BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Mikayla Blakes’ Thanksgiving weekend feast at the 2025 U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam earned her SEC Co-Player of the Week honors, as the All-American captures her first weekly award from the conference this season.
Blakes was named the Island Division MVP at the Paradise Jam after averaging 31.0 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game. Her efforts helped the Commodores go 2-0 in the U.S. Virgin Islands to win the Island Division title. The Vanderbilt guard shares the SEC Player of the Week honor with Rori Harmon of Texas.
It is the second time that the sophomore has won SEC Player of the Week, as she previously earned the distinction during her freshman campaign on Feb. 11, 2025. It is Blakes’ ninth SEC weekly award in her career, as she was named SEC Freshman of the Week a school-record seven times last season.
The Somerset, New Jersey, native scored a season-high 35 points and dished out four assists in the 88-66 win against Oregon State in Game 1 at the Paradise Jam. Blakes shot 54.5 percent from the field, going 12-of-22, and made a season-high nine free throws in the win over the Beavers. It marked the fourth straight game the Blakes has held a field goal percentage of 50 percent or better, while it was her third game with a shooting percentage of 50 percent or higher while making 10-plus field goals.
The All-American extended her double-digit scoring streak to 27 games dating back to last season with a 27-point performance in an 84-71 come-from-behind win over BYU to win the Paradise Jam. The Dores erased their largest deficit under head coach Shea Ralph, as Vanderbilt trailed the Cougars by 16 in the early stages of the second quarter, before collecting a 13-point victory over BYU to win the Island Division at the Paradise Jam. The guard also dished out a game-high six assists in the win over the Cougars.
No. 17 Vanderbilt returns to Memorial Gymnasium on Wednesday, as the Commodores host Virginia in the 2025 ACC/SEC Challenge. Tipoff against Virginia is set for 4 p.m. CT and airs live on SEC Network.
The contest against the Cavaliers opens a five-game homestand that goes through the entire month of December. Fans can purchase tickets by clicking the link here.
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