College Corner: Vandy Beats No. 6 Tennessee, MTSU Fundraiser, Vandy United Breaks Ground

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Vanderbilt Stuns No. 6 Tennessee Off Game-Winning Buzzer Beater At Memorial Gym

Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt has now garnered their signature win of the season after shocking No. 6 and rival Tennessee, beating them 66-65 off of a game-winning buzzer beater at Memorial Gym on Wednesday night (Feb. 8).

Tyrin Lawrence sank a 3-point basket from the corner, lifting the Commodores to their first win over Tennessee since 2017. The game saw the two teams exchange the lead 15 times and featured nine ties.

“Just an unbelievable night,” said Vanderbilt Head Coach Jerry Stackhouse. “We finally experienced the Memorial Magic we were looking for. An unbelievable game, unbelievable effort—the guys never quit. It didn’t look great there for a minute, but we just kept battling.

“When you got the right people and you’re about the right things, good things happen for us.”

Lawrence finished with a game-high 19 points, going 8-of-12 from the court including 3-of-4 from beyond the 3-point arc, adding four rebounds to lead the Commodores (12-12, 5-6 SEC). Liam Robbins just missed a double-double after posting 14 points and nine rebounds, and Jordan Wright scored all 12 of his points in the second half.

Vandy connected on 10 3-pointers, with Robbins going 3 of 4 and Wright sinking a pair also, while shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc.

Ezra Manjon finished with seven points and five assists, the last of which came on a pass to find Lawrence for the game-winning shot, and Colin Smith recorded seven points as well.

The Dores head to Florida next to play the Gators on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2:30 p.m. CT.

 

 

 

MTSU’s Blue Raider Athletic Association Launches Drive To ’25

The Blue Raider Athletic Association (BRAA), the official fundraising organization of MTSU Athletics, is launching the Drive to ’25. This new fundraising initiative is focused on expanding the BRAA membership to 2,025 by Dec. 31, 2025.

Annual membership in the BRAA supports the needs of the MTSU Athletics program including scholarships, athletic training, nutrition, strength, conditioning and more.

“It takes the efforts of many to make a successful athletic department and joining the BRAA is right at the top of the most impactful ways people can help the Blue Raiders on and off the field,” says Director of Athletics Chris Massaro. “Increasing our BRAA membership is imperative to helping us stay competitive in today’s world of college athletics. The more members that join, the more resources we can provide to help us recruit, retain and accomplish the goals of our student-athletes and coaches to win championships for the Blue Raiders.”

The Drive to ’25 is a multi-year membership drive spearheaded by the BRAA Staff and Board of Directors to increase the number of donors to MTSU Athletics that will directly impact the over 360 student-athletes and all 17 sport programs. Fans and alumni can participate in this important drive by joining the BRAA with donations of $100 or more, which makes them eligible for exclusive membership benefits.

“There has never been a better time to be a member of the BRAA,” says Hans C. Malebranche, Associate Athletic Director for Development and Chief Development Officer. “As we grow our membership to 2,025 by the end of 2025, Blue Raiders everywhere will most assuredly ascend to newer and greater heights together.”

BRAA membership for the 2021-22 season was 926, which is below the majority of their peer institutions. The Drive to ’25 will more than double BRAA membership over the next three years and influence the student-athlete experience at MTSU. This will also position the BRAA towards the top of Conference USA.

 

 

 

Vandy United Breaks Ground For New Basketball Operations Center

Pictured (L-R): FirstBank President and CEO Chris Holmes, Jennifer Frist, Billy Frist, Athletic Director Candice Lee, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, John Ingram, George Huber and Cathy Huber. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt marked a major milestone in the Vandy United campaign with a groundbreaking ceremony for its new basketball operations center.

Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, Vice Chancellor for Athletics & University Affairs and Athletic Director Candice Lee and leadership donors gathered to celebrate and reflect on Vandy United’s progress toward transforming the athletics footprint on campus and redefining what is possible for Vanderbilt.

“Today, by the very act of turning the earth, we turn a page in the Vandy United story,” Lee said during the event. “Today isn’t the final chapter. Not by a long shot. But it is a new chapter, as the first of Vandy United’s cornerstone projects moves from draft board to building site.”

The Chancellor and Vice Chancellor were joined in breaking ground by John Ingram, Billy and Jennifer Frist, George and Cathy Huber and FirstBank President & CEO Chris Holmes. They mentioned the generosity of several donors who were unable to attend the ceremony, including Fred and Claudia Lummis as well as Fred and Karen Hall. They also credited multiple anonymous donors, as well as all donors of record who have joined the unprecedented $300 million campaign since it publicly launched nearly two years ago.

“Today is a celebration of—and the product of—the teamwork that is in Vanderbilt’s DNA,” said Diermeier. “Our university was founded on the principle of unity. Now, on the eve of our Sesquicentennial, we are driven more than ever by the idea that, together, we can accomplish anything. We see this belief borne out every day in our classrooms, our laboratories and performance spaces and, of course, on our fields of play.”

Located near the current north end zone of FirstBank Stadium, the muti-story men’s and women’s basketball operations center will feature two practice gyms spanning more than 90,000 square feet, student-athlete facilities and easy access to Memorial Gymnasium as well as premium hospitality areas overlooking the football stadium. Concurrent north end zone construction will connect the stadium’s east and west concourses and include a new videoboard and premium seating experiences.

Steven Boero
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