No. 5/4 Vanderbilt women’s basketball continued its historic start Thursday night, cruising past Auburn 81–53 at Memorial Gymnasium to remain undefeated and improve to 6–0 in SEC play for the first time in program history.
The victory extended Vanderbilt’s school-record winning streak to 20 games, as the Commodores improved to 20–0 on the season. Vanderbilt became just the sixth SEC program since 1999–2000 to reach a 20-game winning streak and is now one of only two undefeated teams remaining in NCAA Division I.
Vanderbilt showcased its depth once again, placing four players in double figures. Sophomore Mikayla Blakes led the way with 20 points and five assists, extending her SEC-leading double-digit scoring streak to 39 games. Graduate forward Sacha Washington recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 18 points and 12 rebounds, moving into fifth place on Vanderbilt’s all-time rebounding list.
Freshman point guard Aubrey Galvan added her second career double-double with 15 points and 10 assists, while senior Justine Pissott chipped in 10 points to extend her career-high scoring streak to five games.
After a tight first half, the Commodores seized control in the third quarter with an 18–2 run, turning a narrow lead into a commanding advantage. Vanderbilt pushed the margin as high as 31 points in the fourth quarter before closing out the 28-point win.
The Commodores shot 50 percent from the field, dominated the glass with a 44–25 rebounding advantage, and forced 19 Auburn turnovers, converting them into 22 points. Vanderbilt also held a 15–2 edge in second-chance points.
With the win, Vanderbilt closed the first half of conference play unbeaten and now turns its attention to a top-five road showdown against No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday.
