Feb. 9, 2012

Recap |  Final Stats |  Quotes

Numbers of Interest
0: The Lady Vols are winless when trailing at halftime. Tennessee has now dropped all five contests when trailing at intermission.

2: Tonight's game marks the second time Tennessee has used this starting five. The Lady Vols have dropped both contests, losing also at Virginia.

3: Three Lady Vols put up double-digit scoring efforts in the loss to Vanderbilt: Simmons (20), Johnson (19) and Stricklen (17).

12,034: The Tennessee/Vanderbilt rivalry has put more bodies in seats than any other UT series this season. VU put 12,034 fans in Memorial Gym tonight.

To Note
The Series
• With the loss, Tennessee falls to 59-8 in the all-time series versus Vanderbilt dating back to the 1975-76 season.
• The loss is the first loss at the hands of the Commodores since Jan. 11, 2009 when VU won in Nashville.
• Tennessee has claimed 23 of the last 25 games with the Commodores, splitting the regular-season series with Vanderbilt with Thursday's loss.

For Starters
• Today's starters: Ariel Massengale, Meighan Simmons, Taber Spani, Shekinna Stricklen and Glory Johnson.
• These starters lined up for the opening tip of the Lady Vols' third game of the season -- the loss at Virginia.
• This is the second game with these five lining up for the opening tip. The Lady Vols are now 0-2 sporting this lineup combination.

Rivalry Fills Seats
• The Tennessee/Vanderbilt rivalry has put more bodies in seats than any other UT series this season. VU hosted 12,034 fans in Memorial Gym tonight -- the Lady Vols' away attendance high this season.
• The home game against Vanderbilt set UT's home high-mark for attendance this season with 18,789.

Wouldn't You Like to Know
At the Half
• The Lady Vols trailed Vanderbilt at halftime, 42-34. Tonight's eight-point halftime deficit marks the second-largest trailing margin at the half for Tennessee. UT trailed Notre Dame by 10 at the half in South Bend (1/23).
• The Lady Vols have trailed at intermission in five games. Tennessee has led at the half in 16 contests and has been tied in the other three contests.
• Tennessee is now 0-5 when it trails going into the locker room.

Still Winless
• The Lady Vols overcame tonight's eight-point deficit, but were unable to retain their lead, falling for the fifth time this season when going into intermission behind.

Double Time
• Three Lady Vols recorded double-digit scoring efforts in the loss to Vanderbilt: Simmons (20), Johnson (19) and Stricklen (17).
• No Lady Vol collected double-digit rebounds. Freshman Cierra Burdick pulled down nine rebounds off the boards in the loss.

They're Back Beyond the Arc
• After struggling from beyond the arc versus Auburn and South Carolina, Tennessee tallied a better effort from three-point range against Vandy, hitting 7-of-19 shots (36.8 percent).
• The Lady Vols were 3-of-13 (23.1 percent) from downtown in the win over Auburn and 1-of-8 from long-range in the loss to South Carolina (12.5 percent). The season-low mark for treys occurred when Tennessee failed to hit a three-pointer verus DePaul.

Where are the Staples
Defense...
• Tennessee found four Vanderbilt players in double figures -- and two with more than 20 points in the loss. The Lady Vols gave up 52 points in the paint to Vanderbilt.
• UT allowed Vandy to tally 21 points off 16 turnovers.

...And Rebounding
• Vanderbilt dominated the boards against the Lady Vols. The Commodores pulled down 41 rebounds while UT collected 27 off the glass.
• Vanderbilt registered 16 second chance points, while UT managed only nine.

Tennessee Tidbits
Glory Gives What She's Got
• Glory Johnson notched 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting in the loss.
• Her eight field goals ties her personal SEC-best. She previously made eight buckets in the win over Georgia (1/5/12).

Simmons, Stricklen Score
• Meighan Simmons and Shekinna Stricklen each put up double-digit scoring efforts for Tennessee in the loss.
• The trio accounted for 56 of UT's 79 points (71 percent).

On the Horizon
Glory, Glory - Look Who's Boarding
• Glory Johnson is currently second on the all-time rebounding list with 1,086 boards.
• She needs 210 rebounds to catch program leader Chamique Holdsclaw, who pulled down 1,295 rebounds in her Lady Vol career.

Massengale Dishes `Em
• With seven assists versus Vanderbilt, freshman point guard Ariel Massengale neared the rookie assist mark.
• She is 22 assists shy of the Lady Vol record for assists in a season by a freshman. Loree Moore dished out 133 helpers for Tennessee in 2001-02.

Up Next
• Tennessee returns home to play host to Kentucky in the Play for Kay game, Monday, February 19 at 7:00 p.m.