AUBURN, Ala. – Despite Yuting Deng’s career-best 27 points, Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes set an NCAA freshman record with 55 points to lead the Commodores to a 98-88 overtime win over Auburn on Sunday at Neville Arena, overcoming a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Auburn head coach Johnnie Harris acknowledged fatigue as a key factor in the loss. “In the fourth quarter, we got tired and started making poor decisions,” Harris said. “We have to improve. Giving up 98 points cost us the game.”
Vanderbilt erased Auburn’s lead late in regulation, but Mar’Shaun Bostic’s free throws with 32 seconds left gave the Tigers an 81-79 edge. A moving screen on Vanderbilt’s next possession returned the ball to Auburn, and DeYona Gaston’s free throw made it 82-79 with 11 seconds remaining.
Blakes responded with two free throws at the seven-second mark, and after fouling Bostic, who converted both free throws, Auburn held an 84-81 lead. However, Bostic fouled out while defending Blakes’ three-point attempt with one second left. Blakes, who had made 23 free throws in a row before missing one, calmly sank all three to force overtime.
“Mikayla is excellent at drawing contact,” Harris noted. “She’s a great player and forced 15 fouls on us.” Vanderbilt dominated overtime, scoring the first nine points and outscoring Auburn 14-4 in the extra period.
Bostic contributed a double-double with 14 points and 11 assists, while Gaston scored 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting.
Auburn led early, with Bostic scoring three layups in the first quarter. Syriah Daniels’ basket gave Auburn a six-point lead, but Vanderbilt’s 5-0 run closed the quarter at 18-17.
The teams exchanged leads in the second quarter before Deng and Celia Sumbane fueled Auburn’s offense with 17 combined points, helping the Tigers lead 42-39 at halftime. Auburn’s efficient shooting continued in the third quarter, with Gaston and Deng pacing the team to a 64-56 advantage.
The Tigers extended their lead to 15 points in the fourth quarter after Bostic’s tenth assist set up Gaston’s layup. However, Blakes took control, scoring 19 points in the final period, including 12 free throws without a miss, to tie the game.
Auburn (12-14, 3-10) will play its next two games on the road, starting with a matchup against No. 21 Alabama at 4 p.m. CT on Sunday.
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