The No. 20/22 Lady Vols suffered a tough 78-58 loss to No. 16/13 Ohio State Sunday night, situating Tennessee with a 4-4 season record. This marks the team’s fourth consecutive matchup against a ranked opponent and its second back-to-back loss.
Tennessee Lady Vols fall to Ohio State, 78-58
Destinee Wells served as Tennessee’s leading scorer, logging 11 points, along with 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Wells discussed the team’s overall struggle to find the basket postgame, saying:
“I feel like my teammates took really good shots. They’re not going to fall every night, but if you’re on it, I want you to take every one of them, and that’s why I give them the ball. They didn’t fall tonight, but I feel like we took good shots, and no matter what, just keep shooting.”
Tamari Key took advantage of every second of her 16 minutes on the court tonight, logging 9 points, 4 rebounds, & 2 blocks.
Rickea Jackson sat out for the fifth consecutive game nursing her right ankle injury. Although she was dressed down, however, she wasn’t outfitted in her typical foot brace – a sure sign of improvement for the Lady Vols star.
And while Jackson may not be a presence on the court, junior guard Sara Puckett says she still provides important leadership from the bench.
Puckett seems to be soaking in that leadership too, contributing 10 points and 6 rebounds to the night. The only Lady Vol to snag more rebounds against Ohio State was the 6-foot, 5-inch Jillian Hollingshead.
This success, however, was truncated by plenty of troubles along the way. Players and coaches alike quickly became frustrated with the game’s officiating. By the fourth quarter, Lady Vols coach Kellie Harper became visibly agitated when referee Tim Green called a foul on Tess Darby.
Ohio State Forces 20 Tennessee Turnovers
The Buckeyes proved to be trouble for Tennessee from the very start. Ohio State made it difficult for the Lady Vols to successfully maneuver under the basket with its defensive tactics, then doubled down on the hurt with its offensive prowess.
Celeste Taylor’s 50 percent field goal rate led her to a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Cotie McMahon was a powerhouse presence on the court for Ohio State, logging 100 percent of her six free throw attempts. Her 30 minutes on the court ultimately resulted in 19 points and 7 rebounds for the team.
Up next, the Lady Vols travel to Huntsville, AL this Wednesday for a matchup against Middle Tennessee. Fans can tune into ESPN+ to catch tipoff at 7:30 p.m.
