Final - OT
  for this game

Kelly and Byars battle Wednesday in SEC contest

Feb 28, 2007 - 2:57 PM No. 23 Vanderbilt (19-9) at South Carolina (14-13) 7:30 pm EST

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (Ticker) -- Tre' Kelley of South Carolina and Derrick Byars of Vanderbilt can stake a claim for Southeastern Conference Player of the Year honors.

Kelley enters Wednesday's contest first in the SEC in scoring at 18.7 points per game with Byars second at 16.8.

No. 23 Vanderbilt (19-9, 9-5 SEC East) is coming off a win over Kentucky on Sunday. Byars scored 26 points, including the winning basket with 27 seconds left.

The win gave the Commodores sole possession of second place in the SEC East and the inside track on a first-round bye in the conference tournament.

South Carolina (14-13, 4-10) is in last place in the SEC East after losing six of its last eight games, including a February 14 defeat at Vanderbilt, 78-68. Byars scored 32 points on 11-of-15 shooting to lead the Commodores.

Vanderbilt shot 57 percent (26-of-46) from the floor in the last matchup.