The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Sunday, December 8
Knoxville, Tenn.
12 p.m.
University of Texas
61
at
75
Tennessee
Women's Basketball falls to No. 3/3 Tennessee, 75-61
12.08.2013 | Women's Basketball
Junior Krystle Henderson records a career-high 11 points with six assists in Knoxville.
Box Score (PDF)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Texas Women's Basketball fell to No. 3/3 Tennessee, 75-61, in front of 11,659 fans at Thompson-Boling Arena Sunday afternoon.
Four players scored in double-figures for Texas (6-3), led by senior Chassidy Fussell and junior Nneka Enemkpali with12 points apiece. Junior Krystle Henderson scored a career-high 11 points and dished out six assists in a career-high 34 minutes. Sophomore Empress Davenport chipped in 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting, including 2-of-3 from behind the arc.
Texas started the game off slow, scoring just two points over the first 5:26. Those points came on a layup by Davenport at the 17:47 mark. Enemkpali stopped an 11-2 run by Tennessee to open the game with back-to-back baskets to fuel a 10-7 spurt over the next 3:35, trimming the margin to 18-12.
Texas' defense, which entered the game tied for ninth in the country in scoring defense, held the Lady Volunteers scoreless for the last 3:17 of the first half. The Longhorns were able to finish the half on a 15-8 run to trail by one (28-27) heading into halftime.
At the half, Texas led Tennessee in points in the paint by a 24-12 margin and had forced nine turnovers. Enemkpali and Henderson led the Longhorns with 10 and nine points, respectively. Henderson's nine first-half points tied her previous career high.
Fussell scored five straight points in just 10 seconds early in the second half to bring the Longhorns within a single point at 35-34. Tennessee then rattled off nine straight to increase its advantage to 44-34 with 12:57 left.
Texas was able to cut Tennessee's lead to four, 54-50, after a Davenport 3-pointer at the 8:32 mark, but that was as close as Texas would come for the remainder of the game. The Lady Volunteers outscored Texas 19-11 to close out the contest.
Sunday's game marked the 35th meeting between Texas and Tennessee. The Lady Vols now lead the series 23-12.
Texas returns to action with a home contest next Sunday, Dec. 15 against Sam Houston State at 2 p.m. Central on Longhorn Network.
