NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Jermaine Beal scored 17 points, and Vanderbilt beat St. Francis of Pennsylvania 84-55 Wednesday as the Commodores won their fifth straight game.
With tipoff moved to 11 a.m. local time to accommodate Vanderbilt's first bowl game since 1982 a few miles away at the Music City Bowl, the Commodores (10-3) opened with a 3-pointer from Beal and never trailed against the Red Flash (4-8) in their first game back from their holiday break.
Vanderbilt's leading scorer, A.J. Ogilvy, who has a minor foot injury, did not play. Steve Tinsley added 15 points, Jeffery Taylor had 13 and Lance Goulbourne had 10. Vanderbilt led 44-30 at halftime.
St. Francis had not played since losing to St. Bonaventure on Dec. 17 and did not have leading scorer Devin Sweeney, who broke his hand Dec. 6. Grant Surprenant led the Red Flash with 11 points, and Cale Nelson had 10.
