Scotty Pippen Jr. scores 30.
Scotty Pippen Jr. It started slow Sunday night against the state of Texas. However, by the time the second half ended, he had taken over the game.
Pippen scored 30 points and fired 10 of 17 shots from the field against reigning Sun Belt regular-season champions, proving why he was named the SEC’s preseason player of the year in a 79-60 win at the Memorial. Gym.
“Coach Stackhouse and I go back and forth, the main focus for me this year is balance when to open up my teammates when to score,” Pippen said. “In some games, I could have 10 points and in some games, I could have 40, so just picking my spots, taking shots, trying to be more efficient, not trying to force anything, just letting the game come to me.”
Here are three observations of the game:
Droughts
Vanderbilt (2-0) was slow in the first half, allowing Texas State (1-2) several wide shots. The Bobcats led by eight points in three minutes.
The Commodores eventually settled down but were unable to drive the state of Texas away. The Bobcats used a zone defense that caused lengthy scoring droughts for the Commodores, including one in the middle of the second half when Vanderbilt did not score for more than three minutes and did not score a field goal for more than seven minutes. Pippen broke both droughts, first by scoring two free throws and then by scoring a mid-range jump shot for one and one.
“Scotty was really good for us, he made great plays, big shots down the stretch,” Stackhouse said. “They thought they came out in the second half, they got off to a very good defensive start.
“It’s a fighting team, give them credit, they won their league last year and they have a good chance of winning it again this year, but it was a good test for us. I didn’t imagine they were as aggressive on offensive boards as they were and I think a lot of that was self-inflicted. “
Three galore
Texas State, which ranked 19th nationally in 3-point percentage last season, was content to shoot. So was Vanderbilt, who also has a high-volume shooting offense. Both teams made their 3s at a high rate: Vanderbilt was 12 of 27 (44.4; Texas State was 8 of 21 (38.1%).
“That’s the number I felt we need,” Stackhouse said. “I think that would almost ensure us a win … Spreading the ball, getting good looks, making sure we don’t take any forced, contested, he ran a couple of sets there at the end to get a good look. Scotty jumped up and them He knocked it down. I actually ran it for Trey, but Scotty stole it, so he hit it, so it’s all good. “
Second-year forward Myles Stute was the Commodores’ superior weapon from deep within. He had 4 of 5 on triples on 12 points. Pippen also hit four 3s, though he missed another four.
Overall, Vanderbilt shot 44% from deep and Texas State shot 38%.
Bank fights
Vanderbilt needed to rely on his five starters for much of Sunday’s game and many of the Commodores’ struggles came when they were forced to use their bench. When Pippen and Jordan Wright were on the court, the game was a blowout. With anyone else, he was too close for comfort.
Wright scored 16 points on 5 of 11 shots and had four rebounds and two assists.
Jamaine Mann, who had a double-double in Game 1, did a good job on rebounding, but struggled to score and found himself in foul trouble. Second-year forward Terren Frank also grabbed five boards and made a 3-point shot.
But overall, it was the Pippen and Wright show. If Vanderbilt hopes to win games against tougher opponents, it will need to find more options.