PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Freshman Matee Ajavon scored 20 points, and No. 24 Rutgers held eighth-ranked Tennessee to just 16 first-half points in a 65-51 victory Wednesday.
Fellow freshman Essence Carson added 14 points and 13 rebounds as the Scarlet Knights (7-2) handed Tennessee coach Pat Summitt one of the most embarrassing losses of her 31-year career.
The 51 points tied for the second-fewest scored by Tennessee in a game, matching totals against Georgia in 2000 and Long Beach State in 1983. The Lady Vols' record low is 46 against Louisiana Tech in 1982.
The first-half total was two points shy of the Lady Vols' record low set against Virginia in 1996.
Michelle Campbell added 13 points in helping Rutgers' C. Vivian Stringer get the best of Summitt in the game that paired two of the four women coaches with 700 career wins.
Shyra Ely had 13 points and Nikki Anosike 12 for Tennessee (8-3), which had won four games in a row. This one was all but over by halftime, with Rutgers ahead 33-16 at the break.
The 17-point halftime deficit tied for the third-highest in Tennessee history. It was exceeded only by the 19-point deficits against Mississippi in 1996 and Southern California in 1986.
The Lady Vols simply had no answers for Rutgers' defenses, particularly in the first half. They made just four of 20 shots and had 13 turnovers. Tennessee even struggled from the foul line, making eight of 14.
Tennessee, which has struggled with its offense all season, finished 15 of 54 for 27.8 percent. The Lady Vols made just one of nine 3-point attempts.
The only thing that kept the game from being a blowout was that Rutgers struggled with its shooting. The Lady Knights made 24 of 61 for 39.3 percent.
Tennessee opened a 6-2 lead in the opening three-plus minutes, then scored only six points in the next 16 to fall behind 31-12.
Ajavon matched Tennessee's total in that span. Carson added eight points in the 29-6 run during which Summitt substituted freely looking for the right combination. She never found one.
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