Tennessee's run in the SEC Tournament will now extend into the semifinals on Saturday.
Despite not securing the double-bye, the Lady Vols have won two straight games with the most recent coming over Alabama, 83-61
5-seed Tennessee (19-11) used great offensive contributions from both Jewel Spear and Rickea Jackson to secure the win. They scored 24 and 22, respectively, on a combined 17-of-25 shooting from the field.
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4-seed Alabama (23-9) simply couldn't keep up. It only scored 61 points on 39.7% shooting from the field and 18.8% on 3-pointers.
This compared to the Lady Vols' 50.8% shooting from the field and 36.8% shooting from deep created the early separation.
Tennessee now has made the semifinals of the SEC Tournament in four-straight seasons. Last year, the Lady Vols took down LSU on the way to a championship appearance. This time, they'll face undefeated South Carolina for the third time this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tennessee's defense came to play early. It held Alabama off the board for nearly four full minutes before the Tide made a shot.
However, Alabama found its stroke midway through the first quarter. The Tide connected on four straight shots to tie the game up at 10. However, a strong finish gave the Lady Vols a five-point lead at the end of the frame. Jackson led the way with six points.
In the second quarter, the teams traded shots to begin the period. This lasted until Tennessee exploded to a 12-2 run to extend its lead to 14.
At the end of the half, it was the Lady Vols in front 42-29. Leading the way was a phenomenal shooting performance by Spear who scored 16 in the half with 11 coming in the second quarter. Jackson also contributed 12 points.
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Tennessee continued its onslaught of offense in the second half. In the third quarter, it outscored Alabama 26-15 behind eight points from both Jackson and Spear. A 12-2 to end the quarter pushed the Lady Vols ahead by 24.
The fourth quarter featured the bench being emptied as Tennessee kept its foot on the gas. The Tide only got as close as 20 as the Lady Vols' reserves continued to keep the positive play going.
STAT OF THE GAME
Spear was on fire.
She took six shots from distance and didn't miss a single one. Her 100% shooting from range combined with 8-for-11 shooting from the floor was key for a big offensive outburst.
As a team, the Lady Vols shot 50.8% from the field and 36.8% on 3-pointers to leave the Tide in the dust.
UP NEXT
Tennessee will now take on South Carolina for the third time this season. The Lady Vols are yet to take down the undefeated Gamecocks but will have the chance on a neutral floor at 4:30 p.m. ET.
The winner of the matchup heads to the tournament finals with the conference crown on the line.
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