Lady Vols Stay Perfect in SEC Play, Outlast No. 11 Kentucky in Thriller
In a game that had all the grit and drama you’d expect from a top-20 SEC showdown, No. 17 Tennessee held off No.
11 Kentucky 60-58 in Knoxville, improving to a spotless 6-0 in conference play. This one had it all-momentum swings, clutch plays, and a defensive effort that made all the difference.
Mia Pauldo Shines Bright Again
Freshman guard Mia Pauldo continues to look anything but inexperienced. She poured in 21 points, the only Lady Vol to hit double figures, and once again showed she’s built for big moments.
This marks the second time in her young career she’s cracked the 20-point mark, and her timing couldn’t have been better. Whether it was pulling up from deep or attacking the rim, Pauldo was the steady hand Tennessee leaned on when things got tight.
Defense Sets the Tone
Tennessee’s calling card in this one? Defense.
The Lady Vols forced 21 turnovers, a number that tells the story of their relentless pressure. Kentucky, for all its offensive talent, just couldn’t find a rhythm with Tennessee constantly disrupting passing lanes and applying ball pressure.
Deniya Prawl was a big part of that chaos-she notched four steals to go with her nine points on an efficient 3-of-4 shooting night.
Zee Spearman and Jaida Civil chipped in with eight points apiece. Civil also led the team on the glass with six rebounds, helping to offset a tough night on the boards overall. Kentucky won the rebounding battle 43-35, but Tennessee’s edge in turnover margin proved to be the difference.
Game of Runs, and Tennessee Had Just Enough
The game opened with Tennessee setting the tone early-an Alyssa Lathan layup and two Spearman free throws gave them a quick 4-0 lead. Kentucky answered, but back-to-back buckets from Prawl and Civil pushed the margin back to five. Prawl’s three-pointer at the end of the first quarter gave Tennessee an 11-7 edge heading into the second.
Kentucky briefly took the lead early in the second quarter, but Tennessee responded with a 6-0 run, five of those points coming from Pauldo. The freshman then buried a three to give Tennessee its largest lead of the night at nine. Kentucky trimmed the deficit before halftime, but the Lady Vols still took a 29-22 advantage into the break.
The third quarter saw both teams trade runs. Kentucky came out strong with four quick points, but Tennessee answered with a 7-0 burst-Spearman nailed a triple, Pauldo added a bucket, and Prawl turned defense into offense with a steal and layup.
Kentucky wouldn’t go away, though. As the Wildcats chipped away at the lead, Nya Robertson stepped up with a clutch three to give Tennessee a little breathing room. But Kentucky closed the quarter on a 14-5 run, slicing the lead to just one heading into the fourth.
Closing Time: Lady Vols Lock In
Talaysia Cooper gave Tennessee a jolt to start the fourth, scoring five straight points to push the lead back to six. Kentucky’s Amelia Hassett answered with a 6-0 run of her own, tying the game at 46. Tonie Morgan then knocked down a three to give Kentucky its first lead since early in the second quarter.
But the Lady Vols didn’t blink. Civil and Pauldo responded with back-to-back layups to regain the lead. After Kentucky tied it again with three free throws, Spearman delivered what turned out to be the dagger-a second-chance three-pointer that put Tennessee back up three.
Pauldo added another bucket to reach 21 points and extend the lead to five, but Kentucky wasn’t done. Two quick layups trimmed the margin to two with under two minutes to go, forcing head coach Kim Caldwell to call timeout and regroup.
Tennessee forced its 20th turnover of the night but couldn’t convert. Kentucky had one last shot after Spearman missed a pair of free throws in the final seconds. But when it mattered most, Spearman redeemed herself-picking up the team’s 21st forced turnover to seal the win.
What’s Next
The Lady Vols now turn their attention to a road test in Oxford, Mississippi, where they’ll face Ole Miss on Monday night. Riding a wave of momentum and a perfect SEC record, Tennessee is starting to look like a team that’s hitting its stride at just the right time.