NASHVILLE, Tenn. | Alisha Wilson, Lauryn Pendleton, Mailyn Wilkerson and Kourtney Rittenberry all finished in double figures as the Bulldogs dropped the matinee against the Vanderbilt Commodores to round out preseason play.  
 

Rittenberry led the Bulldogs with 15 points and picked up three rebounds and two steals. Wilson, the week seven Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Impact Player of the Week, added 13 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Lauryn Pendleton and Mailyn Wilkerson recorded 12 and 11 points respectively. Jaiyah Harris-Smith tallied seven assists.  

The Dores were paced by Khamil Pierre's 29 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Iyana Moore added 16 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Vanderbilt moves to conference play after dropping just one contest and have now won 20 straight home games against non-conference teams, dating back to the 2022-23 season.  
 

HOW IT HAPPENED  

Vanderbilt took a slim 6-2 edge early in the first frame, but a put-back jumper from Wilson tied the contest at 11 all with six minutes remaining in the quarter  

The Commodores went on an 11-0 run, keeping AAMU scoreless for four and a half minutes 

Five points from Wilkerson closed the gap, but the host team ended the stanza ahead 24-16 

Alabama A&M started the second frame with more intensity, quickly narrowing the Commodore lead to just four to force a Vandy timeout 

VU went on to score 13 unanswered points, but a triple from Harvey and layup from Rittenberry stifled the Commodore momentum  

Rittenberry sunk a lay-up off the fast break, but Vanderbilt maintained their largest lead of the contest to that point with two minutes remaining in the half (42-27) 

Vanderbilt scored three more to take the teams to the break, with the hosts ahead 45-27 

The home team extended their lead to 24 going into the media timeout (60-36) 

Wilkerson sunk a three-pointer to from a Vandy turnover to round out the third quarter (67-36) 

The Commodores outscored the Bulldogs 26-18 in the final quarter to claim the contest, 93-64 
 

GAME NOTES  

• Alabama A&M shot 42.2 percent (27-of-64) from the field and 31.3 percent (5-of-16) from behind the arc 
• AAMU went 5-9 (55.6 percent) from the line 
• The Bulldogs grabbed 30 total rebounds, 21 of them defensively  
• Rittenberry led the Bulldogs with 15 points, three rebounds and two steals.  
• Wilson added 13 points and a team-high 10 rebounds 
• Lauryn Pendleton and Mailyn Wilkerson recorded 12 and 11 points respectively. 
• Jaiyah Harris-Smith tallied seven assists.  
• The Bulldogs finished with 42 points in the paint, 18 bench points, and 11 points from 15 Commodore turnovers 
• The Dores shot 56.3 percent (40-of-71) from the field, 57.1 percent from the line (8-of-14) and 26.3 percent (5-19) from behind the arc 
• Vanderbilt grabbed 41 rebounds 
• Khamil Pierre led VU with 29 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals 
• Iyana Moore added 16 points, seven assists and four rebounds.  
• Vandy saw 60 points in the paint, 30 bench points and tallied 24 points from 19 Bulldog turnovers 

UP NEXT   

The Bulldogs return to the hardwood on Thursday, January 2nd to open conference play against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils in Huntsville. On Saturday, AAMU will host the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff for the first doubleheader of 2025.  

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