POSTGAME NOTES: LADY VOLS 74, PENN STATE 66

Nov. 18, 2015

Recap |  Box Score |  Quotes |  USATSI Photo Gallery  |  Photo Gallery 

Postgame Notes

The Basics

Tennessee defeated Penn State 74-66 to start the season with two consecutive victories.

The Lady Vols started the same lineup for the second consecutive game with Te’a Cooper, Alexa Middleton, Andraya Carter, Kortney Dunbar and Mercedes Russell earning the start.

Bashaara Graves, Jasmine Jones, Jordan Reynolds and Diamond DeShields all checked in at the 6:47 mark of the first quarter.

Eight different players played at least 16 minutes. Mercedes Russell led the way with 33 minutes played.

It’s All Graves

Bashaara Graves tied a career high with 24 points while shooting a perfect game from the field. The senior shot 8-8 from the field and 8-8 from the line.

Graves shot 1.000% from the floor for the third time in her career. She made 7-7 against Ole Miss on Feb. 12 of last season. She also went 6-6 against Tennessee State on Dec. 17, 2013.

Graves ranks seventh in the Lady Vol record books in field goal percentage. Gwen Jackson holds the record going 14-14 against Puerto Rico Mayaguez on 11/29/02. Five different players have gone 9-9 in a game.

Graves had the highest combined perfect game by going 8-8 from the field and the line, she combined for 16 shots without a miss. The previous best was Shelia Frost who went 9-9 from the field and 2-2 from the line to record 11 shots without a miss. Frost recorded her perfect game on 12/16/87 against Oregon State.

Bashaara Graves recorded a double-double with 24 points and 12 Graves is second in the SEC among active players with 22 career double-doubles, behind Alaina Coates of South Carolina who has 23.

Bashaara Graves scored 20 points for the ninth time in her career and the third time in the last five games dating back to the NCAA Tournament last year.

Double Double Double

Mercedes Russell recorded her second consecutive double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds

Russell’s 13 rebounds tied a career high which was set in Sunday’s game against Central Arkansas.

This is the second consecutive game that two Lady Vols have recorded double-doubles. Russell had 20 points and 13 rebounds in the opener. Kortney Dunbar scored 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds against Central Arkansas.

Te’a Cooper scored 14 points. She has scored in double figures in both career games after tying the second best freshman scoring debut in school history with 22 points against Central Arkansas.

Statistics

UT scored 38 points off the bench, including 24 from Graves.

The Lady Vols logged 48 points in the paint.

Scored 15 second chance points on 12 offensive rebounds.

UT led for 27:53 of the game and only trailed for 7:21 of game action.

With the Win…

The Lady Vols won their 24th consecutive game at home, a streak that dates back to the 2013-14 season.

UT moves to 9-1 against Penn State in school history including 5-0 at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The Lady Vols have won 41 straight victories over unranked opponents at home.

The Lady Vols own a 404-28 (.935) at TBA and a 557-52 (.915) all-time record in home games.

Up Next

The Lady Vols will play game three of their season-opening eight game home stand when they host Syracuse on Friday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. ET.

Syracuse is ranked number 25 in the AP Poll and receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

The game will be broadcast live online on SEC Network +.

University of Tennessee Athletics