Vanderbilt (RV/RV) (16-4, 3-3 SEC) vs. No. 19/19 Alabama (17-3, 4-2 SEC)
Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 • 1 p.m. CT
Coleman Coliseum • Tuscaloosa, Ala. • SEC Network
94.9 The Fan • Vanderbilt Athletics App • Live Stats • Game Notes
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team embarks on a road trip this weekend to do battle at No. 19/19-ranked Alabama on Sunday. Tipoff against the Crimson Tide is set for 1 p.m. and airs live on SEC Network.
Starting Five
>> The Dores come into Sunday looking for their third-straight win after posting a 101-60 victory vs. Arkansas this past Thursday at Memorial Gym. Freshman Mikayla Blakes and Khamil Pierre scored 20-plus points for the second-straight game to lead five Commodores that scored double figures. Blakes registered a game-high 24 points, while Pierre tallied 20 points and nine rebounds.
>> Vanderbilt’s win over Arkansas put the Commodores at 16-4 overall and 3-3 in SEC games. The Dores come into their contest at Alabama receiving votes in both major college women’s basketball polls. Vandy picked up nine votes in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 and seven votes in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll.
>> The Commodores are 3-2 in true road games this season. Vanderbilt is still seeking its first SEC win away from Memorial Gymnasium this season, as the Dores dropped contests at Ole Miss and then at No. 5/4-ranked LSU. The Commodores won a program-best six SEC road games last season.
>> Sunday’s matchup between the Dores and Crimson Tide will be the 57th meeting all-time between the schools. Vanderbilt holds the series lead at 34-22. However, Alabama has won 10-straight games vs. the Commodores. Vandy is 0-4 against the Crimson Tide under head coach Shea Ralph.
>> Vanderbilt is 12-11 vs. Alabama in Tuscaloosa. It will be the third time in the last four meetings the two schools have faced off in Tuscaloosa. The last time the Commodores posted a victory over Alabama at Coleman Coliseum came on Jan. 10, 2016, in a 54-48 win.
Game Coverage
Sunday’s contest at Alabama airs live on SEC Network with Sam Gore and Tamika Catchings calling the action. Fans can listen to Jake Lyman locally on 94.9 The Fan and the Vanderbilt Commodores app outside of Nashville. Fans can also follow along via live stats.
NET Ranking
Vanderbilt enters Sunday holding a NET ranking of 19. The Commodores came in at No. 7 in the first NET ranking of the 2024-25 season, the highest NET ranking in program history. The NET is an evaluation tool the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee uses to determine seeding and at-large bids.
Another 20-Point Outing for Blakes and Pierre
Freshman Mikayla Blakes (24 points) and sophomore Khamil Pierre (20 points) each scored 20-plus points in the Jan. 23 win over Arkansas, marking the ninth time this season the duo has registered 20 or more points each in the same game.
The Vanderbilt underclassmen are the only set of teammates in the nation to average over 20 points each this season. Pierre leads the team at 22.2 points per game and Blakes chips in 20.4 points per contest. Both players have had a total of 12 games with 20-plus points this season.
Stepping Up in SEC Play
Similar to last season, senior Iyana Moore has elevated her level of play against SEC foes. In league games, Moore is averaging 17.5 points per game, an increase of 3.7 points compared to her season-scoring average of 13.8 points. The guard has scored registered double-digit points in every SEC game Vanderbilt has played this season, which includes a season-best 23-point performance at LSU on Jan. 13.
Looking for Another Ranked Win
Vanderbilt has an opportunity to pick up to win over a top-25 team for the second-straight Sunday at No. 19/19-ranked Alabama. The Commodores knocked off No. 15/15-ranked Tennessee, 71-70, last Sunday at Memorial Gym.
The last time the Commodores knocked off multiple top-25 teams in the same season came during the 2015-16 campaign. Vanderbilt won at No. 12/12 Kentucky, 71-69, and at No. 24/24 Missouri, 56-52, that season. The win at No. 24-ranked Missouri on Feb. 28, 2016 was also the last time Vanderbilt collected a win over a ranked team on the road.
Breaking the Century Mark
Vanderbilt scored 100-plus points for the sixth time this season in the 101-60 win over Arkansas on Jan. 23. The six games scoring 100 or more points sets the program record for most 100-point games collected in a single season. It is also the first time in school history that the Commodores have scored 100-plus points in two SEC games in the same season.
Vandy has previously registered a 102-50 win over Lipscomb in the season opener on Nov. 4 and on Nov. 22 in a 104-59 win over Samford. More recently, the Dores scored a 106-40 win over Evansville on Dec. 14 and a 108-82 win over Georgia on Jan. 2.
Scoring Streaks
Three Dores enter Sunday’s contest on a double-digit scoring streak. Sophomore Khamil Pierre has registered 10-plus points in 22-straight games, while senior Iyana Moore has scored double figures in 13-consecutive contests. Freshman Mikayla Blakes has tallied 10-plus points in six-straight contests.
Pierre’s 22-game streak is the longest for a Commodore since 2006-07 when Carla Thomas registered double-digit points in 29-straight games. Pierre’s streak is also the fourth-longest double-digit scoring streak by a Dore since 1999-00.
Scouting the Crimson Tide
Alabama comes into Sunday at 17-3 and 4-2 in SEC play. The Crimson Tide is No. 19 in both the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. Alabama enters the weekend at No. 17 in the NET rankings.
Zaay Green leads a quartet of double-digit scorers for the Crimson Tide at 16.8 points per game. All-SEC selection Sarah Ashlee Baker is putting up 15.6 points per game, though she hasn’t appeared in a game since the Jan. 2 contest vs. Florida. Aaliyah Nye is chipping in 14.3 points per contest and paces Alabama with 66 made 3-pointers. Sophomore Essence Cody averages 10.7 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game.
The Crimson Tide are putting up 80.3 points per game through 20 games this season. Alabama is shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 37.7 percent on 3-point field goals. Defensively, teams are putting up 60.2 points per game against Alabama while shooting 36.9 percent from the floor and 29.1 percent from behind the arc.
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