Tennessee Women Dominate Texas A&M in SEC Tourney Opener

GREENVILLE, S.C. — In a commanding performance at the SEC Tournament’s opening game, 18th-ranked Tennessee triumphed over Texas A&M with a decisive 77-37 victory on Wednesday. Talaysia Cooper led the charge with 19 points and eight rebounds, while Jewel Spear contributed 11 points, including three 3-pointers.

Tennessee, holding a 22-8 record, is set to face No. 8 seed Vanderbilt on Thursday. Earlier in the season, the Lady Vols endured a narrow 71-70 defeat to the Commodores when Mikayla Blakes secured victory for Vanderbilt by scoring off a missed shot at the buzzer, marking a rare win for Vanderbilt in their past 90 encounters.

Tennessee’s dominance began in the second quarter, stretching their advantage with a substantial 14-2 run before halftime, capitalizing on Texas A&M’s struggles with shooting and ball security. The Aggies managed only 1 for 6 from the field, committing five turnovers in the closing minutes of the first half, resulting in a 32-19 lead for Tennessee.

In the third quarter, Tennessee cemented their lead with an impressive 17-0 spree, crowned by a long-range 3-pointer from Spear, bringing the score to 60-28. The Lady Vols carried this momentum into the final quarter, opening with a 14-2 run that expanded their lead to 74-30.

This victory stands as the fifth largest margin of victory in SEC Tournament history. Additional contributions came from Zee Spearman and Samara Spencer, both finishing with 11 and 10 points respectively. Notably, Tennessee scored 37 points as a direct result of Texas A&M’s 32 turnovers.

Sahara Jones had a strong showing for Texas A&M, tallying 16 points and securing 13 rebounds for the No. 16 seed Aggies, who now hold a 10-19 record.

Despite entering the tournament with the lowest seeding in their history at No. 9, following two consecutive losses to close their regular season, Tennessee’s victory improved their SEC Tournament opening game record to an impressive 41-5.