[2] No. 6/6 Vanderbilt (28-4, 13-3 SEC) vs. [7] RV/RV Illinois (22-11, 9-9 Big Ten)
Monday, March 23, 2026 • 6 p.m. CT
Memorial Gymnasium • Nashville, Tenn. • ESPN2
94.9 The Fan • Vanderbilt Athletics App • Live Stats • Postseason Prospectus • Game Notes • Tickets
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 2-seed Vanderbilt women’s basketball team continues its March Madness run on Monday at Memorial Gymnasium, as the Commodores take on No. 7-seed Illinois in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Tipoff against the Fighting Illini is set for 6 p.m. CT and airs live on ESPN2.
Starting Five
>> Vanderbilt knocked off No. 15-seeded High Point, 102-61, on Friday night at Memorial Gym to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2012-13 campaign. The Commodores had five players score double-digit points, led by sophomore Mikayla Blakes, who scored 30 points.
>> The Commodores are seeking their first Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the 2008-09 campaign. Vanderbilt is 14-9 in the second-round contests during March Madness. The last time the Dores hosted a second-round NCAA Tournament game came during the 2013 NCAA Tournament, where No. 8-seeded Vandy dropped a 77-44 decision to No. 1-seed UConn in Storrs, Connecticut.
>> Mikayla Blakes set the Vanderbilt single-season scoring record her last time out. Her 30-point effort against High Point gives her 867 points this season, breaking Wendy Scholten’s previous record of 855 points scored during the 1989-90 campaign. Blakes’ 867 points this season are also the second-most by an SEC player in the NCAA Era (1981-82 to present), while she needs 48 points to break Chamique Holdsclaw’s current SEC record of 915 points scored during the 1997-98 season.
>> Vanderbilt’s 28 wins this season are tied for the third-most in program history, as it matches the win totals from the 1994-95 and 2006-07 squads. One more victory would put this season’s team alone for third-most wins, and one shy of the program record of 30 victories set by the 1992-93 and 2001-02 teams.
>> Vanderbilt and Illinois meet for the first time in the NCAA Tournament, while it will be the third overall meeting between the two schools. The last game took place on Nov. 29, 1987, where the Fighting Illini posted a 73-68 victory. Vanderbilt claimed the lone game between the two schools played in Memorial Gym, as the Dores collected an 83-75 win in overtime on Nov. 29, 1985.
Game Coverage
Monday’s contest airs live across the country on ESPN2 at 6 p.m. CT with Jay Alter and Kim Adams on the call. Fans can listen to Jake Lyman locally on 94.9 The Fan and the Vanderbilt Commodores app outside of Nashville.
Double-Double Dores
Vanderbilt had a pair of graduate students record a double-double in the first-round win over High Point. Sacha Washington had 10 points to go along with 17 rebounds, while Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda had 10 points and 11 caroms. It is the first time that two Commodores have had a double-double in an NCAA Tournament game since March 22, 2004, when Hillary Hager (12 pts, 11 reb) and Carla Thomas (15 pts, 11 reb) accomplished the feat vs. Chattanooga in the second round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament.
Sacha Ties a Vandy NCAA Tournament Record
Sacha Washington’s 17 rebounds vs. High Point tied the Vanderbilt record for most rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game. The Lawrenceville, Georgia, native matched Karen Booker’s 17 caroms against James Madison back on March 15, 1987.
Breaking the Century Mark
The 102 points scored by Vanderbilt set the school record for most points scored in an NCAA Tournament game. It is only the second time that Vandy has scored 100 points in a March Madness contest. The other occurrence took place on March 15, 1996, when the Dores posted a 100-83 victory over No. 14-seed Harvard in Lawrence, Kansas. Overall, it is the third time this season that Vanderbilt has scored over 100 points in a game this season.
Starting March on a Dominant Note
The 41-point win over High Point on Saturday marked Vanderbilt’s largest margin of victory in an NCAA Tournament game since March 17, 1995, when the top-seeded Commodores posted a 90-44 victory over No. 16 seed Northern Illinois.
Blakes Cracks the Top 10 on Vanderbilt’s Career Scoring List
Mikayla Blakes’ 30 points on Saturday night pushed her season total to 867, which breaks Wendy Scholten’s previous record of 855 points that stood for 36 seasons. Blakes’ 867 points in 2025-26 are the second-most scored by an SEC player in the NCAA era. The sophomore also broke into the top 10 on Vanderbilt’s all-time scoring list on Saturday, as she now sits in ninth with 1,636 career points.
Another 30-Point Outing for Blakes
The 30 points vs. High Point for Mikayla Blakes marked her 13th 30-point performance this season. The Somerset, New Jersey, native has scored 30-plus points in eight of her last 10 games. She is just the third Commodore to score 30-plus points in an NCAA Tournament game, as she joins Sheri Sam and Chantelle Anderson, who each accomplished the feat twice. Blakes is the first Vanderbilt women’s basketball player since Chantelle Anderson in the 2002 Elite Eight to register 30 points in a March Madness contest.
Aubrey and Justine Chasing Records
Freshman Aubrey Galvan needs six assists to set the Vanderbilt freshman single-season record for most assists in a season. Galvan currently has 188 assists this season, which is five short of Ashley Smith’s current freshman record of 193 set during the 1997-98 season.
Senior Justine Pissott needs to make five more 3-point field goals to break the Vanderbilt single-season record for most made 3-pointers in a season. Pissott has made 91 3-point field goals coming into Monday’s second-round NCAA Tournament game. Caroline Williams currently holds the record with her 95 made 3-pointers in 2005-06.
Scouting the Fighting Illini
No. 7-seed Illinois advanced to the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament after a 66-57 win over No. 10-seeded Colorado at Memorial Gym on Saturday night. The Fighting Illini hold a 22-11 overall record and are receiving votes in both the Associated Press top 25 and the USA Today/WBCA coaches poll. Illinois went 9-9 in the Big Ten during the regular season.
The Fighting Illini have a total of five players averaging double-digit points this season, led by sophomore Berry Wallace’s 18.4 points per game. Freshman Cearah Parchment’s 13.7 points per contest rank second on the team, while junior Gretchen Dolan puts up 12.9 points per game. Sophomore Destiny Jackson (10.9 ppg) and freshman Destiny Jackson (10.1 ppg) round out the group.
Illinois averages 77.1 points per game and allows 65.8 points per game. The Fighting Illini are shooting 45.7 percent from the floor and 35.9 percent from behind the arc. Defensively, Illinois allows opponents to shoot 42.5 percent from the field and 29.1 percent beyond the 3-point line.
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