NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Simi Shittu scored 15 points and Matthew Moyer added a season-high 14 and Vanderbilt beat Middle Tennessee 79-51 on Wednesday night.
The Commodores (6-2), who lost point guard Dais Garland to a season-ending knee injury on Nov. 23, rebounded from Saturday’s loss to North Carolina State.
Vanderbilt ended a three-game losing streak to Middle Tennessee (3-6), increasing its lead to 30-7 in the all-time series.
Middle Tennessee’s Antonio Green, who scored a career-high 30 points in Saturday’s loss to Lipscomb, led the Blue Raiders with 18 points as the Blue Raiders lost their fifth straight game after starting the season 3-1. Reggie Scurry added 14 on 6 of 9 shooting.
Middle was 2 for 14 from 3-point range and Vanderbilt went 18 of 19 from the foul line (95 percent). The Commodores made nine 3-pointers.
Vanderbilt took charge early, grabbing a 42-21 halftime lead as Middle Tennessee missed 18 of its first 26 shots.
The Blue Raiders’ Darnell Butler, a Seminole State (Okla.) transfer, was ruled eligible Wednesday. Butler, who averaged 19.2 points and 5.5 rebounds last season, didn’t score against Vanderbilt.
A moment of silence was held before the game to honor Vanderbilt tight end Turner Cockrell, who died Thursday after a one-year battle with melanoma. He was 21.
BIG PICTURE
Middle Tennessee: The Blue Raiders’ slump continued as they struggled offensively.
Vanderbilt: The Commodores are still adjusting to the loss of Garland.
UP NEXT
Middle Tennessee State: Hosts Murray State (4-1) on Saturday. The Racers were picked to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll.
Vanderbilt: Hosts No. 20 Arizona State (7-0) on Dec. 17 after a 12-day break for final exams.
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