Unlike the previous two games for Vandy women’s basketball, there would be no overtime drama tonight. Oklahoma used a huge third quarter run pull away from Vandy and pummeled the Commodores in Norman 101-81.
The action was fast paced early, with Vandy taking an 11-10 lead. Unfortunately, the Commodores missed their next 10 shots which allowed Oklahoma to go on an 11-0 run to go up by double figures 21-11. Vandy was forced to play catch-up the rest of the night
The Sooners are fifth in the nation in rebounds per game and overwhelmed the Commodores on the boards -- particularly on the offensive glass. Oklahoma finished with a 17-9 rebounding advantage in the first quarter and a pair of threes from offensive rebounds helped them go up 21-13 after the first ten minutes.
It was an unevenly called first half, which had no free throws shot in the first quarter and both teams combining for 20 free throw attempts in the second quarter. Vandy reserves Aiyana Mitchell and Madison Greene picked up three quick first half fouls. Star Khamil Pierre picked up her second midway through the second quarter and had to sit the remainder of the half.
After scoring 55 points in a win over Auburn, Vandy star Mikayla Blakes picked up where she left off early against the Sooners -- scoring 24 first half points. Her effort kept the Commodores in the game without much scoring help from her teammates. Vandy went into the half trailing 43-37.
A pair of three pointers from Jane Nwaba and a layup from Jordyn Oliver brought the Commodores to within four points, 55-51, with just over six minutes left in the third quarter before the wheels came off for Vandy.
Oklahoma closed the third quarter with a 22-3 run to effectively erase all doubt in the outcome of the game, going into the final ten minutes up 77-54.
Vanderbilt finished the game shooting 35% from the field, 14-30 from three (47%), and 19-26 (73%)from the free throw line.
Blakes led the Commodores with 34 points, shooting 9-22 from the field, 7-12 from three, and 9-10 from the free throw line.
It was a disappointing showing for Pierre, who had just 2 points on 1-8 shooting after three quarters before scoring some garbage points when the game was already decided. Pierre finished with 11 points on 3-14 shooting from the field, and 4 rebounds before fouling out late.
Oklahoma was an offensive machine, shooting 52% from the field, 12-30 from three (40%), and 17-24 from the free throw line (71%). The Sooners had 25 assists on their 36 made field goals.
The Sooners crushed Vandy on the glass 54-29, including a 17-10 advantage on offensive rebounds. Oklahoma outscored the Commodores 44-12 in the paint, and 18-7 on second chance points.
Oklahoma’s Raegan Beers, an All-American transfer post player from Oregon State, was unstoppable for the Sooners. She highlighted Oklahoma’s significant advantage in the paint by scoring 30 points on 11-13 from the field, 8-11 from the free throw line, and 14 rebounds.
With the loss, Vandy falls to 19-8 and 6-7 in the conference. It doesn’t get any easier for the Commodores as they look to get back in the win column -- they host the #6 ranked defending national champion South Carolina Gamecocks Sunday at 2:00.
