_Tennessee Women’s Basketball Upset by Georgia – Poor Shooting From the Vols_

_Tennessee Women’s Basketball Upset by Georgia – Poor Shooting From the Vols_

 

The Tennessee Lady Vols suffered a stunning upset at the hands of the Georgia Lady Bulldogs on Sunday, falling 72-69 in a game that saw the Vols struggle mightily from the field. The loss was a disappointing end to an otherwise successful regular season for the Lady Vols, who had been riding a five-game winning streak into the contest.

 

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading baskets and playing tenacious defense. However, the Lady Vols’ poor shooting ultimately proved to be their downfall. Tennessee shot just 37.5% from the field, including a dismal 22.2% from three-point range.

 

“We just didn’t shoot the ball well today,” said Lady Vols head coach Kellie Harper. “We had some good looks, but we just couldn’t seem to get anything to fall. It’s frustrating, because we’ve been shooting the ball so well lately.”

 

The Lady Bulldogs, on the other hand, shot 45.5% from the field, including 42.9% from three-point range. Georgia’s Diamond Battles led all scorers with 22 points, including 5-7 shooting from three-point range.

 

“Diamond was huge for us today,” said Georgia head coach Joni Taylor. “She’s been playing great basketball all season, and today was no exception. She hit some big shots for us, and really helped us pull away down the stretch.”

 

Despite their poor shooting, the Lady Vols still managed to stay within striking distance of the Lady Bulldogs throughout the game. Tennessee trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half, but rallied to tie the game at 69-69 with just over a minute remaining.

 

However, Battles’ fifth three-pointer of the game with 10 seconds remaining proved to be the dagger, putting the Lady Bulldogs up 72-69. The Lady Vols had one final chance, but Jasmine Powell’s desperation three-pointer at the buzzer fell short.

 

“It was a tough loss, but we can’t hang our heads,” said Harper. “We’ve got to bounce back and get ready for the SEC Tournament. We’ve still got a lot to play for, and we can’t let one loss define us.”

 

The Lady Vols will indeed look to bounce back in the SEC Tournament, which begins on Wednesday in Greenville, South Carolina. Tennessee will enter the tournament as the No. 3 seed, and will face off against the winner of the Ole Miss-Auburn game in the quarterfinals.

 

Despite the loss, the Lady Vols still have a lot to be proud of. They finished the regular season with a 22-7 overall record, and a 12-4 mark in the SEC. Tennessee has also been ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll for much of the season, and is still in contention for a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

 

“We’ve had a great season, and we’re not going to let one loss take away from that,” said Harper. “We’re going to bounce back, and we’re going to make a deep run in the tournament. That’s our goal, and that’s what we’re focused on.”