As freshman walk-on Joe Duffy sank two free throws in the final minute of Saturday's 92-79 victory over Georgia Tech, one senior had a smile that matched the freshman's. Alan Metcalfe may have seen a bit of himself in that moment.

"It's just awesome to see him reap a little bit of the reward," Metcalfe said.

Things have come a long way for Metcalfe. After three seasons of varied playing time, the forward has solidified a spot in Vanderbilt's rotation. Backing up freshman sensation A.J. Ogilvy, he has set career highs in points the past two games, scoring 14 points against South Alabama and then 15 points against Georgia Tech.

"There is a little bit of pressure taken off with a great player like (Ogilvy)," Metcalfe said. "Coach just wants me to come in and be solid and run the floor. Most of my baskets are underneath and the guys are getting me the ball and I'm just trying to go up strong and finish."

His efforts Saturday helped Vanderbilt break open the game. With the game still close at 19-13, Metcalfe entered the game as part of a five-for-five substitution. That lineup went on a 9-0 run to extend the lead to 28-13, with Metcalfe scoring six of those nine points. He is averaging 8.1 points for the year, up from a 2.1 point career average. He has shown a variety of post moves, as well as a reliable mid-range jump shot.

"It's very helpful to have (Metcalfe and Ogilvy) be productive," said coach Kevin Stallings. "Alan's played well since the very beginning of the season and the beginning of practice."

Heading into last season as the projected starter at center, Metcalfe broke a bone in his foot, causing him to miss 10 games. Over that period of time, Stallings inserted Dan Cage into the lineup, opting for a quicker attack. Minutes were harder to come by once Metcalfe made a healthy return. Now, a more clearly defined role has Metcalfe playing his best basketball as a Commodore.

"It is a number of things as to why everything is coming together for me," Metcalfe said. "I'm getting a little bit more confidence each game now and the guys are knowing where to get me the ball and we are moving the ball around. It is all clicking for the whole team, so it is just fun to play with them right now."

The combined production of Metcalfe and Ogilvy, as well as Ross Neltner, has given the typically perimeter-oriented Commodores a newfound post presence, something three-point marksman Shan Foster loves.

"As a guard, it makes life great," Foster said. "When you have guys who when you throw it down there either score or get fouled, it makes life great."

Metcalfe has also stepped into the leadership role that comes with being a veteran. With eight new names on Vanderbilt's roster, this provides a valuable asset to the team.

"You come out, and you're thinking you've got 30, maybe 33 guaranteed games, and when you see it like that, it's like you've got to make every second count, every minute count, every play count," Metcalfe said. "When you come in as a senior and you've been watching the guys - last year was awesome for us, and we had great senior leadership - when you have that in front of you, you're able to see what it's supposed to be like and how they do it."

And if you ask Metcalfe's coach if he's taken to the lessons of last year, he'll give a glowing assessment.

"He has the look like Dan Cage and Ted Skuchas did last year, where seniors understand what it's supposed to be about," Stallings said. "Alan is going in and competing and giving us really quality minutes. If the season's going to go where we want it to go, it'll be a key component for us."