Vanderbilt Freshman Mikayla Blakes Sets NCAA and SEC Scoring Records
Freshmen Mikayla Blakes etched her name into history books Thursday night, smashing the NCAA single-game scoring record for freshmen and the SEC single-game scoring record, irrespective of class. Her explosive performance led the No. 23 Vanderbilt Commodores to a 99-86 road victory over the Florida Gators.
Blakes lit up the court,racking up an astounding 53 points on an efficient 16-of-24 shooting from the field. She added 5-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc and an impressive 16-of-18 from the free-throw line. Her stat line was rounded out with three rebounds, two assists, and three steals, showcasing her all-around skillset.
This remarkable performance surpassed the previous NCAA freshman record held by USC star JuJu Watkins, set just 11 months prior.
Highlighting her dominant night was a highlight-reel “circus shot” that left fans amazed.
Naturally,the Commodores celebrated Blakes’ achievement with the iconic wilt Chamberlain-inspired gesture.
Blakes’ 53-point outburst also shattered Vanderbilt’s single-game scoring record, previously held by her teammate Khamil Pierre, who scored 42 points on December 16th.
Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph, a former assistant coach at UConn, was effusive in her praise for Blakes, stating, “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. I think 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.”
This record-setting game was Blakes’ 22nd appearance for Vanderbilt, where she began her collegiate career after being ranked as the No. 8 recruit in the nation by ESPN. She continues to live up to the hype, entering Thursday’s game averaging an impressive 21 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.4 steals per game.
The Commodores, currently 17-4, are experiencing a resurgence under Ralph’s leadership, following a 23-10 season last year after going 12-19 the previous year.
What accolades and rankings did Mikayla Blakes hold prior too her record-breaking game?
Vanderbilt Freshman Mikayla Blakes Sets NCAA and SEC Scoring Records
freshmen Mikayla Blakes etched her name into history books Thursday night, smashing the NCAA single-game scoring record for freshmen and the SEC single-game scoring record, irrespective of class. Her explosive performance led the No. 23 Vanderbilt Commodores to a 99-86 road victory over the Florida Gators.
Blakes lit up the court,racking up an astounding 53 points on an efficient 16-of-24 shooting from the field. She added 5-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc and an impressive 16-of-18 from the free-throw line. Her stat line was rounded out with three rebounds, two assists, and three steals, showcasing her all-around skillset.
This remarkable performance surpassed the previous NCAA freshman record held by USC star JuJu Watkins,set just 11 months prior.
Highlighting her dominant night was a highlight-reel “circus shot” that left fans amazed.
Naturally,the Commodores celebrated Blakes’ achievement with the iconic wilt chamberlain-inspired gesture.
blakes’ 53-point outburst also shattered Vanderbilt’s single-game scoring record, previously held by her teammate Khamil Pierre, who scored 42 points on December 16th.
Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph, a former assistant coach at UConn, was effusive in her praise for Blakes, stating, ”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. I think 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.”
This record-setting game was Blakes’ 22nd appearance for Vanderbilt, where she began her collegiate career after being ranked as the No. 8 recruit in the nation by ESPN. She continues to live up to the hype, entering Thursday’s game averaging an impressive 21 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.4 steals per game.
The Commodores, currently 17-4, are experiencing a resurgence under Ralph’s leadership, following a 23-10 season last year after going 12-19 the previous year.
Q&A
Q: How many points did Mikayla Blakes score in her record-breaking game?
A: Blakes exploded for an astounding 53 points, setting a new NCAA freshman record.
Q: What other records did Blakes break that night?
A: In addition to the NCAA freshman record, she also set the SEC single-game scoring record, surpassing the previous record regardless of class. She also shattered Vanderbilt’s single-game scoring record, previously held by her teammate Khamil Pierre.
Q: Who is Mikayla Blakes?
A: Blakes is a freshman at Vanderbilt University and was ranked the No. 8 recruit in the nation by ESPN coming out of high school. [1](https://vucommodores.com/roster/mikayla-blakes/)
Witnessing history in the making is a truly special experience. Be sure to catch Mikayla Blakes and the Vanderbilt Commodores in action as they continue their impressive season!
