Women’s Basketball: Vanderbilt defeats Alabama, 85-60, in final home game of regular season – The Vanderbilt Hustler

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No. 5 Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball took on No. 23 Alabama in its last home game of the regular season Feb. 26. The Crimson Tide kept the game close in the first half, but the ’Dores pulled away in the last two quarters for an 85-60 win to improve to 26-3 (12-3 SEC) on the season. This marks the first time in program history the team has gone undefeated at home.  
“Everybody’s trying to win the SEC. Everybody’s trying to win national championships. Everybody’s trying to recruit the best players in the country. I got the right kids, though,” head coach Shea Ralph said after the game. “I got the right people here, and, man, I love coaching them, so I’m not surprised at the things that we’re doing because they’re such a special group. I just don’t want it to end, and I know they don’t want it to end either. And we’ve got a long way to go.”
First quarter
Vanderbilt won the opening tip and gained an early lead with a 3-pointer by Justine Pissott in the team’s second possession of the game. Alabama followed with a layup and a 3-pointer of its own, making the score 5-3. Pissott countered with another score from beyond the arc before fouling Ta’Mia Scott, who made both of her free throws.
Mikayla Blakes scored her first 3 points of the game to take the Commodores up by 5. The Crimson Tide followed close behind and were down 2 points at the first media timeout, but the Commodores maintained their lead for the rest of the quarter
A Blakes jump shot worth 2 points was countered by a layup from Jones, followed shortly by 3 more points from Aubrey Galvan. The Crimson Tide closed the gap to trail by one point after an and-one by Karly Weathers. A layup by Pissott was quickly followed by a 3-point shot by Blakes to take the Commodores to a 6-point lead. Blakes extended the lead to 8, and an offensive foul on Alabama during the next play put the ball back in Vanderbilt’s hands.
The ’Dores closed the first quarter with a 3-pointer by Blakes to make the score 28-16, the largest lead of the game so far. Vanderbilt shot 50% in the first quarter, led by Blakes with 14 points and Pissott with 8 points.
Second quarter
The Commodores and Crimson Tide went back and forth on field goals to start the second quarter, with Washington scoring 2 points before Blakes went to the line, making one of her two shots in the ’Dores’ first free throws of the game.
Vanderbilt racked up three fouls on Aiyana Mitchell, Galvan and Ava Black before a media timeout with 6:03 left in the quarter. The Crimson Tide closed the gap to 31-29 after the timeout, but a layup by Mitchell once again extended Vanderbilt’s lead to 4.
After a few missed shots by Vanderbilt, a block by Mitchell kept Alabama from scoring and put the ball back on Vanderbilt’s side of the court following a review of the play. On a fast break after a missed layup by Alabama, Jada Brown hit a triple for her first points of the game. With a minute to play in the half, Weathers scored 3 for the Crimson Tide to make the score 36-32 to end the half.
Despite outscoring the Commodores 16-8 in the second quarter, the Crimson Tide only made 33.3% of their field goal attempts compared to 42.9% in the first quarter. The Commodores’ shooting slowed down this quarter, going 3-12 in field goals and only shooting 11.1% from behind the arc.
Third quarter
The ’Dores came out hot in the second half with an 12-0 scoring run. Three-point plays from Pissott, Blakes and Washington combined with another 3-pointer from Blakes extended Vanderbilt’s lead to 15, for a score of 47-32.
Scott went to the line for an and-one play, but Blakes quickly countered with two good free throws of her own. Mitchell knocked in a layup on a fast break, and Blakes added 2 more points before Alabama scored again with 4:46 left in the quarter, making the score 54-40.
Galvan made a layup after an offensive rebound before Blakes scored her fifth 3-pointer of the night, and Alabama took a timeout. Washington ended a 4-0 run by the Crimson Tide with a layup to make the score 61-44. A block by Washington gave the ball back to the ’Dores, and Blakes sunk both free throws after drawing a foul.
Blakes scored 3 as the clock expired in the third quarter, taking Vanderbilt to a 67-48 lead over Alabama.
Fourth quarter
A 3-point play by Alabama’s Essence Cody started the scoring in the final quarter, followed shortly by a layup from Washington and one of two made free throws by Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda.
Vanderbilt maintained its lead, exchanging points with the Crimson Tide. A layup by Washington and a jumper by Galvan in the paint made the score 74-58 heading into a media timeout with 5:00 left in the game.
Washington made two free throws and then scored 2 more after back-and-forth plays with three consecutive steals, putting the Black and Gold ahead with a comfortable 22-point lead with 2:48 to play.
It was smooth sailing for Vanderbilt for the rest of the game, as Mwenentanda sank two free throws and Aga Makurat hit a triple, part of a 13-point run for the ’Dores. The Crimson Tide couldn’t come back, and the game ended with a final score of 85-60.
Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball will return to the court March 1 in Knoxville, Tennessee, as they face the Volunteers.
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