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Vandy earns dramatic win over Marquette

Dec 30, 2010 - 6:45 AM Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Brad Tinsley delivered a perfect pass to Andre Walker for the game-winning layup with 4.1 seconds remaining, giving 24th-ranked Vanderbilt a 77-76 triumph over Marquette.

Jeffery Taylor led the way with 19 points for the Commodores (10-2), who also received 15 points and eight assists from Tinsley, 13 points from John Jenkins and 12 points from Festus Ezeli.

Darius Johnson-Odom had 14 points for the Golden Eagles (8-4), but he tripped over Vanderbilt forward Rod Odom and lost the ball on the way to the hoop as time expired. Jimmy Butler scored 15 for Marquette, which got 13 from Dwight Buycks and 12 from Chris Otule.

Jae Crowder converted a pair of free throws to get Marquette within 75-74 with 63 seconds left, and Taylor was then called for an offensive foul with 44.9 showing on the clock. The Golden Eagles capitalized as Buycks canned a jumper just inside the three-point line at the top of the arc with 19.5 seconds left.

Vandy called timeout and then worked the ball around to Tinsley at the top of the key, and his bullet pass found Walker under the bucket for the go-ahead layup.

"It was a play for Jeff to create something," Vandy coach Kevin Stallings said. "We've been working on it all week and we've literally scored every time. He has five options - himself and the four others. A lot of good things had to happen tonight."

Johnson-Odom then lost the ball, ending the game.

"We were looking to get DJ (Darius Johnson-Odum) off the screen," Butler said. "He just got tripped up. I thought he was fouled, but when you're on the road, we can't expect to get that call."

"We were looking to get DJ (Darius Johnson-Odum) off the screen. He just got tripped up. I thought he was fouled, but when you're on the road, we can't expect to get that call."

Taylor's three-pointer expanded Vandy's lead to 16-5, but Marquette roared back quickly with Davante Gardner's layup drawing the visitors within 19-17 midway through the half.

Vandy pushed ahead by as many as 10 later in the half, but the Golden Eagles came back and tied the game at 31 on a Butler jumper with 2 1/2 minutes left. Johnson-Odom hit a three-pointer and a foul shot in the closing 65 seconds for a 37-34 Marquette lead going to the locker room.

The hosts went on a 12-0 run in the early minutes of the second half to go from trailing by seven to up five. Tinsley capped the run with a jumper for a 52-47 difference.

Vander Blue converted a three-point play for Marquette, getting the visitors within 65-64 with 6:31 left, and it stayed close to the end.

Game Notes

Vanderbilt is 25-38 all-time against members of the Big East Conference...This was the first meeting between the schools since the 1974 NCAA Tournament...Crowder had eight points and 11 rebounds...Blue contributed 10 points...Steve Tchiengang scored 10 and had nine rebounds for Vandy...Marquette lost despite shooting 17-of-28 from the field in the second half...Jenkins went 2-of-15 from three-point range and 4-of-21 overall...After missing four games due to mononucleosis, Andre Walker grabbed a season-high eight rebounds and had five assists.