Lady Vols secure nail-biting win over Stanford in ACC/SEC Challenge

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The No. 19 Tennessee Lady Vols prevailed in a 65-62 thriller over Stanford on Wednesday in the ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge.

Talaysia Cooper was the highlight. The guard had four steals in the first quarter, finishing with a career-high and single-game program-best 10 steals. Tennessee’s defense kept them in this one throughout, forcing Stanford into the most turnovers the Cardinal has had this season.

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The two teams didn’t get separated by more than three points the entire first quarter, with Stanford leading by two at the end of the first ten minutes.

Tennessee found themselves down by at-most five in the second half, but a tip shot from Alyssa Latham to give the Lady Vols their first lead of the second quarter was the start of a 8-0 run to finish out the first half that put Tennessee up four at the break.

Mia Pauldo came out of the break with a three to extend Tennessee’s lead. Eventually, the Lady Vols added even more, taking a 37-28 lead with 6:16 left in the third quarter.

However, the Cardinal kicked into gear. Stanford went on an 8-0 run in less than 90 seconds to regain the lead, 40-38. Tennessee entered the fourth down 47-44. From there, the scoring margin never grew more than four points as the Lady Vols and Stanford battled it out for the final ten minutes.

Tennessee grabbed back the lead off a Deniya Prawl layup with 6:31 left in the fourth, which was part of a 7-0 run effort Tennessee put together midway through the final quarter to go up 53-50.

Though Stanford closed Tennessee’s lead to a single point multiple times from the time the Lady Vols took the lead off Prawl’s layup, the Cardinal remained behind until the very end. Tennessee takes a win back to Knoxville.

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Cooper finished with a double-double, 10 steals and a game-high 19 points.

UP NEXT: Tennessee has 10 days off from game play before the take to the court back in the Food City Center to face Winthrop at 2 p.m. ET.

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