It wasn't pretty, but it was a win. In the end, that's what Vanderbilt's NCAA Tournament desperately needed.
The Commodores struck out to a 14-point lead and then held on through a tense final two minutes to defend their home court and defeat Florida 60-59 on Tuesday night. Damian Jones had another spirited outing, scoring 20 points and pulling down 12 rebounds while committing only two fouls in 35 minutes of action. Jones was ferocious in the paint, clearing out the glass for Vanderbilt rebounds and creating the space his teammates needed to drive to the hoop in a terrific all-around performance.