NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Sophomore Mikayla Blakes once again made history at Memorial Gymnasium on Wednesday, as she became the fastest Vanderbilt women’s basketball player to score 1,000 career points to lead the No. 15/14-ranked Commodores past Virginia, 81-68, in the ACC/SEC Challenge.
Blakes needed 28 points to record her 1,000th career point, rose to the challenge in front of the home fans and hit the target right on the mark, registering exactly 28 points in the victory over Virginia. Blakes reaches the 1,000-point plateau in 42 career games, as she becomes the 43rd Vanderbilt player to enter the school’s 1,000-point club. The Somerset, New Jersey, native, is the fastest Commodore to score 1,000 points, surpassing Chantel Anderson’s previous record of 57 games.
The All-American is the ninth NCAA women’s basketball player to score 1,000 career points in 42 games or fewer since the 1981-82 season. Overall, Blakes is the 13th women’s college basketball player to reach the 1,000-point plateau in 42 games or less.
No. 15/14-ranked Vanderbilt used a 12-0 run that was sandwiched between halftime to turn a two-point deficit into a double-digit advantage in the early stages of the third quarter. Vanderbilt outscored Virginia 29-11 in the third stanza, as the Commodores held a 22-point lead going into the final frame. The Dores led by as many as 28 points in the fourth before securing the 13-point victory in the ACC/SEC Challenge.
Blakes was one of three Commodores to score double-digit points in the ACC/SEC Challenge win. She was joined by graduate Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, who scored 16 points to match her Vanderbilt career high in scoring, and graduate Sacha Washington, who registered 13 points. Blakes, Mwenentanda and Washington each pulled down a team-best seven rebounds.
Vanderbilt shot 45.8 percent from the floor and made eight 3-point field goals. The Dores shot 90.5 percent from the free throw line, going 19-of-21 from the charity stripe. Vandy forced Virginia into 18 turnovers, which the Commodores turned into 28 points.
Head Coach Shea Ralph on the Win
“We’re proud to represent the SEC, and we’re proud to get a win today. It’s a win for our conference, obviously, but it was amazing for our team to be home. It was awesome to be on our home floor, seeing our fans and people we love. I’m just really proud of our team. I would have liked to see us finish a little better. We were up by almost 30, so there’s always something to learn. I like learning much better from wins than from losses. Last, but not least, I’m really proud of Mikayla Blakes. There are so many layers of her that make us great. I’m just proud to be coaching this bunch, proud to come away with the win today, and excited for a little break.”
Up Next
No. 15/14-ranked Vanderbilt takes a 12-day break from game competition due to finals. The Commodores return to action on Dec. 15, when Vandy welcomes South Florida to Memorial Gym. Tipoff against the Bulls is set for 6:30 p.m. CT and streams live on SEC Network+.
Dore Notes
- Vanderbilt moves to 9-0 for the first time since the 2011-12 season
- The 81-68 win gives the black and gold 24-straight wins at home over nonconference opponents
- The Commodores snap a two-game skid to the Cavaliers, notching their first win over Virginia since 2012
- Vandy remains unbeaten at home vs. Virginia in the all-time series (2-0)
- The Dores forced a season-high Virginia into a season-high 18 turnovers
- Vanderbilt is now 2-1 all-time in the ACC/SEC Challenge
- The Commodores matched their season high in free throws made with 19
- Mikayla Blakes dropped 28 points, reaching the 1,000-point mark in her career
- Blakes becomes the fastest Commodore to hit 1,000 points, doing so in 43 games
- Blakes the 43rd player in program history to join the 1,000-point club
- She is only the ninth NCAA women’s basketball player to achieve that feat within their first 42 games post 1981-82
- She has four straight games with 20-plus points
- It is the third time in Blakes’ career that she has had four consecutive games with 20 or more
- Blakes extends her double-digit scoring streak to 28 games
- She has now scored 10-plus points in 41 of her 42 career games at Vanderbilt
- The sophomore set her season-high in assists with seven and has had multiple assists in eight of nine games
- Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda reached double-digit points for the third time this season, matching her season-high of 16
- Mwenentanda collected a season-high seven rebounds against the Cavaliers
- Sacha Washington tied her season-high in points with 13
- Washington now has five double-digit scoring games this season
- Aiyana Mitchell generated a season-high three blocks, her fourth game of the season with two or more
- Aubrey Galvan dished out eight assists, her fifth game with eight or more
- Galvan recorded her seventh multi-steal game this season
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