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Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball (3-0, 0-0 SEC) earned a 102-50 victory over the Morehead State Eagles. Extending their win streak to three, the Commodores brought the energy, drive and power to dominate in Memorial Gymnasium.
“I want us to be the best show in town,” head coach Shea Ralph said after the game. “I want us to fill up the stands whether at home or in the stands.”
From the exhilarating opening explosion to the unrelenting full court press, here are three main takeaways that defined the Black and Gold’s third victory.
After just two minutes, the Commodores already dominated the game 8-0, with early points scored by their star-studded trio of Mikayla Blakes, Aubrey Galvan and Mia Woolfolk. The success continued as the Black and Gold led 28-10 by the end of the first quarter. What made the Commodores’ energy notable wasn’t just their on-court collaboration or suffocating full-court press, but also their steadfast rebounds and ability to create a shield to minimize any attempts the Eagles had at reaching the basket. Most prominently, Blake led the ’Dores in the first half with eight points, followed by four points each from Galvan and Woolfolk.
By the end of the second quarter Vanderbilt dominated 53-28, having created a large leading margin between itself and Morehead.
The primary reason Vanderbilt was able to continue shooting basket after basket was its remarkably stifling defensive skills. By halftime, Vanderbilt already accumulated 13 turnovers, having picked up 10 team steals compared to Morehead State’s lone steal by Millie Pearson. Vanderbilt’s plentiful steals were attributed to Vernell Atamah, Aubrey Galvan, Olivia Jones and Jhai Johnson with two steals each, along with Blakes and Aiyana Mitchell chipping one steal each.
Beyond their steal numbers, the Commodores’ perimeter containment and elite paint protection heavily disrupted Morehead State’s game plan during the first half. Early in the first quarter, the Black and Gold locked down the perimeter, holding Morehead State to simply three attempts from beyond the arc. After they eliminated the presence of the three-point line, the Commodores forced the Eagles into low-percentage, contested mid-range shots — significantly reducing the Eagles’ opportunities to rack up points and giving the Commodores the upper-hand.
A third contributor to Vanderbilt’s deadly defense was its interior protection and forced turnover efficiency. By halftime, Vanderbilt had already earned four blocks, effectively turning the paint into a playless zone for the opposing team. INearly every single Eagle giveaway was a direct result of a Commodore defender creating a play on the ball.
This suffocating combination limited Morehead State to a mere 37.5% from the field in the first half.
While there was no shortage of all-star players on the court, including Blakes with 25 points and Woolfolk with six rebounds, freshman talent also made major contributions to the win.
Specifically, true freshman Jhai Johnson continued her defensive tear, holding firm with two major steals and one block. Her talents were primarily utilized defensively with her 6-foot-3 frame defending physically on the glass which led to her four total rebounds, (two offensive, two defensive) by the end of the night.
Alongside Johnson was true freshman Olivia Jones. Entering the match as a starter, Jones immediately asserted her dominance by applying consistent defensive pressure and making two steals within the first half. Throughout the game, her relentless ball pressure forced turnovers from Morehead State’s ball handlers, helping the Commodores build a scoring cushion that more than doubled the Eagles’ total.
Vanderbilt will return to Memorial Gymnasium Wednesday, Nov. 11, to face the Western Kentucky Big Reds at 6:30 p.m. CDT
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