Vanderbilt Freshman Continues to Make History

Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes racked up a pair of weekly awards Tuesday after scoring 55 points in a NCAA and SEC record-setting performance.

Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) makes a basket in front of Mississippi State center Madina Okot (15) tying the game in overtime during a NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. | Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Vanderbilt freshman continues to make history for the Commodores, even on days there are no games played.

After setting a new NCAA and SEC freshman single-game scoring record with 55 points against Auburn, Blakes was named the SEC Co-Player of the Week and SEC Freshman of the Year on Tuesday. She’s the first Vanderbilt player to win both awards in the same week and the first SEC player since Candace Parker won both awards in 2006.

Mikayla Blakes scored 30 of her 55 POINTS (D-1 Freshman record) in the final 6 minutes of the 4th quarter and OT 🔥pic.twitter.com/2jENhJkgiK https://t.co/mOYQehyhMs

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 17, 2025

The Somerset, N.J. native averaged 34 points, 7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 4.5 steals last week in pair of overtime games against Auburn and Mississippi State.

The 55 points from Blakes was historic on many levels. She broke her own records that she set earlier this season against Florida (53 points). The 55 points is the ninth-most points ever scored in a NCAA women’s basketball game. Blakes is also the second player to have multiple 53-point games and first since Mississippi Valley State’s Patricia Hoskins scored 55 points twice in 1988-89.

The single-game scoring record wasn’t the only SEC record she broke last night 😏

The previous record was held by Commodore alum, Ashley McElhiney with 18 made free throws against LSU in 2001. #anchordown pic.twitter.com/NI6N4A4IyL

— Vanderbilt WBB (@VandyWBB) February 17, 2025

Against Auburn, Blakes played all 45 minutes of the game (including the five minute overtime period) and joins LeBron James as the only basketball players to ever score 55 points and play an entire NBA,WNBA, NCAA men’s or women’s game.

Blakes and the Commodores will be back in action Thursday with a road trip to No. 16 Oklahoma. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. and will be televised on SEC Network+.