Jewel Spear lifts Lady Vols basketball out of early hole vs. Florida for 6th straight win

Lady Vols basketball dug itself into a hole once again. And again, senior guard Jewel Spear pulled them out of it.

Spear exploded for 11 points in the second quarter of Thursday’s game, erasing Florida’s 12-point lead. With less than 10 seconds on the clock, she drove and finished through contact, and the Gators couldn’t do anything about it.

Spear was one of three Lady Vols in double figures in their 88-81 win over Florida at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Tennessee (10-5, 3-0 SEC) extended its winning streak to six games against Florida to stay undefeated in SEC play.

Spear was crucial against the Gators’ defense with her ability to drive and finish, and also to create her own shot. She had 20 points on 50% shooting (5-for-10), was 10-for-11 from the free-throw line, and had six rebounds and four assists.

Tennessee crushed Florida (9-6, 0-3) on the boards 49-34 and had 14 assists.

Sara Puckett ends shooting slump emphatically

Sara Puckett had hit two 3-pointers in the past seven games combined, but she didn’t hesitate to let it fly early against Florida, going 3-for-3 in the first five minutes.

The junior forward scored in double figures in seven of the first eight games of the season, then hit a slump. On Thursday, she reminded everyone what she’s capable of. Her 3-pointer halfway through the fourth quarter was key, finally giving Tennessee some separation in a back-and-forth game.

She led the team with 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting as the Lady Vols tied the halftime score at 43. Puckett ended with 20 points, eight rebounds, an assist and a steal, shooting 66.7%.

Tennessee adjusts to handle Florida’s defensive pressure

Florida bothered Tennessee in the first half with its ball pressure, and the Lady Vols committed 10 turnovers. The Gators scored only 10 points off those turnovers, however, and Tennessee scored 10 points off Florida’s five turnovers.

Some of the turnovers were bad passes made under pressure, and some were just steals by the Gators, who finished with 11. Tennessee adjusted somewhat in the second half, committing seven.

EARLY ENROLLEE: What Kellie Harper said about 2024 signee Kaniya Boyd enrolling early with Lady Vols

Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson has slower night

Senior forward Rickea Jackson was averaging 21.2 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists; Florida wasn’t going to let her have anything easy.

The Gators double-teamed Jackson at times to slow her down, sometimes in the paint before she got the ball, sometimes collapsing in on her after she got it.

Tennessee was able to get more one-on-one opportunities for Jackson in the second half, and she still ended with 18 points, eight rebounds and two assists.

Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.