ATLANTA, March 11 (UPI) -- Jeffery Taylor scored seven points during a first-half run Thursday that lifted No. 24 Vanderbilt to a 62-50 first-round win over LSU in the SEC Tournament.
The Commodores ran off 13 points in a row to take the lead for good midway through the opening period and then broke the game open in the second half.
Vanderbilt joined Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee as first-round winners Thursday. Georgia will open the quarterfinals Friday against Alabama, Mississippi will take on No. 16 Kentucky, Tennessee will play No. 12 Florida and Vanderbilt will face Mississippi State.
Taylor made half his 12 shots from the field, went 8-of-10 from the foul line, scored 21 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Lance Goulbourne had 13 boards for the Commodores (22-9).
Andre Stringer scored 13 points for LSU (11-21). Guard Ralston Turner put up 12 field goal attempts and missed them all.
