Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt Duo Receive National Recognition For Elite Play

Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes and Khamil Pierre are the only teammates in the nation to average at least 20 points a game and are beginning build resumes for post-season awards.
Taylor Hodges|
Vanderbilt Commodores guard Mikayla Blakes (1) drives to the basket against Texas Longhorns forward Taylor Jones (44) during the second half at Moody Center.
Vanderbilt Commodores guard Mikayla Blakes (1) drives to the basket against Texas Longhorns forward Taylor Jones (44) during the second half at Moody Center. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt women’s basketball team continues to field one of the nation’s best offenses that is spear-headed by two of the nation’s best scorers.

The Commodores’ offense ranks seventh nationally in scoring offense with an average of 84.5 points per game and Mikayla Blakes is seventh in the nation with 22.1 ppg and Khamil Pierre is 11th with 21.2 ppg. The duo are the only pair of teammates to average 20 or more points a game and Blakes leads all freshman nationally in scoring.

The season isn’t over yet, so all three of those rankings could go higher, but what Blakes and Pierre have already done is being recognized. The Atlanta Tipoff Club and Naismith Awards announced this week that Blakes and Pierre have been selected to the 2025 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Midseason Team. Blakes was also named to the John R. Wooden Late Midseason Top 20 watch list.

The Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Midseason Team is compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s board of selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the 2024-25 college basketball season. The Naismith Trophy will be awarded later this season at the 2025 NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa, Fla.

The Commodores return to Memorial Gymnasium Thursday, as Vanderbilt welcomes Mississippi State to the Music City. Tipoff against the Bulldogs is set for 8 p.m. and airs live on SEC Network.

Vanderbilt Commodores On SI:

Published
Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

Home/Basketball