No. 15 Tennessee tops No. 18 Alabama for 5th win in 6 games

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jewel Spear scored 11 of her 20 points at the free-throw line, Talaysia Cooper added 16 points and No. 15 Tennessee beat No. 18 Alabama 88-80 on Thursday night for its fifth win in six games.

Tennessee (20-6, 7-6 SEC) has recorded 20 or more wins in a season 48 times in program history. The Lady Vols reached that plateau last season in the NCAA Tournament.

Neither team lead by more than seven points in the first half. Tennessee started the third quarter on a 16-5 run, capped by Sara Puckett's 3-pointer for a 58-42 lead. Samara Spencer also made a 3-pointer during the run when the Lady Vols scored 11 straight.

Sarah Ashlee Barker scored nine points during Alabama’s 14-4 run to get within 79-75 with 3:15 left. But Tennessee scored the next five points to regain a nine-point lead. Zee Spearman gave Tennessee a 10-point lead with 1:12 left and Cooper did the same with 39 seconds remaining to seal it.

Spearman had 13 points and nine rebounds for Tennessee.

Barker had 22 points, six rebounds and five assists for Alabama (21-6, 8-5), which had a four-game winning streak snapped. Zaay Green, who played at Tennessee from 2018-20, added 16 points as all five Crimson Tide starters scored in double figures.

Aaliyah Nye scored 11 of her 13 total points in the first half to help Alabama stay within 42-38. The Lady Vols shot 46 percent in the first half and outrebounded Alabama 28-15 to stay in front.

Alabama returns home to play Auburn on Sunday, when Tennessee plays at Florida.

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