The 11th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores secured their first top-10 win of the season, beating No. 5 LSU 65-61 on January 4 at Memorial Gymnasium. Mikayla Blakes led the victory with 32 points, including crucial plays in the fourth quarter. LSU dropped to 14-2 overall and 0-2 in SEC play, while Vanderbilt improved to 15-0 and 2-0 in conference.
The game tipped off at 4 p.m. CT on ESPN, with Vanderbilt starting strong. In the first quarter, the Commodores led 15-12, forcing eight turnovers from LSU. Mikayla Blakes scored 11 of Vanderbilt's points early, including all 10 in the opening minutes as her team built a 10-5 advantage with five forced turnovers.
LSU mounted a comeback in the second quarter, embarking on an 11-0 run to take a 28-22 halftime lead. The Tigers shot 42.9% from the field (12-of-28) and grabbed 24 rebounds to Vanderbilt's 12, while both teams made two three-pointers. Vanderbilt struggled offensively, scoring just seven points in the period and shooting 25.9% (7-of-27).
The third quarter remained competitive, with LSU scoring early but Vanderbilt drawing fouls to enter the bonus. The Commodores outscored the Tigers by five points in the frame, narrowing the gap to 43-42 entering the fourth.
The final quarter was tense, as the teams traded leads. Trailing by seven, Vanderbilt responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Jada Brown and Blakes, cutting the deficit to one at 49-48 with 5:21 remaining. An 8-0 run midway through gave the Commodores their first second-half lead. Blakes sealed the win with a driving layup off a turnover, followed by another layup after an offensive rebound on her missed and-one, putting Vanderbilt up by six. With nine seconds left, she added a free throw for a 65-61 lead, and LSU failed to score on its final possession.
Both teams shot 43.3% (13-of-30) in the second half, but Vanderbilt's eight three-pointers outpaced LSU's one, allowing the Commodores to outscore the Tigers 43-33 after halftime. Blakes finished 10-of-25 from the field, 3-of-? from three, and 9-of-12 from the line, with 11 points in the first quarter and 15 in the fourth.
For LSU, Jada Richard and MiLaysia Fulwiley each scored 13 points, with Richard going 5-of-10 and Fulwiley 6-of-13. Mikaylah Williams added 12 points, and ZaKiyah Johnson had 10. Vanderbilt's win marks a strong SEC home opener under coach Shea Ralph, despite a preseason season-ending injury to Madison Greene.
