NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Coming off their first SEC win behind a virtuoso performance from Ciaja Harbison, the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team will try to put a streak together with two games this week.
The Commodores (10-12, 1-7 SEC) travel to play Missouri (14-8, 3-6 SEC) on Thursday at 8 p.m. CT (SEC Network) in Columbia, before returning home to host Georgia on Sunday at Noon CT (SEC Network).
Harbison put on a show last Sunday in Memorial Gymnasium against Texas A&M as Vandy broke through for a victory in SEC play. The graduate guard exploded for 41 points to tie the single-game program record set in 2001 by Chantelle Anderson, who was in attendance to watch Harbison join the exclusive club as part of Alumni Day for the Commodores.
Harbison finished 14 of 19 from the field and 11 of 13 from the free throw line while also registering five steals in a masterfully efficient display that earned her SEC Player-of-the-Week honors for the second time this season.
Harbison ranks second in the SEC in scoring (19.6), fourth in steals (1.4) and fifth in assists (4.4).
Vanderbilt graduate guard Marnelle Garraud leads the SEC in 3-pointers made (59) and 3-point percentage (40.1) while averaging 13.7 points per game. Harbison and Garraud are also the SEC leaders in minutes per game at 36.16 and 34.95, respectively.
Vandy sophomore forward Sacha Washington is fifth in the SEC in blocks per game (1.5) and is averaging a team-leading 7.0 rebounds per game.
The Commodores top the SEC charts in free-throw percentage at 73.4, having made 295 of 402 attempts from the line.
Playing for a Cause
Vanderbilt’s game against Georgia on Sunday is part of the Play4Kay campaign that honors legendary NC State head coach Kay Yow, who died in 2009 at age 66 after a decades-long fight against breast cancer.
The Kay Yow Cancer Fund was founded in 2007 to fulfill Yow’s vision to support advanced research, extend the quality of life for those battling cancer, serve the underserved and unite people. Play4Kay is the Kay Yow Fund’s largest fundraiser. The initiative was launched to bring communities together to honor cancer warriors in the fight against all cancers affecting women.
Scouting Report
Missouri
The Tigers lead the all-time series 8-3, and have won six straight. Vandy’s last win in the series came during the 2015-16 season, when the Dores beat Missouri 56-52 in Columbia.
After opening SEC play 3-0, Missouri has lost six straight.
Senior forward Hayley Frank and senior guard Lauren Hansen led the Tigers in scoring at 14.7 and 13.0 points, respectively. Junior guard Sara-Rose Smith is averaging 7.0 rebounds per game.
Missouri ranks second to last in scoring in the SEC, averaging 65.7 points per game. Missouri (165) and Vanderbilt (139) are third and fourth in the SEC in 3-pointers made.
Georgia
The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 40-28. Vanderbilt is 13-12 at home against Georgia. Georgia has won five of the last six meetings. This will be the first meeting in Nashville since the 2018-19 season.
Fifth-year senior guard Diamond Battles entered the week leading Georgia in scoring (13.9), assists (69) and steals (40). Fifth-year senior forward Brittney Smith is averaging 11.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, a former Georgia player, is in her first season as head coach for the Bulldogs after six seasons at UCF. She replaced Joni Taylor, who was hired at Texas A&M.
Tickets: Students will continue to receive free admission to all home basketball games. In addition, single-game sales, mini-plans and group ticket options are available. To view the promotional schedule, click here.
