Spencer's career-high 21 help keep Lady Vols unbeaten
Team Stat Comparison | |||||||||
| | | | | | | | | |
Points | 80 | 89 | | | | | | | |
FG Made-Attempted | 28-54 (.519) | 25-64 (.391) | | | | | | | |
3P Made-Attempted | 7-20 (.350) | 7-15 (.467) | | | | | | | |
FT Made-Attempted | 17-25 (.680) | 32-41 (.780) | | | | | | | |
Fouls (Tech/Flagrant) | 30 (0/0) | 22 (0/0) | | | | | | | |
Largest Lead | 5 | 9 | | | | | | | |
Game Leaders | ||||||||
| | | | | | | | |
Points | A. Strother 25 | S. Spencer 21 | | | | | | |
Rebounds | C. Houston 9 | A. Hornbuckle 11 | | | | | | |
Last 5 Games | |||
| | | |
1/04 Georgetown W 80-38 | 1/04 @ | | |
· Complete Schedule: Connecticut | Tennessee | | |
Spencer scored a career-high 21 points, and the Lady Vols (15-0) went 32-of-41 from the foul line on Saturday afternoon to beat the No. 7 Huskies 89-80 in another classic game in this storied rivalry.
"I enjoyed it. I wouldn't say that I was excited about our defense, but we found a way to reach down and win,"
UConn (12-2) lost for the first time in
And there was a big crowd to watch. Attendance was announced as 24,653, the largest in Thompson-Boling Arena history.
"It was electrifying," Summitt said. "This is a rivalry that is special in women's basketball on the national scene."
UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who was booed by Lady Vols fans who don't like his brash attitude, said
"We're the
"I do think we got exactly what the outcome of this game should have been. Are we as big and as strong and as talented as
UConn leads the all-time series 13-8, which includes six matchups in the Final Four.
Zolman, Candace Parker and Tye'sha Fluker each added 13 points, and Alexis Hornbuckle had 14 rebounds, 10 points and nine assists, barely missing the distinction of becoming the first Lady Vol with a triple double.
In a game that featured plenty of stars, it was Spencer who was clutch for the Lady Vols. The junior forward's previous career high was 14 points, and she had no points last year in
"(My teammates) needed a double team to defend them, and that was leaving me open so they could kick the ball out to me to get the open shot," she said.
Charde Houston had a jumper for the Huskies with
But
The Huskies led 41-39 at halftime after the lead changed several times.
The Lady Vols had few answers for Strother, who finished with 25 points and was 5-of-15 from beyond the arc.
Spencer started some games last season before she hurt her knee, and Summitt added her to the lineup this season after guard Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood quit the team last month.
"Sidney Spencer had the game of her life," Auriemma said. "They just have way too many weapons."
The Lady Vols shot 39 percent for the game (26-of-63), and they were 27-of-31 on free throws in the second half.
Zolman, the Lady Vols' leading scorer, didn't make a field goal until late in the second half, and the rest of her points came from going 10-of-10 at the line.
The Huskies had 17 turnovers, nine of which came on steals by the Lady Vols.
But a minute later, Parker when to the bench after tweaking her left ankle, which she hurt earlier this season but has been playing on with heavy tape. Both players returned to the game and fouled out.
Parker, playing in her first game against UConn, missed a chance for a dunk early in the first half when she got the ball on the break following a turnover. Palming the ball, she went up for a lay-in surrounded by four Huskies and missed as the crowd let out a big groan.
Hornbuckle was often guarded by former high school teammate and freshman Renee Montgomery. They both went to South Charleston High in
"Alexis Hornbuckle got more done out there than Ketia Swanier, Mel Thomas and Renee Montgomery combined. Points, assists, steals, you name it," Auriemma said.
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