Mikayla Blakes Shatters Records in Thrilling Performance Against Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In a night that will be remembered for its sheer brilliance and historical significance, Mikayla Blakes delivered a performance for the ages. The Vanderbilt freshman etched her name into the annals of college basketball history by scoring an SEC freshman record 53 points. Her remarkable feat came after she sank 16 field goals and 16 free throws, propelling No. 23 Vanderbilt to a 99-86 victory over Florida on Thursday night.
Blakes’ scoring spree was not just a personal triumph but also a historic one. She recorded the second-most points by a freshman in Division I history, trailing only Delaware’s Elena Delle Donne, who scored 54 points in a game against James Madison as a redshirt freshman back in 2010. This achievement places Blakes in an elite category, showcasing her potential to become one of the greats in women’s college basketball.
In her previous outing, Blakes had already turned heads by scoring 33 points in a win over then-No. 19 Alabama. Her previous season high was 36 points against Georgia on January 2. With this latest performance, Blakes has become the only Division I player — men’s or women’s — to score at least 50 points in a game this season. This is a testament to her exceptional talent and ability to rise to the occasion when it matters most.
Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph was effusive in her praise for Blakes, stating, “I told the team in the locker room that Mikayla had one of the most incredible performances that I’ve ever seen as a coach, and I’ve coached a lot of really good players for a long time. And that’s not taking anything away from them. When you see a player like her do what she did tonight, sometimes she makes things that are really, really hard to do look really easy. That’s the sign of someone who is just gifted.”
Blakes’ 53 points also tied the Exactech Arena at O’Connell Center scoring record, a mark set by LSU men’s basketball player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf during the 1988-89 season. Additionally, she became the first Commodore since the 1999-2000 season to have back-to-back games with 30-plus points. This consistency in high-level performance is what sets Blakes apart and makes her a player to watch in the coming years.
Moreover, Blakes set a new Vanderbilt women’s basketball single-game scoring record, surpassing Khamil Pierre‘s previous mark of 42 points, which was set on December 17 against Evansville. On this night, Pierre contributed in other ways, finishing with 11 rebounds and three steals, despite scoring just three points on 1-of-10 shooting for Vanderbilt (18-4, 5-3 SEC).
On the other side of the court, Ra Shaya Kyle put up a valiant effort for Florida (11-11, 2-6), collecting 23 points and 12 rebounds. Despite her impressive performance, it was not enough to counter the Blakes-led Vanderbilt onslaught.
Looking ahead, Vanderbilt will host Mississippi on Sunday, while Florida will hit the road to face Arkansas on Monday. These upcoming games will be crucial for both teams as they continue their respective campaigns in the SEC.
- Blakes’ 53 points set an SEC freshman record.
- She is the only Division I player to score at least 50 points in a game this season.
- Blakes tied the Exactech Arena scoring record set by Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf.
- She broke Vanderbilt’s single-game scoring record previously held by Khamil Pierre.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Originally Written by: ESPN.com
