NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Sophomore guard Jordyn Cambridge recorded her first career double-double and led Vanderbilt women’s basketball to its fifth straight win. The Commodores controlled Columbia, 71-52, in a Sunday matinee at Memorial Gymnasium.
Vanderbilt (10-3) won its 10th nonconference game and is off to its best start since finishing with the same non-league record in 2016-17 (head coach Stephanie White’s first season). The Commodores also finished undefeated in December (5-0) for the first time since 2015-16.
Cambridge finished with 11 points and set career highs with 10 rebounds and five assists in addition to another three steals.
Freshman Koi Love finished with a team-high 18 points, while junior guard Chelsie Hall added a season-high 17 points and four assists.
How it Happened
Both teams came out firing. The Commodores scored 20 points in the first six minutes, but the Lions continuously countered and it was just a five-point lead, 20-15, at the 3:17 mark of the opening quarter.
Vanderbilt’s defense took over from there. The Lions were held scoreless for the next 8:55 and the Commodores built a 31-15 lead. That advantage grew to 39-22 at the break.
It was a much slower start to the second half, but the Commodores retained their double-digit lead throughout. Vanderbilt led by as many as 21 when Koi Love capped a 7-0 run for a 48-27 lead with 4:27 left in the third quarter.
Columbia (7-4) pulled within 60-45 at the midway point of the fourth quarter but never got closer than that.
By the Numbers
Junior forward Autumn Newby finished with a career-high four steals and finished with 10 rebounds — her third game this season with double-digit rebounds — along with five points and two assists.
Senior walk-on Sarah Gordon made her first appearance of the season, while freshman Yaubryon Chambers added two points in her fifth game of the season.
Vanderbilt, which held a 46-23 rebounding edge, shot 48.3 percent from the field and held the Lions to just 34.0 percent.
Notables
Vanderbilt’s last five-game winning streak was in 2016-17 when the team won nine in a row during nonconference play … The Commodores improved to 7-1 at home this season … This was the first all-time meeting between the Lions and Commodores … Vanderbilt improved to 13-0 all-time against the Ivy League … Vanderbilt is 10-1 in games played in the USA this season … Vanderbilt has out-rebounded every opponent this season … The Commodores are 10-0 when holding opponents under 40 percent from the field this season … Vanderbilt is 4-0 on weekends this season, 9-1 when shooting better than 40 percent and 10-1 when scoring more than 60 points.
Put a nice bow 🎀 on the nonconference season. #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/mGBS7JGFo2
— Vanderbilt WBB (@VandyWBB) December 29, 2019
On Deck
SEC play begins against Auburn on Jan. 2 at Memorial Gymnasium. Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m., and the game can be seen on SEC Network+ and on the SEC Network whip around coverage.
After road games at Florida (Jan. 5) and Georgia (Jan. 9), the Commodores return home to take on fifth-ranked South Carolina. It will be Pride Day at Memorial Gym with a Pride rally towel giveaway as well as Soles for Souls, where fans can help lift people out of poverty by donating a pair of new or gently used shoes. Tickets are here.
