Mikayla Blakes’ scoring prowess was on full display Saturday as Vanderbilt dismantled the High Point Panthers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Vandy’s SEC Player of the Year finished the game with 30 points, shooting an efficient 11-16 from the field.
This season, Blakes averaged 30.5 points per game for the Commodores in SEC play. She is the first SEC player since 2000 to average 30 points in conference play and her 27-point average per game tops D1 college basketball for both women’s and men’s.
Blakes is on a mission to restore Vanderbilt to a perennial contender. Ahead of the NCAA Tournament, she sat down with NBC Sports and, among other things, expressed her desire to win a championship.
Mikayla Blakes’ interview with NBC Sports was lightly edited for length and clarity.
You’re the first sophomore [SEC Player of the Year] since A’ja Wilson in 2016. What was your initial reaction when you found out that you won, and what does it mean to you to win that award?
Mikayla Blakes: Yeah, it was just pure excitement. And for me, it just felt more of like a team award because I couldn’t get it without them and my staff as well. I got the award because I did what my team needs me to do. I’m just really centered around the team, but they put me in the position to win that. So, I was super excited.
.@mikaylablakes is the 2025-26 SEC Player of the Year
— Vanderbilt WBB (@VandyWBB) March 3, 2026
2️⃣7️⃣.1️⃣ ppg
3️⃣0️⃣.5️⃣ ppg in SEC
4️⃣.6️⃣ ast per game
2️⃣.9️⃣ stl per game
1️⃣2️⃣ 30-pt games
1️⃣3️⃣th Player to win both SEC POY & SEC FOY in their career
⚓️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wLD9p2V8mr
Is this the season that you expected for yourself?
Mikayla Blakes: To be honest, no, but I’m not even mad that it happened. I feel like this is what I came to Vanderbilt to do, [which] was be able to bring it back to where it was so that when people [are] like, we’re playing Vanderbilt, it [isn’t] like, oh, it’s going to be easy. We’re going to blow them out. No, like actually, I wanted to come here so we can compete for championships and compete against other teams. So, it’s happening a lot quicker than I did imagine, but I’m really excited about it. And I don’t know, I’m just excited for the future too.
16-0.
— Vanderbilt WBB (@VandyWBB) February 27, 2026
For the first time in program history, the Dores go undefeated at home in the regular season 👏 pic.twitter.com/rrNaJBxH0T
What is it like for you when you’re in your rhythm and you’re finding your groove and you’re going on these scoring tears?
Add it to the resume ✏️ pic.twitter.com/YGPNlI92dD
— Vanderbilt WBB (@VandyWBB) February 27, 2026
Mikayla Blakes: To be honest, I don’t even think. I just sort of let the game come to me. Like, it’s not that I’m very focused on, okay, this is what I want to do. I want to shoot it here. It’s really just natural and my teammates find me. I feel like a lot of teams try to deny me the ball, but the main thing is I just won’t be denied. So, as long as I have the ball in my hands, I feel like something good is gonna happen for the team.
“I feel like a lot of teams try to deny me the ball … but I just won’t be denied.” - Mikayla Blakes
— Natalie Esquire (@natfluential) March 21, 2026
Heard you, sis! 👉🏾 Full interview: https://t.co/R3zIKlW32h pic.twitter.com/5cndXahA4L
What do you think is maybe the most underrated part of your game?
Mikayla Blakes: I feel like I take a lot of charges. I feel like a lot of people don’t really notice that.
You really embrace the mantle of trying to return Vanderbilt to a perennial contender. What gives you the confidence to do that?
Mikayla Blakes: Yeah, I think my main thing is just my faith, knowing like God gave me a God-given talent and he’s allowed me to display it. The people I’m surrounded by, we’re all like-minded. I feel like everybody’s bought into the program here. Everybody’s like, we want to win. We want to win championships. We’re tired of being the underdogs, and I feel like it shows in the way we play. We’re just never fully complacent. Like, we always focus on what can we do better. And I feel like that’s a huge difference from last year.
What has your backcourt teammate, Aubrey Galvan, provided for the team this year?
Mikayla Blakes: She’s the glue. I feel like, without her, we have no motor and she’s just so able to find everybody on the court. She always wants to give out assists. We always have to be like, Aubrey, shoot the ball. People aren’t going to guard you if you don’t shoot the ball. So, she’s just very selfless. And to come in as a freshman, I know it’s hard to play a lot of minutes, but she’s doing it with ease. I’m very proud of her and I couldn’t ask for a better PG (point guard).
You guys have undertaken this mantra of “embracing joy” around the team this year. [After] an earlier exit than [probably] expected in the SEC Tournament, how do you all continue to embrace joy?
Mikayla Blakes: Yeah, I think the main thing is, well, one, we’re hosting for the first time in a while, so we’re very excited about that. And then, another thing Coach [Shea] Ralph and our staff preaches is our value outside of basketball. A lot of us, feel like when we play basketball, it’s like, what can I do for the team? What’s my role for the team and it’s just dependent on that, but she’s really preached like, you’re more than a basketball player. You bring things to the table other than basketball and I feel like the fact that we realize that about each other, that’s what brings us joy because we’re doing it for each other. We’re not just doing it because we’re basketball players. It’s kind of like our job. We kind of have fun with our job and a lot of my teammates are also influencers as well. So, they try to bring that side to it and video record and do things like that. So, it’s a lot of fun.
