After a dominant Round of 64 victory over High Point, No. 2-seed Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball (28-4, 13-3 SEC) turns its attention to the Round of 32, in which it will face No. 7-seed Illinois (22-11, 9-9 Big Ten). The Fighting Illini advanced with a 66-57 win over No. 10-seed Colorado, earning back-to-back NCAA Tournament victories for the first time since the 1999 and 2000 tournaments.  

Monday’s matchup marks the first meeting between the programs since 1987, adding an element of unfamiliarity to an already high-stakes game. For Vanderbilt, the stakes extend beyond advancement — a win would secure a perfect home record at Memorial Gym this season for the first time in program history.  

Talented freshmen  

Illinois will rely heavily on its freshman duo of forward Caerah Parchment and guard Destini Jackson, who both delivered in their NCAA Tournament debuts against Colorado. Parchment led the way with 21 points on 8-for-10 shooting, continuing a record-breaking season in which she’s averaging 13.7 points and 8.4 rebounds while setting program freshman records in both scoring and rebounding. Jackson added a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, along with 6 assists, and she averages 10.1 points and a team-leading 5.2 assists per game. Her ability to rebound as a guard helps Illinois push in transition off missed shots, a key factor in its win over Colorado.  

Vanderbilt counters with SEC Freshman of the Year Aubrey Galvan and rising contributor Ava Black. Galvan has been a steady presence all season, averaging 13.2 points, 5.9 assists and 2.7 steals and is coming off a 17-point, 6-assist performance against High Point. Black, meanwhile, is emerging at the right time, scoring a career-high 12 points off the bench in the opening round while continuing to show strong rebounding instincts in limited minutes. Her increased role down the stretch adds another layer to Vanderbilt’s rotation.   

With both teams leaning on freshman production, the ability to handle the pace and pressure of March will be critical. The freshman point guard matchup between Galvan and Jackson will be particularly compelling, as both players control tempo and impact the game on both ends.  

Sophomore stars  

While the freshman matchup draws attention, both teams are anchored by elite sophomore scorers. Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes leads all of Division I with 27.1 points per game. She set the program’s single-season scoring record with 867 points and opened the tournament with 30 points and 5 assists against High Point. Illinois counters with Berry Wallace, a forward with guard-like skills who can handle the ball and shoot from the 3-point line while maintaining an inside-outside game. She averages 18.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game and scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds in the win over Colorado and has scored in double figures in 23 straight games. 

Both teams feature dangerous perimeter scorers, making defensive discipline and rotations critical. Illinois showed this against Colorado, contesting shots, limiting early-clock attempts and forcing 14 turnovers that led to points and momentum. Vanderbilt will need similar focus to limit easy looks and control transition opportunities. 

Offensively, the teams are similar — efficient and careful with the ball. Vanderbilt’s higher assist-to-turnover ratio (1.47 vs. 1.27) and adjusted offensive efficiency (126.2 vs. 115.2) highlight its ability to score while protecting possessions, though Illinois is close behind. In a matchup defined by guard play, execution and smart decision-making will likely decide who advances.  

X factors 

Illinois Center Lety Vasconcelos (6’7) doesn’t play many minutes — averaging 3.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 11.7 per game — but her size could present matchup challenges. If Illinois chooses to give her extended minutes, Vanderbilt may need to rotate Aiyana Mitchell or Aalyah Del Rosario to contend with her length.  

Vanderbilt’s Justine Pissott (6’4), a guard/wing averaging 11.2 points per game, is one of the nation’s best 3-point shooters — she connects at 42.3% clip from deep. Her size gives her a clear advantage over Illinois’ smaller guards (most are 5’6 – 5’11), allowing her to shoot over closeouts and create spacing for the Commodores’ offense. 

Overall, staying in the moment will be crucial. Vanderbilt hasn’t reached the Sweet 16 since 2009. Illinois hasn’t since 1998. It is easy and natural to look ahead to what’s possible, but it is critical for both teams to focus on winning the game in front of them, one possession at a time.  

Vanderbilt will look to stay perfect in Memorial Gym March 23 at 6 p.m. CDT. This game will stream on ESPN2.