Vanderbilt (9-1, 0-0 SEC) vs. Evansville (3-5, 0-0 Missouri Valley)
Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024 • 2 p.m. CT
Memorial Gymnasium • Nashville, Tenn. • SEC Network+ • Tickets
94.9 The Fan • Vanderbilt Athletics App • Live Stats • Game Notes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team returns to action after an extended break over finals week as the Commodores welcome Evansville to Memorial Gymnasium. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. CT, and streams live on SEC Network+.
Starting Five
>> The Dores jump back into nonconference play after a 10-day break from games during finals week at Vanderbilt. The last time Vandy took the court, the Commodores scored an 88-70 victory at Miami to improve to 9-1. Sophomore Khamil Pierre equaled her career-high of 28 points and freshman Mikayla Blakes tallied 26 points.
>> Vanderbilt is 30-3 at Memorial Gym vs. non-SEC teams under head coach Shea Ralph. The Commodores have won 17-straight home games against nonconference teams, a streak that dates back to the 2022-23 campaign. Overall, Vandy is 42-13 against nonconference schools in the Ralph era.
>> Saturday’s contest between the Commodores and Purple Aces will be just the seventh meeting between the two schools, separated by 154 miles. The last meeting took place over 30 years ago, on Jan. 7, 1994, with Vanderbilt claiming the 121-64 victory. The Dores are a perfect 6-0 in a series that dates back to the 1986-87 season.
>> Sophomore Khamil Pierre and freshman Mikayla Blakes are the only pair of teammates in all of NCAA Division I to each average over 20.0 points per game. Pierre enters the weekend ranked 15th nationally at 20.8 points per contest, while Blakes’ 20.2 points per game is 19th in the nation and the highest scoring average by a freshman in NCAA Division I this season.
>> The Commodores stand at 9-1 through their first 10 games for the second-straight season. It is the first time the Dores have opened back-to-back seasons at 9-1 or better since the 2003-04 and 2004-05 campaigns. Vanderbilt comes into Saturday seeking a second-straight 10-1 start, as Vandy began the 2023-24 season at 16-1.
Game Coverage
Saturday’s contest against Evansville streams live on SEC Network+ via the Watch ESPN app, with Andrew Allegretta and Drew Maddux calling the action. Fans can listen to Jake Lyman locally on 94.9 The Fan and the Vanderbilt Commodores app outside of Nashville.
Gameday Information
Click the link here for the latest gameday information on entrance, construction, parking, and ticketing information at Memorial Gymnasium. Fans can purchase tickets by clicking the link here.
Toy Drive and Teddy Bear Toss
Bring new or lightly used toys to the game to donate. Donation bins will be available on the concourse at Gates 1, 3, 6, and 11 (ADA entrance). Hang on to your stuffed animal until it is time to toss it onto the court at halftime or drop it into a donation bin upon entry to the game.
Hang out after the game to get this year’s poster signed by the team. Fans can purchase tickets by clicking the link here.
NET Ranking
Vanderbilt enters the weekend holding a NET ranking of 11. The Commodores came in at No. 7 in the first NET ranking of the 2024-25 season, the highest NET ranking in program history. Vandy has spent the majority of the past week ranked inside the top 10 of the NET ranking, holding on to No. 8 over the last several days. The NET is an evaluation tool used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee to determine seeding and at-large bids.
Blakes Wins Third SEC Freshman of the Week
The SEC announced on Dec. 10 that Vanderbilt women’s basketball guard Mikayla Blakes has been named the SEC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season. The guard scored 26 points at Miami on Dec. 4 to help the Dores register an 88-70 win in their only game last week. Her 26 points against the Hurricanes were the most points scored by an SEC freshman that week. Additionally, her 26-point outing against the Canes marked the third-most points scored by a Vanderbilt freshman in a true road contest in program history and ranks as the 12th-most scored in a contest by a Commodore frosh.
Receiving Votes
The Dores earned 15 votes in this week’s Associate Press Top 25 Poll and 10 votes in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. It marks the second-straight week that Vanderbilt has been featured in both major women’s college basketball polls.
Bringing the Defense
Vandy has been one of the best defensive teams in the nation through the first month-plus of the season. The Commodores rank inside the top 30 in all of NCAA Division I in turnover margin (8th; 9.5), turnovers forced per game (20th; 23.9), and points allowed (27th; 54.0). Vanderbilt has forced teams into 20 or more turnovers in every game this season.
Pierre’s Streak
Sophomore Khamil Pierre enters Saturday’s game on a 12-game double-digit scoring streak dating back to last season. It is her career’s longest double-digit scoring streak, as the 6-2 forward is averaging 18.8 points per game during the stretch.
Blakes Leading The Freshmen
First-year guard Mikayla Blakes is making a case to be an early frontrunner for national freshman of the year. The 5-8 guard leads all NCAA Division I freshmen in scoring at 20.2 points per game and enters the weekend as the only freshman to score over 200 points this season.
Blakes is the only player to rank inside the top 10 nationally among freshmen in scoring, assists, and steals. Additionally, she leads all NCAA Division I freshmen in points scored (202) and steals (28). The guard also ranks inside the top 10 among all freshmen in the country in steals per game (2nd; 2.8), made 3-point field goals (3rd; 26), field goal percentage (6th; 47.6 percent), assists (8th; 38) and assists per game (10th; 3.8).
The Somerset, New Jersey, native has won SEC Freshman of the Week three times. She is the only Power 4 player to win their conference’s weekly freshman award three times this season.
Moore Climbing Up Vandy’s All-Time Scoring List
Senior Iyana Moore will be honored before Saturday’s game for scoring her 1,000th career point in the Dec. 1 home win over Appalachian State. Moore currently has scored 1,015 points at Vanderbilt, which puts her at No. 39 on the school’s all-time scoring list. She is two points behind Rhonda Blades (1,017 points) for 38th on the list and 13 points behind Patsy Smith (1,028 points) for 37th.
Khamil’s Putting Up Elite Numbers
Sophomore Khamil Pierre is one of two NCAA Division I players, and the only Power 4 player, to average over 20 points and 11 rebounds this season. The 6-2 forward is putting up a team-best 20.8 points per game and 11.1 rebounds per contest. Her seven double-doubles this season are the third-most in the nation.
Pierre currently leads the SEC in steals (32) and steals per game (3.6). She ranks in the top five in the conference in rebounds per game (2nd; 11.1), offensive rebounds per game (2nd; 4.2), field goal percentage (3rd; 58.8 percent), field goals made (3rd; 80), points per game (3rd; 20.8), and defensive rebounds per game (4th; 6.9).
Scouting the Purple Aces
Evansville comes to the Music City sporting a 3-5 overall record. The Purples Aces collected an 87-74 win over SIU Edwardsville their last time out. Evansville holds a NET ranking of 293 coming into the weekend.
Freshman Camryn Runner leads the team in scoring at 19.6 points per game. Her scoring average is the second-best by an NCAA Division I freshman this season. Runner is one of four double-digit scorers for Evansville. Sophomore Maggie Hartwig puts up 18.3 points per contest, while senior Julia Palomo averages 11.3 points per game. Freshman Kylee Norkus rounds out the group at 10.0 points per outing.
As a team, the Purple Aces average 68.8 points per game and shoot 39.0 percent from the field. Evansville is connecting on 33.6 percent of its 3-point field goal attempts. Defensively, teams are scoring 72.3 points per game against the Purples Aces. They are holding foes to a 40.7 percent field percentage while opponents are shooting 28.6 percent from behind the arc.
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