In a historic upset, the Tennessee Lady Volunteers were eliminated from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament after an 84-76 loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores in the second round on Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina. This defeat marks the first time in program history that Tennessee has fallen to Vanderbilt twice in a single season.
Vanderbilt established an early lead, surging to a 10-2 advantage and concluding the first quarter ahead 27-20. Despite the Lady Vols’ defensive adjustments in the second quarter, they trailed by six points at halftime. Tennessee initiated the second half with a 9-4 run, but the Commodores responded with a decisive 20-6 stretch over 6:09, entering the final quarter with a 63-48 lead. Although Tennessee mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter, outscoring Vanderbilt 28-21, it wasn’t sufficient to overcome the deficit.
Tennessee’s offense was led by guard Ruby Whitehorn, who contributed 14 points. Talaysia Cooper, Jewel Spear, and Samara Spencer each added 13 points. Zee Spearman secured a team-high 10 rebounds, while Cooper led with three assists.
Vanderbilt’s standout performance came from SEC Freshman of the Year Mikayla Blakes, who scored a game-high 24 points, with 19 in the second half. Iyana Moore added 23 points, shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from three-point range, and Khamil Pierre recorded a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds.
The Lady Vols had an edge in points off turnovers (21 to 9), but Vanderbilt dominated second-chance points (21 to 6), aided by a +8 rebounding advantage.
This loss continues a season pattern for Tennessee, where all defeats have been by narrow margins. Earlier in the season, the Lady Vols suffered a 71-70 loss to Vanderbilt, with Coach Kim Caldwell expressing frustration over the team’s inconsistency and missed opportunities.
With their SEC Tournament run concluded, the Lady Vols now await Selection Sunday on March 16 to determine their seeding in the NCAA Tournament. The recent loss to Vanderbilt may impact their chances of hosting early-round games.
