Greenville, S.C.- No. 3 seed Tennessee (21-10, 13-3 SEC) eradicated No. 14 seed Kentucky, 80-71, within the quarterfinals of the SEC Ladies’s Basketball Match on Friday at Bon Secours Wellness Area in Greenville, South Carolina.

UT got here out the gate with an excellent begin, capturing near 60% from the sphere and 75% from three and Kentucky was unable to dig itself utterly out of the opening.

Rickea Jackson posted a season-high 34 factors, whereas Jordan Horston contributed 21 factors with seven boards, seven assists and 7 blocks.

Robyn Benton led the Wildcats with 20 factors and Maddie Scherr tacked on 13, whereas persevering with to be a drive on protection with three blocks and 4 steals.

Tennessee opened the sport on a 6-0 run led by Jackson and Horston, inflicting the Wildcats to name a timeout.

Tess Darby had the recent hand early as she drained three triples within the first quarter, matching probably the most she has scored in 1 / 4 since Jan.1.

Kentucky was relentless in its repeated makes an attempt to come back again all evening, and Walker and Scherr got here up with well timed steals that led to factors that enabled the Wildcats to shut the hole to 17-15.

The Girl Vols slowed UK’s momentum with a 10-2 run to shut the quarter, 27-17. This marked the seventh time UT had led by double digits after the primary quarter this season.

Defensive stress from Kentucky picked up as Tennessee went from capturing 58.8% from the sphere within the first to 23.5% within the second. The Wildcats made a late 11-0 push in the direction of the tip of the second body, and Tennessee went into the break with a 38-30 benefit.

Robyn Benton led the Wildcats in factors this season, averaging 16.2 per recreation, however was held to a few within the first half. Benton was held to zero factors within the second spherical of the tourney by Alabama.

She wouldn’t be contained for much longer as she opened the scoring within the third and tabbed a steal and an help within the opening minutes. She would finish the sport with 20 factors.

Horston hit a number of mid-range jumpers to attain six of the eight Girl Vol factors to stretch the result in 10, 46-36.

Twenty-eight of Kentucky’s first 46 factors got here from Tennessee’s turnovers, which totaled 17 by the tip of the third. UK would not let up and was capable of keep inside putting distance, 53-48, heading into the ultimate quarter.

Regardless of the Wildcats closing the result in 4 within the remaining minute, they had been unable to finish the comeback bid.

This was the eighth time this season that Horston recorded no less than 10 factors, 5 boards and 5 assists. No different participant within the SEC has carried out this greater than 5 instances.

Jackson logged her seventh straight 20-point recreation, matching Candace Parker in 2007 for the longest streak by a Girl Vol over the previous 20 seasons.

Tennessee moved to 20-1 this season when coming into the fourth quarter with no less than a five-point lead.

It was the third time this season Kentucky scored 30 factors or extra off turnovers. However in the long run, it wasn’t fairly sufficient.

Up Subsequent

The Girl Vols will face 2-seed LSU within the semifinals of the SEC Ladies’s Basketball Match on Saturday, 25 minutes after the conclusion of the Ole Miss-South Carolina matchup.

Kentucky (12-18, 2-14 SEC) is eradicated from the event.