National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Vanderbilt 69, Miami (OH) 62
When: 8:00 PM ET, Monday, January 2, 2012
Where: Memorial Gym, Nashville, Tennessee
Officials: # Roger Ayers, # Anthony Jordan, # Michael Stephens
Attendance: 13162

John Jenkins scored 26 points and Vanderbilt warmed up for its Southeastern Conference opener with a hard-fought 69-62 victory over visiting Miami (Ohio) on Monday.

Jenkins, who has scored in double figures for 45 straight games, made 9-of-15 from the field, including five 3-pointers for the Commodores (10-4), who won their fourth consecutive game.

Vanderbilt also got 11 points apiece from Brad Tinsley and Jeffery Taylor, who added five rebounds.

Miami (4-8) wasted a career-high 24-point performance from freshman Brian Sullivan, who came off the bench and was 8-for-10 on 3-pointers. Julian Mavunga had 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

The game was close throughout the first half with Miami leading 20-16 with six minutes left. Vanderbilt, despite shooting only 33.6 percent in the first half, managed to battle back and take a 27-24 lead at intermission.

The Commodores heated up in the second half and wound up shooting 44.2 percent, enough to hold off the determined RedHawks.

Vanderbilt opens SEC play on Saturday at home against Auburn.
Top Game Performances
 
Miami (OH)   Vanderbilt
Brian Sullivan 24 Scoring John Jenkins 26
Jon Harris 2 Assists Brad Tinsley 4
Julian Mavunga 11 Rebounds Festus Ezeli 7
Quinten Rollins 1 Free Throws Made Brad Tinsley 6
Jon Harris 2 Steals Lance Goulbourne 2
Jon Harris 1 Blocks Festus Ezeli 4
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Miami (OH) 62 47.3 9-21 1-1 9 28 1 7 10
Vanderbilt 69 44.2 8-18 15-17 13 25 9 7 9