BATON ROUGE, La. — Tennessee went toe-to-toe with No. 6 LSU for a half Thursday night before the Tigers used a dominant third quarter and late surge to secure an 89-73 win at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Here are three takeaways from the Lady Vols’ road test:
Defensive pressure set the tone – until LSU adjusted
Tennessee’s energy traveled early.
The Lady Vols used an early 9-0 run fueled by two steals and a defensive rebound to take the lead in the first quarter. Effort that disrupted LSU’s rhythm and tempo. The press generated deflections, and Tennessee packed the paint with limited fouling in the first quarter.
But LSU settled in.
The Tigers shot better than 60 percent in the third quarter, turning a one-point halftime edge into a double-digit lead. Tennessee still forced isolated turnovers, including a steal that sparked a quick five-point swing late in the third. However, the sustained disruption faded as LSU’s shot-making improved.
Rebounding kept Tennessee competitive
The Lady Vols won the rebounding battle 14-8 in the first half and consistently created second-chance opportunities early. Offensive boards from Zee Spearman, Alyssa Latham, and Talaysia Cooper led to 14 second-chance points in the opening half.
Even as LSU surged in the third quarter, Tennessee continued battling on the glass. Jaida Civil finished with 17 points and seven rebounds.
But key LSU offensive rebounds in the second half proved costly. LSU outrebounded Tennessee 27-16 in the second half to finish with a plus-two margin.
Perimeter shooting gave the Lady Vols life
When LSU built momentum, Tennessee answered from deep.
The Lady Vols hit six 3-pointers in the first half, including a contested triple from Robertson that briefly put Tennessee ahead 42-41. Civil knocked down a corner three in the third quarter, and Robertson added a pull-up three to stop another LSU push.
In the fourth, Civil’s 3-pointer capped an 8-0 run that trimmed the deficit to 10 at 81-71.
But Tennessee’s offense stalled at critical moments.
During LSU’s 16-2 run in the second quarter, the Lady Vols went 1-for-7 from the field, with fouls sending the Tigers to the free-throw line repeatedly. In the fourth, missed open looks and a turnover that led to a transition basket allowed LSU to regain separation.
Tennessee showed it can compete with a top-10 team on the road, but defensive efficiency in the second half and key second-chance plays ultimately created the gap.
The Lady Vols program hasn’t defeated a top-10 team on the road since 2018.
