Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball Faces Setback Against Ole Miss

News Summary

In a challenging start to their SEC road season, the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team fell to Ole Miss with a final score of 87-59. This loss marked the end of their seven-game winning streak in true road games and left them with a SEC record of 1-2. Despite the defeat, standout performances included Iyana Moore, who scored 14 points, and freshman Mikayla Blakes with a career-best 19 points. As Vanderbilt looks to prepare for their next matchup against the ranked LSU team, adjustments will be essential moving forward.

Oxford, Mississippi – A Tough Night for Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball

The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team faced a challenging start to their 2024-25 SEC road season in a game against Ole Miss, resulting in a decisive 87-59 loss. This matchup was their inaugural road game within the SEC, and it did not go as planned for the Commodores.

As they stepped onto the court in Oxford, the Commodores hoped to continue their momentum from a strong start to the season, which left them at an impressive 14-3 overall before this game. However, this defeat puts their SEC record at 1-2, while Ole Miss improved to 11-4 and 2-1 in league play following their victory.

End of a Winning Streak

This loss was particularly hard to swallow as it snapped Vanderbilt’s impressive seven-game winning streak in true road games, dating back to the previous season. A double-digit deficit quickly emerged as Ole Miss showcased their skill, capitalizing on early opportunities and taking control of the game.

With the Commodores trailing 44-25 at halftime, the team struggled to find their rhythm against the host’s defensive pressure. Multiple turnovers plagued their efforts, marking a season-high of 23 turnovers for the Commodores while they managed to force just 18 turnovers from the Rebels. Their shooting percentage sat at 43.4%, while Ole Miss outperformed them with an impressive 52.4%.

Individual Highlights

Despite the team’s struggles, there were notable individual performances that stood out. Senior guard Iyana Moore scored 14 points during the game, marking her tenth consecutive game in double figures. Impressively, she also tied for ninth place on Vanderbilt’s all-time list for three-pointers made, with a total of 173 career 3-pointers, matching fellow player Paige Redman.

Sophomore Khamil Pierre also kept her double-digit scoring streak alive with 11 points, marking her impressive run of 19 games of scoring in double figures – the longest streak for a Commodore since the 2013-14 season. Adding to the mix, freshman Mikayla Blakes led the scoring for Vanderbilt, exploding for a career-best 19 points. This marked her 16th game of the season with double-digit scoring and her third straight game achieving this milestone.

Looking Ahead

As disappointing as this game was, the Commodores are gearing up to face a formidable challenge as they prepare to take on the No. 6/4 ranked LSU in their next contest. Scheduled for Monday at 6 p.m., this matchup could be a turning point for Vanderbilt as they aim to refocus and adjust after the tough loss in Oxford.

Fans eager to catch the game against LSU can find it streaming via the ESPN app with the appropriate login credentials. It’s clear that adjustments will need to be made to respond to the physicality of SEC play this season. The team needs to step up their performance in various aspects of their game to find success moving forward.

The road ahead may be rocky, but for the Vanderbilt Commodores, the spirit of resilience and determination will surely be a driving force as they aim to bounce back and rise to the top in their upcoming battles.