Before I say anything else, I want to say one thing: don’t let the loss against Oregon cloud your judgment on this season. Despite its less-than-ideal conclusion, this was a successful season for head coach Shea Ralph and her team.
The Commodores had over 20 wins for the second season in a row while scoring over 100 points in seven of them — a new school record. They also had key wins over Tennessee (twice) and Alabama, the latter of which came on the road. The team also saw records shattered, as Khamil Pierre set the new Vanderbilt single-game scoring record with 42 against Evansville only for Mikayla Blakes to later record 53 — an NCAA freshman record — against Florida before she broke her own record by scoring 55 against Auburn.
On paper, sure, this season could’ve been better. Vanderbilt was given a tough draw in the SEC Tournament, having to play Tennessee and South Carolina in back-to-back games, making a run for the conference championship a massive mountain to climb. Then, foul trouble and a 2-for-14 3-point shooting night stunted what could’ve possibly been a program-defining comeback against the Oregon Ducks in the NCAA Tournament. Situations like the last three games can leave fans with massive “what ifs,” reimagining the season with idealistic expectations and further emphasizing the pain felt in Friday’s loss.
But when reflecting on this season, I return to something Ralph said in Friday’s postgame press conference that puts Vanderbilt’s performance in better perspective.
“When [I and my coaching staff] took this [program] over four years ago, this program wasn’t even close to where it is now,” Ralph said.
It’s directly because of Ralph that these idealistic expectations exist in the first place. Only six years ago, Vanderbilt wrapped up its second-straight seven-win season. Now, the NCAA Tournament is becoming an expectation for the Commodores — not a privilege, like it was just last year. While feelings of disappointment are expected after season-ending losses like this, the fact that fans can even experience this is a testament to Ralph and her staff, especially in only four years at the helm.
With all that out of the way, a new question arises: where do Ralph and Co. go from here? Well, there are a few key pieces that are necessary to surpass this season’s success and avenge the disappointment of its conclusion.
Pierre angulaire
Pierre angulaire’s translation from French? Cornerstone. That’s what Khamil Pierre is. Expectations for her were high this season after a stellar campaign last year, including five SEC Freshman of the Week awards and a selection to the All-SEC Freshman Team.
In our preseason mailbag, both Jayce Pollard and I said that Pierre would be this team’s X-factor, though I think neither of us — nor very many fans — expected Pierre’s jump to be this drastic.
With Sacha Washington’s injury sidelining her for the season, the starting center spot was solely in Pierre’s hands, a job that she shone in. A roughly nine-point-per-game scorer last season, Pierre’s numbers boomed up to over 20 this season in over 10 more minutes per game. Pierre’s efficiency, which was a cause for concern last season (look at the missed layup against Missouri), has also improved greatly, jumping up nearly 8% through twice the amount of shots.
But even then, just listing her stats sells her impact short. This season, Pierre has emerged as a star on West End. She’s become a cornerstone of Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball and a pivotal part of the team’s success. She was an All-SEC caliber player whose snub scratched the heads of various people aligned with college basketball, Ralph included. Pierre was fourth in the conference in scoring, fourth in rebounding and second in steals. She’s the most all-around player on the roster despite taking on a massive offensive load, which is why having her around is so important to this program’s future.
In the preseason, questions arose on how Pierre would be able to coexist with Washington, as neither of them were efficient shooters. That question becomes even more important next season with Pierre’s new gravity.
Washington, who previously commanded the offense when healthy, will now have to work off the ball for the first time ever as she shares touches with Pierre and Blakes.
Can Washington develop a mid-range jumper, much like Pierre did in the offseason, to clear the lane for Pierre to operate? Can a high-low concept between Pierre and Washington become effective in the same way that Jordyn Oliver and Pierre connected frequently this season? The good thing about Washington’s return is that attention has to be distributed more evenly — defenses can’t laser-focus on Pierre — but the lack of spacing may cause concerns. I’m sure Ralph will address it, but until fans see Vanderbilt’s offense in action, questions about its effectiveness are valid.
