Vanderbilt women's basketball wins opener in dominating fashion
Vanderbilt jumped out on Kennesaw State quickly and never let up. The Commodores led at halftime 66-29 due to the 11 first half turnovers they forced. Sacha Washington led all scorers at halftime with 16 points.
The Commodores continued to pile on the points in the second half. Ralph unloaded her bench as Vanderbilt grabbed its first win over the season, 98-51. Washington's 16 points crowned her the leading scorer of the contest.
Three quick takes
Vanderbilt's defense showed positive signs
The Commodores applied ball pressure from the moment the game started. This forced Kennesaw State to turn the ball over 23 times. Vanderbilt seemed to play guard heavy, which would allow Shea Ralph to play whatever type of defense she pleases. Not only did they force turnovers, but they did well on converting those turnovers into points.
Vanderbilt scored 26 points off of turnovers. They were also able to move the ball quickly in transition. The Commodores finished the afternoon with 19 fast break points.
Freshman and newcomers will contribute a lot this season
Lots of new faces suited up, which should have Commodore fans excited. Duke transfer Jordyn Oliver and freshman Aga Makurat cracked the starting lineup to go along with Cambridge, Moore and Washington. Ralph was also able to find lots of help off her bench from some new players as well.
Tennessee transfer Justine Pissott made her presence known early, as she was the first Commodore to come off the bench. After only scoring 2 first half points, Pissott finished the game with 12 points. Having experience within the conference last year should only give Shea Ralph another reason to play her. Freshman Khamile Pierre also had a nice outing in her first collegiate game, finishing with 14 points and 6 rebounds.
Welcome back Jordyn Cambridge and Iyana Moore
After missing last year with injuries, two of Vanderbilt's starters, Iyana Moore and Jordyn Cambridge were welcomed back into the starting lineup. The two guards provide a veteran presence on the floor and helped navigate the flow of the game.
Jordyn Cambridge finished the afternoon with a well-rounded game. The graduate student finished with 11 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds. Iyana Oliver also found herself with 11 points and dished out 3 assists. After rehabilitating in the off season, Shea Ralph now has herself a pair of healthy guards that was much needed last season.