Georgia stuns No. 5 Vanderbilt with 76-74 upset

Dani Carnegie's 29 points lead the Bulldogs to a surprise victory over the Commodores.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Dani Carnegie scored 29 points to lead the Georgia Bulldogs to a 76-74 upset win over the 5th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores on Sunday. Trinity Thomas made a key jumper in the final minute to give Georgia the lead, and Carnegie split a pair of free throws to seal the victory. Vanderbilt had a chance to force overtime at the end but missed a last-second shot.

Why it matters

This was a major upset in women's college basketball, as Vanderbilt was ranked 5th in the nation and had been on a 5-game winning streak. The loss drops Vanderbilt two games behind South Carolina in the SEC regular season title race.

The details

Georgia built a 14-point lead in the first half, but Vanderbilt closed the half with a 16-3 run to make it a close game. Vanderbilt led by as many as 5 points in the fourth quarter, but Mia Woolfolk scored 11 of her 19 points to help Georgia rally and pull off the upset. Mikayla Blakes led Vanderbilt with 27 points.

  • The game was played on Sunday, February 15, 2026.
  • Vanderbilt's loss came less than 24 hours after the team was announced as the 4th #1 seed by the NCAA in its top 16 reveal.

The players

Dani Carnegie

A Georgia player who scored 29 points to lead her team to the upset victory.

Trinity Thomas

A Georgia player who made a key mid-range jumper in the final minute to give the Bulldogs the lead.

Mia Woolfolk

A Georgia player who scored 11 of her 19 points in the fourth quarter to help the Bulldogs rally and win.

Mikayla Blakes

A Vanderbilt player who led the Commodores with 27 points in the losing effort.

Sacha Washington

A Vanderbilt player who missed a potential game-tying shot at the buzzer.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

This upset victory for Georgia shows that they can compete with the top teams in the SEC and potentially make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. For Vanderbilt, the loss is a setback in their quest for the regular season conference title, but they will have a chance to bounce back against ranked opponent Kentucky next week.