KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Sunday, No. 15 Tennessee demonstrated their dominance by overpowering Winthrop 112-50. This victory marked the seventh instance in program history where the Lady Volunteers achieved a perfect 12-0 start to their season.
Sara Puckett led the scoring effort with 17 points, while Ruby Whitehorn contributed 16 points to the team’s success. Puckett excelled by converting 6 of 10 attempts from the field, including a 3-pointer, and sinking all four of her free throws, additionally grabbing eight rebounds. This strong performance comes during her team’s unbeaten run under the guidance of new head coach Kim Caldwell, the first 12-0 start for Tennessee in nearly two decades. Whitehorn also had an impressive outing, making 7 of 13 shots along with both of her free-throw attempts.
The Lady Vols showcased a well-rounded offensive performance, with Jewel Spear adding 15 points thanks to three successful 3-pointers. Kaniya Boyd made an impactful contribution off the bench with a perfect 5-for-5 shooting performance, including a three-pointer, totaling 15 points. Zee Spearman and reserve player Tess Darby added 14 and 10 points, respectively. For Winthrop (6-7), Amourie Porter was a standout, making all eight of her free throws to lead her team with 14 points. This loss dropped the Eagles to a meager 1-5 on the road this season.
The contest began with Tennessee racing ahead to a 35-13 lead after the first quarter. By halftime, Spear and Puckett had each tallied nine points, while Whitehorn added eight to help the Lady Vols maintain a strong 61-32 lead. The momentum continued for Tennessee, who extended their advantage by an additional eight points after three quarters and completely dominated Winthrop in the final quarter, outscoring them 31-4.
Currently, Tennessee leads the nation in several statistical categories, including scoring average (97.4 points per game), total 3-pointers made per game (12.6), attempts per game (38.3), offensive rebounds per game (21.5), and turnovers forced (27.2). This victory marked the sixth time this season that the Lady Vols have scored over 100 points.
Looking ahead, Tennessee will begin their Southeastern Conference play on Thursday against Texas A&M, while Winthrop prepares to face South Carolina Upstate for their Big South Conference opener.
