KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In a thrilling matchup on Thursday night, No. 15 Tennessee triumphed over No. 18 Alabama with a final score of 88-80. Jewel Spear led the charge for the Lady Vols, contributing 20 points, with 11 of those coming from the free-throw line. Talaysia Cooper also made notable contributions, adding 16 points, marking Tennessee’s fifth victory in their last six games.

With this win, Tennessee improved to 20-6 overall and 7-6 in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), achieving 20 or more wins for the 48th time in program history. The Lady Vols had reached this milestone the previous season during the NCAA Tournament.

The first half was tightly contested, as neither team held a lead larger than seven points. However, Tennessee began to pull away in the third quarter, establishing an impressive 16-5 run. This surge was highlighted by a pivotal three-pointer from Sara Puckett, taking the score to 58-42. During this stretch, Samara Spencer also hit a three-pointer as Tennessee scored 11 consecutive points.

Alabama fought back later in the game, fueled by Sarah Ashlee Barker, who scored nine points during a 14-4 run that brought the score to 79-75 with just over three minutes remaining. Yet, Tennessee quickly responded, netting the next five points to widen their lead back to nine. Zee Spearman increased Tennessee’s advantage to ten with a basket at the 1:12 mark, and Cooper sealed the win with another basket just 39 seconds from the final buzzer.

In addition to Spear’s standout performance, Spearman contributed 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the home team. For Alabama, Barker led the scoring with 22 points, alongside six rebounds and five assists. Zaay Green, a former Tennessee player from 2018 to 2020, also chipped in 16 points, as all five starters from the Crimson Tide managed to score in double digits.

Aaliyah Nye was instrumental for Alabama in the first half, scoring 11 of her 13 points to help keep the team close, with a halftime score of 42-38 in favor of Tennessee. The Lady Vols shot 46% from the field in the opening half, while dominating the boards with a 28-15 rebounding advantage.

Looking ahead, Alabama will host Auburn on Sunday, and Tennessee is set to face Florida in their next game.