Mikayla Blakes scored an NCAA true freshman record 53 points after making 16 field goals and 16 free throws to help No. 23 Vanderbilt beat Florida 99-86 on Thursday night.
Blakes fell one short of the NCAA Division I freshman record held by Delaware’s Elena Delle Donne, who scored 54 in a loss to James Madison as a redshirt freshman in 2010. The previous high by a true freshman was 51 points by Southern California’s JuJu Watkins last season.
Blakes scored 33 in a win over then-No. 19 Alabama last time out and her previous season high was 36. She became the only player in Division I — men’s or women’s — to score at least 50 points in a game this season.
Iyana Moore added 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Vanderbilt (18-4, 5-3 SEC). Khamil Pierre scored just three points on 1-of-10 shooting but finished with 11 rebounds and three steals.
Moore scored five points in a 9-0 run that gave the Commodores a 19-14 lead. Blakes hit four 3-pointers and converted two three-point plays as she alone outscored Florida 18-10 in the second quarter and Vanderbilt took a 46-26 lead into the intermission.
The Gators used an 18-7 spurt to trim their deficit to 82-74 with 4:44 to play but Blakes scored 14 points from there — compared to just 12 by Florida — to seal it.
Ra Shaya Kyle made 11-of-15 from the field and finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds for Florida (11-11, 2-6). Liv McGill scored 20 points, Jeriah Warren added 13 points and Laila Reynolds scored 10.
Vanderbilt plays host to Mississippi on Sunday. Florida hits the road to play Monday at Arkansas.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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