LEXINGTON, Ky. (Interstat) — In a Southeastern Conference women’s basketball thriller defined by a duel of All-American candidates, Mikayla Blakes poured in 37 points and Aubrey Galvan sank two decisive free throws with 12 seconds remaining to lift Vanderbilt to an 84-83 victory over Kentucky on Thursday night at Rupp Arena.

The Commodores, who trailed by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, completed a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback to snap a two-game skid and hand the Wildcats their second consecutive home loss. The game featured 13 lead changes and was not decided until the final possession.

Vanderbilt improved to 22-2 overall and solidified its position near the top of the SEC standings. Kentucky fell to 18-6.

The most critical sequence unfolded in the final 19 seconds with Vanderbilt clinging to an 81-79 lead. Kentucky’s Tonie Morgan drove for a layup to tie the game, but on the ensuing inbound play, the Wildcats’ Asia Boone fouled Galvan, sending her to the line. The freshman guard from Deerfield, Illinois, calmly sank both free throws to put Vanderbilt back ahead 83-81 with 12 seconds left.

Kentucky had a chance to tie or take the lead, but after a timeout, Amelia Hassett’s three-point attempt from the wing missed. Teonni Key secured the offensive rebound and put it back to cut the deficit to 83-82 with just over four seconds remaining. The Wildcats immediately fouled Galvan again, and she made the first of two free throws. Intentionally missing the second, Kentucky secured the rebound and called timeout with 1.9 seconds left.

Out of the timeout, Morgan inbounded to Hassett, whose desperation three-point heave was off the mark as time expired, sealing the one-point victory for the Commodores.

The game was a showcase for Blakes, the Vanderbilt junior guard from Somerset, New Jersey. Playing 40 minutes, she scored 37 points on 13-of-28 shooting, including five three-pointers, and added four assists. Her performance was part of a 30-point fourth quarter for Vanderbilt, which erased a 58-54 deficit entering the final period. Blakes scored 16 points in the fourth, including a crucial three-pointer with 46 seconds left that gave Vanderbilt a 79-77 lead it would not relinquish.

Kentucky was led by a dominant performance from Teonni Key. The 6-foot-4 forward from Cary, North Carolina, scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, repeatedly punishing Vanderbilt inside. Amelia Hassett added 19 points and four assists, while Clara Strack posted a near triple-double with 14 points, 7 assists, and 7 rebounds. Morgan facilitated the offense with 10 assists.

The Wildcats controlled the interior, outscoring Vanderbilt 36-26 in the paint, but were undone by 25 turnovers, which the Commodores converted into 25 points. Vanderbilt, by contrast, committed only 10 turnovers, leading to just 5 points for Kentucky.

Vanderbilt started strong, leading 19-16 after the first quarter, but Kentucky seized momentum in the second. A 12-2 run, fueled by three-pointers from Hassett and Asia Boone, gave the Wildcats a 38-29 lead. They took a 38-34 advantage into halftime.

Kentucky extended its lead to 54-44 midway through the third quarter after a Boone three-pointer, but Vanderbilt chipped away, closing the quarter on a 10-4 run to set the stage for the frantic finish.

Galvan finished with 16 points and 7 assists for Vanderbilt, while Sacha Washington provided 15 points and 3 assists. Justine Pissott and Aga Makurat each added 8 points off the bench.

For Kentucky, Boone scored 12 points, all from beyond the arc.

The game, played before a crowd of 5,187, was a statistical anomaly, with the combined score of 167 points sailing over the pregame over/under line of 145.5. Vanderbilt, a slight 1.5-point favorite pregame, covered the spread.

Vanderbilt will next host Oklahoma on Monday. Kentucky travels to face Texas on Monday. The two teams will meet again in Nashville on Feb. 22.