Freshman Breaks Long-Standing Record in Commodore's First SEC Matchup of the Seasaon
The Vanderbilt Commodores advanced to 14-1 on the season with their 108-82 victory over Georgia, keeping this successful team at No. 1 in the SEC.
For the entirety of the season, Vanderbilt will be working without 2023-24 star Sacha Washington, the sophomore forward that is ruled as OUT for the 2024-25 season. Battling health issues behind the scenes, Washington will join her Commodore sisters from the sidelines.
This absence did not go unnoticed, however Vanderbilt has been able to put up some serious numbers with this new freshman class.
The depth from the bench is something the Commodores have been utilizing throughout the season, and tonight was no exception. At the conclusion of the game, freshman Mikayla Blakes (#1) had smashed a 43-year old record for most points scored in a single SEC game.
Blakes put up 36 points to lead her team, followed by forward Khamil Pierre (#12) with 28. The starting five combined for 94 of the Commodores' 108 points while also forcing 22 turnovers for the Bulldogs.
The team created a gap early in the game with their tenacious defense, an attribute that Vanderbilt holds high in their gameplay. Currently, the Commodores sit at No. 4 in the nation in steals per game, creating scoring opportunity through defense.
Although the game seemed decided by halftime, Georgia came out with some fight in the third quarter. Right out of the gate, the Bulldogs went on a 10-0 run to bridge the wide gap. Their hopes to spark some competition never resulted in a lead, however freshman Mia Woolfolk (#33) was hard pressed to shoulder Georgia's entire offense.
Woolfolk gave the Commodores a run for their money, scoring 20 of Georgia's 82 points. Her defensive efforts matched Vanderbilt's, especially when she went up against shooters in the paint.
Late in the fourth quarter, Vanderbilt held onto their lead, and even stretched it for good measure. Georgia made the notion of a comeback after an easy layup from Miyah Verse (#4) cut the Bulldog's deficit to 17, but the Commodores drove the nail in Georgia's coffin with an outstanding run that pushed the lead.
Vanderbilt will face off against the Kentucky Wildcats on Sunday in their second SEC game of the season.
Blakes made a comment in the postgame interview regarding the upcoming game, stating the team would need to focus on their defense, planning out every action to put a stop to Kentucky's offensive game.
Blakes final comments regarding her team were shared to the women of her team, especially those that have launched her into such a successful freshman start for the Commodores.
"I couldn't ask for better sisters," shared Blake.
