Dan Fleser: Davis 3 Gives Lady Vols Stunning Win Over Alabama

  • Monday, January 20, 2020
  • Dan Fleser

KNOXVILLE – A confounding losing streak ended in astonishing fashion for Tennessee on Monday night.

Lady Vols forward Rennia Davis hit a step-back 27-foot 3-pointer over Alabama defender Cierra Johnson for a 65-63 SEC women’s basketball victory. The shot stunned the crowd of 8,537 at Thompson-Boling Arena and served as dramatic punctuation for five consecutive losses against the Crimson Tide, a streak that spanned four years.

While the team celebrated, UT coach Kellie Harper stood bent over with hands on knees and thought: “It took that shot to get the win.”

 Davis nearly lost control of the basketball before gathering herself for the attempt.

The arc of the shot soared high above the court. Harper initially thought the final horn had sounded but the shot splashed through the net with 00.8 seconds left.

“I kind of did think it was going in,” Davis said. “I was just grateful it went in.”

The gratitude was hard-earned, thanks to a box-and-one defensive alignment that focused on Davis, UT’s leading scorer. Although she finished with 16 points, one shy of her per-game scoring average, the strategy slowed Tennessee’s ball and player movement.

“It made them think a little more,” Alabama coach Kristy Curry said, “exactly what we wanted to happen.”

Thinking didn’t yield thoughtful possessions. Instead No. 24 Tennessee (15-3, 5-1 SEC) committed 20 turnovers and often tried to force its actions.  

“Our players were out of sorts,” Harper said. “I felt like we were looking for (Davis) and not being aggressive ourselves.”

The struggle that ensued reflected the struggles of the past four seasons against Alabama. The frustration has been especially vexing, considering the Crimson Tide never has finished higher than eighth in the conference during that span. Yet the Tide clearly has been the better team against UT, winning by an average margin of 10 points, including an 86-65 rout last season in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

On Alabama’s last visit to Knoxville two years ago, the losing streak was scrawled on the dry erase board in UT’s locker room and discussed at length beforehand. The Crimson Tide had lost six of its previous eight games as well. No matter, the Tide went on a 14-point scoring run in the fourth quarter and surged to its first victory here, 72-63.

Alabama (11-7, 1-4 SEC) stalked this result in similar fashion, overcoming a chilly shooting start to score 46 points in the second half. Once again, the Tide was led by guard Jordan Lewis, who scored a team-high 17 points. She scored 19 two years ago here.

“It was a pretty tough basketball team we played tonight,” Harper said. “They made a bunch of shots down the stretch.”

The Lady Vols answered Alabama’s 9-for-14 shooting from the floor in the final quarter by hitting 10 of their 14 attempts. The back and forth of six ties and eight lead changes ended with Davis’ final, resounding reply.

“Credit Davis for making that shot,” Curry said. “She could probably go out and shoot 10 more and not make one.”

– With the win, Tennessee is in sole possession of second place in the conference standings.

– The victory was the 300th of Harper’s head coaching career, which spans 16 seasons and four stops.

– Jordan Horston scored a game-high 19 points for UT.

– A playing date with No. 3 Connecticut awaits on Thursday in Hartford, Conn.

* * *

Dan Fleser is a 1980 graduate of the University of Missouri who covered University of Tennessee athletics for the Knoxville News Sentinel from 1988-2019. He may be reached at danfleser3@gmail.com
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