Stallings summer quotes

by Barca Blog

Head coach Kevin Stallings spoke with media during the annual SEC men's basketball summer teleconference earlier this week. Read below to find out what he had to say about the upcoming season.

Opening comments:
"We're looking forward to the year. Now is the time for them to be getting better as individuals. We're excited about the guys we have coming back. We know we lost a couple of significant players, but we're looking forward to the year. We think we have the makings of a good team, and hopefully it will play out that way."

On the difficulty of replacing a veteran point guard and post player:
"I think what you hope to do is have them replaced, so you don't have to replace them with freshman. We have some guys in waiting that we think can play and be effective, and hopefully that's what will happen.

"Brad Tinsley's been in our program for two years. We think he's a very capable point guard. He's played the 2 for us mostly, but we think he has a chance to be a very good point guard. Festus (Ezeli) has been in our program for three years now, so hopefully he can alleviate some of the loss of A.J. (Ogilvy)."

On Jeff Taylor as an NBA prospect:
"Jeff's a very good player, and very, very good NBA prospect. It would not surprise us at all if this were Jeff's last year in our program because I think he's that well thought of, and deservedly so.

On SEC Tournament basketball seeding structure:
"I was fairly neutral (on the topic at the SEC spring meetings), and honestly didn't think it was that big of a deal. I would have been okay if we had done it, and also okay not doing it.

"We really just had more discussion about the SEC Tournament than we did about anything else. We weren't really talking about eliminating divisions or anything like that. I think those of us in the East, even though we know what a brutal proposition it is night in and night out in the league, we enjoy being in what we feel like is the toughest division in college basketball."

Stallings named as finalist for 2010 Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award

By A. Boggs

BOSTON (MA) -- Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings was announced as one of the fifteen finalists for the 2010 Skip Prosser Award, an award established last year to honor recipients who not only achieve success on the basketball court but who display moral integrity off of it as well. The finalists were announced on Wednesday.

Prosser posted a career record of 291-146 in 14 seasons as a head coach. During his time at Wake Forest, his teams averaged 21 wins per season while playing in arguably the nation’s most difficult league, the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Stallings joins East Tennessee State’s Murry Bartow, Oakland’s Greg Kampe, Murray State’s Billy Kennedy, Butler’s Brad Stevens, Wofford’s Mike Young, Northwestern’s Bill

Carmody, Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon, Temple’s Fran Dunphy, Loyola Marymount’s Max Good, Xavier’s Chris Mack, Sam Houston State’s Bob Marlin, Utah State’s Stew Morrill, BYU’s Dave Rose, and Maine’s Ted Woodward.

The Citadel’s Ed Conroy was the winner of the 2009 award and Notre Dame's Mike Brey won the inaugural award in 2008. This year’s award will be presented on April 2 in Indianapolis.

2010 SKIP PROSSER AWARD FINALISTS

Murry Bartow East Tennessee State

Bill Carmody Northwestern

Jamie Dixon Pittsburgh

Fran Dunphy Temple

Greg Kampe Oakland

Billy Kennedy Murray State

Chris Mack Xavier

Bob Marlin Sam Houston State

Stew Morrill Utah State

Eric Reveno Portland

Dave Rose BYU

Kevin Stallings Vanderbilt

Brad Stevens Butler

Mike Young Wofford

Ted Woodward Maine

Stallings to appear on Jim Rome Show

by Barca Blog

Mark it down... head coach Kevin Stallings will be a guest on the Jim Rome Show Thursday.

Tune into the nationally syndicated radio program around 1 p.m. CT to listen to Stallings talk with Van Smack (although we won't get to hear it on local radio in Nashville).

Does Stallings' appearance mean the Commodores will get some of that Jungle Karma for postseason play?

Stallings, Beal discuss Kentucky game

by Barca Blog

Head coach Kevin Stallings and senior guard Jermaine Beal met with the press earlier today to answer questions about the upcoming showdown with No. 2 Kentucky. Listen to the audio at the links below:

Kevin Stallings Click to Download



Jermaine Beal Click to Download

Stallings salutes the crowd

by Barca Blog

Head coach Kevin Stallings thought the Commodores' win over the Vols was one of his team's best performances of the year.

You could say the same for the other 14,000 packed inside Memorial Gym Tuesday night.

"This place is a special place," Stallings said when asked about the electricity of the sold-out crowd. "Our fans we're ready to play tonight and we appreciated it. They played well. They played as well as my team did."

Photo by John Russell

Friday night links

by Barca Blog

It was a busy news day for what I thought would be a lazy snow day. For those of you that are night owls, here are two more links to occupy your time as we get closer to tip-off.

Katz's Korner with Kevin Stallings - ESPN.com
Andy Katz talks with Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings - Click to Watch

Brad Tinsley's Basketball Journal - OregonLive.com
In his latest entry, Tinsley writes about his grandparents visiting Nashville, a surprise care package, and the excitement of the upcoming game with Kentucky. Click to Read

Stallings' Thursday press conference

by Barca Blog (Photo by Mike Strasinger)

As great as it was to win last night's game, it's time to move forward to Saturday's tilt with No. 1 Kentucky at Rupp Arena.

Head coach Kevin Stallings just completed his press conference with local media inside Memorial Gym. Listen to the audio (below) to find out what he had to say about the matchup with the Wildcats.



Click to Download Audio

Stallings gets his 200th win at VU

by Barca Blog

Congratulations to head coach Kevin Stallings for earning his 200th win at Vanderbilt with a 73-53 victory over MTSU last night.

When asked about his feat during the postgame press conference, Stallings showed his humble side.

