KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In an exhilarating matchup on Thursday night, Zee Spearman led the No. 19 Tennessee Lady Volunteers to an 80-76 victory over the No. 5 UConn Huskies. Spearman contributed 18 points, including a crucial basket in the final 12 seconds that helped secure the win for her team.

The Lady Vols (17-5) had a tight grip on the game, holding a 78-76 lead when Jewel Spear assisted Spearman in making the pivotal shot. This victory marked a significant milestone for Tennessee, as it was their first win against UConn (21-3) since 2007. The Lady Vols had faced UConn four times since their rivalry was reignited in 2020 and had lost each encounter.

In terms of scoring, Samara Spencer contributed 14 points, while Spear and Talaysia Cooper added 12 and 11 points, respectively. On the opposing side, Sarah Strong led the Huskies with 18 points, backed by Paige Bueckers who scored 14. Kk Arnold and Azzi Fudd contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The first half saw Strong making an impact for UConn with 12 points, which helped the team take a slim 39-37 lead into halftime. Despite Tennessee’s dominance on the boards, with a 24-19 rebounding edge, they struggled with their perimeter shooting, hitting only 18.8% of their three-point attempts (3 of 16). UConn capitalized on this by forcing the Lady Vols into committing 10 turnovers.

Noteworthy takeaways from the game include the rapid development of UConn’s Strong, who has emerged as one of the top freshmen in the nation. Standing at 6-foot-2, she combines strength in the post with the finesse to shoot nearly 37% from beyond the arc, currently averaging 17 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

For Tennessee, this victory, alongside their challenging upcoming matchups against fellow SEC teams like South Carolina, Texas, and LSU, will serve as valuable experience as they prepare for the postseason. Competing against elite teams will be crucial for their tournament seeding.

A key moment in the game occurred early in the third quarter when UConn held a 45-41 lead. Tennessee countered, blanking the Huskies for over four minutes while scoring 11 consecutive points to seize control of the game.

As for a key statistic, Tennessee clearly dominated the rebounding battle with a 46-34 advantage on the boards.

Looking ahead, UConn will be traveling to Providence for their next game on Sunday, while Tennessee is set to visit No. 7 LSU on the same day.