The #15/13 Tennessee Lady Vols proved to be too much for the Florida Gators on Thursday night, as they out-wrestled their hosts 86-78 in a thrilling SEC showdown at Exactech Arena.

 The #15/13 Tennessee Lady Vols proved to be too much for the Florida Gators on Thursday night, as they out-wrestled their hosts 86-78 in a thrilling SEC showdown at Exactech Arena.

 

The Lady Vols (20-5, 10-2 SEC) were led by a dominant performance from senior forward Rickea Jackson, who poured in a game-high 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field. Jackson also added 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks to her impressive stat line.

 

Tennessee also got significant contributions from junior guard Jordan Horston, who had 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, and sophomore guard Sara Puckett, who chipped in with 12 points and 3 rebounds.

 

The Gators (16-9, 5-7 SEC) were led by senior guard Lavender Briggs, who had 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Florida also got 18 points and 7 rebounds from junior forward Nina Rickards.

 

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with neither team able to gain a significant advantage until the final minutes. Tennessee took a 42-39 lead into halftime, but Florida came out strong in the third quarter, using a 10-2 run to take a 55-52 lead.

 

However, the Lady Vols refused to back down, using a 12-2 run of their own to take a 64-57 lead early in the fourth quarter. Florida cut the deficit to 5 points with just over 2 minutes remaining, but Tennessee was able to hold on for the 86-78 win.

 

“I’m so proud of our team for the way they fought and competed tonight,” said Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper. “We knew it was going to be a tough game, but our players were ready for the challenge. Rickea was incredible, and Jordan and Sara also had big games for us.”

 

The win was Tennessee’s 10th in SEC play, and it kept the Lady Vols in second place in the conference standings behind only undefeated South Carolina.

 

Tennessee will look to keep its winning streak alive on Sunday, when it hosts Vanderbilt at Thompson-Boling Arena.

 

_Game Stats:_

 

– Tennessee: Rickea Jackson (28 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks), Jordan Horston (18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists), Sara Puckett (12 points, 3 rebounds)

– Florida: Lavender Briggs (23 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists), Nina Rickards (18 points, 7 rebounds)

 

_Game Notes:_

 

– The win was Tennessee’s 20th of the season, marking the 10th time in the last 11 seasons that the Lady Vols have reached the 20-win mark.

– Rickea Jackson’s 28 points marked her 10th 20-point game of the season.

– Tennessee improved to 10-2 in SEC play, marking the Lady Vols’ best conference record through 12 games since the 2010-11 season.