Things were not going well for Lady Vols basketball.
The offense was stagnant and Tennessee couldn’t make a shot to start the game. Middle Tennessee was getting to the rim with ease – and scoring. The Blue Raiders took a seven-point lead halfway through the first quarter.
The Lady Vols took control of the game after the media timeout in the first quarter, going on a 16-6 run to end the first. Tennessee played with a renewed fire that continued to be stoked throughout the game, at times by questionable officiating.
Once the Lady Vols (3-0) decided they were going to win the game, there was no stopping them. They weathered the runs in the third quarter when their defense struggled, giving up 27 points. Tennessee avenged last season’s loss to MTSU, winning 89-75 over the Blue Raiders (2-1) at Food City Center on Tuesday.
After Talaysia Cooper settled in, she was excellent for the Lady Vols. Her shots didn’t fall in the first half, but she came out of halftime focused. The redshirt sophomore attacked her opportunities to get to the rim, blowing past MTSU’s 6-foot-7 center Anastasiia Boldyreva with incredible finishes. Cooper had 10 points in the first four minutes of the second half. She ended the night with a team-high 18 points.
Tennessee’s half-court defense continues to be an issue. MTSU was able to get to the paint and score too easily throughout the game, and the Lady Vols struggled to stop Boldyreva once she got the ball inside. The Blue Raiders outscored Tennessee in the paint 44-24.
The Lady Vols were able to stop MTSU on the perimeter, though, holding it to only four made 3-pointers. And they had their best 3-point shooting performance of the season, going 15-for-42. Their shooting saved them in the fourth quarter, allowing them to build a lead to close out the game.
Samara Spencer got Tennessee going from 3-point range, going 4-for-4 in the first quarter. Tess Darby shot 4-for-8 and Sara Puckett and Alyssa Latham both added two of their own. Spencer, Puckett, Darby and Cooper all scored in double figures to lead the Lady Vols.
Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.
