If you look at the AP Poll for NCAA Women’s Basketball, most of the top five consists of familiar faces.
There is No. 1 Connecticut, the 12-time national champion, which has had 48 players selected in the WNBA Draft. South Carolina is No. 3, with the Gamecocks being three-time national champions under head coach Dawn Staley and only two years removed from a 38-0 season. Then, UCLA and Texas at No. 2 and No. 4 — two modern powerhouses that sprouted in the 2010s and 2020s, both of which were in the Final Four a year ago.
Finally, there’s Vanderbilt. A program that hasn’t seen a Sweet Sixteen since 2008-09 or an Elite Eight since 2001-02. A team that, at least in recent memory, hasn’t been given a second thought.
Although ranked No. 19 in the preseason, I’m not sure there was anyone in the country that would believe Vanderbilt could reach its current status after losing Khamil Pierre in the transfer portal. Amongst a sea of blue bloods and the consistent elites, there is an undeniable force to be reckoned with located on West End.
After taking a humbling loss against Georgia right on the chin, Vanderbilt capped off a 27-3 season with a three-game win-streak against Kentucky, Alabama and Tennessee. The Commodores have secured the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament and will continue to battle for an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed as they are seeking to shatter the program record for season win total.
Not to mention, the Commodores are now toting SEC Coach of the Year Shea Ralph, SEC Freshman of the Year Aubrey Galvan and SEC Player of the Year Mikayla Blakes.
At this time three years ago, the thoughts surrounding the program were about moral victories and gradual improvements. Now, the lone determination to be seen is how far this team can go. With this historic group, truthfully, the sky is the limit.
My peers and I at The Hustler may be running out of words to describe the play of Blakes. No matter the game and no matter the scenario, she has left fans and journalists alike with their mouths agape, including myself. If it weren’t for the sheer offensive basketball brilliance of Caitlin Clark at Iowa, I’d reckon I’ve never seen anything like this before. Even then, Blakes has capped off an absurd stretch of basketball that feels more like a video game than reality.
The nation’s leading scorer (27.1 points per game) snapped the aforementioned Clark’s record for most consecutive 30-point games against ranked teams with five in a row. Blakes also became the first SEC player this century to average 30 points per game during conference play, eclipsing that mark in 10 of her 16 SEC games this season.
In her final three games of the regular season, she delivered an encore. Against No. 16 Kentucky, Blakes put up 35 points to help the Commodores squeeze out a victory. Blakes helped ignite Vanderbilt’s blowout of No. 24 Alabama by scoring 13 of her 35 points in the first quarter. Then, on the road against rival Tennessee, Blakes put up 34 points to secure the Commodores’ second-ever win in Knoxville. Across these three games, Blakes shot over 50% from the field and from deep while playing for 40 minutes in two of the three contests.
In all due respect to the other stars that make women’s college basketball so riveting, no one is shining brighter than Blakes.
While Blakes is the sharpest weapon in the Vanderbilt arsenal, the support around her recently has been equally dangerous, especially with Sacha Washington and Galvan. Washington, although not playing against Kentucky, delivered the Commodores two solid performances in the post.
The undersized yet scrappy forward had an all-around game against Alabama, posting 17 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals. Then, against Tennessee, she almost had her eighth double-double of the year as she secured 16 points and 8 rebounds against the Lady Volunteers.
A part of this uptick in production for Washington has been her developed connection with Galvan, the 5’6 on-court reincarnation of the flashy Jason “White Chocolate” Williams. Even though Blakes is the dominant scorer for the Commodores, I’d argue that Galvan might be the most fun to watch in all phases of play. She’s tenacious, unpredictable and refuses to shy away from the big moments, even as a freshman.
Across the final three games, Galvan has averaged 17 points, 6.3 assists and 2 steals per contest. Her best highlight came against Kentucky where, with 12 seconds left and the Commodores trailing by one point, Galvan dribbled through the defense and drained a go-ahead mid-range shot over the outstretched hand of a defender nearly a foot taller than her.
With Galvan and Washington playing some of their best basketball at the right time, Blakes has a proper support system to lean on. With possible matchups against well-rounded, deep units like Texas, South Carolina and LSU awaiting them in the SEC Tournament, Vanderbilt will need the supporting cast to show up more than ever.
With a historic regular season over, the Commodores’ sights are now set forward. A fantastic regular season is one thing, but to perform when it is win-or-go-home is another. The accolades and accomplishments garnered by Vanderbilt and its players so far this season are remarkable, but both the team and its supporters know that Vanderbilt is capable of much more.
As the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament, the Commodores won’t play until the quarterfinals. That means the path between Vanderbilt and its first SEC Tournament title since 2009 is just three victories. At the moment, the Commodores await the winner of Ole Miss and Texas A&M/Auburn.
Regardless of Vanderbilt’s result at the SEC Tournament, the bigger prize awaits in the NCAA Tournament. According to Charlie Creme, Vanderbilt is projected to be a No. 2 seed with a first-round matchup against Navy. In Shea Ralph’s first two tournament appearances, the Commodores made swift first-round exits. This year, a first-round exit would be a massive disappointment.
With the beginning of the postseason, Vanderbilt is in the perfect position to strike gold. The Commodores have the right players, the right coaching and have been endlessly battle-tested.
The expectations are certainly high. But, if anyone is prepared to shatter those goals, it is the 2025-26 Vanderbilt Commodores.
Vanderbilt will play in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament against an opponent to be determined Friday, March 6, at 5 p.m. CST.
The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Subscribe to Updates
Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.
Memorial Minutes: Sky’s the limit – The Vanderbilt Hustler
