After the program’s first-ever loss to MTSU a year ago, the Lady Vols embraced an underdog mindset
Knoxville, Tenn. – The underdog mentality paid off for the Lady Vols as the program was in search of a get-back win after they lost to Middle Tennessee for the first time a year ago.
Dominance in the Lady Vols’ three-point range led to an 85-79 victory.
However, the opening minutes of this in-state rivalry didn’t go in the Lady Vols’ favor.
The team missed its first five shots and it took until Tennessee’s third substitution before the Lady Vols finally scored.
Point guard Samara Spencer set the tone for the offense in this one, as her first bucket and the team’s first points came on a triple from the top of the arc.
Following that, scoring droughts plagued the Lady Vols throughout the game.
The Lady Vols went 1 of 5 on their next six shots.
By the first media timeout, Tennessee was in a 2:27 scoring drought with 4:38 to go in the first quarter.
After a foul on Zee Spearman, she took to the free-throw line but missed both her shots.
However, Spearman managed to get the rebound, set the offense, and swing it around to Spencer who knocked down the trey.
Spencer unquestionably had the hot hand in the final minutes of the opening quarter.
After sinking that second three-pointer, she’d draw a charge, and falling to the ground she pumped her arms and shouted, “YA!” and the Lady Vols would get the ball back.
The very next play, Spencer knocks down yet another triple to give the Lady Vols its first lead of the game.
At the end of the first quarter, she had 13 points and a perfect four of four from deep. Spencer surpassed her previous season high of 12 points in the first quarter alone, sinking 13 points. She also notched a season-high in field goals, tallying six. Spencer’s final stat line was a season-best 17 points while matching her season-high of five assists.
The presence on the perimeter continued all night, the Lady Vols closed the first half with four straight triples to go into half-time leading 41-28. On top of that, the final three triples were consecutive with no misses.
In the third quarter, the lady Vols weren’t able to get stops of defense. MTSU outscored the Lady Vols 27-26 and closed the quarter with MTSU making 6 of its last 8 field goals and outrebounded Tennessee.
The majority of MTSU’s scoring came on line drives down the middle. Despite spending several days scouting that asked of their game, the Lady Vols struggled to find ways to close that gap.
“I think we got, I don’t know if lazy is the right word, but just kind of careless with our defense,” Tess Darby said. “We’re just making mistakes. Then we had to lock back in and keep getting stops.”
However, efficiency in three-point shooting in the final quarter helped the Lady Vols secure their lead and eventual win.
That also led to the team tying two previous performances for second in program history with their 15 makes, coming up just short of the 2011 program best of 16 vs. Kentucky on March 6, 2011.
Once again, they surpassed UT’s mark for three-point attempts for the second straight game, unleashing 42 tries behind the arc and finishing just five off the SEC record.
The team struggled early with shots on the perimeter. In the first quarter, they were a mere 4-for-12.
Darby, who had struggled from the arc to start the season connected on four in a row from long range in the fourth quarter.
“I think it goes back to what they say, shooters shoot,” Darby said. “Just keeping the confidence and knowing that my teammates are going to find me, and they have the confidence for me to shoot the ball.”
Kim Caldwell added, “It’s big that she didn’t also get in her head. She continued to shoot. Her teammates continue to trust her. We talked a little bit about a couple of adjustments she should make with her shot at halftime, and it really paid off.”
Darby’s efficiency in the fourth, helped the team to connect on 6 of its 9 attempts from deep.
Seven Lady Vols drained at least one three-pointer Tuesday night, combining for a team total of 15 makes which tied for second in school history.
They tied the 2010 team who reached that mark twice in a single season. One came against Chattanooga (11/15/10) and the other, Lamar (12/1/10).
Tuesday night, Samara Spencer and Tess Darby hit four each, and Alyssa Latham and Sara Puckett made two each. Jewel Spear, Ruby Whitehorn, and Zee Spearman recorded one apiece.