Knoxville, Tenn. – Winthrop ended both non-conference play and 2024 with a loss on the road to the nationally 15th ranked Tennessee Volunteers Sunday afternoon.
 
Winthrop (6-7) | Tennessee (12-0)
Dec. 29, 2024 | Food City Center
Winthrop 50, No. 15 Tennessee 114
 
How it Happened
 
First Quarter | Tennessee scored the first 11 points of the game before Leonor Paisana's shot from deep got Winthrop on the board at the 5:42 mark. The highlight of the frame for the Eagles from an individual standpoint was Blessing Okoh hitting two triples. Of Winthrop's five field goals made in the first quarter, three of them were from downtown. Tennessee would lead 35-13 after 10 minutes of play.
 
Second Quarter | Winthrop immediately scored the first four points of the second quarter on layups by Mya Pierfax and Konnor Gambrell, making the score 35-17 in a nearly 45-second span. The Volunteers answered with a 19-5 run to up their lead to 54-22 with nearly three minutes to go. Then over the final three minutes of the half, Winthrop outscored Tennessee by a slim 10-7 margin, as the Eagles would trail 61-32 at the break.
 
Third Quarter | Winthrop scored five of the first nine points to begin the second half, cutting the lead to 28 at 65-37 at the 7:34 mark. The Volunteers responded by scoring the next six points before Olivia Wagner scored her first points of the afternoon on a layup with 5:22 remaining in the quarter. This made it a 32-point game in favor of Tennessee at 71-39. The Volunteers would then stay in a lead ranging from 32-35 points for nearly the rest of the stanza and took an 83-46 lead going to the fourth quarter.
 
Fourth Quarter | Tennessee went on a 15-2 run in the first five minutes of the final quarter, taking a 50-point lead at 98-48. The home team crossed the century mark with 4:32 left in the game and ultimately extended the run to 22-2, making the score 105-48 a minute later. Tennessee also held Winthrop scoreless for six minutes during the 22-2 run and held the Eagles to one field goal in the quarter. The Volunteers would go on to win 114-50 after scoring the final nine points of the game.
 
Statistical Standouts (Team)

• Winthrop moves to 618-914 all-time as a program
• Paisana is currently seventh in school history in career triples made (107)
• Winthrop outscored Tennessee in fast break points, 23-18
• Winthrop held Tennessee to 11% from deep in the third quarter
• Winthrop had a higher free throw shooting percentage than the Volunteers, 83% to 66%

Statistical Standouts (Individual)
Marissa Gasaway (20 min, nine rebounds, seven points)
Amourie Porter (24 min, 8-8 FT, 14 points)
 
Up Next
Winthrop opens up the year 2025 and Big South play by heading to Spartanburg, S.C. to face the Spartans of USC Upstate on Thursday, Jan. 2 at 7:00 p.m.
 
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