NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)—Mario Moore scored 19 points and Jason Holwerda matched a career high with 17 as Vanderbilt beat Tennessee State 87-65 in the Las Vegas Holiday Invitational on Sunday.
Vanderbilt (2-0) shot 50 percent from 3-point range from an experimental distance of 20 feet, 6 inches—1 foot further than the NCAA’s regular distance. Seven Commodores combined to make 14 3-pointers, two short of a school record.
Vanderbilt shot 55 percent from the field.
Tennessee State (0-2) was led by Cincinnati transfer Rod Flowers, who scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Eric King and Wayne Arnold each added 12.
Vanderbilt broke open a tight game by ending the first half with a 10-2 run to take a 43-27 lead. Holwerda and Dawid Przybyszewski hit 3-pointers during the run, and Moore closed the first half with a driving layup just before the buzzer.
Vanderbilt controlled the second half, with its largest lead coming at 82-57 with less than 4 minutes to play.
Both Vanderbilt and Tennessee State will play one more game before finishing the eight-team tournament with two games in Las Vegas on Nov. 26-27. Vanderbilt hosts Cal State Northridge while Tennessee State travels to Southern Illinois on Tuesday.
The victory was Vanderbilt’s 14th consecutive regular season non-conference win.
Vanderbilt leads the all-time series with its Nashville neighbor 5-0.
