TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Lady Vols basketball extended its win streak to six, surfing past the Crimson Tide in the fourth quarter to secure a tough win, 70-59, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Sunday afternoon. The No. 20 Lady Vols (13-3, 5-0 SEC) picked up its first ranked win of the season after starting the season 0-3. No. 20 Alabama falls to 3-3 in SEC play despite having a 17-3 overall record.
Senior Janiah Barker was impressive in the win, but her future availability remains a question. She left the game midway through the fourth quarter after an apparent head injury and did not return. In 26 minutes, she tallied 10 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
Tennessee’s offense struggled to start the game. The Lady Vols started the game 1-for-6 from the field and struggled to keep up with the Crimson Tide. Alabama took a 10-3 lead after two consecutive 3-pointers, forcing Tennessee to take an early timeout.
Following the timeout, the Lady Vols still had much to fix. They missed their next six shots, moving to just 1-for-12 to start the game. Despite the poor offensive numbers in the first seven minutes, Tennessee flipped a switch.
Following an Alabama turnover, junior Alyssa Latham got Tennessee on the board for the first time in over five minutes. Tennessee ripped off a 7-0 run over the next minute, cutting the lead to three points. Both teams scored four points in the final minute, and the Crimson Tide took a 17-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.
“We just look like we settled in and started hitting shots,” head coach Kim Caldwell said. “We’re really proud of that, but we just landed shots and then the rest went our way.”
Tennessee continued to build momentum in the second quarter.
Tennessee began the second quarter on a 10-2 run, including two consecutive 3-pointers by freshmen Jaida Civil and Mia Pauldo to force an Alabama timeout. Though the Crimson Tide continued to fight back, the Lady Vols continued to match their effort. Tennessee finished the quarter outscoring Alabama 11-9, taking a 35-28 lead at halftime.
Barker nearly posted a first-half double-double. She led Tennessee in points with 10 and rebounds with eight. She connected on her lone 3-pointer and swatted away two shots in the first half.
With the Lady Vols possessing a seven-point lead in the second half, they looked to pull away. However, small mistakes would prevent them from getting out to a comfortable lead.
After turning the ball over just four times in the first half, Tennessee matched that mark midway through the third quarter. The two teams continued to trade points, neither seeming to find an advantage until late in the quarter.
The Lady Vols got out to a 10-point lead with 39 seconds left before the fourth quarter, but the Crimson Tide still had life left. They converted an and-one, forced a turnover and added a late layup, cutting the lead to five at the end of the third quarter.
Tennessee led 51-46 heading into the final quarter, but Alabama was picking up traction. The Crimson Tide outscored the Lady Vols 8-2 in the first three minutes, taking a one-point lead for the first time since the second quarter.
However, Alabama’s lead wouldn’t last long.
Pauldo scored 10 points down the stretch for the Lady Vols, making both of her 3-pointers and all four of her free throws to put the game away. The Lady Vols outscored the Crimson Tide 17-6 after losing the lead, securing their first top-25 win of the season, 70-59.
“I love it,” Caldwell said. “When you have a point guard that you don’t really have to worry about what is going to happen with the ball in their hand, you can just kind of put them out there.”
The Lady Vols will return home to the Food City Center on Thursday, Jan. 22, to host the Kentucky Wildcats at 6:30 p.m ET. Tennessee looks to start 6-0 in SEC play for the first time since 2023.
“I think we’re resilient,” Caldwell said. “I think we know our role better. I think our shot selection is better, but I think the biggest thing is we’re playing as a team. We have a sense of urgency and we’re not letting a few mistakes become a game worth.”
