Vanderbilt women’s basketball is embracing joy in its 2025-26 season that has been one of the best in program history.
Shea Ralph, Mikayla Blakes and the rest of the squad are competitors, but they’ve found a new superpower in having fun. That’s been part of the secret that’s led No. 5 Vanderbilt (27-3) to a record 13 SEC wins and the No. 2 seed in the SEC tournament. The Commodores will begin play in the quarterfinals on March 6 (6 p.m. CT, SEC Network) in Greenville, South Carolina.
“As I reflected on the last few years here, I’m probably more competitive than anyone, and I hate losing, and I love winning,” Ralph said on March 2. “And I think what I remembered was that the experience that I’m laying out for the players, the experience that was laid out for me as a player, is what they’re going to remember the most.
“We’ve had a lot of players come through here and not win. This team is winning. That would be a huge part of what we’re doing right now. But they remember the experience they had.”
Vanderbilt’s players make “get ready with me” TikToks on gamedays. They do funny celebrations on the bench. They’re here to win championships, but they want to have fun while doing it.
“When you don’t have joy, the fun starts to die out,” said Blakes, the SEC’s newly crowned player of the year. “And that’s the main thing I’ve kind of been focusing on this year. It’s been ongoing with basketball, but just trying to find the joy in it, so I’m able to provide for my teammates and give them some energy as well.”
This team is about to start the grind of March with high expectations. Here’s what else to know:
Vanderbilt has a bye directly into the quarterfinals. As the 2-seed, the Commodores will face either the 7-, 10- or 15-seed. The 10 and 15 seeds, Texas A&M and Auburn, are teams Vanderbilt beat handily earlier this season. But the 7-seed is Ole Miss, one of only two SEC teams (including South Carolina) the Commodores have never beaten under Ralph.
The Rebels handed Vanderbilt one of its three losses in January in a neutral-site matchup in Birmingham, Alabama.
In the latest release of the top 16 seeds by the NCAA tournament selection committee, released March 1 before Vanderbilt’s win over Tennessee, Texas was the final No. 1 seed while the Commodores were the top 2-seed.
Vanderbilt defeated Texas in a matchup at Memorial Gymnasium in February, but the Longhorns have better overall metrics.
A second win over the Longhorns would be a significant statement, and the Commodores will have the chance if both win their quarterfinal games. That game, the semifinal, could be a play-in for the NCAA’s final No. 1 seed.
Vanderbilt pulled off a sweep of the three biggest SEC postseason awards with Blakes winning player of the year, Aubrey Galvan winning SEC Freshman of the Year and Ralph being named SEC Coach of the Year.
Blakes this season has thrived in matchups against ranked teams and big-name opponents. She had five 30-point games against ranked opponents, including twice against Kentucky as well as LSU, Texas and Oklahoma. She also scored 34 points against rival Tennessee.
“If you’re sleeping on us, it’s time to wake up,” Ralph said. “Pay attention because we play the right way. We’re a fun team to watch.”
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.
