nationally ranked Marquette, plus a rout in Tuscaloosa two weeks ago over Alabama, which also spent some early winter time in the Top 25.

“It’s a very difficult place to play and I think the style they play and Mike coaches, they get extra energy – especially a young team is going to get extra energy – from the crowd and that tends to amp up your defense," Stallings said. "They’re so good at turning people over and converting those turnovers to points. We’ve got to so a good job of taking care of the baskeball. That’s the No. 1 priority when you them. And getting it to the right spots on the floor, getting it to the people and places where we can have the most success."

I LOVE YOU, MAN
Apparently, Vandy's Stallings and his top senior, Taylor, had a run-in as the team went into the dressing room at halftime with a big lead against Auburn. Stallings on Monday downplayed the incident, but said he had been critical of Taylor's efforts to get off a good shot in the final seconds of the half, and Taylor took offense to the critique, but later Stallings apologized to the player. Some reports described Stallings as incensed, but he said Monday, "I didn't go crazy or anything," and he meant his apology, too: "I don't mind letting them win sometimes."

He added, "I get a text after the game. 'You know I love you, right?' from Jeff. It was not like there were hard feelings at that time. And I texted, 'Yeah, you know I love you too, right?' It was one of those heat of the moment things. I'd been on him to play better defense, and we played great defense. I think that's what Jeff wanted to hear is that we played a great defensive half."

Taylor, the 6-foot-7, 225-pounder from Norrkoping, Sweden, is the SEC's leading active scorer 1ith 1,680, ranks third in the league in scoring and his shooting 68.2 percent on three-pointers in SEC games.

Here’s this week’s ArkansasSports360.com Power Poll:
1. Kentucky (21-1, 7-0). Wildcats might slip up once or twice, but the league is theirs for the taking.
2. Vanderbilt (16-5, 5-1). 'Dores are winners of 10 of last 11, and don't sell the out-of-league win over Middle Tennessee short either.
3. Florida (17-4, 5-1). Gators survived Oxford and are humming along at home.
4. Mississippi State (17-5, 4-3). Continues to play inconsistently, especially on defensive end.
5. Alabama (14-7, 3-4). Tide's offensive game has been figured out — almost elclusively inside — but Arkansas still couldn't quite stop it.
6. Arkansas (15-6, 3-3). Hogs missed a great chance for a stunning road win at 'Bama with breakdowns down stretch.
7. Ole Miss (13-6, 3-2). Last week was a struggle, but at least Rebels held off improved South Carolina.
8. Tennessee (10-11, 2-4). Vols took a step back last week, probably a hangover from win over UConn.
9. Auburn (12-9, 2-5). Loaded with athletes again who can play above the rim, but shooting is another matter.
10. LSU (12-9, 2-5). Tigers put up no fight against Kentucky at home.
11. Georgia (10-10, 1-5). Hung for a while at home with UK, then took Saturday off to regroup.
12. South Carolina (9-11, 1-5). Finally, a breakthrough win at home over struggling 'Bama.

QUICK TIPS
Florida's Bradley Beal, a 6-foot-3, 207-pound freshman guard from St. Louis, Mo., was named SEC Freshman of the Week after averaging 14 points, three rebounds and 2.5 assists in wins at Ole Miss and against 18th-ranked Mississippi State ... Florida is leading the nation with 10.6 three-pointers per game and with an assist-turnover ratio of 1.55 while Kentucky tops the NCAA statistics with 9.3 blocked shots per game. Mississippi State is committing the fewest (13.4) fouls per game. Individually, Kentucky’s Anthony Davis is the nation’s top shot blocker with 4.6 rejections per contest ... SEC teams have won 122 of their 148 (.824) of their home games this season Kentucky’s 47-game home winning streak is the longest active streak in the nation. The run includes the 2009 NIT game at Memorial Coliseum and the last 46 games at Rupp Arena. Florida is currently 11-0 when playing at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center this season ... SEC teams have won 46 of their last 55 (.836) non-conference games dating back to Dec. 19 ... The SEC has four players among the 25 midseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award. Kentucky’s Anthony Davis, Vanderbilt’s John Jenkins, Kentucky’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Mississippi State’s Arnett Moultrie each made the list which was announced Jan. 17.

Tagged: John Jenkins, Mike Anderson, Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt Commodores, Southeastern Conference