March Madness 2022: Lady Vols beat Buffalo, perfect in NCAA home openers

The Tennessee Girl Vols made coach Kellie Harper a winner in her first NCAA Match recreation on their residence courtroom teaching her alma mater.

Alexus Dye scored 18 factors and grabbed 11 rebounds as fourth-seeded Tennessee held off No. 13 seed Buffalo 80-67 Saturday afternoon to stay excellent opening an NCAA Match at residence.

“All wins are good wins, particularly once you get to the NCAA Match,” Harper mentioned.

Tennessee (24-8) improved to 24-0 within the first spherical at residence, although the Girl Vols’ first recreation right here since 2018 was a lot tighter than any of the orange-clad followers needed. They’ll play Twelfth-seeded Belmont, a double extra time winner over No. 5 seed Oregon, Monday for a berth within the Wichita Area semifinal.

Senior Rae Burrell scored 15 after halftime, together with 9 within the third quarter serving to Tennessee to a 57-51 lead going into the ultimate quarter. Then the Girl Vols sealed the victory outscoring Buffalo 12-3 to open the fourth, together with 10 straight.

The Girl Vols had an excellent feeling when Sara Puckett’s lone 3 within the third bounced off the backboard and entrance rim earlier than falling in.

“That is the luck of enjoying at residence, first spherical of the NCAA Match, having the ability to host,” Tamari Key mentioned. “I really feel just like the basketball gods have been simply in our favor immediately.”

Key’s putback gave Tennessee its greatest lead at 73-58 with 5:09 left. Key completed with 16 factors and 11 rebounds. Burrell completed with 19 factors, and Jordan Walker added 13.

Buffalo (25-9) snapped a nine-game profitable streak general and a two-game streak within the first spherical of this event. Bulls coach Felisha Legette-Jack known as it a enjoyable and fantastic recreation to be on ABC nationally.

“We weren’t going to relent and neither was Tennessee,” Legette-Jack mentioned. “The battle was great all the way in which to the final seven to eight minutes of the sport. On the finish of the day, that dimension actually wore us down a little bit bit.”

Bulls junior guard Dyaisha Honest, the nation’s fourth-leading scorer, topped her scoring common with 25 factors. However she was held to 5 within the fourth quarter. She hit a 3-pointer with 9:32 left. Georgia Woolley added 15 factors and 7 steals.

“I do know this workforce can compete with any workforce within the nation, and we confirmed that,” Honest mentioned.

The Girl Vols opened the sport scoring the primary eight factors. Honest bought Buffalo going and keyed a 7-0 spurt with 5 factors. Woolley, a pair steps behind the arc, gave the Bulls their first lead of the sport and after the primary quarter at 17-15 with a 3 that bounced off the rim a pair occasions earlier than falling by on the buzzer.

Woolley then hit one other 3 to open the second, giving the Bulls their greatest lead at 20-17. Tennessee responded with eight straight capped by a Dye jumper to take a 23-20 lead. The Bulls missed seven of their closing eight photographs and led 32-30 at halftime.

BIG PICTURE

Buffalo: The Bulls used the 3-pointer effectively within the first quarter, flattening 3 of 5 for a workforce that averages 5.7 made per recreation. They wound up making 9 3s, however they shot solely 5 of 18 within the fourth quarter.

Tennessee: The Girl Vols got here in second within the nation averaging 47.9 boards per recreation, and so they bettered that with a 52-37 edge on the boards. However they struggled but once more holding onto the ball with 19 turnovers. Buffalo turned that into 19 factors. The Girl Vols shot 55.6% within the second half and had a 40-26 edge scoring within the paint.

UP NEXT

Buffalo: Presumably a training search this offseason. Legette-Jack is a high candidate together with her alma mater Syracuse in search of a brand new coach, a program the place her jersey is retired. Legette-Jack mentioned she was completely targeted on the Bulls.

“I instructed them there would by no means be a dialog about another college till we end the job right here, and we’re nonetheless not completed. We haven’t celebrated right here but. I’m right here with Buffalo and Buffalo is my job,” Legette-Jack mentioned.

Tennessee: One other win places the Girl Vols nearer to a possible return from main scorer and rebounder Jordan Horston, although they seemingly must advance to the regional semifinal for that to be an opportunity.