Takeaways: Lady Vols Advance in SEC Tournament With Win Over Alabama

NASHVILLE, Tenn.– The No. 3 seed Lady Vols advanced to the semifinals of the 2022 SEC women's basketball tournament with a 74-59 win over No. 11 seed Alabama in Bridgestone Arena on Friday night.

After dropping their season finale to LSU 57-54 in Thompson-Boling Arena, Tennessee got back on track with the quarterfinals win. The Lady Vols also avenged their ugly, ten-point loss to Alabama in Tuscaloosa they suffered in mid-February.

The Lady Vols' win over Alabama also snaps a five-game losing streak in games not played in Knoxville.

Against LSU, Lady Vols seniors Rae Burrell and Alexus Dye could not enjoy a win on Senior Day.

But they sure did in Nashville. And it was because of them, as Rae Burrell led UT with 21 points and Alexus Dye posted a 16 point, 14 rebound line to earn her fourth double-double of the season.

Below are quick takeaways from a game where the Lady Vols abnormally started fast and led for forty minutes.

Rae Burrell and Alexus Dye Light It Up for 37 Combined Points

After losing to LSU on Sunday, Rae Burrell was in tears after her team had just lost on senior day and in her final regular-season home game as a Lady Vol.

Against Alabama, Rae Burrell ensured she would not feel those emotions again, as the Las Vegas native torched the Tide for 21 points, tying her season-high single-game total.

Burrell finished the night with seven assists and three boards in addition to her 21 points. The senior made three electrifying threes in Bridgestone, sending a Tennessee-dominated crowd into a chorus of cheers.

The Lady Vols' senior posted 16 points in the second half, as she was crucial in Tennessee's ability to bury the Tide further.

And while Burrell was UT's spark in the second half, Alexus Dye was the reason for Tennessee's fast start, posting ten points and five boards in the first quarter.

Dye achieved her fourth double-double of the season with a second-team-high 16 points and a team-high 14 rebounds.

The Troy transfer was also solid from the field, shooting above 50 percent for the tenth time in the 30-game season.

Kristy Curry is Ejected

Alabama head coach Kristy Curry was ejected in the second quarter after being issued her second technical foul. Curry was visibly upset all night as her team was well behind early, posting five points in the first quarter.

When called for her second technical, Curry went straight to the locker room and seemed to have had enough as the game neared halftime.

At the time of the ejection, Curry's Crimson Tide was trailing by 18 but went on to end the half on a 6-2 run.

Alabama came out hot in the third quarter without their coach court-side, but the Lady Vols soon showed their muscle and eventually coasted to the double-digit victory.

Fast Start, Led for Forty Minutes

The Lady Vols have struggled with this season with putting points on the scoreboard early, most notably against LSU as the Tigers outscored UT 22-10 in the first quarter Sunday.

But against Alabama, Kellie Harper made sure her team was not going to have a repeat performance from five days ago, as the Lady Vols outscored the Tide 15-5 in the first quarter and added on in the second quarter to take a 34-20 halftime lead. Tennessee's early defense caused the Tide to shoot for an abysmal 12.5 percent in the first half, and Tennessee made enough buckets (7-15) to take a comfortable, double-digit lead at the half.

The Lady Vols did not let up in the second half, as Rae Burrell's 11-point third quarter led Tennessee to a 19-point lead after three.

Tennessee led for the entirety of the 40-minute contest, building onto their lead every quarter but the last to win by 15.

Role Players Do Their Job

In addition to Alexus Dye and Rae Burrell, the Lady Vols' role players did what they needed on Friday.

Tess Darby made a pair of threes and shot 50 percent. Jordan Walker grabbed six rebounds, Kaiya Wynn only committed two turnovers and had a couple of steals in 14 minutes, and Brooklynn Miles provided elite defense yet again and recorded her highest point total in conference play.

The Lady Vols will take on the tournament's No. 7 seed, Kentucky, in Bridgestone Arena on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Wildcats upset No. 2 seed LSU 78-63 before Tennessee defeated the Crimson Tide.

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