Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball | Dores Look to Keep Momentum Going
NASHVILLE, Tenn. –After earning their first SEC win with a virtuoso performance from Ciaja Harbison, Vanderbilt’s women’s basketball team will attempt to put together a two-game streak this week.
The Commodores (10-12, 1-7 SEC) travel to play Missouri (14-8, 3-6 SEC) Thursday at 8 p.m. CT (SEC Network) in Colombia, before returning home to host Georgia on Sunday at noon CT (SEC network).
Harbison put on a show last Sunday at Memorial Gymnasium against Texas A&M as Vandy drilled for a win in SEC play. The graduate guard exploded for 41 points to tie the single-game program record set in 2001 by Chantelle Anderson, who was on hand to watch Harbison join the exclusive club as part of Alumni Day for the Commodores.
Harbison was 14 of 19 from the field and 11 of 13 from the free throw line while recording five interceptions in a masterfully effective display that earned her SEC Player of the Week honors for the second time this season.
Harbison ranks second in the SEC in points (19.6), fourth in steals (1.4) and fifth in assists (4.4).
Vanderbilt graduate guard Marnelle Garraud leads the SEC with 3 points (59) and 3-point percentage (40.1) averaging 13.7 points per game. Harbison and Garraud are also the SEC leaders in minutes per game at 36.16 and 34.95, respectively.
Vandy sophomore forward Sacha Washington is fifth in the SEC in blocks per game (1.5) and is averaging 7.0 rebounds per game.
The Commodores lead the SEC charts in free throw percentage at 73.4, having made 295 of 402 attempts from the line.
Play for a cause
Vanderbilt’s game against Georgia on Sunday is part of the Play4Kay campaign honoring legendary NC State head coach Kay Yow, who died in 2009 at age 66 after a decades-long battle with breast cancer.
The Kay Yow Cancer Fund was founded in 2007 to fulfill Yow’s vision of supporting advanced research, extending the quality of life for those battling cancer, serving the underserved, and uniting people. Play4Kay is the Kay Yow Fund’s largest fundraiser. The initiative was launched to bring communities together to honor cancer warriors in the fight against all cancers affecting women.
Screening report
Missouri
The Tigers lead the all-time series 8-3 and have won six straight. Vandy’s last win in the series came in the 2015-16 season, when the Dores beat Missouri 56-52 in Colombia.
After opening the SEC game 3-0, Missouri has lost six straight.
Senior forward Hayley Frank and senior guard Lauren Hansen led the Tigers with 14.7 and 13.0 points, respectively. Junior guard Sara-Rose Smith is averaging 7.0 rebounds per game.
Missouri ranks second to last in SEC scoring, averaging 65.7 points per game. Missouri (165) and Vanderbilt (139) are third and fourth in the SEC on 3-pointers made.
Georgia
The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 40-28. Vanderbilt is 13-12 at home against Georgia. Georgia has won five of the last six meetings. This will be the first meeting in Nashville since the 2018-19 season.
Fifth-year senior guard Diamond Battles entered the week leading Georgia in points (13.9), assists (69) and steals (40). Fifth-year senior forward Brittney Smith is averaging 11.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, a former Georgia player, is in her first season as Bulldogs head coach after six seasons at UCF. She replaced Joni Taylor, who was hired at Texas A&M.
Tickets: Students will continue to receive free admission to all home basketball games. Additionally, individual sales, mini-plans, and group ticket options are available. To consult the promotional calendar, click here.