Lady Vols Roll Past Rome All-Stars, 100-48

ROME, Italy – Junior forward Sara Puckett and super senior forward Rickea Jackson led five players in double figures, as the Tennessee women's basketball team rolled to a 100-48 victory over the Rome All-Stars Thursday night at EuroBasket Roma Arena.

Puckett drained 11 of 16 shots from the field, including four-of-six accuracy beyond the arc, to tally 28 points along with 11 rebounds. Jackson also registered a double-double, tossing in 19 points and collecting a game-high 12 caroms. Junior forward Jillian Hollingshead chipped in 11 points, while senior guard/forward Tess Darby and sophomore guard/forward Avery Strickland contributed 10 each.

Just as things happened on Tuesday night, everyone scored and contributed to the win. Super senior point guard Jasmine Powell rang up nine assists on the evening and grabbed six rebounds to go along with her two points. Junior forward Karoline Striplin finished with seven points and eight rebounds, while junior guard Kaiya Wynn added six points and six rebounds, and sophomore guard Edie Darby was good for six points and four assists, helping the Lady Vols tally 25 dimes for the game vs. only six turnovers.

UT essentially put the game away in the first quarter, outscoring the hosts, 25-11, with Puckett and Jackson each registering seven points apiece during that frame. An 18-15 edge in the second stanza sent the visitors into the break with a 43-26 cushion. The Big Orange was even better after the intermission, outpointing the Rome squad 57-22 over the final 20 minutes, including a 31-7 blistering in the final period.

On the evening, Tennessee held a 57-34 advantage on the glass, tallying 21 offensive rebounds while surrendering only five to the Rome All-Stars. Following a 55-35 edge on Tuesday night, the Lady Vols combined to control the boards during this trip by a 112 to 69 count.

UT knocked down 13 three-pointers in the contest in 34 attempts, with Jackson (3), Tess Darby (2), Edie Darby (2) and Strickland (2) joining Puckett in the long-distance shooting fun. Seven of their treys came in the fourth quarter, somehow indicating fresh legs despite two games in three days and the early part of Thursday spent visiting The Vatican, including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica.

Tennessee completes its competition on this trip with a 2-0 record. The Lady Vols are now 25-9 in 11 visits to foreign countries. That includes a 19-7 mark in exhibition-type contests and an 8-2 resume in countable games during the regular season.

The Lady Vols depart for Sorrento on Friday morning with a stop in Pompeii along the way. After spending three nights in the southern part of Italy, the Lady Vols will make their way to Athens, Greece, before returning home on June 22.

University of Tennessee Athletics

Players Mentioned

Edie Darby

Tess Darby

Jillian Hollingshead

Rickea Jackson

Jasmine Powell

Sara Puckett

Avery Strickland

Karoline Striplin

Kaiya Wynn

Related Videos