Presbyterian Overcomes 17.5-Point Odds to Stun Vanderbilt in Season Opener
Crosby James' 11-point surge midway through second half propels Presbyterian to victory; Vanderbilt, playing without key starters, suffers significant shooting struggles.
- Crosby James of Presbyterian scored 11 points within two minutes in the second half, essentially turning the tide for the Blue Hose and leading them to a 68-62 victory over Vanderbilt in their season opener.
- Despite trailing 28-24 at halftime, Presbyterian bounced back to lead the game after James fired the first of his three 3-pointers, leading to a 49-38 score with 9:03 remaining.
- Jamahri Harvey and Georgia State transfer Kaleb Scott also contributed significantly to Presbyterian's victory, scoring 13 and 10 points respectively, while the team managed to shoot 51% from the floor and force 15 turnovers from Vanderbilt.
- Vanderbilt, on the other hand, suffered notably in terms of shooting with a dismal 33% overall shot rate and 24% rate from long range. Key starters Tyrin Lawrence and Ven Allen Lubin, along with reserve center Lee Dort, were also absent due to injuries.
- Despite Ezra Manjon's best efforts, scoring 19 points and trimming the score gap toward the end of the game, Vanderbilt still fell short, largely owing to Presbyterian's Marquis Barnett's successful pair of foul shots in the final seven seconds.