"I honestly hadn't thought about it until Joe Fisher brought it up at my radio show," Stallings said. "I've had a lot of good players, and I've been here for a long time. I'm fortunate to be here.

"But I don't know, how many losses are in that time, too? A lot. If I had like an 89-percent win­ning per­cen­tage, then it would pro­bably be a big deal, but I don't believe it's quite that high."

For the record, Stallings is 200-131 in his 11 seasons on West End. He only trails legendary coach Roy Skinner (278) for most wins in school history.

Stallings admitted that he wasn't sure if he'd be at Vanderbilt this long when he accepted the job in 1999.

"A lot of things are different than I thought they'd be (since then)," he told Fisher on Sunday's broadcast. "Life changes and things happen."

Times weren't easy when he arrived on campus. He inherited a squad that finished 14-15 and 5-11 in SEC play, but managed to guide the Commodores to a 19-11 season and NIT appearance.

Even with the quick success, fans had to be patient as Stallings built the program. He was 62-59 in his first four years without making the big dance, causing some to grumble about the direction of the team. If it weren't for the accomplishments of his 2003-04 squad, we may have never been able to experience the fruition of his vision for Commodore basketball.

Since that season, Stallings has posted a 138-72 record with five postseason appearances, three NCAA Tournament berths, and four 20-win seasons. He became the first coach to take two Vanderbilt teams to a Sweet 16 since the 64 (and 65) team format was adopted. He's also coached and mentored three SEC Player of the Years.

Most importantly, he's done it the right way. All 26 of his seniors either have earned or are currently working toward their college degree.

"You go to work everyday and do the best you can," Stallings explained. "You hope that the people you work for appreciate the job you do and you hope you do it well enough that people can be proud of it."

Let's hope Coach is around at Vanderbilt for No. 300 and beyond.

Stallings' call-in show starts Sunday

by Barca Blog

Mark your calendars... Kevin Stallings' basketball call-in show, presented by Bradshaw Collision Repair Centers, will begin this Sunday, December 20 at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Fans are welcome to attend the hour-long program, hosted by Joe Fisher, at the Commodore Grille inside the Holiday Inn Vanderbilt on West End Avenue.

If you can't make it, then listen locally on 104.5 the Zone or online at VUcommodores.com.

Click Here to view the complete 2009-10 show schedule.

Stallings' postgame press conference

by Barca Blog

Following Vanderbilt's 76-69 loss to Western Kentucky Friday, head coach Kevin Stallings addressed the media on several topics including the changes to the starting lineup (Jermaine Beal and A.J. Ogilvy came off the bench), his team's overall effort, the defensive breakdowns and shooting struggles, their toughness of schedule so far, and fixing what he termed a "mess." Click Here to Listen

Photo by John Russell

Audio: Stallings' press conference

Click Here to listen to Coach Stallings' press conference on Wednesday, just before the Commodores left for their four-game swing on the west coast.

Dores have 'full attention' on Saint Mary's

by Barca Blog - Don't ask head coach Kevin Stallings about the Maui Invitational just yet.

His plan is to keep the Commodores focused on Friday's matchup with Saint Mary's, instead of the tropical paradise that awaits in Hawaii.

"We’ve not discussed Maui yet (with the team)," Stallings said during Wednesday's press conference. "Honestly, it’s not our concern. The only concern is that we have to pack for it because we’re leaving from Saint Mary’s and then going on to Hawaii, I’m pretty sure.

"Saint Mary’s is in midseason form right now based on their first two games and we’re going to have our hands full."

Stallings is right. The Commodores cannot overlook this game in Moraga. Picked to finish third in the WCC, Saint Mary's is 2-0 this season with blowout victories over New Mexico State (100-68) and San Diego State (80-58).

A year ago, the Gaels made the NIT after posting a school record for wins with 28. And in 2008, they made the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in school history. They've also been nearly unbeatable at home, going 15-1 in each of the last two years at McKeon Pavilion (which seats 3,500).

"We have to play a very, very good Saint Mary’s team," Stallings added. "They’ve hit 25 3’s in their first two games. We’re going into a little-bitty gym that gets really loud and rowdy. Maybe in some ways, we’ve got a more difficult challenge on Friday night (compared to Maui).

"Believe me, they've got our full attention."

Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. CT. Follow the game on VUcommodores.com by clicking here.

Men's Basketball signing class is official

Click here to find out more about the newest group of Commodores

Stallings, Balcomb on SportsLine Wednesday

By Weinman - Vanderbilt Head Basketball Coaches Kevin Stallings and Melanie Balcomb have been scheduled to appear on NewsChannel5+ SportsLine this Wednesday night, Nov. 4, 8-9 p.m. CT.

Both Commodore mentors will appear with host and WTVF Sports Director Hope Hines for live 30-minute segments which will include interviews and phone calls from the audience.

Stallings will be on the show from 8:00-8:30, with Balcomb taking the 8:30-9:00 slot. Commodore fans are encouraged to call in to the show at (615) 737-7767.

NewsChannel5+ broadcasts on Comcast Cable channel 250. SportsLine airs every Monday through Wednesday from 8 p.m. until 9 p.m., with re-airs Monday through Thursday at 4:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Some segments of SportsLine are also made available at http://newschannel5.com/.

Fox17's Halloween surprise on Stallings

by Barca Blog - Paul Jones, Sports Director for FOX17 News, surprised Vanderbilt men's basketball head coach Kevin Stallings before the Commodores' practice on Friday afternoon at Memorial Gym.

Watch the following video to find out what happened: