It wasn't pretty, but Vanderbilt escaped Athens with a win. The Commodores trailed early in the second half until John Jenkins snapped the team out of it and gave Vandy the season sweep with a 61-52 win over Georgia Sunday afternoon. The win was the team's fourth road win in conference play, already matching last year's total.
Vandy faced a 35-40 deficit with 13:23 to play when Jenkins decided to take matters into his own hands. The junior scored 14 of the team's next 21 points to spark a 21-4 run that gave the Commodores a lead that they wouldn't relinquish. He led all scorers with 28 points and needed just 11 shots to do so, marking the second straight game where his efficiency levels have been through the roof.
Jenkins was needed on a day where Jeffery Taylor and Festus Ezeli struggled. The other members of this team's "big three" combined for just 14 points and committed eight turnovers. The Commodores actually shot better from three-point range (45.5 percent) than they did from inside the arc (38.9 percent).
The win kept Vanderbilt a single game behind Florida in the race for second place in the SEC standings. The 'Dores now hold a two-game advantage over four different teams who are tied for the fourth and final bye in the upcoming conference tournament. However, matchups remain against Kentucky, the Gators, and a suddenly hot Tennessee team, making Vanderbilt's hold on a top spot in the SEC anything but a certainty.
Vanderbilt will now have three days to prepare for a home showdown with South Carolina. The 'Dores dispatched the Gamecocks on the road back in January and Darrin Horn's team has won just twice since then. Though South Carolina has just one road win this season, they'll be eager to play the spoiler against their SEC East rivals.