KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Winthrop University women's basketball team faced a stiff test on Sunday, falling to No. 18/18 Tennessee in non-conference action, 112-40 at Food City Center.
FIRST QUARTER
- Tennessee set the tone immediately, scoring on its first three possessions and jumping out to a 6-0 lead behind interior finishes from Talaysia Cooper and Janiah Barker.
- Madison Ruff put Winthrop on the board at the line at the 8:04 mark, but the Eagles struggled to find rhythm early against Tennessee's pressure.
- The Volunteers leaned heavily on transition, turning early Winthrop turnovers into fast-break layups and building a double-digit cushion midway through the quarter.
- Winthrop generated multiple second-chance looks behind offensive rebounds from Tocarra Johnson and Persais Williams but could not convert consistently.
- Ryiah Wilson closed the quarter with a fast-break layup in the final minute, but Tennessee answered with a late three to take a 27-9 lead after one.
SECOND QUARTER
- Tennessee opened the period with back-to-back threes from Mia Pauldo and Nya Robertson, stretching the margin past 20 and forcing Winthrop into an early timeout.
- Mya Pierfax stopped the drought with a mid-range jumper at the 7:31 mark, one of Winthrop's few clean looks in the first half.
- The Volunteers continued to punish turnovers, stringing together a 12-0 run fueled by steals and transition buckets to extend the lead to 40-11.
- Ruff and Cori Lard briefly steadied the Eagles, combining for a layup and a jumper in transition to slow the momentum.
- Tennessee closed the half on another surge, capped by a late three and free throws, carrying a commanding 66-17 advantage into the locker room.
THIRD QUARTER
- Tennessee came out of halftime attacking the paint, scoring on three straight possessions to quickly push the lead past 50.
- Ruff finished through contact early in the quarter and later converted at the rim again to account for four of Winthrop's first six points after the break.
- Ryiah Wilson added a pair of transition layups, capitalizing on steals to briefly inject pace into the Eagles' offense.
- Despite those moments, Tennessee continued to move the ball and knock down perimeter shots to maintain separation.
- A late Wilson three closed the quarter for Winthrop, but Tennessee still led comfortably, 93-30, entering the final period.
FOURTH QUARTER
- The Volunteers opened the fourth with a three and a pair of free throws, eclipsing the century mark with more than seven minutes remaining.
- Winthrop continued to battle on the glass, with Johnson and Williams combining for multiple offensive rebounds.
- Ruff scored again inside midway through the quarter, her final basket of the afternoon.
- Tennessee's depth showed late, with bench players continuing to score in transition and from the perimeter.
- Mya Hamilton drilled a three in the closing seconds off a Williams assist to cap the scoring as the game ended at 112–40.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Ryiah Wilson led Winthrop with 12 points, adding 3 steals and accounting for much of the Eagles' transition offense.
- Madison Ruff finished with 9 points and 4 rebounds, going 3-for-8 at the free-throw line while drawing frequent contact.
- Tocarra Johnson pulled down 6 rebounds in just 20 minutes, helping Winthrop stay competitive on the glass early.
- Winthrop finished with 33 rebounds, including 12 offensive boards, but was limited to 40 points on 16-for-64 shooting.
- Tennessee shot 42-for-77 from the floor, knocked down 16 threes, and dished out 28 assists while forcing 24 Winthrop turnovers, converting those into 29 points off turnovers.
NEXT UP
The Eagles head up north on I-77 to take on Charlotte on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m.
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