Lady Vols in SEC semifinals for first time in five years

Lady Vols logo
Lady Vols logo

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Rennia Davis tied her career high with 33 points and she also grabbed 14 rebounds as 14th-ranked and third-seeded Tennessee advanced to the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference women's basketball tournament for the first time in five years with a 77-72 win over 11th-seeded Ole Miss on Friday night.

The Lady Volunteers (16-6) will face No. 7 and second-seeded South Carolina (20-4) on Saturday.

Rae Burrell had nine of her 18 points in the fourth quarter, when Tennessee outscored the Rebels 28-15.

The Lady Vols had their largest lead at 73-64 with 2:51 left. Ole Miss (11-11) scored the next six points and kept it close until Davis sealed the win on a pair of free throws with four seconds left.

Jordan Horston added 12 points for Tennessee, including a buzzer-beating shot from beyond half court at the end of the first quarter. Davis also beat the buzzer, sinking a pull-up 3 at the end of the half to bring the Lady Vols within 41-37.

Ole Miss built its lead to 57-49 at the end of the third quarter, but Tennessee erased the deficit with an 8-0 run to start the fourth.

Donnetta Johnson had 20 points, Shakira Austin 14 and Jacorriah Bracey a season-high 13 for the Rebels.

Ole Miss, which has not made the SEC semifinals since 1993, used its defensive pressure to make it difficult for Tennessee to find its rhythm, but the Lady Vols outrebounded the Rebels 45-25 and shot 7-for-10 from 3-point range.

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