After some early lackluster performances, Vanderbilt suddenly began playing like the team most expected it to be this season.
The Commodores were dominating in their SEC opener, whipping Auburn 65-35 to stretch their winning streak to a season-long five games.
One major factor: The Commodores were playing with a full roster with the return of 6-11 senior Festus Ezeli from a suspension and knee injury.
He wasn't 100 percent yet and played only 16 minutes against Auburn in just his second start of the season, but his return signaled good things for the Commodores.
"You never want to make excuses, but we've had consistent practice time with our main guys, at least since Christmas ended," coach Kevin Stallings said. "That makes a big difference.
"You have to fight through it until you come out of the tunnel on the other side. I think that we'll keep improving."
The Commodores, who were only 6-4 at one point, will take their 11-4 mark on the road to South Carolina in their next outing. They finish the week against Georgia.
Coming up after that are two games that should reveal if the revival is real or just a mirage. The Commodores are at Alabama on Jan. 19 and home against Mississippi State two nights later.
NOTES, QUOTES
The 35 points Auburn scored in its 30-point loss were the fewest by a Vanderbilt opponent in the shot-clock era. It was the fourth time since the clock was introduced for the 1985-86 season that Vandy has held an opponent under 40 points.
The Commodores gave up 37 to Georgia on Feb. 26, 2005, and 39 to the Bulldogs on Feb. 11, 2004. Vanderbilt also held Nicholls State to 37 on Dec. 15, 1996.
The 35 points marked the fewest by an opponent since Jan. 30, 1982, when Mississippi State scored only 33. But that was enough for the Bulldogs to post a two-point victory that season.
"We have just gotten a lot better, but there are a lot of areas we can improve in, and I think we will," coach Kevin Stalllings said. "As we gel and continue to work with Festus, I think our team will continue to get a lot better."
Back from a suspension and knee injury, C Festus Ezeli made his second start and just his fifth appearance of the season in the win over Auburn. He had only four points but led the Commodores in rebounds with eight.
Vandy held Auburn to just 27.3 percent shooting from the field, a season-low. The previous low was 32.2 percent by Marquette, which was victim No. 3 in the current five-game winning streak.
Junior G John Jenkins was 5-of-8 on three-pointers against Auburn. Since making only one of his six attempts in the loss to Indiana State on Dec. 17, Jenkins went 24-of-44 (54.5 percent) from behind the arc over his next five games.
BY THE NUMBERS: 10-1 -- Vandy won 10 of the first 11 games in which it outrebounded an opponent, after gaining a 42-34 advantage on the boards against Auburn.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I guess it was the breakfast we ate today, I guess. I don't know. We just couldn't miss." -- Junior G John Jenkins, after the Commodores were 9-of-16 from three-point range in the first half of the win over Auburn.
