After steamrolling three consecutive ranked opponents, No. 5 Vanderbilt’s matchup against unranked Georgia was supposed to be a cakewalk. It wasn’t. Against all odds, the unranked Bulldogs turned up on the day and handed Shea Ralph’s team a 76-75 back-and-forth loss, staging a colossal upset in SEC play. While the game was alarming for the No. 5 Commodores just ahead of March Madness, head coach Ralph refused to pin the blame on her team; instead, she shouldered the fall herself.

Speaking at the post-game press conference, the Vanderbilt head coach admitted she didn’t live up to her responsibility to brief and prepare her team amid a hectic week of SEC play.

“I’m really proud that we fought put of the hole early on,” Ralph said. “This team hasn’t been here before. And I think when I look at the way they fought today, the opportunities we had, we weren’t able to take advantage of. When I look at the week we just had, and I think about the preparation, I could have done a better job preparing them today. So, that’s always how I feel.”

Vanderbilt’s last 10 days in SEC play have been commendable. Ralph’s team got the better of No. 16 Kentucky, No. 10 Oklahoma, and No. 4 Texas in a single stretch, clearly validating why the team is being considered a firm favorite for the Big Dance. However, if you read between the lines of their schedule, you can find these three games, along with the Georgia game, in a mere 10-day stretch, and Ralph clearly highlighted it in her interview.

“And when I look at the way we play today, I think we’ll learn a bit about how we play leading up when we have game after game this late in the season,” Ralph said in her presser. “We have some big wins, and what that looks for our team is that we need to respond a little better.”

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Ralph’s assessment clearly indicates how protective a coach she is, especially in defeats. However, it can’t be denied that Ralph’s team had some shortcomings in the Georgia game. The team’s shooting from both the perimeter and open play was cold. The Commodores scored just 23-62 from open play and 8-26 from the three-point line.

This is where Ralph’s team was marginalized in a tightrope game. The Bulldogs hit back with an impressive 56% from open play and 44% from the perimeter, splitting Vanderbilt’s defenses perfectly. Mikayla Blakes continued her Player of the Year-winning season and combined with Justine Pissott for 50 points. But the initial seven-point lead that the Commodores conceded in the first quarter, courtesy of Dani Carnegie’s precise shooting and combined 11 points right after tipoff, set the tone for Georgia.

Notably, this was Vanderbilt’s first defeat to an unranked team this season (following defeats to South Carolina and Ole Miss). And it couldn’t come at a more alarming time of the season for them. But despite that, Shea Ralph isn’t buying into pressing the panic button, at least for now.

Shea Ralph Expresses Optimism for Her Team as She Highlights Vanderbilt’s Way Forward Following Georgia Upset

Despite the defeat, the Vanderbilt Commodores are well and truly in for a National Championship spot. They are currently 24-3 and 10-3 this season, but have ample room to improve in some areas. They do have a three-game stretch to work on their shortcomings, and head coach Shea Ralph is quite confident that her team won’t get bogged down.

“I talk all the time, whether we’re in her talking about a win or we’ve taken a loss. It’s just we have to stick to the process of continuously improving. So today, it wasn’t, it ******. I don’t like to lose, but there’s a lot that we can take away that will make us a better team. This isn’t a loss that ends our season. We have a lot of time now to continue to work on becoming better, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

However, going forward in the season, Vanderbilt’s shooting can’t be as slack as it was on Sunday. And, come March Madness, they won’t even have an option other than being precise. Besides shooting, the Commodores boast formidable ball security and tight defense that would allow Ralph to build upon it even further.

Three ranked teams await them for the rest of the season. No. 18 Kentucky is next for them, followed by No. 23 Alabama and No. 22 Tennessee. These games will give Ralph the exact trial of fire she wants to test their shortcomings and prepare their foundations for the National Championships next month.

For now, their immediate focus will be on the Kentucky Wildcats on February 22. The tipoff is scheduled at 3:00 PM EST at the Memorial Gymnasium. Who are you cheering for in this top-tier SEC game? Do let us know in the comments.