Vanderbilt women’s basketball secured a close 81-79 win over No. 16/18 Kentucky on Sunday at Memorial Gymnasium, with freshman Aubrey Galvan making the decisive shot in the final seconds. Galvan hit a 20-foot jumper with 7.9 seconds left to give Vanderbilt an 80-79 lead. After Kentucky called a timeout, senior Justine Pissott forced a turnover and sophomore Mikayla Blakes recovered the ball with less than a second remaining, ensuring the victory.
With this result, Vanderbilt improved its season record to 25-3 overall and 11-3 in Southeastern Conference (SEC) play. The team’s 11 conference wins match the program’s single-season SEC record set by the 2007-08 squad. This win also secures one of four double byes for Vanderbilt at the upcoming SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina.
The Commodores’ 25 wins tie them for seventh-most in school history alongside the 2007-08 team and mark their first season with at least that many victories since posting 26 wins in 2008-09. The team remains undefeated at home this season, now holding a perfect 15-0 record at Memorial Gymnasium—the longest single-season home winning streak in program history.
Blakes and Galvan led Vanderbilt offensively against Kentucky, combining for 55 points. Blakes scored a game-high 35 points on Sunday, her fourth consecutive game scoring at least 30 points against ranked opponents and her fifth such performance in six games. She is now the first SEC player this century to record ten or more games with at least thirty points in one season.
Galvan contributed from the bench with twenty points—her third collegiate game reaching that mark—and added five assists and two steals. Junior Aiyana Mitchell made her first start since December and recorded twelve points along with nine rebounds.
Head coach Shea Ralph said after the game: “I felt like it was a full team effort. We really needed everyone, especially with Sasha being out today. But I could tell the week leading up, and especially this morning at shootaround, that they were locked in, not only for her, but for the seniors. I love the way that we continue to grow, whether we’re winning or, you know, whether we lost a game. This team continues to pour into each other, pour into the process, pour into my staff. I love that we were able to win today.
“Obviously, it’s a big win, but being on senior day, for our seniors who have done so much for this program. This was a really special day. Sasha might have been one of my first phone calls when I got the job. She was committed, and I wanted to keep her committed, and now I can’t get rid of her. That’s very rare in the landscape now. Jada was one of our first recruits, and then you look at Justine, and how highly talented she was, and she picked us. Then Ndjakalenga went to a Final Four last year, and she came here for her last year. How cool is that? Then on top of it, you add a huge win, I think, that ties us now for the school record for SEC wins but we’re putting our head down. We’re going to enjoy today; going to spend time with the families; putting our head down; and we’re going to keep working because we have another couple of big games coming up this week.”
Statistically during Sunday’s contest Vanderbilt shot nearly forty-eight percent from the field while outrebounding Kentucky by five boards (38–33). The Commodores also held advantages in both paint scoring (30–26) and bench points (26–14).
The Commodores are scheduled to conclude their regular-season home slate Thursday against No. 25/24 Alabama at Memorial Gymnasium.
Vanderbilt has achieved several milestones during this campaign: It is their first time since 2008–09 reaching twenty-five wins; they remain unbeaten at home through fifteen games—a new single-season program best—and Blakes extended her double-digit scoring streak to forty-seven consecutive contests.
