Breaking Down Vanderbilt’s Undefeated Start and What It Really Means

If you’re looking for the most wait… Vanderbilt is doing what? story in women’s hoops, welcome to Memorial Gym, where the Commodores have turned the start of the 2025–26 season into a weekly statement. As of January 9th, 2026, Vanderbilt is 16–0 overall and 3–0 in SEC play, and they’re not squeaking by; this is a team averaging 86.5 points per game while holding opponents to 56.4, a jaw-dropping +30.1 scoring margin. That undefeated tag is important because it signals Vanderbilt isn’t just better, they’re nationally relevant, the kind of relevant where pollsters and bracket-watchers must stop treating you like a cute early-season surprise. That vibe is real: Vanderbilt has climbed into the top tier of the AP conversation, and national coverage has framed this start as one of the program’s best in decades. When you beat LSU 65–61 and then turn around and hang 99 on an SEC opponent like Missouri, you’re not building confidence, you’re restructuring credibility.

How They’re Winning: Pace, Pressure, and a Scoreboard That Tilts

On the floor, Vanderbilt’s identity is loud: they run, they swarm, and they force you to play faster than you want to play, then they punish you for it. The numbers tell the story: the Commodores force 22.8 opponent turnovers per game and generate 13.4 steals per game, while committing only 12.1 turnovers themselves, a massive +10.6 turnover margin.

That’s not effort, it's structure, and it fuels an offense that’s raining points with 9.9 made threes per game and 20.5 assists per game, meaning the ball is moving and the shot quality is real. From a broadcasting lens, this is what jumps out: Vanderbilt isn’t relying on one trick; they’re stacking advantages, possession after possession. They’ve also been rock-solid away from home, 3–0 on the road, and 3–0 at neutral sites, which matters if you’re talking March ceilings.

The Faces of the Surge: Blakes Headlines, but the Supporting Cast Makes It Dangerous

Every contender has a headliner, and Vanderbilt’s is Mikayla Blakes, who is putting up 24.9 points per game with 3.6 steals per game, and in SEC play so far, she’s even hotter at 29.0 points per game. What makes Vanderbilt feel tournament-proof is the ecosystem around her: Aubrey Galvan is delivering real point-guard control with 6.5 assists per game, Justine Pissott is stretching the floor shooting .425 from three on volume, and Sacha Washington anchors the paint with 7.9 rebounds per game while finishing at .566 from the field. Add Aiyana Mitchell as a rim presence with team-best 22 blocks to date, and suddenly this roster has scoring pop and defensive backbone. This is also where coaching shows up: Shea Ralph’s rebuild has been covered nationally as a plan coming to life, and Vanderbilt’s rise has been tied directly to culture, player development, and confidence in big moments.

Program Profile Meets Program Legacy: Can Vanderbilt Win It All?

Historically, Vanderbilt women’s basketball is not new to national relevance; this program reached the 1993 Final Four, a landmark run that still stands as the high-water mark of the modern era. That’s why being undefeated now matters beyond the record: it reconnects Vanderbilt to its own standard and tells recruits, transfers, and the rest of the SEC that this isn’t a one-season spike; it’s a program with a real ceiling again. As of mid-January, the resume is starting to look like one that can survive Selection Sunday arguments, because Vanderbilt’s profile includes both dominance with the scoring margin and signature moments such as the win over LSU. Do I think they can make the NCAA women’s basketball championship game? My honest take: they have a path, because elite guard play plus turnover creation travels, but the championship leap will depend on how they hold up against the SEC’s most physical frontcourts and whether their secondary scoring stays consistent when Blakes gets face-guarded and trapped. If Vanderbilt keeps defending like this, continues taking care of the ball, and gets one more prove-it win against a top-tier opponent, I’m comfortable saying they’re not just a sweet story, they’re a real Final Four threat with a puncher’s chance to play for the title.