BLACKSBURG, Va. – Sara Puckett poured in 15 points off the bench and led a decisive scoring run in the fourth quarter as the 11th-ranked Tennessee women’s basketball team defeated Virginia Tech 64-58 on Sunday.
Tennessee trailed 55-48 with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before going on a 12-0 run to build a 60-55 lead with two minutes left. Puckett scored six consecutive points in the run, and Jordan Horston finished it with the last four as the Lady Volunteers started a season 8-0 for the first time under third-year head coach Kellie Harper.
Tennessee overcame a 30-point game by Virginia Tech’s Aisha Sheppard, who made six of her first nine 3-point attempts as the Hokies (7-2) took a 42-39 lead into the fourth quarter. Sheppard finished 7-of-16 from 3-point range.
Both teams’ season scoring leaders were held in check. Horston, who has averaged 17.7 points and 10 rebounds, scored nine points on 3-for-13 shooting and grabbed six rebounds. The Hokies’ Elizabeth Kitley (19.6 points per game, 9.4 rebounds per game) scored four points on 1-for-12 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds.
Jordan Walker made all four of her 3-point tries and led Tennessee with 17 points, while Tamari Key added 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Georgia Amoore scored 12 points for the Hokies.
The Lady Vols will begin a five-game run at Thompson-Boling Arena when Georgia State visits at 2 p.m. next Sunday. Tennessee’s other matchups in the homestand are against Stanford (Dec. 18), East Tennessee State (Dec. 20), the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (Dec. 27) and Alabama (Dec. 30), with the latter the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.