GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Talaysia Cooper led the charge for the No. 15 Tennessee Lady Vols with an impressive 18 points, while Zee Spearman contributed 16 points, including a crucial three-point play, as the team overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Florida 86-78 on Sunday.
The Lady Vols ignited their comeback by scoring 21 points within the first five minutes of the third quarter, turning a nine-point deficit into a 49-45 lead. Jewel Spear was instrumental in this scoring surge, adding one 3-pointer and converting on two three-point plays to help Tennessee regain control.
By the conclusion of the third quarter, Tennessee had recorded a staggering 37 points, capitalizing on nine turnovers committed by Florida. With a score of 65-57 heading into the final quarter, the Lady Vols appeared to be in firm command.
An opening three-pointer by Cooper at the start of the fourth elevated Tennessee’s lead to 11 points. However, Florida’s Ra Shaya Kyle and Laila Reynolds reacted fiercely, combining for 16 points and bringing the Gators within four on several occasions, the closest being 82-78 with only 56 seconds left to play.
In a pivotal moment, Spearman completed a three-point play with 44 seconds remaining, and shortly after, she secured a defensive rebound following a failed 3-pointer from Florida. Samara Spencer sealed the game for Tennessee by making one free throw with just 13 seconds left, while Florida missed a final 3-pointer as time ran out.
Spencer also had a solid performance, finishing with a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds for Tennessee (21-6, 8-6 SEC). Additional contributions came from Spear and Ruby Whitehorn, who each scored 10 points.
On the other side, Florida’s Kyle led her team with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Reynolds and Liv McGill each netted 17 points. Jeriah Warren also chipped in with 11 points for the Gators (14-14, 5-9).
Florida initially held the lead at 16-12 after the first quarter, and with 4.5 minutes remaining in the first half, the Gators were ahead 27-26. A sudden 10-0 run allowed Florida to extend the lead to 37-28 by halftime.
As the regular season approaches its conclusion, Tennessee will face No. 14 Kentucky on Thursday before returning home to take on Georgia on Sunday. Florida, meanwhile, is set to host No. 16 Oklahoma on Thursday and will visit No. 2 Texas on Sunday.
