Vanderbilt (10-1, 0-0 SEC) at Dayton (6-4, 0-0 A-10)
Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024 • 6 p.m. CT
UD Arena • Dayton, Ohio • ESPN+
94.9 The Fan • Vanderbilt Athletics App • Live Stats • Game Notes
DAYTON, Ohio – The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team takes to the road for the final time in 2024 on Thursday, as the Commodores head north to battle Dayton. Tipoff against the Flyers is set for 6 p.m. CT and streams live on ESPN+.
Starting Five
>> Vanderbilt heads to the birthplace of aviation fresh off a 106-40 victory over Evansville at Memorial Gymnasium this past Sunday. Sophomore Khamil Pierre registered 42 points to set Vandy’s single-game scoring record. The 6-2 forward posted her eighth double-double of the season by adding 18 rebounds against the Purple Aces. Graduate student Leilani Kapinus also posted a double-double with 11 rebounds and 10 points off the bench. Freshman Mikayla Blakes tallied 22 points to extend her double-digit scoring streak to 11 games, while senior Iyana Moore collected 10 points.
>> The Commodores are 44-14 against nonconference opponents under head coach Shea Ralph. Vandy is 8-5 in true road games against non-SEC foes under Ralph. Vanderbilt has won six-straight road games coming into Thursday’s contest, dating back to last season. Vanderbilt collected six SEC road victories in 2023-24, which set a school record for the most conference road wins in a season.
>> Vanderbilt heads into its final road game of the 2024 calendar year this Thursday at Dayton. The Dores are 8-2 in true road games in 2024, which includes a school-record six SEC road wins from the 2023-24 campaign.
>> The Dores and Flyers will meet for the 10th time on the hardwood. It is a series that dates back to 1987, with Vanderbilt holding a 6-3 lead. The Commodores knocked off Dayton last season, 70-53, on Dec. 20, 2023, at Memorial Gymnasium.
>> Vandy is making its fifth trip to UD Arena. The Commodores are 2-2 against the Flyers in Dayton. The Flyers have won two-straight games against Vanderbilt at UD Arena, claiming an 81-56 victory in the last meeting on Nov. 18, 2015. Vandy’s last road win over Dayton came on Jan. 19, 1999, claiming a 59-50 decision.
Game Coverage
Thursday’s contest at Dayton streams live on ESPN+ via the Watch ESPN app, with Alex Mikos and Beth Flach calling the action. Fans can listen to Jake Lyman locally on 94.9 The Fan and the Vanderbilt Commodores app outside of Nashville.
Looking to Go 11-1
The Commodores stand at 10-1 through their first 11 games for the second-straight season. It is the first time the Dores have opened back-to-back seasons at 10-1 or better since the 2003-04 and 2004-05 campaigns. Vanderbilt comes into Thursday seeking a second-straight 11-1 start, as Vandy began the 2023-24 season at 16-1.
Khamil Earns Her Second SEC Player of the Week Honor
Sophomore Khamil Pierre was named SEC Player of the Week for the second time this season on Dec. 17. The 6-2 forward averaged an SEC-best 42.0 points, 18.0 points, and 8.0 steals this week, as Pierre set the Vanderbilt women’s basketball single-game scoring record with a 42-point performance against Evansville in a 106-40 win on Dec. 16. It is Pierre’s second SEC Player of the Week selection of her career, as she previously earned the distinction on Nov. 26 of this season. She is the first player since Ciaja Harbison in 2022-23 to be named SEC Player of the Week multiple times in a season. Pierre also becomes the fifth Commodore to earn multiple SEC Player of the Week honors. Overall, it is Pierre’s seventh SEC weekly honor, as she was named SEC Freshman of the Week a program-record five times during the 2023-24 campaign.
Pierre Hauling In The Awards
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) named Vanderbilt women’s basketball sophomore Khamil Pierre as one of five USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Players of the Week.
It is the first USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Players of the Week selection for Pierre. Additionally, she was also selected as this week’s runner-up for the Associate Press National Player of the Week and was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Women’s Basketball Player of the Week.
Pierre’s 42-Point Performance
Khamil Pierre put on one of the most memorable performances in Vanderbilt women’s basketball history in the 106-40 win over Evansville on Dec. 14. She posted 42 points, 18 rebounds, and eight steals in the win over the Purple Aces. Her 42-point performance set a new program record for most points scored in a single game, passing the previous mark of 41 points shared by Chantelle Anderson (Feb. 8, 2001) and Ciaja Harbison (Jan. 29, 2023).
The 6-2 forward started her day with a bang against the Purple Aces, scoring 20 points in the first quarter. Pierre’s performance in the opening frame on Saturday marked the most points scored by a Commodore in the first quarter in program history. Additionally, Pierre ties Marnelle Garraud’s program record for most points scored in any quarter, which was set on Jan. 16, 2023, in the fourth quarter at Arkansas.
Her 19 made field goals tie the program record for more field goals made in a game in Vanderbilt history, tying Anderson’s 19 made field goals in her 40-point performance vs. Portland State. The 19 made field goals are also the sixth-most in SEC history.
The 42 points scored are the most in an NCAA Division I game this season. It is also tied for the most points scored by an SEC player since the 2020-21 season.
Khamil’s Elite Stat Line
The 42 points, 18 rebounds, and eight steals for Khamil Pierre against Evansville establish new career highs in each category. Her combined 60 points and rebounds are the most collected by a Vanderbilt women’s basketball player in a game in program history. Her 42-point performance last Saturday also extended her career-long double-digit scoring streak to 13 games dating back to last season. She also collected her eighth double-double of the season, which is tied for the sixth-most in a season since 1999-00.
Pierre is the fifth NCAA Division I women’s basketball player since 1999-00 to have a game stat line of 40-plus points, 15-plus rebounds, and 5-plus steals, and she is the first player to accomplish the feat since the 2013-14 season. Pierre is the fifth Commodore since 1999-00 to have a game with 30-plus points and 10-plus rebounds.
Dynamic Duo
Sophomore Khamil Pierre and freshman Mikayla Blakes are the only pair of teammates in all of NCAA Division I to average over 20.0 points per game. Pierre enters the weekend ranked 15th nationally at 22.9 points per contest, while Blakes’ 20.4 points per contest is 19th in the nation and the highest scoring average by a freshman in NCAA Division I this season.
Receiving Votes
The Dores earned 14 votes in this week’s Associate Press Top 25 Poll and 11 votes in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. It marks the third-straight week that Vanderbilt has been featured in both major women’s college basketball polls.
NET Ranking
Vanderbilt enters the weekend holding a NET ranking of nine. The NET is an evaluation tool used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee to determine seeding and at-large bids. The Commodores came in at No. 7 in the first NET ranking of the 2024-25 season, the highest NET ranking in program history.
Scouting The Flyers
Dayton enters Thursday’s matchup at 6-4. The Flyers have won two of their last three games, which includes a 72-68 home win over Central Michigan this past Sunday.
Senior Ivy Wolf leads the team in scoring at 16.4 points per game. The 5-8 guard has scored double-digit points in every contest this season. Senior Arianna Smith is also averaging double-digit points at 10.0 points per game.
As a team, Dayton is averaging 64.9 points per game and is shooting 39.8 percent from the floor. The Flyers are connecting on 27.8 percent of their shots from behind the arc. Defensively, Dayton allows teams to score 62.4 points per game. Opponents are shooting 39.1 percent from the field against the Flyers and 27.4 percent on 3-point field goals.
Follow Us
For more information and exclusive content on the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team, follow @VandyWBB on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X.
