The stakes are high as No. 16 Kentucky faces off against No.
5 Vanderbilt today. While Kentucky doesn't need a win to secure hosting rights for the NCAA Tournament's first and second rounds, a victory would certainly bolster their chances.
Last time these two teams met, it was a nail-biter. Kentucky had a nine-point lead at Memorial Coliseum on February 5, but Vanderbilt surged back to win 83-82, thanks in large part to freshman sensation Mikayla Blakes. Blakes, the nation’s top scorer at 26.2 points per game, was unstoppable in the fourth quarter, leading to seven lead changes throughout the game.
Coach Kenny Brooks and his Kentucky squad will need to clean up their play this time around. In their previous matchup, Kentucky committed 20 turnovers, leading to 25 points for Vanderbilt, while the Commodores only turned the ball over six times. Despite this, Kentucky shot an impressive 58.4 percent from the field and dominated the boards with a 39-21 rebounding advantage.
Kentucky's offensive performance in that game was historic. They became the only Division I women’s team in the past 23 years to score at least 83 points, shoot over 56 percent from the field, hit at least 60 percent from two-point range, and over 50 percent from beyond the arc, while making at least 10 three-pointers and securing a rebounding margin of plus 18 against an AP top 10 opponent.
Vanderbilt, on the other hand, has had a strong season, including impressive wins against top 10 teams like Oklahoma and Texas. However, they stumbled in their last outing with a narrow loss at Georgia.
Kentucky comes into this game well-rested after a week off. They recently dismantled Ole Miss in the first quarter and held on for a solid win.
Before that, they suffered a loss at No. 4 Texas but bounced back with a victory at Texas A&M, highlighted by scoring runs of 16-0 and 19-0 against A&M and Ole Miss, respectively.
Vanderbilt’s offensive prowess is largely due to Blakes, as they rank eighth nationally in scoring at 85 points per game and are 16th in field goal percentage. They’re also deadly from beyond the arc, averaging 9.7 three-pointers per game, ranking them fifth in the nation.
Today's showdown has been moved to a 4 p.m. EST start on ESPN2, with Sam Gore and Brooke Weisbrod calling the action. It’s set to be an exciting clash, with both teams looking to make a statement as the postseason looms.