Mikayla Blakes scores 27 and No. 19 Vanderbilt women use big 3rd quarter to beat Cal 74-65 in Paris

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PARIS (AP) — Mikayla Blakes scored 27 points, Aiyana Mitchell had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and No. 19 Vanderbilt dominated the third quarter for a 74-65 victory over California on Monday to begin the season in Paris.

Blakes scored 14 points in the first half but Vanderbilt trailed 33-31 at the 8,000-capacity Adidas Arena, where No. 16 Baylor beat No. 7 Duke 58-52 earlier Monday as part of a doubleheader.

Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda tied it in the opening minute of the third quarter and Vanderbilt pulled away during a 19-0 run for a 54-37 lead with 1:48 left in the frame.

Cal got within nine points late in the fourth before Justine Pissott put Vanderbilt ahead by double figures again with a 3-pointer.

Sacha Washington added 13 points, eight rebounds and four steals, and freshman Aubrey Galvan had seven points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Vanderbilt. Blakes, the defending SEC freshman of the year and the highest-scoring player returning in the SEC this season at 23.3 points per game, reached 25-plus points for the 11th time in her career.

Taylor Barnes scored 17 points and fellow freshman Aliyahna Morris added 10 for Cal. South Carolina transfer Sakima Walker finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Lulu Twidale, Cal’s lone returning starter from last season’s squad, scored 11.

Vanderbilt has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the last two seasons, marking the first time since the program has done so since earning 15 straight bids from 1999-2014.

California is in its seventh season under head coach Charmin Smith. The Golden Bears had their best season in the Smith era last season, finishing 25-9 and earning an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018-19.

Vanderbilt has the week off before playing Furman next Monday. Cal hosts Sacramento State on Sunday.

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