Tennessee guard Diamond DeShields (11) goes to shoot as she is defended by Texas center Imani Boyette (34) in the second first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)KNOXVILLE – Tennessee’s women’s basketball team flirted with danger long enough to eventually pay the price.
Lashann Higgs scored 18 points and led an efficient 3-point attack Sunday as No. 8 Texas defeated No. 4 Tennessee 64-53 to end the Lady Vols’ home winning streak at 27 games.
Although Tennessee (5-1) hadn’t lost at Thompson-Boling Arena since a 75-71 defeat by Kentucky in February 2014, the Lady Vols – who haven’t played a road game this season and have two more contests in Knoxville before heading to Wichita State on Dec. 11 – had only won their past four games by a combined margin of 20 points.
“We were setting ourselves up for this,” Tennessee guard Andraya Carter said. “Our games leading up to this, we should have won by way more. We were winning by close margins the whole time, but we were just more talented than those teams. We came up against a team that was equally as talented as us, and they played together and they beat us.
“I think this just shows that while you can beat some teams not playing the way you’re supposed to, you can’t beat the top teams.”