The Vanderbilt Commodores are back, and that means a lot of things — but one of the most important is that anyone choosing to ignore Mikayla Blakes at this point in the game is doing so at their own peril.
Blakes is beginning her junior year with the program, and it's probably going to be a mighty season. She was a major part of the team's 112-52 win over Lipscomb Monday, a game in which the team ended up recording the most points since 2010. Blakes had 29 points, nine rebounds, six assists, four steals, and two blocks.
Aubrey Galvan, who many consider to be the Robin to Blakes' Batman, had 16 points and 11 assists; Mia Woolfolk had 15 points and five rebounds, and Madison Greene added on 19 points and four steals. Last season, Vanderbilt focused on playing whole-team basketball, and if this game was any indication, they're doing more of the same in the 2026-27 season.
There's little doubt the program wants to make it to the Final Four this season, and Blakes is more than equipped to get them there. But the road will be different; the Commodores saw a lot of seniors graduate last year, and that means the team is working differently this time around. She and Galvan are primed to be the team's offensive engine, whether that means they're picking up what the other puts down or working in tandem to stealthily and steadily decimate their opponents, one by one.
They won't have it easy. The Commodores play in the SEC, which is still the toughest conference in the collegiate season. No win is ever easy or guaranteed no matter who you're playing, and they play some heavy hitters. That list includes South Carolina and Texas, and Vanderbilt will also have to keep at least one eye on Tennessee and Georgia as often as they can.
But if there's a player who can handle all of that and more, it's Blakes. She's very nearly always unflappable on the court, and seems to be the type of person who is born to lead. She has the full trust of her coaching staff and vice versa; everyone at Vanderbilt understands who she is and what she can do.
Now, all's that left is for her to do it, game by game, match by match. Mikayla Blakes is no stranger to hard work, and she knows what's expected — this season is just about getting it.
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