The No. 20 ranked Tennessee Lady Volunteers showcased their dominance in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) on Sunday, cruising to a convincing 85-50 victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks. This win marks their fifth consecutive triumph, solidifying their strong start to the conference season.
Spearman and Pauldo Lead the Charge
Zee Spearman was the standout performer for Tennessee, delivering a stellar 20-point performance. She was efficient from the field, making 8 of her 16 shot attempts, including two three-pointers, and also contributed eight rebounds. Freshman guard Mia Pauldo provided crucial support, scoring 18 points. Pauldo knocked down three shots from beyond the arc and dished out four assists, proving to be a dynamic force on the court.
The Lady Vols received balanced scoring with significant contributions from other key players. Janiah Barker added 13 points to the tally, while Jaida Civil chipped in with 12 points and grabbed six rebounds. This collective effort proved too much for the struggling Razorbacks to handle.
Game Flow and Decisive Runs
Tennessee set the tone early, establishing control of the game from the opening tip-off. A game-opening 23-9 run, capped by back-to-back three-pointers from Mia Pauldo and Nya Robertson, gave the Lady Vols a commanding lead they would never relinquish. They ended the first quarter with a 29-18 advantage.
By halftime, Spearman had already accumulated 12 points and Barker had scored 10, helping Tennessee extend their lead to 43-30. Despite shooting just 29.4% in the second quarter and struggling from long range (missing 16 of 20 three-point attempts in the half), their defense was relentless. Arkansas was held to 31.3% shooting and committed 15 first-half turnovers, which Tennessee converted into 17 points.
Second Half Domination Seals the Win
Any hopes of an Arkansas comeback were quickly extinguished in the third quarter. Mia Pauldo began the half with a three-point play, and later, her twin sister Mya Pauldo sank a three-pointer to push Tennessee's lead to 58-37, their largest at that point. The lead ballooned to 26 points before the quarter ended with Tennessee ahead 65-41.
For the Arkansas Razorbacks, who have now lost five games in a row, Jada Bates was the lone bright spot. She paced her team with 13 points and nine rebounds. Ashly Chlarson added 10 points and seven boards, but it wasn't enough to challenge Tennessee's supremacy.
With this victory, Tennessee improves its impressive record to 12-3 overall and remains perfect in the SEC at 4-0. Arkansas falls to 11-8 and 0-4 in conference play. This win also extends Tennessee's winning streak over Arkansas to seven straight games. Historically, the Lady Vols now lead the series by a massive 37-5 margin, including a dominant 19-2 record in home games.
Looking ahead, Arkansas will aim to break its losing skid when they travel to face Missouri on Thursday. Meanwhile, the surging Tennessee Lady Volunteers will hit the road for their next challenge, taking on Alabama on Sunday.
