KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 11/12-ranked Tennessee cruised past Carson-Newman, 128-59, in its season-opening exhibition game Monday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Lady Vols, who now have beaten the Lady Eagles 15 years in a row in preseason affairs, had eight players register double-digit points in the win. The true freshman duo of Mimi Collins (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Zaay Green (28 points, 10 rebounds) each posted double-doubles, combining for 44 points and 20 rebounds in their college debuts.
Sophomore Rennia Davis (17 points, nine rebounds) and freshman Jazmine Massengill (12 points, nine rebounds) were each a rebound shy of double-doubles. Redshirt senior Cheridene Green (16 points), sophomore Kasiyahna Kushkituah(12 points), sophomore Evina Westbrook (11 points) and freshman Rae Burrell (11 points) rounded out the Big Orange players scoring 10 or more points.
The Lady Vols’ dominant first quarter began with a 21-2 run, as Tennessee held Carson-Newman without a field goal until the three-minute mark of the first quarter. All five Lady Vol starters scored within the first four minutes of the game, with eight total Tennessee players scoring by the end of the first quarter. Massengill led the Lady Vols with a team-high six points after ten minutes of play, and Tennessee held the Lady Eagles to 13-percent shooting in the first quarter on 2-of-16 shooting.
The Lady Vols’ scoring slowed to start the second quarter, but their dominance on the boards helped propel them to an 18-0 run. This time Tennessee held Carson-Newman for nearly five minutes without a point. Green and Collins each eclipsed the 10-point mark with three minutes remaining in the half. Overall, three Lady Vols tallied double-digit points in the first half, as Carson-Newman shot 8-for-33 from the floor. All ten active players on Tennessee’s roster put points on the board, as the Lady Vols took a 66-27 lead into the locker room at the half.
Six different Tennessee players scored in the first three minutes of the second half, as a bucket from Meme Jackson at the 5:46 mark put the Lady Vols up, 82-42. The Lady Vols shot over 60 percent from the field, and Green took over once again for a team-high eight third-quarter points. The Lady Eagles failed to score in the final 4:41 of the third quarter, as Tennessee held them to 22 percent shooting.
A Davis three-pointer kicked off the Lady Vols’ final quarter of play, as it put Tennessee over the 100-point mark early. Davis tallied nine of Tennessee’s 20 points halfway through the fourth quarter and notched 13 second-half points to round out the game. The Lady Vols finished out the contest on a 15-6 run and outscored Carson-Newman 27-7 in the fourth quarter.
Tennessee out-rebounded the Lady Eagles by a 72-31 margin and forced 25 turnovers on the night. The Lady Vols had an impressive 68 points come from the bench en route to head coach Holly Warlick‘s eighth career exhibition win at Tennessee.
The Lady Vols are back at Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday, as they open the regular season with a 2 p.m. contest vs. Presbyterian. The game is part of the Salute to Service Weekend.
Fans can join in, as UT honors all who have served their country. Current military members and veterans may present their Military ID or DD 214 at Gate C, Gate E or the ticket tent located on Phillip Fulmer Way prior to entering Thompson-Boling Arena for complimentary admission for themselves and immediate
Balanced Attack
All five starters were on the score sheet less than four minutes into the game, and every Lady Vol logged at least one point before the end of the first half. Tennessee finished the night with eight of 10 active players in double figures.
Freshmen By The Numbers
In their rookie debuts, Tennessee’s freshmen combined for 67 points, 33 rebounds, eight steals and nine assists against Carson-Newman. All four freshmen logged at least two points by the 4:07 mark of the second quarter and went on to reach double figures by the end of the game. Zaay Green and Mimi Collins were the first Lady Vols in double digits, finishing as the game’s highest and third-highest scorers, respectively.
Fourth Most Points Scored In An Exhibition Win
Tennessee’s 128 points against Carson-Newman is the fourth-most points scored by any Lady Vol team in an exhibition game. The highest point total Tennessee has posted in an exhibition game was 144 against Dynamo Kiev on Nov. 5, 2000. The two other 130+ point efforts were 135-55 against Carson-Newman (Nov. 6, 2008) and 131-40 vs Dalhousie (Nov. 6, 2005).
Tennessee In Exhibition Games
The Lady Vols are 48-4 all-time in preseason exhibition games with the only losses coming to the Soviet National Team (1979), Athletes in Action (1992), and the USA National Team (1995, 2007). Tennessee is 8-0 in preseason exhibition games during the Holly Warlick era.
-UT Athletics
