NCAA Tournament Preview: Vanderbilt WBB Hosts High Point in First Round
Date: March 21, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM CST
TV: ESPNEWS
AP Rank
High Point – N/A
Vanderbilt – 6
Net Rank
High Point – 142
Vanderbilt – 7
ESPN Matchup Predictor: 98.8% in favor of Vanderbilt
Statistics
Record:
- High Point: 27-5
- Vanderbilt: 27-4
Strength of Schedule:
- High Point: 333
- Vanderbilt: 17
Points Per Game:
- High Point: 74.2
- Vanderbilt: 84.7
Opponent Points Per Game:
- High Point: 58.8
- Vanderbilt: 65.5
Effective FG%:
- High Point: 51.3%
- Vanderbilt: 54.3%
Top Players:
- High Point:
- Macy Spencer: 18.4 PPG; 3.3 RPG; 2.4 APG; 1.4 SPG; 0.6 BPG
- Aaliyah Collins: 15.2 PPG; 2.4 RPG; 4.4 APG; 2.5 SPG; 0.8 BPG
- Nevaeh Zavala: 8.9 PPG; 4.4 RPG; 1.3 APG; 0.8 SPG; 0.4 BPG
- Anna Hager: 7.5 PPG; 5.2 RPG; 1.2 APG; 0.9 SPG; 0.6 BPG
- Dom Nesland: 6.2 PPG; 4.9 RPG; 2.0 APG; 1.0 SPG
- Vanderbilt:
- Mikayla Blakes: 27.0 PPG; 3.8 RPG; 4.4 APG; 2.9 SPG; 0.3 BPG
- Aubrey Galvan: 13.1 PPG; 3.3 RPG; 5.9 APG; 2.6 SPG; 0.1 BPG
- Justine Pissott: 11.4 PPG; 4.5 RPG; 2.4 APG; 0.4 SPG; 0.8 BPG
- Sacha Washington: 10.6 PPG; 7.6 RPG; 1.8 APG; 1.1 SPG; 0.7 BPG
- Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda: 7.0 PPG; 3.2 RPG; 1.0 APG; 1.1 SPG; 0.4 BPG
- Aiyana Mitchell: 6.0 PPG; 4.4 RPG; 0.9 APG; 0.9 SPG; 0.9 BPG
- Jada Brown: 3.2 PPG; 1.1 RPG; 1.3 APG; 1.0 SPG; 0.1 BPG
Analysis:
Vanderbilt is hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the Shea Ralph era, a monumental moment for a program on the rise. In the first round, they will host 15-seeded High Point, who enters at 27-5 on the year. This is a very talented High Point team. They may not have anyone at the caliber of Blakes or Galvan, but they are a solid, well-rounded group.
High Point’s biggest issue is size. They come into Memorial with only one player over 6’1; a 6’5 freshman, Kelsey Miller, who is averaging just 0.2 points per game.
Because of that, this sets up a very clear game plan for Vanderbilt. Blakes and Galvan can take over any game, but this feels like a crucial matchup for the Vanderbilt bigs. I would expect Washington, Mitchell, Del Rosario, Makurat, and Wilson all to get playing time, and ideally, they’ll get touches down low to showcase what they can do. More than anything, this could be one final big performance for Sacha Washington in Memorial (though she could certainly follow it up on Monday), and it’s also a great opportunity to get Aiyanna Mitchell going again. Mitchell has struggled against some of the SEC’s better forwards, so this is a matchup where she can build confidence.
Ultimately, Blakes and Galvan are more than capable of carrying Vanderbilt to a win on their own, as they are simply more talented than High Point’s guards.
The key for Vanderbilt will be defending the three-point line. High Point ranks in the top 100 in three-pointers made and attempted, and much of their offensive success comes from beyond the arc. If Blakes, Galvan, Black, and Pissott can limit those outside looks, this should be a comfortable path for Vanderbilt to advance out of the first round.
Vanderbilt will be in Memorial tomorrow night, and this is a fantastic team that deserves tremendous support. If you’re available, make your way to Memorial to cheer on the Dores.
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