Stillwater, Okla. — Sophomore Evina Westbrook poured in a career-high 29 points to lead No. 11/11 Tennessee to a gritty road win over Oklahoma State on Sunday, 76-63.
Junior Rennia Davis and freshman Zaay Green were also in double figures for Tennessee (6-0) with 15 each, with Green posting a new career high. Cheridene Green was a presence on the boards, pulling down a career-best 13 rebounds.
The Cowgirls (6-1) were led in scoring by Braxtin Miller, who finished the day with 29 points. Also in double digits for OSU were Jaden Hobbs, who went 4-of-6 from behind the arc for 12 points, and Vivian Gray, who tallied 14 points.
Meme Jackson got off to a fast start for the Lady Vols, grabbing a rebound and driving the full length of the court to score Tennessee’s first points on a layup before then forcing the Cowgirls into a turnover on the inbounds pass. UT was hot from the floor in the opening minutes, hitting eight of its first nine shots and with all five starters contributing to its first 10 points. The Lady Vols jumped out to a 14-7 lead before OSU battled back, cutting it to 14-12 off a pair of free throws by Abbie Winchester with 3:48 in the period. Tennessee battled back to extend its lead to 25-17 with just over a minute in the quarter, but OSU closed out the stanza with a 5-0 run to cut UT’s lead to 25-22 at the end of the first.
Just over two and a half minutes into the second quarter, OSU tied it up at 29-all on a Hobbs 3-pointer before taking its first lead on the next possession off a Miller layup. The teams traded baskets until Miller knocked down a trey to end the half, putting Oklahoma State up 43-40.
Westbrook kicked things off in the second half, knocking down a three on UT’s first possession to kick off a 17-3 run that put the Lady Vols up 57-46 midway through the third quarter. Tennessee capitalized on six forced turnovers in the period and took a 61-49 lead into the final stanza.
The Cowgirls chipped away at UT’s lead to start the fourth stanza, pulling within five by the 4:18 mark. Zaay Green and Cheridene Green hit back-to-back buckets to turn the tide for the Lady Vols, however, extending UT’s lead to 70-61 with 3:20 left in the game. OSU answered with a pair of made free throws, but Westbrook poured in another six points and Tennessee sealed a 76-63 victory.
Up Next: Tennessee returns to Thompson-Boling Arena to host Stetson at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Fans attending the game can take part in WINSDAY, a Tennessee Athletics promotion in which a variety of prizes will be given away throughout the game, by registering at the FanHQ table on the concourse level. The game is available for streaming on SECN+.
Balanced Attack: All five of Tennessee’s starters contributed a basket to the team’s first 10 points, and that trend carried through the game with Westbrook, Davis, and Z. Green all finishing in double figures. UT has had at least three players in double figures in every game this season.
Dominating the Paint: The Lady Vols outscored OSU in the paint ,48-18, marking the fifth time this season UT has outscored opponents in the paint.
Westbrook’s Career Night: With 29 points on the night, sophomore Evina Westbrook set a new career high for the second time this season. Her previous career high was 20, set against UNC Asheville on Nov. 14. As a freshman her highest point total was 18 against Auburn.
