KNOXVILLE - Diamond DeShields scored 17 points and made numerous big plays down the stretch Monday as No. 4 Tennessee hung on for a 59-57 victory over Chattanooga after squandering most of a 23-point lead.
DeShields was coming off a scoreless performance in a victory over No. 23 Syracuse. She had four points, an assist and a steal during a 6-2 run after Chattanooga had cut Tennessee's lead to 53-51 with less than two minutes left.
Mercedes Russell had 13 points and Bashaara Graves added 10 points and 11 rebounds as Tennessee (4-0) earned its 26th straight home victory.
Queen Alford had 19 points to lead Chattanooga (3-2), which had beaten Tennessee two of the last three years.
Chattanooga beat Tennessee 67-63 last season and also knocked off the Lady Vols 80-75 in their 2012-13 season opener to spoil the head coaching debut of Holly Warlick.
But the Mocs haven't been nearly as successful in Knoxville.
Chattanooga had lost by at least 20 points in each of its previous 10 road meetings with Tennessee since the Mocs started their varsity program in 1975. Tennessee's records note that it lost at home to Chattanooga four times from 1971-73, before the modern era of women's basketball.
This one started out looking like another Tennessee blowout.
After the teams traded baskets to start the game, Tennessee reeled off 17 straight points by converting Chattanooga turnovers into easy baskets. The Lady Vols led 26-7 at the end of the first quarter and owned a 23-point advantage in the second period before Chattanooga got back into the game with its defense and 3-point shooting.
Chattanooga was 7 of 15 on 3-pointers overall and stifled Tennessee in the second half with its zone defense. Alford, Jasmine Joyner and Ansley Chilton were a combined 7 of 11 from 3-point range.
The Mocs cut Tennessee's lead to 53-51 with 2:49 left on a 3-pointer from Chilton, who finished with 13 points. DeShields sank a pair of free throws 21 seconds later to give Tennessee a cushion. She then made a steal and assisted on a Russell basket that brought the lead to six. After Chattanooga cut the lead to four, DeShields sank a jumper to make it 59-53 with 1:23 remaining.
Joyner's 3-pointer at the buzzer cut the final margin to two.
TIP-INS
Chattanooga: The Mocs fell out of the Top 25 earlier Monday after losing 54-43 at Indiana last week.
Tennessee: Graves had her third straight double-double and the 24th of her career. She entered the night tied with South Carolina's Alaina Coates for the lead among active Southeastern Conference players.
UP NEXT
Chattanooga: Hosts Arkansas State on Wednesday.
Tennessee: Hosts Albany on Friday.