A week after suffering their first loss of the season, the #5 Lady Vols returned to their winning ways with a dominating 110-42 victory over Lipscomb on Sundayafternoon at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee improved to 11-1, with the one blemish coming last Saturday at #4 Stanford.
The point total of 110 was the most since UT posted a 110-45 win over Alabama on Jan. 6, 2011. The margin of victory of +68 was also the largest a 68-point win over Princeton (107-39) on Dec. 20, 2005.
Junior Isabelle Harrison had her fifth double-double of the season with a career-high 26 points and 15 rebounds. She also had four steals and three blocks. Harrison did that all in just 18 minutes.
Six Lady Vols scored in double-figures. In addition to Harrison, Meighan Simmons (15), Cierra Burdick (13), Mercedes Russell (12), Bashaara Graves (11), Nia Moore (11) all scored 10-plus. Burdick grabbed 10 rebounds for her eighth-career double-double. Jordan Reynolds had a career-high eight assists.
Tennessee shot a season-high 57.9 percent from the floor and held Lipscomb to 22.4 percent. The Lady Vols outrebounded the Lady Bisons, 61-31, a 30-rebound margin.
The Lady Vols opened a 62-29 lead at halftime, scoring their most points in a first half since netting 62 vs. Western Carolina in the 2005 NCAA Tournament First-Round (3/20/2005). The 62 first-half points tied for the fourth-most in a first half in UT history.
Harrison had a double-double in the first half alone with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Simmons led all scorers with 14 points in the first half.
Tennessee raced out to a 25-4 lead less than eight minutes into the game including 15 consecutive points. The Lady Vols' defense held the Lady Bisons scoreless for more than six minutes.
UT was blazing hot from the floor making 15-of-19 to begin the half including a streak of six made baskets in a row as UT took a 39-14 lead with eight minutes left in the half.
Lipscomb started 1-of-16 and missed 12 shots in a row for one span.
Tennessee took a 31-point lead at 51-20 on a 3-pointer by Simmons with 5:12 left in the half.
The Lady Vols shooting was sensational in the first half, making 23-of-36 for 64 percent. Their field goal defense was equally impressive. Lipscomb was held to just 10-of-35 from the floor in the first half for 28.6 percent.
All 10 active Tennessee players had scored less than 21 minutes into the game after Ariel Massengale's layup went through the net less than a minute into the second half.
The lead ballooned to 50-plus at 87-36 on a Russell layup with 10:40 left in the game.
A 20-2 run by the Lady Vols expanded the lead to 95-38 on a layup by Harrison with 6:34 left in the game.
Tennessee went ahead by 70 points on a bucket by Burdick in the final minute.
Harrison's 14 second-half point were more than all of the Lady Bisons in the final 20 minutes (13).
Lipscomb (3-8) with led by Danay Fothergill with 13 points.
The Lady Vols are back in action on Thursday as they open SEC play vs. LSU. That special night will feature the jersey retirement of Candace Parker's #3 will take place prior to the 7 p.m., tip-off at 6:45 pm. The game will air on CSS and can be heard on the Lady Vol Network.