Presbyterian traveled to Nashville as a 17.5-point underdog but left the city a winner, as the Blue Hose shocked Vanderbilt 68-62 in the season opener for both teams on Tuesday night.
Jamahri Harvey had 13 points, Crosby James added 11 and Kaleb Scott had 10 for Presbyterian. The Blue Hose lost their top two scorers off a team that lost its last 18 games to end last season and was picked to finish ninth in the nine-team Big South Conference’s preseason media poll.
Presbyterian, which ranked last in the Big South in field-goal percentage (42 percent) last year, shot 51 percent in this one.
Ezra Manjon led Vanderbilt with 19 points. The Commodores hit just 32.8 percent of their shots from the field and 59.3 percent from the foul line. They also turned it over 15 times, one more than the Blue Hose.
Vanderbilt made a late charge and got within eight when Manjon hit a free throw with 1:02 left. He then hit 3s at the 26- and 10-second marks, the last cutting it to four.
But Presbyterian’s Marquis Barnett hit a pair of foul shots with seven seconds left for the game’s final points.
The Commodores played without a pair of starters in guard Tyrin Lawrence (a preseason second-team All-Southeastern Conference pick) and Notre Dame transfer Ven Allen Lubin, as well as reserve center Lee Dort. All missed Tuesday’s game with injuries.
Vandy extended a four-point halftime lead to 32-26 on Manjon’s jumper in the paint with 18:57 left.
But it went downhill for the Commodores from there.
Presbyterian’s Kobe Stewart hit a pull-up jumper with 13:40 left tied the game at 34. The Blue Hose took the lead for good when James hit a 3 with 11:11 left to make it 41-38.
Another James 3 with 9:03 left gave Presbyterian its first double-figure lead.
Jonah Pierce rammed down a two-handed dunk with 6:57 left, then added a layup 51 seconds later to make it 57-42, the biggest lead for either team on the night.
Vanderbilt led most of the first half and led by 10 on multiple occasions.
But Presbyterian trimmed the lead to 28-24 at the break after Vandy point guard Manjon was on the bench for the final 16:13 of the half after picking up his second foul.
–Field Level Media
