Dores Fall on Senior Day

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team dropped an 82-54 decision to No. 6/6 South Carolina on Senior Day at Memorial Gymnasium.

Freshman Mikayla Blakes and sophomore Khamil Pierre each scored double-digit points for the Dores against the Gamecocks on Sunday afternoon. Blakes registered a team-high 19 points to extend her double-digit scoring streak to a career-long 14 games. Meanwhile, Pierre posted her 14th double-double of the season with a 14-point, 10-rebound effort.

Pierre’s 14 double-double ties her with Vanderbilt women’s basketball assistant coach Ashley Earley for the most double-doubles in a season since 1999-00. It is the fourth time that the 6-2 forward recorded a double-double in SEC play this season. Her 14-point effort also extends Pierre’s current double-digit scoring streak to six games, while she has now scored 10-plus points in 29 of her last 30 games.

With the loss, Vanderbilt falls to 19-9 overall on the year and 6-8 in SEC play. Conversely, No. 6 South Carolina improves to 25-3 overall and 13-1 in league games.

The Commodores battled with the defending national champions throughout the first 20-plus minutes of Sunday’s contest, as Vanderbilt trailed by six points at 35-29 at the 8:53 mark of the third quarter. South Carolina would go on a 15-1 run from there to take a double-digit lead it would never relinquish.

Vanderbilt shot 30.4 percent from the floor, while South Carolina posted a 46.2 percent field goal percentage. The Gamecocks took full control of its size advantage over Vandy on Sunday, outscoring the Commodores 48-16 in the paint.

Head Coach Shea Ralph on the Result
“I felt like there were portions of the game, especially in the first half and a little in the third quarter, where we were battling, and our effort was there until it wasn’t. It looked like we were a little bit out of sorts on offense. We weren’t able to get anything on the fast breaks. The ball wasn’t moving as crisply. So, there are things we have to figure out. I don’t think either team played great today. It’s disappointing not taking advantage of them not playing their best on our home court. At the same time, it was Senior Day, and I thought there were some bright spots today from some of our players who are graduating.”

How It Happened
South Carolina scored the first seven points of the game before the Dores made their first bucket of the contest, a Blakes 3-pointer at the 7:07 mark of the first. The Gamecocks used an 11-2 run to take a 15-point, but a Pierre jumper at the end of the frame made it a 24-11 contest after 10 minutes of play.

Vandy opened the second period on a 7-2 spurt to pull within seven points of the Gamecocks after another Blakes’ trifecta that made it a 26-19 affair. South Carolina answered with six-straight points to reclaim a double-digit advantage the Gamecocks would maintain for the remainder of the frame, as South Carolina held a 35-25 lead going into halftime.

Back-to-back buckets from Pierre pulled Vanderbilt’s deficit to single digits at 35-29. South Carolina responded with a 15-1 run to go back up double-digits. Vanderbilt was unable to cut its deficit back to within single digits for the remainder of the contest, as the Gamecocks posted the 28-point victory.

Up Next
Vanderbilt will host its final home game of the 2024-25 regular season on Thursday, as the Commodores welcome in Texas A&M. Tipoff against the Aggies is set for 6:30 p.m. CT and streams live on SEC Network+.

Dore Notes

• Mikayla Blakes led the Commodores in scoring with 19 points
• Blakes extended her double-digit scoring streak to a career-long14 games
• It is the second time this season Blakes has posted 10-plus points in 13 straight contests
• Khamil Pierre registered her 14th double-double of the season, 18th of her career, with 14 points and 10 rebounds
• It is Pierre’s sixth-consecutive game scoring in double figures
• Pierre has scored 10-plus points in 29 of her last 30 games dating back to the 2023-24 season
• Pierre is now tied with assistant coach Ashley Earley for the most double-doubles in a season by a Commodore since 1999-00
• Blakes came off the bench for the first time in her collegiate career, giving graduate student Leilani Kapinus the start on senior day
• The Commodores are now 12-4 at home this season and 24-9 at Memorial under head coach Shea Ralph
• Vanderbilt falls to 21-23 all-time vs. South Carolina, while the Dores are now 11-10 inside Memorial Gymnasium vs. the Gamecocks
• The program celebrated Senior Day and honored the collegiate careers of Leilani Kapinus, Iyanna Moore, Jane Nwaba, Jordyn Oliver and Sacha Washington

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