KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Samara Spencer drilled a school-record nine 3-pointers for a career-high 33 points to help No. 19 Tennessee set an NCAA record for 3-pointers and a Southeastern Conference record for total points in a 139-59 win over North Carolina Central on Saturday.
Spencer was 9 of 13 on 3-pointers and the Lady Vols were 30 of 63 with nine players hitting at least one, seven hitting at least two and three hitting at least five.
The previous Lady Vols record for 3s by one player was eight (three times). The Tennessee team record was 16, the SEC record was 19 (Arkansas) and the NCAA record was 28 (Western Illinois). The Lady Vols’ SEC record for points was 136 when they set a record for margin of victory in a 136-26 win over Puerto Rico-Mayaguez in 2002. The 80 point margin of victory is the fourth largest.
The 30 3-pointers are two more than the Division I men’s record shared by Troy and Wyoming. The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics share the NBA record of 29 3-pointers in a game. The WNBA record is 18 shared by several teams.
“It does surprise me,” first-year Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell said. “We shot enough of ’em, we should have broke it, but yeah, it was surprising to hear that it was a record.”
Talaysia Cooper had 21 points and Tess Darby 17, both with five 3s, for the Lady Vols (8-0). Zee Spearman added 15 points, Ruby Whitehorn had 13 and Sara Puckett 11. Spencer also had a career-high 10 assists.
Shakiria Foster led North Carolina Central (0-12) with 17 points and Terriana Gray added 10. The Eagles had 44 turnovers.
Spencer had six 3s and scored 22 points and Cooper had 15 points as Tennessee took a 69-18 lead at the half. That tied the school record for points in a first half.
The Lady Vols hit seven 3-pointers and forced 15 turnovers to race to a 33-10 lead after one quarter. Spencer scored 13 points in the second quarter when Tennessee had nine 3s and outscored the Eagles 36-8. North Carolina Central had 13 more turnovers.
Tennessee passed the school record and Southeastern Conference record for 3’s before the end of the third quarter when the Lady Vols took a 111-39 lead. The Eagles had as many turnovers as points while Tennessee’s 42 points in the quarter was two shy of a school record.
Destiny Wells had the 3 that broke the NCAA record.
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