RALEIGH, N.C. – The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team was handed its first loss of the 2023-24 season Wednesday night, as the Commodores fell at No. 5/10-ranked NC State, 70-62, as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge.
Vanderbilt got a double-digit performance from graduate student Jordyn Cambridge and junior Sacha Washington in the loss at NC State. Cambridge scored a team-best 15 points against the Wolfpack to extend her double-digit streak to 11 games dating back to the 2021-22 season. Meanwhile, Washington collected 14 points against the Wolfpack to register her sixth double-digit scoring performance this season. Graduate student Jordyn Oliver nearly had a double-double, as she registered nine points and a team-best eight rebounds.
The loss snaps Vanderbilt’s seven-game winning streak to open the 2023-24 season, as the Commodores now hold a 7-1 overall record.
Vanderbilt outscored NC State 21-19 in points off the bench. Freshman Khamil Pierre scored a team-best eight bench points in 16 minutes of action. Vanderbilt shot 34.3% from the field against the Wolfpack, while NC State posted a 40% shooting percentage against the Commodores.
Both teams traded blows in the first quarter, as the frame featured five ties. Cambridge hit a pair of 3-pointers in the opening stanza, as the Commodores trailed the Wolfpack 13-11 after 10 minutes of play.
Vanderbilt used a 7-3 run early in the second stanza to take a 19-18 lead after Cambridge’s third 3-point field goal of the half. NC State responded to Cambridge’s trifecta with 11-consecutive points to retake a 29-19 lead and force Vanderbilt to call a timeout with 2:23 left before the half. Sophomore Ryanne Allen ended the drought with a 3-pointer as the Commodores went into the locker room trailing the Wolfpack by nine points at 35-26.
NC State scored the first seven points out of the half to push Vanderbilt’s deficit to 16 points at 42-26 at the 8:30 mark of the third quarter. The Commodores couldn’t pull to within single digits for the remainder of the quarter, as the Wolfpack took a 54-36 lead into the fourth.
Despite falling behind 26 points in the fourth quarter, the Commodores showed no quit in Raleigh. Vanderbilt was able to cut its deficit back to 16 points after Cambridge made a pair of free throws with 4:02 left to play. Cambridge’s charity tosses sparked a 14-4 run that pulled the Commodores to within single digits of NC State at 70-62, which would be the final score.
Head Coach Shea Ralph on the Result
“I would’ve loved to see that team that played in the fourth quarter throughout an entire game. I think we started to finally feel like ourselves. We picked the pace up, and we were getting some rebounds and getting into transition. That’s more like how we play. There were a lot of good things to take away from this game. We need to be on the other side of that rebounding battle. We can’t give up 17 offensive rebounds and 30 free throws and think we’re going to be in a position to win on the road against a team like NC State. Credit to them. They played really hard from start to finish and they earned that victory. But I’m really proud of our team for fighting. That’s who I know them to be.”
Up Next
The Commodores return to Memorial Gymnasium this Sunday, as Vanderbilt welcomes Louisiana Tech. Tipoff against the Lady Techsters is set for 1 p.m. and will stream live on SEC Network+.
Dore Notes
- Graduate student Jordyn Cambridge extends her double-digit scoring streak to 11 games, which dates back to the 2021-22 season. She missed the 2022-23 season due to injury.
- Cambridge has now made at least four 3-point field goals in back-to-back games.
- Cambridge collected three or more steals for the seventh time this season.
- Junior Sacha Washington registered her sixth double-digit scoring performance of the season with a 14–point effort against NC State.
- Washington recorded her season-best performance in blocks with five.
- Freshman Aga Makurat has made at least one 3-point field goal in five of her last six games.
- The loss at NC State snaps Vandy’s seven-game winning streak.
- Vanderbilts falls to 2-7 all-time vs. NC State and 0-4 all-time in Raleigh.
- The Commodores are now 1-11 vs. ranked teams under head coach Shea Ralph.
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