GAINESVILLE, FL – The Tennessee Lady Volunteers showed their resilience once again, overcoming a nine-point halftime deficit with a dominant third-quarter surge to secure an 86-78 victory over the Florida Gators on the road.
The Lady Vols, who improved to 23-5 overall and 12-3 in the Southeastern Conference, trailed 43-34 at halftime. However, they came out firing in the third quarter, using a 15-2 run to take a 51-45 lead with 4:30 remaining in the period.
Tennessee’s offense was unstoppable in the third quarter, with the Lady Vols scoring 37 points on 13-of-19 shooting from the field. Senior guard Jordan Horston led the charge, scoring 13 of her game-high 25 points in the quarter.
“We knew we had to come out and play with a lot more energy and urgency in the second half,” said Horston. “We were able to get some stops on defense and then convert on the other end. It was a great team effort, and we’re proud of the way we responded to the challenge.”
The Lady Vols’ dominant third-quarter performance was a testament to their resilience and determination. Despite struggling in the first half, they refused to give up and instead came out with a renewed sense of purpose and focus.
“I’m so proud of our team for showing the heart and grit that they did in the second half,” said Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but our players responded in a big way. We’re thrilled to get the win and move another step closer to our goals.”
The win marked the Lady Vols’ 12th consecutive victory over the Gators, and improved their overall record against Florida to 55-15.
Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson added 20 points and 7 rebounds, while Sara Puckett chipped in with 15 points and 5 assists. The Lady Vols also got a big boost from their bench, which outscored Florida’s bench 22-10.
The Gators, who fell to 17-11 overall and 6-9 in the SEC, were led by Leilani Correa’s 23 points and 7 rebounds. Nina Rickards added 20 points and 6 rebounds, while Tatyana Wyche chipped in with 15 points and 5 assists.
The Lady Vols will look to keep their momentum going on Sunday, when they host the Vanderbilt Commodores at Thompson-Boling Arena. The game is scheduled to tip off at 2:00 p.m. ET.
_Tennessee Lady Vols’ Statistics:_
– Jordan Horston: 25 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
– Rickea Jackson: 20 points, 7 rebounds
– Sara Puckett: 15 points, 5 assists
– Tamari Key: 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks
_Florida Gators’ Statistics:_
– Leilani Correa: 23 points, 7 rebounds
– Nina Rickards: 20 points, 6 rebounds
– Tatyana Wyche: 15 points, 5 assists
_Tennessee Lady Vols’ Remaining Schedule:_
– Feb. 25: vs. Vanderbilt
– Feb. 28: at Arkansas
– March 2: vs. Kentucky
– March 5: at Mississippi State
_Tennessee Lady Vols’ Postseason Outlook:_
– Currently ranked 12th in the country
– Projected to be a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament
– Have won 12 consecutive games against Florida
Leave a Reply