Top 20 Rematch: Vanderbilt Hosts Kentucky in Memorial Gymnasium
Date: February 22, 2026
Time: 3:00 PM CST
TV: ESPN2
ESPN Matchup Predictor: 60.8% in favor of Vanderbilt
AP Rank
Kentucky – 16
Vanderbilt – 5
Net Rank
Kentucky – 18
Vanderbilt – 6
Statistics
Strength of Schedule:
- Kentucky: 21
- Vanderbilt: 20
Points Per Game:
- Kentucky: 76.4
- Vanderbilt: 85.0 (8th in Nation)
Opponent Points Per Game:
- Kentucky: 58.5
- Vanderbilt: 63.9
Effective FG%:
- Kentucky: 51.4%
- Vanderbilt: 50.0%
Top Players:
- Kentucky:
- Tonie Morgan: 14.4 PPG; 3.3 RPG; 8.4 APG; 1.0 SPG
- Clara Strack: 16.5 PPG; 10.5 RPG; 2.0 APG; 1.3 SPG; 2.6 BPG
- Teonni Key: 11.3 PPG; 6.9 RPG; 1.1 APG; 0.8 SPG; 1.1 BPG
- Jordan Obi: 9.6 PPG; 6.3 RPG; 1.1 APG; 0.5 SPG; 0.6 BPG
- Amelia Hassett: 10.1 PPG; 5.4 RPG; 1.7 APG; 0.9 SPG; 1.4 BPG
- Asia Boone: 10.9 PPG; 3.0 RPG; 2.0 APG; 0.7 SPG
- Vanderbilt:
- Mikayla Blakes: 25.1 PPG; 3.9 RPG; 4.6 APG; 3.1 SPG
- Aubrey Galvan: 11.7 PPG; 3.1 RPG; 6.1 APG; 2.9 SPG
- Sacha Washington: 9.9 PPG; 7.5 RPG; 1.4 APG; 1.2 SPG; 0.8 BPG
- Justine Pissott: 11.5 PPG; 4.6 RPG; 2.6 APG; 0.5 SPG; 0.8 BPG
- Aiyana Mitchell: 7.2 PPG; 4.8 RPG; 1.1 APG; 1.0 SPG; 1.1 BPG
- Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda: 7.7 PPG; 3.1 RPG; 1.0 APG; 1.0 SPG
Analysis
Vanderbilt returns from its bye week hungry to get back on the floor. After back-to-back top-10 wins, the Commodores stumbled on the road against Georgia, but they now return to Memorial Gymnasium, where they remain undefeated. The challenge? A rematch with the Kentucky Wildcats, a team that pushed them to the brink the first time around.
These teams already know each other well. Adjustments (not surprises) will decide this one.
Kentucky’s formula is clear: attack the paint, collapse the defense, and spray it out to shooters. They executed that beautifully in the first meeting, shooting 56% from the field and 50% from three. Their ability to generate clean looks off penetration kept Vanderbilt on its heels all afternoon.
On the other side, Vanderbilt’s identity hasn’t changed — and it hasn’t needed to. Everything starts with Mikayla Blakes. Blakes poured in 37 points in the first matchup, repeatedly breaking down defenders and delivering in winning time. Kentucky’s path to victory is obvious: make someone else beat you. The problem? No one has been able to truly slow her down in Memorial this season.
For Vanderbilt, the focus has to be interior containment. Clara Strack, Amelia Hassett, and Teonni Key punished the paint and dominated stretches on the glass last time. Key, in particular, nearly swung the game. Limiting second-chance opportunities and keeping those touches off the block will be critical. If Vanderbilt can defend without over-helping and still contest Kentucky’s shooters, that changes the entire complexion of the game.
There are also clear swing factors.
Justine Pissott was relatively quiet in the first meeting, finishing with just eight points. That feels unlikely to repeat at home. If Pissott stretches the floor and forces Kentucky to guard all five spots, it opens driving lanes for Blakes and creates rhythm threes for the supporting cast.
Sacha Washington was outstanding in Lexington, bringing physicality and efficiency inside. Another strong two-way performance from her could tilt the rebounding margin in Vanderbilt’s favor.
And then there’s “Batman 2” Aubrey Galvan. The freshman point guard continues to look like one of the premier floor generals in the league. Her pace control, defensive instincts, and late-game poise were pivotal in the first matchup. If she dictates tempo and keeps Kentucky from turning this into a transition-heavy game, that plays directly into Vanderbilt’s hands.
This one likely comes down to shot quality and rebounding. Kentucky proved it can score efficiently against this defense. Vanderbilt proved it can survive that and still win.
The question now: can Kentucky solve Blakes in Memorial? Or will Vanderbilt’s balance, depth, and home crowd once again be too much?
If Blakes gets downhill early, if Pissott finds her rhythm, and if Washington controls the paint, this team tends to roll when they roll. And when they roll in Memorial, it’s been unstoppable.
Come out to Memorial and support the best player in the country, the best freshman in the country, and the best shooter in the country in this massive matchup!
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