Need a vet
One thing Oregon had in Friday’s game that Vanderbilt didn’t (besides a good 3-point percentage) is Deja Kelly. Though Kelly came into the game as an 11.6 point-per-game scorer, she exploded for 20 points and added 8 rebounds to her total, a stark contrast from her usual 4 rebound-per-game number. Her most impressive accomplishment in the game, though, was her ability to stay on the floor. Despite picking up her fourth foul early in the final quarter, Kelly remained in the game, logging a game-high 42 minutes by the time the final buzzer sounded in overtime. This maturity separated Kelly from the stars on Vanderbilt’s side, as both Blakes and Pierre fouled out by the game’s end.
Kelly dominated, despite looking much less impressive on paper than Vanderbilt’s stars, because of her experience. Kelly made the NCAA Tournament in all four years at North Carolina before this year, even advancing to the Sweet Sixteen in her sophomore season. That experience is why she was brought into Oregon by head coach Kelly Graves: to serve as a veteran leader in the postseason. It’s safe to say she delivered on that promise Friday night.
“[Deja Kelly’s] coaching [the team]; she’s talking to them,” Graves said. “A couple of times, Katie Fiso, our freshman, was talking to [Kelly] on the court in big moments. That’s the kind of person we were hoping we would get out of [Kelly] and that we did get. She’s exceeded every expectation.”
Watching Kelly’s impact from the opposing sideline should inspire Ralph to recruit a tested NCAA Tournament veteran who can play efficiently and motivate the team. Fans saw the impact that transfers Jane Nwaba and Leilani Kapinus had on the program — glue girls whose grit opens up the opportunity for the stars to shine — so getting talent in the portal should be no problem. It’s now about finding the right talent to fit this new team, which desperately needs more NCAA Tournament experience and better composure when momentum shifts to the opposite side.
Retention
On the latest Live From West End, the crew of staffers touched briefly on the possibility of Ralph’s players leaving this offseason for greener pastures. To be honest, I wouldn’t blame the players if they did. Iyana Moore’s role has dwindled each season as other scorers have commanded more of the offense. Pierre’s snub was seen by fans as highway robbery — and proof that the media still doesn’t give Vanderbilt the proper attention that other SEC programs receive. Blakes’ record-breaking season has been largely undervalued by the national media. For Blakes, who is competing head-to-head with UConn’s Sarah Strong for National Freshman of the Year, losing the award could be the final straw to leave for a program with more national notoriety.
But while there are reasons for players to leave Vanderbilt, one major reason motivates them to stay: Shea Sydney Ralph.
“When I left [Duke], I didn’t know if I wanted to play basketball anymore,” Oliver said. “And I remember the day Coach Ralph called me and I was like, ‘Where’s Vanderbilt?’ And I sat on the phone with her for an hour-and-a-half and I said, ‘That woman is going to be my coach.’”
Oliver’s praise for Ralph didn’t stop there.
“I think the difference [between Vanderbilt and the places I’ve played before] is Coach Ralph,” Oliver said. “Without Coach Ralph, we would not be Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball today, so it’s all credit to her.”
It’s not hard to see why Ralph has garnered so much love from her players: because she loves Vanderbilt and she loves what she does. Despite all the fire and grit Ralph had as a player, she leads with love as a head coach.
Winning is a priority — that goes without saying — but in Ralph’s house, personal growth comes first. As long as everyone under Ralph’s guidance grows as a player, the team will grow together. It’s a mindset that’s not only resonant with her players but effective. Look at the jump Pierre took this year, or Aiyana Mitchell, or Justine Pissott. Watch the way Madison Greene came back from injury, or how Moore did the same — or Jordyn Cambridge last year.
All these examples prove that under Ralph, players feel valued and are pushed to be better versions of themselves. Their personal improvements are a testament to Ralph’s care and effectiveness, which is hard to leave once experienced.
There’s a reason that Blakes chose Vanderbilt over proven programs like UCLA, Stanford, Indiana and Tennessee. It’s not just because she believes that she can turn the program around — it’s because she believes in Ralph. It’s the same reason that Kapinus left Penn State stardom for a bench role at Vanderbilt or why Moore stuck by Vanderbilt despite being recruited by former head coach Stephanie White.
Retaining this program’s stars is very important, as the team is young and full of potential; I’m confident that Ralph can not only retain talent but recruit well enough to build upon her already strong foundation.
Though it seems like the end of the road for Vanderbilt, a new chapter has just begun. The Ralph era — which isn’t going to end anytime soon thanks to an extension — has transformed from the rebuilding phase to the competing phase, highlighted by an electric 2024-2025 season and so much hope for the future of Commodore women’s basketball.
