NASHVILLE, TN – Vanderbilt sophomore guard Mikayla Blakes cemented her name into program history Saturday night, setting the program’s single-season scoring record. Blakes surpassed Wendy Scholtens’ 855 points during a 102-61 first-round NCAA Tournament win over High Point.
Blakes broke the record on an assisted layup midway through the second quarter, extending the Commodores’ lead to 24 points and causing the crowd to erupt inside Memorial Gymnasium.
She wasn’t chasing history at the moment. In fact, she didn’t even know history could happen tonight.
“I didn’t know that,” Blakes said. “I’m just excited. I’m really doing whatever my team needs me to do, trying to get easy buckets. I couldn’t do it without my teammates … and I’m just super thankful.”
Scholtens’ record had stood since the 1989-90 season, untouched for more than three decades.
After the record-breaking night, Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph praised Blakes for her performance and for who she is off the court.
“We are witnessing a generational player,” Ralph said. “Shes built differently. She’s the nicest kid on the planet and will come out on the court and absolutely rip your heart out of your chest.”
Blakes finished with 30 points before subbing out in the fourth quarter. She now sits at 867 points on the season.
Earlier this season, the sophomore guard broke another of Scholtens’ records, earning five SEC Player of the Week honors in a single season.
Lily Grace Kilgore is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.
