Lady Vols basketball has fully proven that it wasn’t the team that started the season.<\/p>\n
Tennessee pulled off a 68-65 come-from-behind victory over Missouri on Sunday after falling five points behind with a minute to go. It started with a steal and score by Jordan Walker just under Tennessee’s basket. Fifteen seconds later, Sarah Puckett scored his three-pointer that tied the game.<\/p>\n
Then Rikkea Jackson took over.<\/p>\n
Missouri (14-6, 3-4 SEC) held Jackson scoreless with 9:59 in the fourth quarter. Because Tennessee (16-6, 8-0) gave Jackson his 1-1 chance on the final possession of the tie. She put the ball in the post, spun it, and hit a hook shot while drawing a foul. Jackson’s free throw gave Lady Volles a 1.1 second lead over him by 3 points for a total of 15 points.<\/p>\n\n
“I was able to manipulate the ball just enough to give her one-on-one opportunities,” Tennessee coach Kelly Harper said. That’s it.”<\/p>\n
Victory on the rough road:<\/strong>Rickea Jackson, Sara Puckett save Lady Vols basketball from first SEC loss in Missouri<\/p>\n Lady Vols Defense:<\/strong>How Lady Vols Basketball Significantly Improved Defense And Started Shutting Down SEC Opponents<\/p>\n College Game Day in Knoxville:<\/strong>ESPN Hosts Three Women’s Basketball Shows “College GameDay” Including Lady Vols vs. UConn<\/p>\n But Puckett led Tennessee to that point, scoring eight of a team-high 17 points in the fourth quarter. I said I didn’t flinch. They have all the confidence in her scoring ability. Puckett was a perfect 3-for-3 behind the arc on Sunday.<\/p>\n “We want her to keep shooting,” Harper said.<\/p>\n\n The Lady Vols narrowly escaped their first conference loss in Missouri, getting off to their best start in SEC play since the 2014-15 season.<\/p>\n And according to Harper, he did it without senior starter Jordan Horston, who did not travel with the team due to illness.<\/p>\n But Sunday, unlike any other game this season, Lady Volles had to play without Houston. Tennessee lost his 79\u201367 at home to No. 6 Indiana on his November 14, with Houston sidelined with a knee injury.<\/p>\n After the loss, Harper was invincible. Lady Vols had no toughness. They weren’t disciplined enough on the board and didn’t put up enough fights when they went down.<\/p>\n “I still think the best thing for this team is to play against the mouth-punching team,” Harper said on Nov. 11. I know exactly who we are, I know exactly where we need to go and we will get there.<\/p>\n\n Tennessee’s struggle didn’t end after Indiana, but it proved Harper’s beliefs right. became. Mentally tough, they kept their defense tight and ended the match with an 8-0 run.<\/p>\n Jackson stole the ball before Puckett hit the game-tying 3-pointer. I let In the final huddle, Harper said all players were locked out, with some even saying “about really high IQs.”<\/p>\n Puckett said both she and Jackson knew they weren’t going to lose.<\/p>\n “Neither of us intended to let it happen,” Puckett said. I didn’t mean to disappoint the team and I didn’t mean to lose.”<\/p>\n Sunday was the game that would decide who played one more. And Tennessee was never going to make Missouri that team.<\/p>\n “Today’s win is going to be a big confidence booster,” Harper said. “It’s a big deal for us to come in here and figure out how to do it, how to be pretty, how to be ugly, and so on.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2023\/01\/20\/PKNS\/8de24cca-8a37-4644-8d92-0780b9b96069-KNS_Lady_Vols_basketball_vs._Florida_40.JPG?crop=3887,2187,x0,y0&width=660&height=372&format=pjpg&auto=webp\")
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