KNOXVILLE— The Lady Vols had little trouble dismantling an Ole Miss team with just one SEC win on the year. Tennessee led 40-27 at the half, and never trailed on the way to a 97-68 win. The victory gives the Lady Vols a 24-game winning streak in the series, and they have won their last two contests since falling at Missouri last Sunday.

Simmons led all scorers with 24 points.
Photo by Randy Sartin

Offense: Meighan Simmons led all scorers with 24 points (10-18 shooting, five rebounds, three assists) and continues to be the catalyst for Tennessee’s fast-paced offense. In the paint, Bashaara Graves grabbed yet another double-double (her ninth) with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Moore and Spani each scored 12 points, while Kamiko Williams finished with 11. The Rebels simply had no answer for Tennessee’s balanced and quick offensive attack, and the Lady Vols shot 59.4% from the field.

Defense: Tennessee’s biggest problem on defense proved to be their inability to take care of the ball on offense. The Lady Vols turned it over 19 times, and the visitors converted those turnovers into 20 points. Regardless, other than a few moments of complacent play Tennessee’s defense was sound for most of the game. Every Rebel with more than two attempts on the night shot 40% or worse, and as a team, Ole Miss shot a cool 35.3% from the field.

Final Take: Not much to complain about in this one. Could the Lady Vols have shown a little more tenacity on defense? Sure. But they frustrated the Rebels all night with their athleticism, and didn’t leave anything on the court. “Our defense, as always, could be a little better but this team competed. Proud of the effort and the win,” said head coach Holly Warlick.

Up Next: The Lady Vols return to the court next Sunday at 5 p.m. when they host Vanderbilt. TV: ESPN2.