Highlights from Shan Foster's 2008 Senior Night

[AuricGoldfinger]

Always enjoyable watching, especially since it wasn't televised:

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[abvandy]

Thanks, Auric - that clip is special.

CONQUER!!..., and PREVAIL!!!

[vutrain]

Hands down the greatest of the great sports moments n Vandy history. It is a shame there is not more than 2-minutes of film of this magnificent performance,
We will be there with bells on to watch that jersey retirement tonight.

[geeznotagain]

I agree with vutrain. For the period of time reflected in that highlight reel, that is the best individual performance by a Vandy basketball player, probably ever, but at least in the last 40 years. He not only hit shot after shot, but they were BIG shots, key shots, and most of them were well-defended. He was simply unstoppable there for a while.

[BrentVU]

To really appreciate it, you have to watch the last six or seven minutes of the game; there was really no way Vandy should have won this game. Right down to the very end, I don't think most of us believed Vandy had a chance for a comeback. Shan, with those incredible long shots, willed it to happen. I don't know where it ranks in individual performances, but it's up there.

This game was not on TV; only the 12-13,000 inside the stadium saw it live. I also remember that Rick Stansbury was understandably upset by the loss, but he graciously gave Shan credit for single-handedly getting Vandy the victory.

[Jason94]

To really appreciate it, you have to watch the last six or seven minutes of the game; there was really no way Vandy should have won this game. Right down to the very end, I don't think most of us believed Vandy had a chance for a comeback. Shan, with those incredible long shots, willed it to happen. I don't know where it ranks in individual performances, but it's up there.

This game was not on TV; only the 12-13,000 inside the stadium saw it live. I also remember that Rick Stansbury was understandably upset by the loss, but he graciously gave Shan credit for single-handedly getting Vandy the victory.

I remember in OT with less than an minute left Jamont Gordon had an "injury" and the refs allowed the MSU staff to attend to him for a couple of minutes and remain in the game. Foster had missed something like his first 6 three attempts and then his his last 9 attempts starting about halfway through the 2nd half. MSU had a good team that season and seemed to have an answer for everything that Foster threw at them.

[PeteFox]

Been watching since Clyde Lee, and that was the best performance EVER.

[Vandy187187]

was at the game. it was awesome

[vu2003rpl]

I was lucky enough to be at this one (with another VM poster). I remember how LOUD the State fans were at various points. We snuck into the student section though both of us had graduated a several years prior. It seems like the upper level on both sides was packed with Dawg fans. They were really loud.

I am so bummed this wasn’t televised and there isn’t more footage. Just an incredible performance.

Thanks for the memories!!

[UltimateVUFan]

I was there. One of my favorite VU memories of all time. I don’t even consider myself a “believer” in the classical sense of the word, but I remember Foster parading around the court pointing towards the sky and giving the glory to God for the performance before embracing his mother. It was truly special. In his halftime speech when he was honored yesterday, once again he gave praise first and foremost to God. Just a special moment for him and his family and all who witnessed it, be it “magic” or “miracle.”

[admin]

They've got to have the complete video of that game somewhere. The entire game footage should be dubbed with the play-by-play broadcast and made available somehow.

[vutrain]

They've got to have the complete video of that game somewhere. The entire game footage should be dubbed with the play-by-play broadcast and made available somehow.

Wow, that would be awesome. Did not know there was a full-length version as it was not telecasted at the time.

[thefan]

in my opinion, Clyde Lee in the Mideast Regional Finals against Michigan, Charles Davis (who I consider the best to ever play at Vandy) against #1 ranked Michigan at Memorial, and Shan Foster's last game at Memorial against Mississippi State. Best game by Vandy team was when they shot the lights out of threes against a highly ranked Florida Gator team at Memorial and coach Eddie Munster just threw his hands up in despair!

[Jason94]

in my opinion, Clyde Lee in the Mideast Regional Finals against Michigan, Charles Davis (who I consider the best to ever play at Vandy) against #1 ranked Michigan at Memorial, and Shan Foster's last game at Memorial against Mississippi State. Best game by Vandy team was when they shot the lights out of threes against a highly ranked Florida Gator team at Memorial and coach Eddie Munster just threw his hands up in despair!

I do remember Derrick Byars absolutely taking over the game and hitting contested jumpers over Corey Brewer and Joakim Noah - crazy pull ups from 20' and drilling them in their faces. And CKS playing keep away from Noah and Noah whining about it to the officials. That atmosphere rivaled any game I'd attended in terms of noise - there was a buzz before the game and they played as well as they probably could have. I once downloaded the radio call of the game on my old ipod. Best Vandy game I ever saw in person by far.

Best two wins were probably that win and the 2012 win against UK in the SEC-T. Both teams were not just #1 teams, but legitimately great teams that had multiple players who had very long and successful NBA careers and both teams won the NC that season rather convincingly. The game against UK was practically a road game, but the UF win was much more convincing.

Billy Mac against UK in 93 might be one of the best individual performances - "only" had 22 points but 14 assists IIRC. Matt Freije's performance against NCSU in 2004 was also pretty incredible, though it was Corey Smith who probably made the two most memorable plays. Len Elmore sucks but Gus Johnson is awesome - "super mario!"

[OldDude]

in my opinion, Clyde Lee in the Mideast Regional Finals against Michigan, Charles Davis (who I consider the best to ever play at Vandy) against #1 ranked Michigan at Memorial, and Shan Foster's last game at Memorial against Mississippi State. Best game by Vandy team was when they shot the lights out of threes against a highly ranked Florida Gator team at Memorial and coach Eddie Munster just threw his hands up in despair!

..... Matt Freije's performance against NCSU in 2004 was also pretty incredible, though it was Corey Smith who probably made the two most memorable plays. Len Elmore sucks but Gus Johnson is awesome - "super mario!"

"...running into the path of the defender." Say what ?!? Elmore is a dufus.

[Versus75]

... can some of you REALLY OLD TIMERS tell us about Tommy Hagan's 44 points versus Mississippi State on March 8, 1969?

It appears as though it was a home game, the last game of the season. Some of the pages in our fact book indicate @ Mississippi State, but the year-by-year results show the game as at Vanderbilt. You may have been there or listened on the radio.

From what I read, Hagan scored his 44 points on 21 of 34 shots, BEFORE the 3-point rule was in effect. I'm guessing many of his baskets were midrange or long shots, as Hagan dropped in only 2 free throws.

There was a lot of scoring in that game and in those days in general. The final score was VU 120 - MSU 83.

Seems like an amazing performance. Anyone?

FACT BOOK: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http ... pdated.pdf

[nyyankeeDore]

... can some of you REALLY OLD TIMERS tell us about Tommy Hagan's 44 points versus Mississippi State on March 8, 1969?

It appears as though it was a home game, the last game of the season. Some of the pages in our fact book indicate @ Mississippi State, but the year-by-year results show the game as at Vanderbilt. You may have been there or listened on the radio.

From what I read, Hagan scored his 44 points on 21 of 34 shots, BEFORE the 3-point rule was in effect. I'm guessing many of his baskets were midrange or long shots, as Hagan dropped in only 2 free throws.

There was a lot of scoring in that game and in those days in general. The final score was VU 120 - MSU 83.

Seems like an amazing performance. Anyone?

FACT BOOK: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http ... pdated.pdf

I listened to the game on radio. I believe the game was in Starkville, but (as I was in high school in Gainesboro) I would not have attended it in person even if it were in Memorial Gym. Because the game was so one-sided, the announcer (Paul Eells) paid a lot of attention to whether Tommy Hagan would break VU's scoring record, which I think had been about 37 points.