So, [Coach Ralph was ejected] in the SEC Tournament game [after] she walked on the court to dispute a call that was against you. When you see your coach in a position to really defend and advocate for you in that way, what does that mean for you to be able to have your coach have your back like that?
Mikayla Blakes: Yeah, I feel like that was probably one of the first times everybody’s seen it publicly, but she does that behind closed doors as well. That’s what makes us such a great team. We will do anything for her. We’ll run through a brick wall. And as you guys saw, we went on such a big scoring run because of that, because we knew she defended us. So, we’re gonna have to continue to defend her. I feel like that’s one thing special about this team is how bought in we are. And because of Coach Ralph, that’s how close we are and we’ll do anything for each other.
What is your relationship like with Coach Ralph? How close are you two?
Mikayla Blakes: I would say we’re very close. I feel like one of the reasons I came here was because she cared about me [as] more than just a basketball player. She cared about my family. And I just saw she has coach Tom [Garrick] on staff as well and brings [her daughter] Maysen [Garrick] around. She’s a very big family person and I feel like I’m a huge family person as well. So, we just connected and we’re both competitive as heck. So, sometimes we’ll go at each other, but at the end of the day, it’s because we want to see each other succeed.
What’s it been like to play for her on the court [and] how do you think that she has helped to motivate you as a basketball player, as you speak so highly about how she motivates you off the court?
Mikayla Blakes: Yeah, I think the main thing that she’s allowed me to do is just play with freedom and not overthink. I think the main thing is she allows me to play through my mistakes, especially freshman year. It was a lot just coming in to play, but she always had 100% trust in me and [trusted] I was gonna make the right decision as well. So, I feel like that was a lot easier. It wasn’t that every time I came on the court, I would make a mistake. I’d be like, is she gonna sub me? I’m scared. Like what’s gonna happen? It was just, play the game. You’re one of the best players and I believe in you. So, continue to prove it. And then, she’s done things that I’ve wanted to do as a player as well. So, just having her as a role model is amazing.
What kind of things has she done that you want [to do]?
Mikayla Blakes: Been to national championships, won MOP (most outstanding player). A lot of things. Played in the WNBA as well. She’s just a great role model outside of basketball, just with her faith. She continues to give me devotionals, books to read. So, it’s really a full circle.
You mentioned being excited about Vanderbilt getting the opportunity to host. Any expectations?
Mikayla Blakes: Honestly, I have no expectations, nothing. I’m just going in there just excited to be able to play. I got a little bit of an experience last year, but not the experience I wanted. So this year, I just want to do it the right way and I’m happy that we’ll have a crowd behind us of Vanderbilt fans in Memorial Gym.
What’s your favorite pregame handshake and how do you come up with them?
Mikayla Blakes: For me, I’m not very creative, but this year I’m just excited. I have my normal one that I do every game with my best friend on the team, Madi [Madison Greene]. So, I feel like that’s just kind of special just because she’s not playing this year, but she’s still involved with the team and we still value her a lot.
Are there any WNBA players whose game that maybe you admire or you find similarities in your playing styles?
Mikayla Blakes: Yeah, I mean, I watch a lot of the Las Vegas Aces, just the whole team in general. And then, last year I got to go to Kelsey Plum’s camp, her Dawg [Class] and be able to watch her play, go against her when we played live play and just see her lifestyle. So, that was really interesting for me to see and just know like I have someone to look up to as well.
A look at Mikayla Blakes at Dawg Class. pic.twitter.com/THbiHQSkF3
— Alaina Morris (@alainammorris) April 20, 2025
Everyone has their pregame ritual. Everyone has their routine. So, what’s your go-to snack? What’s your go-to drink? What’s your go-to playlist? What is the everyday routine to make sure you’re on point for a game?
Mikayla Blakes: I do gospel music-wise. I do my devotional reading. That’s my main thing. And then, from there, I can’t really do the big rap ‘cause I just feel like my nerves get high. So, I do a lot of chill music, some old school music, some new school. And then, I always have a bag of green grapes before the game. I don’t know what it is. They just have to be a bag in a Ziploc [with] green grapes.
You won’t believe what Mikayla Blakes’ go to playlist is before a game. Even @natfluential and I were shocked 🤣
— Terrika (@SheKnowsSports) March 21, 2026
Tap in to our interview with the Vanderbilt standout on NBC Sports. #NCAAWBB #MarchMadness
Subscribe👉🏾 https://t.co/rFuJH8TgeJ pic.twitter.com/yxt3NQIMKV
What’s old school for you?
Mikayla Blakes: Yeah, I listen to Kool & The Gang a lot. I listen to Frankie Beverly and Maze. My dad put me on to a lot of it.
