Alexis Hornbuckle could tell this summer that there was something different about this Tennessee women’s basketball team.
“We were playing pick-up with the guys,” Hornbuckle said. “And, for once, we were keeping up with them.”
The Lady Vols showed their newfound speed early and often in their preseason opener Wednesday night, using a suffocating full-court press to breeze past Division II Carson-Newman for a 104-49 win at Thompson-Boling Arena.
A crowd of 5,935 watched Tennessee force 23 first-half turnovers and hold the Lady Eagles to two field goals in the first 13 minutes on the way to a 52-16 halftime lead.
Coach Pat Summitt credited junior-college transfers Shannon Bobbitt and Alberta Auguste for the Lady Vols’ increase in speed from last year, when the transfer of Sa’de Wiley-Gatewood and an injury to Alexis Hornbuckle left UT without a true point guard down the stretch.
“Last year’s team, we were limited in terms of just our speed and quickness on the perimeter at times,” Summitt said. “This team can be a lot more disruptive.”
But it might be hard to top what the Lady Vols did in their debut.
They forced 36 Carson-Newman turnovers and held the Lady Eagles to 33.3-percent shooting for the game. They also had six scorers in double figures, led by Hornbuckle’s 21 points and seven assists.
“I think for the most part, they played well together both offensively and defensively,” Summitt said. “ … They really understand how good they can be if they play together.”
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