University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Missouri
Lady Vols Top Missouri In SEC Opener, 63-53
January 02, 2015 | Women's Basketball
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Andraya Carter tied her career high with 16 points and No. 8/9 Tennessee surged in the second half to defeat Missouri, 63-53, in its SEC opener on Friday at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Lady Vols (11-2, 1-0 SEC) improved to 27-6 SEC openers since league standings began in 1982-83. Tennessee is also 6-1 all-time against Missouri (10-3, 0-1 SEC).
Tennessee hit nine 3-pointers in the win, marking its most since making 10 treys against Florida on Jan. 23, 2014.
Jordan Reynolds posted a season high with 10 points and also collected four rebounds and three assists. Ariel Massengale scored 14 points and dished out three assists in the win. Bashaara Graves tied her season high with 11 rebounds and just missed a double-double with eight points.
Missouri's Jordan Frericks posted a double-double with game highs of 23 points and 12 rebounds. The Tigers' Morgan Eye had 18 points and was 5-of-10 from 3-point range.
Tennessee kept Missouri at bay for the final six minutes of the game. Carter scored five quick points with just under six minutes remaining, hitting a 3-pointer with 5:34 remaining and then going coast-to-coast with a steal and a layup to push the Lady Vols' lead to double-digits at 54-44.
Isabelle Harrison and Mizzou's Juanita Robinson had off-setting technical fouls in a skirmish that occurred with 2:55 remaining under the Tennessee basket. Harrison, Robinson and Nia Moore were rejected from the game.
Missouri clawed back from 10-point deficit with some strong mid-range shooting, using a 9-1 run midway through the second half to pull to within 42-40.
The Lady Vols used an early second-half surge to take command of the game. Tennessee came out of halftime with an 11-0 run over the first two minutes to pull ahead 32-25. The Lady Vols forced three turnovers from full-court press in that in that stretch.
Massengale had the hot hand for Tennessee in the second half, scoring 10 points and hitting a pair of 3-pointers. She helped force some Mizzou turnovers through UT's press.
Tennessee had a slow start offensively, shooting just 8-of-34 (23.5 percent) in the first half. Both teams struggled from the field early on, but Missouri closed out the half with an 11-6 run over the final eight minutes to take a 25-21 lead into halftime.
Attendance for Friday night's game was 9,570.
Tennessee next heads to Nashville to face Vanderbilt on Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. That game will feature an SEC Network broadcast. The Lady Vols return to Thompson-Boling Arena on Jan. 8 to host Texas A&M at 7 p.m. on SEC Network.
