Vanderbilt Commodores Dominated by Kentucky in SEC Women's Basketball Game
After coming off of their first conference win of the season on Thursday, the Vanderbilt Commodores displayed energy and confidence hosting the Kentucky Wildcats on Sunday.
The Wildcats went to Nashville at 12-1 overall and No. 16 in the national rankings. Vanderbilt had its work cut out for it going up against this offensive powerhouse.
Kentucky wasted no time swinging into its offensive groove, taking down the Commodores in a 96-78 victory.
Vanderbilt's overall record dropped to 14-2 overall and 1-1 in the SEC.
Freshman Mikayla Blakes had a record-breaking game on Thursday, and her efforts to keep the Commodores afloat against Kentucky shone through.
Blakes didn't break any records during this matchup, but she was Vanderbilt's leading scorer with 24 points, one game after she set a program record for most points by a freshman in a single game. She also entered the game as Division I's leading scorer among freshmen.
Similarly, Kentucky's star senior Georgia Amoore logged 24 points to push her team well-above the Commodores, as the Wildcats took an early lead and never let it go.
All of Kentucky's starters put up impressive numbers on both ends of the court, proving their dominance in the rankings. Vanderbilt was hard-pressed to keep up with the Wildcats, and led the game in just the first few minutes of the first quarter. Kentucky stretched its largest lead to 21 points.
Vanderbilt's offense remained in a chokehold, which allowed Kentucky to completely dominate in the paint and around the arc. Kentucky forward Amelia Hassett went 6-for-10 in 3-point attempts, completely burying the Commodores.
Another strength that Kentucky brought to Nashville was its defense, crippling Vanderbilt's normal flow on the offensive end. The Commodores were able to hang in the stats however, as they tried to keep the fight alive with 19 offensive boards.
The Wildcats are No. 1 in the nation in blocked shots per game, which added to Vanderbilt's defeat.
Vanderbilt will have the opportunity to put a game back in the win column this upcoming Thursday against Ole Miss, another nationally ranked opponent.
