Tiger Hunt Continues – Vanderbilt University Athletics

No. 7/6 Commodores welcome Missouri to the Music City on Thursday for a 6:30 p.m. contest on SEC Network+
No. 7/6 Vanderbilt (15-0, 2-0 SEC) vs. Missouri (12-5 0-2 SEC)
Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 • 6:30 p.m.
Memorial Gymnasium • Nashville, Tenn. • SEC Network+
94.9 The Fan • Vanderbilt Athletics App • Live Stats • Game Program • Game Notes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 7/6-ranked Vanderbilt women’s basketball team concludes its brief two-game SEC homestand Thursday, as the Commodores take on Missouri. Tipoff from Memorial Gymnasium is set for 6:30 p.m., and streams live on SEC Network+.
Starting Five
>> The Dores head into Thursday coming off its first win over a top-five ranked program since the 2008-09 season. Vandy knocked off then-No. 5/5 LSU, 65-61, at Memorial Gym this past Sunday. Sophomore Mikayla Blakes recorded her second-straight 30-point outing, as the All-American scored a game-high 32 points.
>> Vanderbilt moved into the top 10 in both major college women’s basketball polls this week, as the Commodores are ranked No. 7 in the Associated Press top 25 and No. 6 in the USA Today/WBCA coaches poll. It is the first time that Vandy has been ranked inside the top ten in both polls since the 2006-07 season.
>> The Commodores are off to the second-best start in program history, as Vandy stands at 15-0 coming into Thursday. The 15-straight wins to open the 2025-26 campaign are second only to the 1992-93 Final Four team’s 17-straight victories to begin that season.
>> Vanderbilt is riding a 10-game winning streak at Memorial Gym, dating back to last season, coming into the matchup against Missouri. Vandy is 56-21 at home under Ralph’s direction, while the Dores are 15-18 in SEC play at Memorial Gym in the Ralph era.
>> The Dores and Tigers from Missouri meet for the 16th time in a series that dates back to the 2012-13 season. Missouri holds a 10-5 lead in the series, though Vanderbilt has won each of the last two games. Vandy is 2-3 vs. Missouri under head coach Shea Ralph, while the Commodores are 1-6 all-time at Memorial Gym against the Tigers from Columbia.
Game Coverage
Thursday’s contest streams live on SEC Network+ at 6:30 p.m. in the ESPN app. Andrew Allegretta and Drew Maddux will be on the call. Fans can listen to Jake Lyman locally on 94.9 The Fan and the Vanderbilt Commodores app outside of Nashville.
National Rankings
The Commodores came in at No. 7 in the Associated Press top 25 and No. 6 in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches poll this week. It marks the program’s highest ranking in either poll since the 2006-07season.
It is the highest ranking for the Commodores in the Associated Press poll since coming in at No. 9 in the Week 18 poll during the 2006-07 season. It is also Vandy’s highest appearance in the USA Today/WBCA coaches poll since being ranked No. 8 in the Week 19 poll of the same season.
NET Ranking
Vanderbilt holds a NET ranking of 13 heading into Sunday’s contest. Vandy has collected one Quad 1 win, three Quad 2 victories and four Quad 3 wins through the first 15 games this season.
The Dores opened the season at No. 12 in the first NET rankings of the 2025-26 season. The NET is an evaluation tool used by the NCAA Selection Committee to determine seeding and bids.
Undefeated
Vanderbilt has won all 15 of its games this season, coming into Thursday. The Commodores are one of four undefeated teams remaining in NCAA Division I this season, and they are also one of two unbeaten SEC teams.
Blakes and Galvan Earn SEC Weekly Honors
Vanderbilt’s backcourt duo of Mikayla Blakes and Aubrey Galvan picked up a weekly award from the conference office on Tuesday, as Blakes was named SEC Co-Player of the Week and Galvan was selected as SEC Co-Freshman of the Week. It is the second time each player has earned a weekly accolade from the SEC this season.
Nationally Recognized
The national honors are rolling in for Vanderbilt women’s basketball All-American Mikayla Blakes this week, as the sophomore has picked up weekly national honors from four different major media outlets.
Blakes averaged 33.5 points, 6.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game to help the Commodores win back-to-back SEC games to open league play. The Somerset, New Jersey, native’s efforts earned her National Player of the Week selections from the Naismith Trophy, the Associated Press, and the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). Blakes was also named to the NCAA’s Starting 5 for this week.
The sophomore put on a show in front of a nationally-televised audience on ESPN, as Blakes scored 32 points and dished out four assists to help the Dores defeat No. 5/5 LSU, 65-61, at Memorial Gym this past Sunday.
Scouting the Tigers
Missouri holds a 12-5 overall record and a 0-2 mark in SEC play. The Tigers are ranked No. 82 in the latest NET ranking. Mizzou is coming off a 74-52 loss at then-No. 11/12 Kentucky this past Sunday. The Tigers are in their first season under the direction of Kellie Harper, who coached in the SEC for five seasons at Tennessee.
Junior Grace Slaughter leads a trio of Tigers averaging double-digit points this season, as the guard is scoring at 18.7 points per game. Junior Shannon Dowell is putting up 16.4 points per contest, while senior Jordana Reisma chips in 10.5 points per outing.
The Tigers average 75.1 points per game. Defensively, they allow 69.6 points to the opposition. Missouri is shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and 38.1 percent from behind the arc. Defensively, the Tigers allow opponents to shoot 39.2 percent from the field and 31.6 percent beyond the 3-point line.
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