KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt women’s basketball fell 66-52 to No. 13/10 Tennessee inside Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday morning. With this victory, the Lady Vols have taken the season series by winning both matchups.
The Commodores (12-14, 3-9 SEC) were led in scoring by senior Brinae Alexander with 19 points. She added a pair of rebounds and two steals.
Although, the Lady Vols (21-4, 10-2 SEC) won the jumpball it was Vandy’s Kaylon Smith to open up the scoring on the afternoon with a jumper just outside the paint. However, a Jordan Horston 3-pointer positioned the home team ahead of the visitors at 3-2. The teams traded baskets back-and-forth down the stretch with neither team separating themselves by more than several points. Iyana Moore’s and-1 play was the first tie of the game around the seven minute mark at five all. But, Horston’s jump shot closed the period with Tennessee in control at 15-12.
Alexander’s signature long ball found the back of the net around two minutes into the second stanza. The 3-pointer deadlocked the game for the second and final time at 15 all. Vanderbilt’s offensive burst of 14 points in the period would be the most scored for the Commodores on the afternoon. The effort was led by Alexander with additional contributions from Jordyn Cambridge and Sacha Washington. Tennessee’s 31 points, coming off a buzzer beating jumper from Horston, aided the home team lead over Vanderbilt at 31-26 at the half.
The second half belonged to the Lady Vols who raised their shooting percentage to above 40% in the final pair of periods. Tennessee also garnered points from six different players and limited Vanderbilt’s options on the other end of the floor. Moore came alive in the latter half of the game with 11 points in the second half. She was joined by Alexander, Cambridge, and De’Mauri Flournoy en route to reaching the 26 point Commodore total.
Vandy’s double-digit duo of Alexander and Moore rounded out to 36 combined points.
Jordan Horston concluded the game with a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds. The Lady Vols also had another in double figures, Rae Burrell who ended the game with 15 points going a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
Vanderbilt will continue its road stint, traveling to face the Kentucky Wildcats on Thursday.
