Braves Hang Around Early, Vandy Pulls Away with Second Half Runs

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt was able to shake off the Alcorn State University men's basketball program in the second half for a 79-54 final Friday evening at Memorial Gymnasium.
 
A closely contested first half had Alcorn (1-2) down just 26-25 with 4:52 to go. The Commodores (3-0) ended the first half strong to build a 37-29 lead, but the Braves didn't go away early in the second. It wasn't until a pair of 7-0 runs pushed Vandy's lead up to 20 at the 6:27 mark, and Alcorn just fell too far behind.
 
"We played hard for about 30 minutes tonight, but we have to be able to maintain it for 40," said Alcorn head coach Montez Robinson. "The coaches did a great job of putting together a game plan, and we executed it early on. We showed signs of being a really good team in this game and the effort was there, but we didn't capitalize on opportunities in the second half and it got away from us. We were right there, but again we need to be able to play a full 40 minutes."
 
Sophomore Troymain Crosby tallied a team-high 11 points. Junior Deshaw Andrews registered 10 points and seven rebounds. Junior Devon Brewer had a solid outing off the bench with seven points and eight rebounds.
 
Alcorn's biggest edge came in second-chance points where it out-scored Vandy 15-2. The Braves pulled down 12 offensive rebounds compared to VU's nine.
 
The Commodores were led by Simisola Shittu who was 9-of-11 from the field for 20 points. He was one of four VU student-athletes along with Joseph Toye who scored 14 points, Matt Ryan 12 and Saben Lee 10 and six assists.
 
Vandy led 10-5 early when Andrews knocked down a three to have Alcorn trailing 10-8 at the 15:09 mark. A long-range shot by junior Khari Jabriel Allen had the Braves down just 20-19 with 8:20 left. Alcorn tied it 21-21 on a lay-up by Crosby with 6:39 remaining.
 
The Braves were down 26-25 when the Commodores went on an 8-0 spurt to jump ahead 34-25. A jumper by junior Maurice Howard in the final minute cut it to 36-29, but Vandy led 37-29 at the break after a free throw.
 
A lay-up by junior Devon Brewer trimmed the deficit to 39-33 with 18:20 to go in the second. It was still a single-digit deficit, 50-41, at the 13:15 mark when Vandy used a 7-0 spurt to take a 57-41 edge. A second 7-0 run put the game out of reach with the Commodores ahead 71-49 with 5:36 remaining.
 
The Braves will have a quick turn-around as they head to Kent State for a 3 p.m. (CT) contest Sunday. Alcorn is in the midst of a five-game road trip.
 
NOTES
- It was just the second-ever meeting between Alcorn as VU. The Commodores grabbed a 91-52 decision last year.
 
- Crosby's 11 points were a season-high. It marked his 12th double-figure scoring game in his career and first this year. He was five-for-six from the free throw line.
 
- Andrews submitted his second double-figure scoring game of the season. His first was a 20-point outing against Tulsa in the season-opener.
 
- Howard logged a game-high 36 minutes as the Braves were without junior guard Jonathan Floyd due to an injury. Alcorn's rotation was shortened further after starting center Alonzo Campbell left after playing nine minutes in the first half but did not return after an injury.
 
- VU's Darius Garland entered the game leading the squad with 21.5 points per game, but the Braves limited him to just three points on one-for-six shooting.
 
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