Lady Vols make it three in-a-row 88-80 over No. 18 AlabamaLady Vols make it three in-a-row 88-80 over No. 18 Alabama

KNOXVILLE, TN – The Tennessee Lady Vols continued their winning ways on Thursday night, defeating the No. 18 Alabama Crimson Tide 88-80 at Thompson-Boling Arena. The victory marked the Lady Vols’ third consecutive win, and improved their overall record to 18-5.

 

The Lady Vols were led by senior guard Jordan Horston, who scored a game-high 25 points to go along with 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Horston was one of five Lady Vols players to score in double figures, as Tennessee’s offense continued to click on all cylinders.

 

“I’m really proud of our team for the way we played tonight,” said Lady Vols head coach Kellie Harper. “We knew Alabama was a talented team, and we had to be ready to play. I thought our offense was really good, and our defense made some big plays when it mattered most.”

 

The Lady Vols got off to a strong start, building a 25-17 lead after the first quarter. Alabama fought back in the second quarter, but Tennessee’s offense continued to roll, as the Lady Vols took a 46-38 lead into halftime.

 

In the second half, the Lady Vols continued to pull away, building a 14-point lead with just over 5 minutes to play. Alabama made a late surge, but the Lady Vols were able to hold on for the 88-80 victory.

 

“I thought we played a really good game tonight,” said Horston. “We moved the ball well, and we were able to get some easy baskets. Our defense was also really good, especially in the second half.”

 

The Lady Vols’ victory was their third consecutive win, and improved their record in the Southeastern Conference to 9-3. Tennessee is now tied for second place in the SEC standings, just one game behind league-leading South Carolina.

 

Alabama, meanwhile, fell to 17-6 overall and 6-5 in the SEC. The Crimson Tide were led by senior guard Brittany Davis, who scored 22 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.

 

“We knew Tennessee was a talented team, and they played a really good game tonight,” said Alabama head coach Kristy Curry. “We had some opportunities to make some plays, but we just couldn’t capitalize. We’ll learn from this and move on to our next game.”

 

The Lady Vols will be back in action on Sunday, when they host the Vanderbilt Commodores at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.

 

In the meantime, here are some key takeaways from Thursday’s game:

 

– Jordan Horston’s 25 points marked her fifth consecutive game with 20 or more points.

– The Lady Vols’ 88 points were their most in an SEC game this season.

– Tennessee’s victory marked their 10th consecutive win over Alabama at Thompson-Boling Arena.

– The Lady Vols improved to 14-1 at home this season, with their only loss coming to UConn on Jan. 26.