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COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 5/4 Tennessee dropped its season opener against No. 14/15 Ohio State, 87-75, on the road in Value City Arena at the Schottenstein Center on Tuesday night.
The Lady Vols (0-1) struggled with the pressure from the Buckeye defense, turning the ball over 29 times which led to 37 points for Ohio State (1-0). Offensively, Tennessee shot 47 percent from the field and scored 44 points in the paint. UT held the advantage on the boards, out-rebounding OSU 40-30.
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Jordan Horston logged her 14th career double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds to go along with four assists and a steal. This also marked the 10th time in her career in which she eclipsed the 20-point margin.
Making her Tennessee debut, senior guard Jasmine Powell finished the game with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting and four assists. Also playing in her first career game with the Lady Vols, Rickea Jackson scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds. Tess Darby also added nine points behind three 3-pointers.
The Lady Vols gained the early advantage in the first quarter thanks to an 8-0 run and 50-percent shooting from the field. Horston and Jackson scored five points each as Tennessee pulled ahead 22-16.
In the second stanza, both teams went back and forth throughout the period. Powell sparked the Big Orange offense, dropping eight points and two assists in the quarter. Horston chipped in six points and five boards to help UT take a 41-33 lead into halftime.
For the half, Horston and Powell each accounted for 11 points. Horston also added nine rebounds. Tennessee shot 45 percent from the floor in the first half and held the Buckeyes to 10-percent shooting from beyond the arc. UT struggled with turnovers, giving the ball up 12 times and leading to 14 points for Ohio State.
The third period was all OSU, as the Buckeyes were firing on all cylinders on both ends of the floor. Ohio State shot 67 percent from the field and forced 11 turnovers that led to 16 points. OSU outscored the Lady Vols 30-13 in the quarter to take a 63-54 advantage into the final frame.
Ending the third stanza on a 12-0 run, Ohio State scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to pull ahead by 15 points with 8:47 remaining in the game. Tennessee used an 8-0 run of its own to cut the deficit to eight points, but the Buckeyes held off the Lady Vols’ late comeback efforts.
The Lady Vols return to Thompson-Boling Arena for their home opener on Thursday, Nov. 10, against UMass. The contest begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be live streamed on SEC Network+ and audio streamed on the Lady Vol Network.
HORSTON HOMECOMING:Jordan Horston, a Columbus native, tallied 20 points and 13 rebounds in front of her hometown crowd, recording the 14th career double-double of her Lady Vol career. It was also the 10th time in her career in which she eclipsed the 20-point margin.
POWELL SOLID AGAINST FORMER FOE:Jasmine Powell, a transfer from Minnesota, notched 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Powell faced Ohio State in the Big Ten for three seasons. This marked the fourth time she scored double digits against the Buckeyes.
-UT Athletics
