KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 19/18 Tennessee Lady Vols shattered multiple NCAA, SEC, and program records on Saturday in a 139-59 rout over North Carolina Central, an HBCU program. The victory at Food City Center highlighted Tennessee’s dominant offensive performance and continued their undefeated season at 8-0.
Tennessee broke the NCAA single-game record for three-pointers, hitting 30 from beyond the arc, and set SEC and school records for points in a game. The Lady Vols attempted 63 three-pointers, also a program and conference best. Their scoring output eclipsed the previous school record of 133 points set in 2002 and marked the most points ever scored by an SEC team.
Senior guard Samara Spencer led the offensive explosion, setting a Tennessee program record with nine three-pointers on 13 attempts. She finished with a career-high 33 points and 10 assists, recording her first double-double as a Lady Vol. Redshirt sophomore guard Talaysia Cooper added five three-pointers, scoring 21 points for her fifth consecutive 20-point game. Fifth-year player Tess Darby also chipped in with five threes and a season-high 17 points. In total, six Lady Vols scored in double figures.
North Carolina Central, an HBCU team still seeking its first win of the season, was led by Shakiria Foster with 17 points and Terriana Gray with 10. The Eagles struggled against Tennessee’s suffocating defense, committing 44 turnovers—third-most ever by a Lady Vols opponent.
The Lady Vols opened the game with a commanding 20-0 run, forcing two early timeouts from the Eagles. Spencer and Cooper set the tone, combining for five three-pointers in the first quarter alone. By halftime, Tennessee had drained 16 threes, tying the program record for a full game, and built a 69-18 lead. Spencer’s six first-half threes highlighted an unstoppable offense shooting 44.4% from beyond the arc.
In the second half, Tennessee continued to dominate, with Spencer hitting the team’s record-breaking 17th three-pointer early in the third quarter. The Lady Vols finished the game shooting 52.2% overall and 47.6% from deep. The 139 points broke the SEC record for scoring in a single game and cemented Tennessee’s spot in the NCAA history books.
Despite their struggles, North Carolina Central, an HBCU program, battled throughout the game. However, they could not overcome Tennessee’s historic performance, as the SEC squad extended its home winning streak to eight games. Tennessee’s relentless offensive and defensive pressure set a benchmark in NCAA, SEC, and HBCU basketball history.