Cooper has 22 points, 13 rebounds in No. 12 Lady Vols’ 68-58 win over Belmont

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Talaysia Cooper scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and No. 12 Tennessee rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Belmont 68-58 on Thursday night.

Cooper scored 21 points through the first three quarters before Kaniya Boyd and Mia Pauldo led a final-period comeback with six points apiece with Tennessee (3-1) outscoring the Bruins 22-9.

Janiah Barker finished with 11 points and Zee Spearman had 10 for Tennessee, which started just 3 of 28 from the arc before going 4 of 6 in the fourth. The Lady Vols scored 23 points off 20 turnovers and grabbed 23 offensive rebounds.

Avery Strickland scored 14 points, Jailyn Banks 13 and Hilary Fuller 10 for the Bruins (1-2).

Consecutive 3-pointers by Strickland and Fuller in the final minute of the third quarter gave the Bruins their first lead since midway through the opening period.

Trailing by three to start the fourth, Boyd gave the Lady Vols the lead for good with a 3-pointer early in a 14-2 game-ending run.

Cooper had 15 points and eight rebounds by halftime, leading the Lady Vols to a 32-26 halftime edge.

The series is tied 6-6 but the Lady Vols have won the last four.

Up next

Belmont is at Dayton on Sunday.

Tennessee is at Middle Tennessee next Thursday.

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