Women’s Basketball: No. 5 Vanderbilt remains undefeated at home, takes down Florida 82-66 – The Vanderbilt Hustler

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Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball returned home after back-to-back losses to take on the Florida Gators inside Memorial Gymnasium. The Commodores successfully took down the Gators, 82-66, improving to 21-2 (7-2 SEC) on the season and bouncing back from a tough road stretch.  
This contest was a much-needed win for the Commodores after dropping their past two games to South Carolina and Ole Miss. However, it did not come easily. Vanderbilt trailed 34-25 at the half, shooting 32% from the field and 16% from beyond the arc with no free throw attempts.   
“We can’t be a team that gives excuses. Whether you’re fatigued or not, everybody is tired right now. We’re all going through something,” head coach Shea Ralph said after the game. “We’ve got to figure out how to do it. We’re tired, but that’s no different than what we’re going to see the NCAA Tournament. The week that we just had gave us the adversity that we needed to learn, and now we got to take those lessons and apply it.” 
Aubrey Galvan, Justine Pissott, Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, Sacha Washington and Mikayla Blakes made the start in this contest — the same lineup head coach Shea Ralph has used for every game this season. Blakes led all scorers with 30 points, including 24 in the second half. Pissott and Washington added 14 apiece, and Galvan and Aga Makurat each added 9.  
Washington took the tip, and Vanderbilt controlled the first possession, but Blakes could not convert her first 3-point look. Florida grabbed the long rebound and got out running, with Caterina Piatti scoring a transition layup for the first bucket of the game. Blakes picked up her first foul on the following possession, and Florida secured a quick four-point lead with two free throws from Me’Arah O’Neal.  
Vanderbilt struggled to find an early offensive rhythm as Florida jumped out to a first-quarter lead despite a few defensive sparks from the Commodores. Mwenentanda disrupted the Gators’ pick-and-roll action for a steal, leading to Justine Pissott opening the scoring at the 7:10 mark with a step-back baseline jumper off an out-of-bounds play.  
Blakes continued to apply pressure defensively, recording a steal at 6:18 that set up a Pissott 3-pointer, though Florida answered on the other end with a layup from Piatti. After the Gators missed two free throws but secured the rebound, Washington came away with a steal, and Blakes converted the ensuing layup for her first basket of the game. Pissott later knocked down another 3-pointer off another Blakes assist with 2:32 remaining, but Florida closed the quarter strong and carried a 19-10 lead into the second. 
The Commodores appeared fatigued, likely due to playing their previous game against Ole Miss less than 48 hours earlier. Several Vanderbilt shots hit the front of the rim, and the Commodores committed five turnovers in the quarter — nearly half of their 13.1 per-game average. Florida also controlled the glass, out-rebounding the Commodores by seven. O’Neal led all scorers with 10 points, while Pissott led Vanderbilt with eight points, including two 3-pointers.  
The Gators opened the second quarter on a 6-0 run, and head coach Shea Ralph took a timeout at 7:45.  Makurat and Ava Black checked into the game. Vanderbilt continued to struggle with fouls early, with Pissott committing an offensive foul before Jada Brown was whistled moments later. The Commodores responded with energy on the defensive end, as Aiyana Mitchell recorded a steal and finished on the other end off a Blakes assist, followed by a steal and fast break layup from Black that forced a Florida timeout at 6:41.  
After the timeout, Makurat knocked down a 3-pointer, which created some momentum for the Commodores. Black took a charge, followed by a wide-open Mitchell layup on the other end. Black continued to make her presence felt with multiple offensive rebounds that led to a  layup from Washington. Vanderbilt held Florida scoreless for 3:49, but the Gators closed the half on a 7-0 run behind Liv McGill’s steal and score and KN’isha Godfrey’s corner 3-pointer at the buzzer, taking a 34-25 lead into halftime. 
Makurat and Black provided a spark off the bench, with Brown applying on-ball pressure to McGill and forcing her to her weaker right hand. Mitchell found success posting up and finding gaps in the paint. However, Vanderbilt struggled to rotate defensively, as Florida made timely 3-pointers and punished double teams by passing over the top for layups.  
O’Neal opened the scoring in the third quarter for Florida off an out-of-bounds play, but Washington answered with a strong post move and layup on the other end. Washington continued to assert herself, drawing an offensive foul on the next possession to earn Vanderbilt’s first free throws of the game and converting both. After a layup from Florida’s Laila Reynolds, Washington sealed deep again for another finish at the rim. Blakes followed with an and-one at the 7:26 mark, splitting two defenders, as the Commodores began to build momentum.  
Defensive intensity fueled the run, with Mwenentanda taking back-to-back charges that brought the Memorial Gymnasium crowd to its feet, while Galvan added a floater in the paint after a convincing pass fake. Vanderbilt pieced together a 7-0 run before Pissott picked up another foul and was replaced by Makurat. Florida’s McGill went 1-for-2 from the line, but Washington capped the stretch with an and-one heading into the media timeout at 4:44. She missed the free throw.  
Galvan pushed the ball coast to coast for a layup after Washington corralled the defensive rebound, giving Vanderbilt its first lead of the game. Florida answered with a 3-pointer from McGill, but Blakes responded with a 3 of her own — her first make in eight attempts — to swing momentum back to the Commodores. Galvan added another layup before a Florida turnover led to Washington being fouled, splitting a pair at the line.  
Vanderbilt’s defense continued to fuel the run as Galvan recorded a steal that set up a Blakes fast-break layup, followed by another Blakes finish at the rim. Blakes later drove and drew a foul, converting both free throws, then came away with another steal and was fouled again, tumbling hard into the bench before calmly knocking down both attempts. The Commodores closed the quarter on a 14-2 run, capped by Galvan’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer, to take a 57-46 lead. 
Washington opened the fourth-quarter scoring with a layup, but Florida quickly answered with a 3-pointer from Daviane Mindoudi. Blakes knocked down another 3 on the ensuing possession, now finding her rhythm from deep. Makurat and Pissott also each connected from beyond the arc as the teams traded baskets. McGill responded with a layup, then the two leading scorers — Blakes and McGill, who were relatively quiet in the first half — began exchanging buckets as the pace picked up.  
After a Vanderbilt shot-clock violation sent the game to the media timeout at the 5:00 mark, McGill opened the next stretch with a pull-up jumper. Pissott answered with a deep 3-pointer, followed by a Washington trip to the line where she went 1-for-2 before a lane violation on Makurat negated the second attempt. Florida countered with a McGill 3-pointer, but Vanderbilt continued to respond as Pissott and Makurat each buried another 3-pointer and the Commodores cruised to a comfortable 82-66 victory.   
“One thing we learned is how important our post presence is — it makes the game a lot easier,” Blakes said after the game. “I keep telling Sacha that nobody can push her off the block. We’re going to get her the ball. It might not come the first time, but she has to keep posting, and she’s really taken that to heart.” 
Vanderbilt will next hit the road to face Kentucky on Feb. 5 at 6:00 p.m. CST.  
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