SEC PREVIEWS VANDERBILT

Expectations up for Vandy

Junior guard John Jenkins, who averaged an SEC-best 19.5 points per game last season, is Vanderbilt’s best weapon.

— Fifth in a series previewing SEC men’s basketball teams

Vanderbilt has its highest preseason ranking in 46 years.

The Commodores will open this season No. 7 in The Associated Press and USA Today polls with all five starters back from last season’s 23-11 team.

It’s the first time Vanderbilt has been ranked in a preseason poll since 1993, when it was No. 23, and its highest spot since opening at No. 5 in 1965.

“We’re trying to make it so it’s more normal,” Vanderbilt Coach Kevin Stallings said last week at SEC media day. “It’s flattering, and we’re excited that people respect us.”

The Commodores are led junior guard John Jenkins, who averaged an SEC-best 19.5 points per game last season and made 100 of 245 three pointers.

“It’s definitely different being in the top 10,” Jenkins said. “It’s something that we’re not used to. But I’m from Nashville, and just being a part of a team like this that’s been highly ranked so far in the preseason is special.”

Florida senior guard Erving Walker said he’s impressed by Jenkins’ all-around game.

“People think he’s just a shooter, but he can do other things, too,” Walker said. “He’s an underrated passer, because a lot of times he has two defenders in his face but he finds the open man. He’s gotten better at getting to the rim and finishing.

“His stamina is impressive, the way people chase him all game, and he’s still able to shake loose for good shots. He’s become a better defensive player, too.”

Jenkins is joined in the Commodores’ starting lineup by four seniors: point guard Brad Tinsley (10.6 points, 4.6 assists); forwards Jeffery Taylor (14.7 points, 5.5 rebounds) and Lance Goulbourne (6.9points, 7.9 rebounds) and center Festus Ezeli (13.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 blocked shots).

“I think Vanderbilt has a team that has a legitimate chance to go the Final Four,” Georgia Coach Mark Fox said. “When you look at Vanderbilt, there’s not a missing ingredient.

“They have a terrific shooter. They have a terrific wing player. They have a good point guard. They’ve got an NBA-type center. They’ve got a great system to play. They’ve got a good home court.

“What’s missing? They should be considered legitimately as a contender for the championship game.”

Ezeli is expected to be missing from the lineup until mid-December as he recovers from sprained ligaments in his right knee suffered the first week of practice.

“We have some other really good players, but Festus is the reason we’ve elevated, because when you have a guy as good as he is inside, that just gives your team a different element than a lot of teams have,” Stallings said. “We’ll have to make the best out of it until we get him back.”

Jenkins, Ezeli and Taylor were considered possible first-round picks but chose to return to Vanderbilt after consulting with Stallings and studying information provided by an NBA Draft advisory committee.

Stallings said he appreciated his players’ approach to the process.

“There was no drama, there weren’t third and fourth and fifth parties - ‘Well, my boy said this, and my this said that,’ ” Stallings said. “They couldn’t have been more mature. They didn’t let emotions or dreams or figments of their imagination get in the way.”

Stallings said one player - whom he declined to identity - took the stance that even if the NBA projected him as a high first-round pick, he wanted to come back to Vanderbilt.

“I said, ‘Well, I think that’s stupid,’ ” Stallings said with a laugh. “We actually had this reverse conversation where I was telling him, ‘Look , if you’re a lock-stock first rounder, you need to go.’ And he was telling me, ‘Coach I don’t want to go, and you’re not going to make me, right?’

“I’m pinching myself, thinking, ‘Is this really happening?’ ”

Stallings has a 236-148 record at Vanderbilt going into his 13th season and in the past five years has led the Commodores to the NCAA Tournament four times. But since making the Sweet 16 in 2007, Vanderbilt has suffered first-round losses to Siena in 2008, Murray State in 2010 and Richmond in 2011.

Jenkins said the Commodores’ primary goal this season is to make a deep run into the NCAA Tournament and achieve the program’s first Final Four appearance.

“We don’t want to be one and-done in the NCAA Tournament again,” Jenkins said. “That would be insane.”

Next: Ole Miss

Commodores glance LAST SEASON 23-11, 9-7 SEC KEY RETURNEES G John Jenkins, F Jeffery Taylor, C Festus Ezeli, G Brad Tinsley, F Lance Goulbourne KEY NEWCOMERS G Dai-Jon Parker, G Kedren Johnson KEY LOSSES None COACH Kevin Stallings (236-148 in 12 seasons at Vanderbilt, 359-211 overall in 18 seasons) PROJECTED SEC FINISH Second

Sports, Pages 19 on 11/02/2011