It was a hard-fought battle between No. 7 Vanderbilt and No. 16 Kentucky. But Vanderbilt found a way through. And Mikayla Blakes just explained exactly how.

Vanderbilt controlled most of the first half. Kentucky answered late, though. The Wildcats closed the period on a 13–2 run over the final four minutes and swung the momentum. Still, the Commodores refused to fold.

“When things weren’t going our way, we could’ve dipped when we went down,” Blakes explained after the game. “But we came together. We said we’re going to win this game, and we’re going to win it together.”

She backed those words up with a 37-point performance, which also marked her 43rd straight contest scoring in double figures. Not just that, she's now the only D1 player with the most (7 games)with 30+ points.

But as she said, she wasn't alone in driving the team towards one point win as Vanderbilt played “together”. And that unity is its biggest advantage. 

It gives the Commodores the ability to win close, physical road games in the SEC,  even against ranked opponents. Even today, it was no different.

How Vanderbilt Defeated Kentucky?

Vanderbilt struggled with Kentucky’s physicality in the third quarter. The frustration was visible. But in the fourth, the Commodores responded.

Despite being undersized against Kentucky’s length, Aubrey Galvan delivered a key and-one layup. The play sent Kentucky’s star point guard into double foul trouble.

Blakes, meanwhile, faced the adversity of her own. She was stripped of the ball on back-to-back possessions. On the third, she was fouled hard. She calmly stepped to the line and broke the scoring drought with free throws.

And the composure didn’t stop there. With seconds remaining, Galvan returned to the line. She knocked down both free throws to seal a gritty road win over a Top 20 team.

So clearly, Vanderbilt’s unity stood out, keeping them both steady and dangerous. A real problem for opponents.

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Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Joyita Das