NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team methodically extended its perfect start to the season Thursday night, using a dominant defensive performance to overwhelm Albany 64-35 at Memorial Gymnasium.

The Commodores, now 11-0, held the visiting Great Danes to a season-low in points and just four points in the final quarter before an announced crowd of 2,221. Albany, which entered the game with a 9-2 record and a five-game winning streak, saw its offense stifled throughout, shooting under 30 percent from the field.

Vanderbilt’s backcourt duo of Mikayla Blakes and Aubrey Galvan set the tone. Blakes, a sophomore guard from Somerset, New Jersey, led all scorers with 17 points in 31 minutes, adding four assists. Galvan, a freshman from Deerfield, Illinois, played a game-high 35 minutes, contributing 15 points and four assists while spearheading a relentless perimeter defense that forced 24 Albany turnovers.

The game’s decisive stretch came late in the first quarter and established a pattern Albany could never break. After a slow start from both teams, Vanderbilt closed the opening period on a 14-0 run over the final 5:13 to take a 14-7 lead. Galvan ignited the surge with a steal and a driving layup, then capped it with a pair of 3-pointers. The Commodores’ defensive pressure, which generated five steals in the quarter, completely disrupted Albany’s offensive flow, leading to a series of rushed shots and turnovers.

Albany, which scored seven points in the first and 13 in the second, never recovered. The Great Danes got as close as 21-18 in the second quarter after a 3-pointer from Lara Langermann, but Vanderbilt answered with a 9-2 spurt to close the half leading 30-20. Langermann, a guard from Breckerfield, Germany, finished with a team-high 10 points for Albany.

Any hope of a second-half rally was extinguished in the third quarter. Vanderbilt opened with a 12-2 run, powered by Blakes, who scored six points during the stretch, and a stifling interior presence from Aiyana Mitchell. The 6-foot-4 junior from Colorado Springs, Colorado, recorded 14 points, four blocked shots and altered countless others, anchoring a Vanderbilt defense that held Albany to 11 points in the quarter. The Commodores led 50-31 entering the final period.

The fourth quarter was a defensive clinic by the home team. Vanderbilt limited Albany to just 1-of-12 shooting from the field and forced seven more turnovers, allowing only four points—a jump shot by Delanie Hill with 38 seconds remaining. Hill, a guard from Charlotte, North Carolina, led Albany with 15 points, but 13 of those came in the second half with the outcome largely decided.

Vanderbilt’s depth was also on display. Justine Pissott provided nine points and three assists, while Sacha Washington’s physical play inside added three points and a block. The Commodores shared the ball effectively, assisting on 18 of their 24 made field goals.

Albany’s Julia Palomo, from La Seu d’Urgell, Spain, managed just three points and three assists while battling Vanderbilt’s pressure for 34 minutes. The Great Danes, who fell to 9-3, were held to their lowest scoring output since a 64-45 loss to Syracuse in their season opener.

Vanderbilt, one of 11 remaining undefeated teams in NCAA Division I, outscored Albany 34-15 in the second half. The Commodores have now won each of their 11 games by at least 13 points.

Albany returns home to face Hofstra on Sunday. Vanderbilt continues its homestand Saturday against Texas Southern.