Vanderbilt Commodores’ exploits to get their season back on track following two defeats culminated in an 84-83 thriller against Kentucky. It was a precise display of offensive movement on the court from Shea Ralph’s team at the Memorial Coliseum to win their second straight game. However, when you focus on the game stats, the marginal win was driven largely by just one Vanderbilt player, Mikayla Blakes, whose record night led head coach Ralph to make an eye-opening claim.

Blakes played all 40 minutes and dropped 37 points, adding yet another 30-plus outing to her impressive season and further cementing her status as Vanderbilt’s offensive engine. Notably, the Vanderbilt guard scored 19 of these points in the fourth quarter, when her team trailed 54-58. Her layup, followed by a 27-foot three-pointer, initially set the tone for Ralph’s team and handed them a 59-58 lead, and Vanderbilt never had to break a sweat from that moment. Speaking of this clutch in the post-match, head coach Ralph couldn’t help but praise Blake.

“I think she’s the best player in the country,” Ralph said. “She is because in the moments we need her to do whatever it is that we need to do, her defensively, offensively, in the hurdle, in the locker room, that kid shows up every moment.” Blakes has been Vanderbilt’s talisman throughout the 2025-26 season. She is averaging 25.1 points, the third highest in the country, while also leading her team in steals.

This two-way play has helped head coach Ralph refine her tactics, which have been reflected in their aggressive play this season. The Vanderbilt head coach didn’t hesitate to highlight how Blakes’ advent complemented her team’s growth into a basketball powerhouse. For instance, before Blakes’ debut season, the last top-ten finish going into the postseason was back in 2014. However, with her, Vanderbilt is truly poised to achieve two straight top-ten finishes in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.

“She’s a sophomore who came to Vanderbilt when we weren’t very good, and said, “This is what I’m going to do. I’m going to come here, I’m gonna bet on myself, and I’m gonna turn help a program around, and leave a legacy of my own”, Shea Ralph added. “And I told her this is what I came here to do. We both could have rode off into the sunset, where it’s more comfortable. But we bet on ourselves and bet on each other, and we’ve changed the trajectory of this program.”

Besides Mikayla Blakes, the Vanderbilt Commodores also received important contributions from Sacha Washington in the Kentucky game. Her late fourth-quarter flourish helped the team immensely. Aubrey Galvan also added 16 points to help Blakes keep the hosts at bay despite Teonni Key’s season-high 27 points.

The Commodores are 22-2 and 8-2 this season and are in a comfortable spot with this win. However, with their long stretch of games in the upcoming weeks, Blakes and co. can’t afford to put the brakes on.

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How Can Mikayla Blakes Help Shea Ralph and Vanderbilt in Their Upcoming Ranked Contests?

Mikayla Blakes’ expertise on the court lies in offense. While there’s no doubt on her two-way skill set, the opposition rim is where Blakes tends to do the damage. With precise shooting from open play and high athletic display, Blakes has bailed out her team on most occasions this season. And it will be even more important with her team’s upcoming difficult stretch of games.

No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners is up next for the Commodores next week on Monday, followed by No. 4 Texas Longhorns. Vanderbilt has a nearly 53.4% winning margin against the Sooners, per ESPN. However, with Aaliyah Chavez in fine form, the Commodores and Blakes have a formidable challenge on their hands. Moreover, the Sooners are a decent defensive side and have allowed just 63.4 ppg.

Thus, Blakes will have a two-way role in defending the rim against Chavez and co., as well as doing the bulk of the scoring. On the other hand, Blakes will have to emphasize her offense against No. 4 Texas, given that the Longhorns are a high-scoring team and the game could be a high-scoring affair.

These two games would be interesting to see how the Commodores fare against top-ranked teams, especially after losses to South Carolina and Ole Miss. Moreover, with Blakes, other players will also have to shoulder more of the team’s load. For instance, only three players from the Commodores average over ten points this season: Justine Pissott at 11.5 and Aubrey Galvan at 11.7, and the third one is Mikayla Blakes with a staggering 25.1.

Thus, it’s quite understandable that Blakes has done much of the heavy lifting in points this season. While it doesn’t raise concerns in the regular season for the Commodores, the over-reliance on Blakes can cost them come March Madness. However, for now, you can expect another Blakes’ show in the upcoming games against Texas and Oklahoma. Don’t forget to sit with a tub of popcorn for these exciting clashes.