GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In a thrilling matchup on Sunday, Talaysia Cooper emerged as a standout player for No. 15 Tennessee, contributing 18 points. Zee Spearman also made significant contributions, scoring 16 points, which included an essential three-point play. The Lady Vols staged a remarkable comeback in the second half to secure an 86-78 victory over Florida.
The turning point for Tennessee came early in the third quarter when they erupted for 21 points within five minutes, overcoming a nine-point deficit at halftime to take a lead of 49-45. Jewel Spear played a pivotal role during this surge, sinking one 3-pointer and converting two additional three-point plays.
By the conclusion of the third quarter, Tennessee had racked up an impressive 37 points, capitalizing on nine turnovers committed by Florida, and carried a 65-57 lead into the final period. An opening 3-pointer from Cooper established an 11-point advantage for the Lady Vols at the start of the fourth quarter; however, Florida responded with a strong performance from Ra Shaya Kyle and Laila Reynolds, who collectively scored 16 points to narrow the gap. The Gators managed to close within four points multiple times, the final instance being at 82-78 with just 56 seconds remaining.
With mere seconds left on the clock, Spearman executed a crucial three-point play, extending Tennessee’s lead, and then secured a defensive rebound after a critical missed three-point attempt by Florida. Samara Spencer from Tennessee contributed to the scoreboard with a free throw in the final moments, while Florida failed to capitalize on their last chance as time expired.
In addition to Cooper and Spearman, Spencer achieved a double-double for Tennessee, finishing the game with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Both Spear and Ruby Whitehorn added 10 points each to support the winning effort. For Florida, Kyle led her team with 19 points and 10 rebounds, complemented by Reynolds and Liv McGill, who both scored 17 points, while Jeriah Warren chipped in with 11 points.
The game started with Florida leading 16-12 at the end of the first quarter, and the Gators held a slim 27-26 advantage with just over four minutes remaining in the first half. However, a 10-0 run propelled Florida to a 37-28 lead at halftime.
Looking ahead, Tennessee is set to play two more regular-season games: first, an away game against No. 14 Kentucky on Thursday, followed by a home game against Georgia on Sunday. Meanwhile, Florida will host No. 16 Oklahoma on Thursday before heading to face off against No. 2 Texas on Sunday.
