Tamari Key’s historic performance led the University of Tennessee women’s basketball team to a 79-65 victory over Florida on Sunday afternoon at Thompson-Boling Arena. The No. 20/22 Lady Vols now sit at 12-3 on the year and 6-1 in the SEC, while Florida falls to 9-8 on the season and 2-7 in the conference.
Historic Performance
Tamari Key became the fourth Lady Vol ever to record a triple-double after Sunday’s matchup. Key finished the game against the Gators with a career-high 23 points 10 rebounds, and 10 blocks. The last triple-double in Lady Vol history was recorded by Jordan Reynolds against UNCW on Dec. 29, 2016. Shekinna Stricklen (Jan. 3, 2010) and Shelia Collins (Feb. 8, 1985) were the other two Lady Vols to record a triple-double.
“It’s exciting. I’m speechless, honestly,” Key said. “There are so many great people who played here and to be one of the four to have a triple-double. I’m just at a loss for words right now. I will say, towards the end of the fourth quarter, [Rennia] had come up to me real quick and told me, “one more board and one more block,” and then I had figured that I’m about to get a triple-double so I need to get one more board and one more block. I’m glad she came up to me cause I honestly wouldn’t have known how close I was to a triple-double.”
During the 2020-21 campaign, the sophomore big has averaged 9.5 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, and 2.4 blocks per game.
Chomping at the bit
The Gators used 10 players today to score 65 points against the Lady Vols, two of those players combined for 46 points. Kiara Smith and Lavender Briggs were unstoppable for most of the game this afternoon.
Smith finished the game with a double-double of 23 points (10-24 field goals), and 10 rebounds, while also adding five assists and four steals. Briggs dropped 23 points as well, including 15 points from behind the arc, and tallied nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Tennessee was able to slow down Florida’s one-two-punch in the fourth quarter. During the final stanza, the two guards combined for two points on 10 shots.
Injury Bug
Tennessee has been cursed with injuries and has lost two starters before this game, Keyen Green, and Marta Suárez. Kasiyahna Kushkituah earned her first start of the season, in the place of Suárez, and has continued to produce when called upon. The senior big recorded eight points, 12 boards, four assists, and a block for Tennessee.
“Kasi has played well,” Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper said. “I think she has been solid. I think her defense has been really strong, as well as her putting up good numbers on the offensive end. I feel very confident having her out there to start the game. Obviously, not having Marta out there changed our lineup and when we knew Marta wasn’t gonna play, we had no worries putting Kasi in the lineup.”
Jordan Horston struggled to stay in today’s game, due to an apparent back issue. The sophomore guard was in and out of the game for much of the first half and was replaced with Jordan Walker who tallied nine points, three assists, and a steal.
Horston played most of the second half but did not look comfortable. She ended the game with two points (1-8 field goals), four assists, and four rebounds.
Up next
Tennessee opens up a three-game road trip against No. 21 Mississippi State on Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. in Starkville, Mississippi.
