Postgame Notes: #11/12 Tennessee 89, Florida 69

Jan. 23, 2014

Recap |  Box Score |  Quotes |  Photo Gallery 

THE SERIES & THE WIN

 The Vols are now 15-4 overall, 4-2 SEC. Florida is 13-6 overall, 3-3 in the SEC.
 Tennessee is now 47-3 in the all-time series against Florida
 In Knoxville, the Vols improve to 21-1 in the series
 The Vols have now won 10 in a row against the Gators and five in a row at home

WE BACK PAT

 The SEC and its 14-member institutions are recognizing the third "We Back Pat" Week, focusing on bringing awareness to the Pat Summitt Foundation.
 Thursday's game marked Tennessee's "We Back Pat" night as three local organizations donated a combined $30,000 to the Pat Summitt Foundation.
 Vol Photos Books donated $5,000, Taste of Turkey Creek donated $10,000 and Forget Me Not presented the organization with a $15,000 donation.
 To purchase a "We Back Pat" shirt, as well as autographed and specialty items visit www.patsummitt.org.

FOR STARTERS

 Today's starters: forward Bashaara Graves, forward Cierra Burdick, forward Isabelle Harrison, guard Ariel Massengale and guard Meighan Simmons
 Simmons has now made 111 career starts in 127 games. 11th among active NCAA Division I players.
 Massengale has now started in 43 consecutive games
 The starting lineup has gone 7-0 this season, after winning the first six games straight. The quintet went 4-1 last year together.
 Tennessee won the tip for the 17th time this season.
 Junior Isabelle Harrison scored UT's first bucket of the game with a jumper. It is the seventh time this season she has accounted for Tennessee's first points.
 Freshman Mercedes Russell was the first off the bench for UT, the third time this season she's been called up first.

SIMMONS WATCH

 With 21 points tonight, Meighan Simmons inched toward the No. 9 spot on the UT all-time scoring list.
 Simmons entered the game with 1,736 career points and ranked as the UT No. 10 all-time scorer. She now has 1,757 points, just 14 away from Tanya Haave (1,771 points, 1980-84) and 33 from catching Sheila Frost (1,790 points, 1985-89) in eighth place.
 Simmons also hit the 20+ point mark for the third time this season and 23rd time in her career.

A-MASSENGALE ASSISTS

 Ariel Massengale moved into ninth place on the all-time assists lists with her two assists against Florida and now has 430 career assists.
 Massengale entered the game with 428 assists and bypassed Kristen "Ace" Clement (429, 1998-01) on a dish to Bashaara Graves just five minutes into the game.
 Massengale is now 10 assists away from moving up past Dena Head (439, assists 1989-92) and into eighth place.
 Massengale's night came to a quick end when she was hit in the face after a steal and she did not return to the game.

WIRE-TO-WIRE

 After jumping out to a three point lead thanks to an Isabelle Harrison and-one to start the game, the Lady Vols recorded their sixth wire-to-wire victory of the season.
 Tennessee has recorded wire-to-wire wins over SMU, Texas, Troy, Tennessee State, Lipscomb and now Florida.
 Tennessee outrebounded Florida, 38-37. Bashaara Graves and Mercedes Russell led the team with eight boards. Russell tied a career high.
 The Lady Vols tied their season high with 11 steals against the Gators.
 UT forced 19 UF turnovers, notching 26 points off the Gator miscues.
 A technical foul was called on Florida for having six players on the court at one time.

DRAINING THREES

 Meighan Simmons racked up five 3-pointers against the Gators, marking her sixth game this season with three or more treys.
 Redshirt freshman Andraya Carter sank three from beyond the arc.
 Sophomore Jasmine Jones drained her two 3-pointers, the first time in her career doing so in a game.
 Tennessee finished one off of their season-high for three-pointers in a game with 10. The Lady Vols recorded 11 vs. Virginia earlier this season

DISHING IT OUT

 The Lady Vols finished the first half with 14 assists on 14 buckets.
 Cierra Burdick dished out seven helpers, matching a season high. Her seven assists is also a league-high for the junior.
 While Draya Carter amassed eight assists, a career-high
 Overall, Tennessee recorded 27 assists, the most in SEC play for the Lady Vols this season.

CARTER HIGHS

 Sophomore Andraya Carter finished the game with a season-high 14 points vs. Florida.
 Carter hit double-figures for the fourth time this season and the fifth time in her career.
 The Flowery Branch, Ga., native also dished out a career-best eight assists on the night

AT THE HALF

 The Lady Vols held a 40-27 lead entering the half.
 UT dished out 14 assists on 14 baskets in the first 20 minutes of the game.
 Bashaara Graves was a perfect 4-for-4 and 3-for-3 from the free throw line to amass 11 first-half points to go along with two rebounds and two assists.
 Mercedes Russell had a team-best five rebounds in the first 20 minutes of action.
 Cierra Burdick dished out more than one-third of UT's assists in the first half, accounting for five of UT's 14 helpers.
 The Lady Vols forced 10 Florida turnovers, scoring 18 points off of the Gators' miscues.

UP NEXT

 Tennessee returns to action on Sunday, Jan. 26 making their first trip to College Station for a 4 p.m. tipoff.
 The game vs. the Aggies airs on ESPN2 and can he heard on the Vol Network.
 The Lady Vols are 3-1 all-time vs. Texas A&M and split last season playing at home and in the SEC Tournament in Duluth, Ga.

University of Tennessee Athletics

Related Videos