Jewel Spear scores 28 points in Tennessee’s win against Ole Miss
KNOXVILLE, TN – The Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team picked up a crucial win on Thursday night, defeating Ole Miss 73-65 at Thompson-Boling Arena. The win was led by a dominant performance from junior guard, Jewel Spear, who scored a game-high 28 points.
Spear’s 28 points were a season-high for the junior guard, and it marked the fifth time this season that she has scored 20 or more points in a game. She shot 10-of-17 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range, and she also added five rebounds and three assists to her stat line.
“Jewel was incredible tonight,” said Tennessee head coach, Kellie Harper. “She’s been playing well all season, but tonight she took it to another level. She was aggressive, she was confident, and she made big plays when we needed them.”
The Lady Vols (18-8, 7-5 SEC) needed Spear’s big performance to overcome a tough Ole Miss (17-7, 6-5 SEC) team. The Rebels were led by senior guard, Shakira Austin, who scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Ole Miss jumped out to an early lead, scoring the first seven points of the game. But Tennessee responded with a 12-2 run, capped off by a Spear three-pointer, to take a 12-9 lead.
The Lady Vols extended their lead to as many as 11 points in the second quarter, but Ole Miss cut the deficit to 37-30 at halftime.
The Rebels came out strong in the third quarter, scoring the first six points to cut Tennessee’s lead to 37-36. But Spear responded with a pair of three-pointers to push the Lady Vols’ lead back to 43-36.
Tennessee extended its lead to as many as 12 points in the fourth quarter, and the Lady Vols were able to hold off Ole Miss’s late surge to secure the 73-65 win.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” said Harper. “Ole Miss is a great team, and they’ve been playing well all season. But our players were focused and determined, and they made the plays when it mattered most.”
The win was a big one for the Lady Vols, who are fighting for a top-four seed in the SEC Tournament. Tennessee is now tied for fourth place in the SEC standings with Georgia, and the Lady Vols have a crucial game against the Bulldogs on Sunday.
“This was a big win for us,” said Spear. “We knew we needed to come out and play well, and we did that. We’re feeling confident right now, and we’re looking forward to our next game against Georgia.”
The Lady Vols will host Georgia on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET at Thompson-Boling Arena. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
“We’re excited for the challenge,” said Harper. “Georgia is a great team, and they’ve been playing well all season. But we’re confident in our abilities, and we’re looking forward to going out and competing.”
The win over Ole Miss was a big one for the Lady Vols, and it marked the fifth time this season that Tennessee has beaten a team that is ranked in the top 25.
“We’re feeling good about where we are right now,” said Harper. “We’ve been playing well, and we’re getting contributions from everyone on our roster. We’re excited for the rest of the season, and we’re looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish.”
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