SEC Women's Basketball Results for Thursday, January 7, 2010

Tennessee 79, South Carolina 62


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KNOXVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- Angie Bjorklund scored 23 points and Shekinna Stricklen added 21 to help No. 4 Tennessee open the SEC schedule with a 79-62 win over South Carolina on Thursday night.

The Lady Vols (13-1) now have 37 consecutive wins over South Carolina, their longest streak over any Southeastern Conference team. The Gamecocks last won on Jan. 23, 1980.

South Carolina (7-7, 0-2) was up 19-14 when Tennessee went on a 17-1 run helped by three 3-point shots by Angie Bjorklund. A long jumper by Bjorklund sent the Lady Vols into halftime with a 47-33 lead.

The Gamecocks narrowed their deficit to seven points in the second half, but another 3 by Bjorklund launched a 13-1 run to help the Lady Vols pull away.

Valerie Nainima led South Carolina with 16 points. Charenee Stephens had 10 rebounds.

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Georgia 61, Kentucky 60 (OT)


ATHENS, Ga.(AP) -- Jasmine James hit a 3-pointer with 15 seconds remaining in overtime to give No. 8 Georgia a school-record 15-0 start with a 61-60 win over Kentucky on Thursday night.

Ashley Houts scored a career-high 27 points for the Bulldogs, (2-0 Southeastern Conference) who appeared to have the game won at the end of regulation after Meredith Mitchell blocked Amani Franklin's shot with 4 seconds to play.

Mitchell chased down the block and was fouled with 2.8 seconds left. She made the second free throw, but fouled Amber Smith on the inbound play. Smith hit both shots to tie it at 56 and force overtime.

Kentucky (12-2, 0-1 SEC) went up 60-56 in overtime on a layup by Victoria Dunlap and two free throws by Franklin. The Wildcats threw the ball out of bounds trying to protect a 60-58 lead, setting up James' shot.

Smith led Kentucky with 15 points. Dunlap added 12.

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LSU 65, Arkansas 38


FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.(AP) -- Allison Hightower and LaSondra Barrett led LSU with 13 points each to help the Tigers overcome a sloppy first half and beat Arkansas 65-38 Thursday night.

The Tigers (13-1, 2-0) committed 16 turnovers in the first 20 minutes, but started the second half on a 15-4 run to take a 34-23 lead and put the game away.

Ashley Daniels scored nine points for Arkansas and Skye Rees added seven points.

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Florida 71, Auburn 68 (2OT)


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GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Down by as many as 20 points late in the first half, the Auburn women’s basketball team (9-6, 0-2 SEC) rallied back in the second half, setting up a Nicolle Thomas 3-pointer with three seconds left to tie the game at 52-52 and send the Tigers to their first overtime game in more than a year.

After a 6-6 tie in the first overtime, it was Florida’s Steffi Sorensen hitting three 3-pointers in the second extra period that put the Gators (9-6, 2-0 SEC) up for good, leading to the 71-68 win.

Auburn’s KeKe Carrier tallied her fifth double-double of the season with a game-high 24 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman point guard Morgan Toles followed with a career-high 14 points and six rebounds in the
loss.

Florida held the Tigers to 15 first-half points, tying a season-low for Auburn. The Gators by 20 points with 2:09 left to play in the first half, but Thomas hit a pair of free throws with 1:18 left in the period, giving Florida a 33-15 advantage heading into the locker room.

The Tigers out-rebounded the Gators, 58-46, with seven Auburn players pulling down at least six. Redshirt junior Jordan Greenleaf followed Carrier’s 12 with 10 of her own.

Stewart led Florida with 21 points, followed by Lonnika Thompson with 12 and Sharielle Smith with 10. Stewart also finished with a double-double as she pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds.

The game marked the first double overtime contest for the Tigers in more than 20 years.

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Mississippi State 90, Vanderbilt 76


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STARKVILLE, Miss.(AP) -- Alexis Rack scored 31 points to lead Mississippi State to a 90-76 win over No. 17 Vanderbilt on Thursday night.

Mississippi State (11-4, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) recovered from a sluggish first half to win its ninth straight home game.

The Commodores (12-3, 1-1) shot 68 percent in the first half and led 40-37 at halftime.

But MSU opened the second half on a 22-7 run and held Vanderbilt scoreless for over five minutes. The Commodores made a push late, but never fully recovered offensively and shot 12 for 34 in the second half.

Armelie Lumana added 18 points for the Bulldogs. Mary Kathryn Govero had 14 points, Chanel Mokango chipped in 12, and Diamber Johnson chipped in 10.

Merideth Marsh scored a career-high 29 points to lead the Commodores. Jessica Mooney added 12 points, and Haannah Tuomi and Jence Rhoads each chipped in 11.





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