After Thursday’s loss to Connecticut, Lady Vol coach Pat Summitt stressed her displeasure with Tennessee’s level of aggressiveness on the boards.
Her team took that message to heart, using a 58-31 rebounding edge to help put away SEC rival South Carolina, 72-58 Sunday.
Summitt showed a renewed emphasis on the basics prior to Sunday’s contest. The 30th-year coach inserted forward LaToya Davis into the lineup in place of junior guard Brittany Jackson, who had no rebounds in 26 minutes of play against UConn.
Jackson responded, picking up four first-half rebounds as Tennessee rushed to a lead that stretched to as many as 11 with just under eight minutes remaining.
“Going into this particular game, we asked the team to concentrate on their box-outs and their offensive board play,” Summitt said. “From that standpoint, we did well.”
Tennessee (19-2, 8-0 SEC) closed out the half with a 38-30 lead.
A second-half run by South Carolina that tied the game at 42 was ended by a string of defensive stops from Davis. The senior stole the ball on three consecutive Gamecock possessions and the Lady Vols took advantage, converting the steals into a 52-42 advantage.
“She (Davis) brings us a strong presence on the ball,” Summitt said. “She knew we needed a spark in the second half and she provided that.”
Her teammates fed off Davis’ intensity, responding with the run that put the Gamecocks away.
“We really didn’t start the half out with any defensive intensity,” junior forward Shyra Ely said. “Coach got on her (Davis) when she went out and when she came back in, she just brought a different level of intensity.”
The Gamecocks (9-12, 0-8) would never come within nine points of Tennessee for the rest of the action, despite Tennessee’s 37.8 percent field goal shooting for the game.
In the end, Gamecock coach Susan Walvius thought Tennessee’s dominance on the boards was the difference in Sunday’s game.
“This game came down to the great rebounding job that Tennessee did,” Walvius said. “We didn’t have an answer to them on the boards. You aren’t going to beat anyone when the other team pulls down 25 offensive rebounds.”
Tennessee was led by 12 points each from sophomore guard Shanna Zolman and Ely. Ely also pulled down 12 of UT’s 58 boards. South Carolina was led by 13 points from Christina Ciocan and guard Lauren Simms.
SOUTH CAROLINA (58)
Sliskovic 5-8 0-0 10, Gritsaeva 0-2 1-7 1, Morrone 2-6 0-1 5, Burgess 2-6 1-2 6, Ciocan 6-13 0-0 13, Fabbri 2-2 1-2 6, Harris 0-0 0-0 0, Simms 6-14 0-3 13, Booker 1-2 0-0 2, Kulcsar 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 25-57 3-15 58.
TENNESSEE (72)
Zolman 5-10 0-0 12, Ely 5-13 2-2 12, Robinson 2-8 0-3 4, Butts 3-6 3-4 10, Davis 2-7 3-4 7, Spencer 3-9 1-2 7, Redding 1-5 0-0 2, Jackson 3-9 2-2 8, McDaniel 0-0 0-0 0, Fluker 4-7 2-4 10. Totals 28-74 13-21 72.
Halftime – Tennessee 38-30. Fouled out – Sliskovic. Rebounds – South Carolina 31 (Ciocan 9), Tennessee 58 (Ely 12). Assists – South Carolina 8 (Burgess 3), Tennessee 15 (Davis 5). Total fouls – South Carolina 20, Tennessee 18.
A-12,552.
