Lady Vols escape close call against Memphis
Lady Vols basketball didn’t make it easy on themselves, but Jewel Spear wasn’t letting Memphis win the game.
In a tightly-contested overtime, Spear made back-to-back drives and layups to give Tennessee a lead with a minute left. Her effort boosted Tennessee to a 84-74 win over Memphis (1-2) in overtime – a position the No. 12 Lady Vols shouldn’t have been in to start with.
After building an 11-point lead late in the fourth quarter, Tennessee (2-1) led by only two points with 12.9 seconds left at Thompson-boling Arena at Food City Center on Monday. Sara Puckett got the ball with nine seconds left and tried to pass to Jillian Hollingshead, when they could have held the ball.
Instead, Memphis stole the pass and had time to miss a 3-pointer, grab the rebound and score to send the game into overtime.
Puckett led Tennessee with 24 points and added seven rebounds and two assists in senior forward Rickea Jackson’s absence due to injury. Hollingshead had 14, nine rebounds and senior guard Spear had 19 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.
Rickea Jackson out with injury
Senior leading scorer Rickea Jackson was out with a lower leg injury Monday. She was wearing a boot on her right foot and sat on the bench during the game.
The 6-foot-2 forward is day-to-day, per Tennessee athletics. Besides her offensive production, she provides a strong presence in the post and on the boards, where the team does not have depth to spare. Jackson is averaging 22 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in 31 minutes per game this season.
Memphis takes early lead on gritty defense
Tennessee led 17-9 with three minutes left in the first quarter. Lady Vols coach Kellie Harper made three substitutions around that time, and the second unit struggled. Memphis made a run and tied the game 20-20 at the end of the first quarter.
The Tigers played with high energy on defense and their high ball pressure gave Tennessee’s guards fits. Their fullcourt press also gave the Lady Vols trouble, and UT had 15 turnovers by halftime.
Memphis opened the second quarter on a 12-3 run to build a nine-point lead. Tennessee’s turnovers started to pile up after Harper called a timeout when the run was only 7-0. Tennessee cut the lead to 36-32 at halftime, but Memphis had all the confidence and momentum after the first half.
Tennessee struggles to contain the perimeter – again
Perimeter defense has been a struggle to start the season for the Lady Vols, who have given up 22 3-pointers on 53.7% shooting in the first two games.
Monday was more of the same. Memphis didn’t hit as many 3-pointers, but they were timely. The Tigers went 7for-15 on 3-pointers in regulation, and it nearly cost Tennessee the game.
Whether it’s a symptom of the Lady Vols’ overall struggle on offense or a perimeter issue on particular, they need to remedy it soon or it’ll come back to bite them.
cora.hall@knoxnews.com