For the first time in program history, Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball has beaten the Tennessee Lady Vols twice in one season. In today’s matchup in the SEC tournament, Vanderbilt prevailed by a score of 84-76 to knock the number 9 seed Lady Vols out of the SEC tournament, complete the season sweep of Tennessee, and advance to face number 1 seeded South Carolina tomorrow.

Vanderbilt was led by the big 3 of Iyana Moore, Mikayla Blakes, and Khamil Pierre. Moore had arguably her best game of the year, scoring 23 points on 8-11 shooting from the field while not turning the ball over once. Blakes and Pierre both had solid outings, scoring 24 and 16, respectively. Blakes had a monster second half scoring 19 of her points in the final two quarters and while Pierre battled foul trouble all game she still played tenaciously, adding 15 rebounds (5 on the offensive end) to her 16 points.

Tennessee was led by Ruby Whitehorn who had 14 points, then had a trio who scored 13. Most notable of this group was Talaysia Cooper (who Vanderbilt fans will remember absolutely dominated the ‘Dores in Nashville) who got out to a hot start but struggled down the stretch as Vanderbilt played great defense on her.

Vanderbilt got out to a scorching start, being up 19-5 in the first quarter and looking like they were about to run the Lady Vols off the court and back to Knoxville. Tennessee got hot from 3 towards the end of the first quarter and closed the lead to 20-27. The final 5 minutes of the first quarter was genuinely unlike anything I had seen before. Both teams were scoring with elite efficiency (Vandy was getting whatever they wanted around the rim but Tennessee was making contested 3s) and the pace was absolutely electric. Commentators even mentioned that the refs were exhausted after having to run up and down the court so much.

The second quarter was a different story for Vanderbilt, as they came out as cold in the 2nd as they were hot to start the 1st. Vanderbilt went on a near 5 minute scoring drought and allowed the Lady Vols to take their first (and only) lead at 32-31. Blakes was really struggling this quarter as she went 0-5 from the field. Pierre also picked up some fouls in the 2nd and got upset enough that she yelled at a ref (a rare sight for any to see) after feeling that she was getting fouled with no calls but then getting marginal contact called on her. After the scoring drought and Pierre’s incident Vandy did well to not let things spiral, and they began to reassert themselves in the final few minutes. Vandy only allowed Tennessee to score 2 points in the final 4.5 minutes and retook the lead, eventually going into halftime up 39-33.

The third quarter was where the magic started to happen, though. Mikayla Blakes began to look like her typical self, Iyana Moore continued to be hot from anywhere on the floor, and Vanderbilt’s defense just locked down the previously hot-shooting Lady Vols. Blakes and Moore alone accounted for all but 2 of Vanderbilt’s 24 points in the 3rd quarter and outscored the Vols by themselves. Vanderbilt’s defense (anchored by Kapinus and Mitchell as Pierre sat) only allowed 15 points to arguably the best offense in the country during that time, too. Vanderbilt went into the 4th quarter with a 68-43 lead.

The 4th quarter started out with more of the same. Vanderbilt extended their lead to 20 with just 7 minutes remaining in the game. It looked like Vanderbilt was going to run away with this one and blow Tennessee out, Vanderbilt even held a 14 point lead all the way until the 3 minute mark. Then Tennessee woke up. In the final few minutes of the game the defensive intensity from the Lady Vols went up exponentially and a few whistles went their way and all of a sudden it was a sub 10 point game with just under 2 minutes remaining. In an all-too familiar feeling for Vanderbilt fans, what should have been an easy win got stressful. Fortunately for them, though, this game was not going to slip between this team’s fingers. Vanderbilt did well to beat the Tennessee press, then Blakes and Pierre knocked down 3 of their 4 free throws to put the game out of reach.

Just a few weeks ago Shea Ralph was going through what may have been her first time not meeting expectations as Vanderbilt’s head coach. Vandy was getting blown out by superior opponents and then dropped a game they should have won to Mississippi State. Ralph then publicly criticized her team saying they didn’t look like themselves and that they had to fix things up, and fast. Well… they’ve done exactly that and some. Vandy dominated their final two games (against admittedly inferior opponents) and then continued to dominate against a consensus top 20 team. A mentally weaker team or coach could have broken after that stretch of not just adversity but true disappointment and failure to meet expectations. Not this squad, though. It’s a testament to both the players and the coaching that this team has responded so well.

I will be the first to admit that I have been hypercritical of Iyana Moore’s play this season. Even Coach Ralph in her postgame conference spoke about how hard she has been on Moore. But if Moore continues to play the way she has over the last few games… watch out. In her last two games she is averaging 20.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 0.5 turnovers. She’s just looked infinitely more comfortable and calm these last few games, as if she has finally gotten comfortable with the role she needs to play alongside Blakes and Pierre. If Vandy can have her be a true third scoring threat this team’s ceiling absolutely skyrockets.

This is a significant win for so many reasons. First, you just beat your in-state rival. That counts for a lot. Arguably more significant, though, is that this is yet another instance of proof-of-concept for Ralph. One would be forgiven if after the last few weeks they thought Vandy’s wins against top 25 teams earlier in the season were fluky. Not anymore, though. This game will 100% get the eyes of some high school recruits and transfers to look at Vandy and really believe they are the missing piece to this team being a contender. Finally, while they have not won a championship since 2008, Tennessee is still one of the biggest brands in women’s basketball. Beating them twice in a year for the first time EVER will be getting a lot of national buzz. That’s what this program needs to take the next step to draw in top level freshmen and transfer in order to begin competing for their own national titles.