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Vanderbilt still perfect thanks to Ogilvy, Foster

Dec 6, 2007 - 6:35 AM NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- A.J. Ogilvy came up big in the clutch to keep Vanderbilt perfect.

Ogilvy scored 23 points and put the 25th-ranked Commodores ahead for good in the closing seconds in an 83-80 victory over Wake Forest on Wednesday.

Shan Foster led Vanderbilt with 26 points. He and Ogilvy were the only Commodores in double figures, and they have each managed at least 10 points in every game this season.

The duo is a big reason why Vanderbilt (8-0) is off to its best start since 2003-04.

A freshman center, Ogilvy tied the game at 78-78 with a pair of free throws and his basket with 36 seconds left gave Vanderbilt an 80-78 lead. Freshman James Johnson missed a 3-pointer at the other end for Wake Forest and Ogilvy grabbed the rebound and was fouled.

"I knew down the stretch, we needed a couple of good defensive stops and I knew when the ball came to me inside, we needed a great shot," Ogilvy said. "On the defensive end, I knew that we had to get big rebounds. It was really good to get a win tonight, especially when we weren't playing our best basketball."

Ogilvy calmly sank both free throws to make it 82-78 with 16 seconds remaining and Jermaine Beal hit a free throw with four seconds on the clock to give the Commodores another win over an Atlantic Coast Conference foe. Vanderbilt knocked off Georgia Tech, 92-79, on Saturday.

"He doesn't play like a freshman," Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said. "His composure is good, but when he loses his composure you can't see it. It's an internalized thing. I'm still getting to learn him. He's a good player and he knows how to play. Tonight he was good, but I wouldn't say he was spectacular. He has a lot more in him."

A senior, Foster hit four 3-pointers, was 8-of-15 from the field and added seven rebounds and a pair of steals. He and Ogilvy are developing into a potent inside-outside combo for the Commodores.

Foster and Ogilvy scored over half (49) of the team's 83 points. Foster tied his season high and Ogilvy recorded his fourth 20-point outing this season. The duo scored 24 of Vandy's 35 points in the first half and 25 of 48 points in the second half.

"Me being a senior, when my teammates aren't bringing it as they usually do, I have to take it upon myself to kind of carry the load," Foster said. "It makes it easier when you have a guy like Andrew (Ogilvy) who is continuing to work. He works just as hard at practice as he does at the game floor and that's how he is able to produce the way he is producing, and it just makes it that much easier for me."

Vanderbilt improved to 5-4 against Wake Forest with the win, including a 3-2 edge in games played in Nashville. The Commodores have won 94 of their last 100 games against non-conference opponents at home and are 141-13 at home against non-SEC foes since 1990.

Harvey Hale and Johnson each scored 18 points for the Demon Deacons (5-2).

"Vanderbilt is a talented, hard playing group," Wake Forest coach Dino Gaudio said. "Coming in here to play is a difficult chore. I told our kids after the game I was incredibly disappointed with the loss but very proud of how hard they played."