It's too bad Memorial Gym doesn't host the NCAA tournament.
If it did, March Madness would already be over.
"I told Vandy Maniacs last year and I told her again this year, if the crowd comes out like that every single game, then we'll never lose at home," said senior Shan Foster, who scored a game and season high 32 points in Tuesday night's upset over No. 1 Tennessee.
"It is amazing to play in front of that kind of crazy crowd,
and it really is a pleasure to play with our fans supporting us the way they
do."
Coach Stallings, who showed his appreciation by saluting the student section
before the game, agreed with his star senior.
"Our place was electric tonight. It's one of the best places in college basketball on game night, and our crowd was absolutely unbelievable. We want to thank for everyone for being here."
Tuesday's game marked the fourth straight top-ranked opponent knocked off in Memorial Gym. Tennessee, after earning its first AP No. 1 ranking in 99 years, held onto the title for only two days.
The Vanderbilt win didn't come as easily as last year's win over Florida, when every Commodore brought their A game.
"This game was different. Florida last year was as good as any team I've ever had play, including that Kentucky game the other night," said Stallings.
Foul trouble limited center A.J. Ogilvy to a season-low 12 minutes played. To compensate for the freshman's off night, Foster had to step up. The senior responded with one of the best shooting performances in recent Commodore memory.
The energetic Vandy crowd fed off Foster every step of the way, which was difficult to maintain with the referees blowing the whistle on 53 fouls. Still, the high energy level lasted all night long, and Foster continued to hit shots when Vandy needed it the most.
"Shan's a terrific player. It's phenomenal that he scored 32 on 13 shots with their defense. He was our life support there for a while, and he deserves this," Stallings said. "He's a special, special kid."
Sophomore guard Jermaine Beal, who chipped in 17 points and zero turnovers against Tennessee's stingy defense, was also in awe of Foster's big night.
"As a point guard, I love watching Shan when he's on. I always tell him to shoot it in practice and games. I don't even care if it's a bad shot, I just want to see him shooting it."
With the win, Vandy continues to play its best basketball of the season at a crucial time. Foster knows that pulling out close games late in the season will provide Vandy with the respect it deserves.
"I've said it before, but we really feel like we're the best team in the country in terms of winning games down the stretch," said Foster. "We've proven that time and time again. We hard in practice, and that shows in the games. It's what this program is all about."
