STANFORD, Calif. - Amber Orrange scored on a left-handed lay-in and was fouled with 25.8 seconds left then converted the free throw, helping seal No. 6 Stanford’s 76-70 victory against thirdranked Tennessee on Saturday that handed the Lady Volunteers their first loss.
Chiney Ogwumike had 32 points, a season-best 20 rebounds and 3 blocks as Stanford held off a late Tennessee rally.
Andraya Carter’s baseline three-pointer with 1:02 remaining cut the Cardinal’s lead to 70-68 but Stanford kept possession with 36 seconds to go on a jump ball in a big break, and Orrange came through.
Stanford (10-1) has its first three-game winning streak in the rivalry between perennial national powers.
Ariel Massengale scored 17 points and Meighan Simmons 15 to lead the Lady Vols (10-1), who shot 35.8 percent from the field.
Tennessee has lost its past four matchups at Maples Pavilion since its last victory on Stanford’s home floor on Dec. 4, 2005. The Lady Vols have lost 13 consecutive road games against Top 10 teams dating back to 2008.
Freshman Lili Thompson’s pullup 12-footer with 8:09 to play put Stanford ahead 63-51 and she finished with a season-best 14 points.
Taylor Greenfield hit 3 three-pointers in the first half and scored 11 points off the bench.
Ogwumike had 18 points and 11 rebounds by halftime and shot 15 for 25 overall for outsized Stanford, which needed a big second half to hold on for its ninth consecutive victory.
After Bashaara Graves scored to cut the Cardinal’s lead to 38-33 with 18:10 remaining, Orrange and Thompson hit consecutivethree-pointers for Stanford.
But Massengale scored five consecutive points to keep Tennessee close.
The Cardinal held a 24-19 rebounding advantage in the first half and wound up with a 43-40 edge on the boards - the first time all season Tennessee has lost the rebounding edge.
The Cardinal haven’t lost since a 76-57 defeat at No. 1 Connecticut on Nov. 11. Stanford made seven of its initial 10 shots but overcame 37.5-percent shooting in the second half. Stanford has won five of the last eighth meetings and four of five.
Tennessee, facing just its second ranked team of the season, missed a chance for its first victory over a top-10 opponent since beating No. 10 Georgia in their SEC home opener last Jan. 6.
RUTGERS 61, NO. 16 GEORGIA 58
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Kahleah Copper and Betnijah Laney each scored 18 points to help Rutgers upset No. 16 Georgia .
Rutgers (9-2) led by four at the half and the Scarlet Knights couldn’t build on that in the second half. Georgia took its first lead of the game, 46-45, on a threepoint play by Tiaria Griffin with 7:25 left.
The Scarlet Knights answered with six consecutive points to make it 51-46 with 5 minutes left.
Rutgers led 59-52 with 21 seconds left before Shacobia Barbee hit a three-pointer to make it a four-point game. After a missed free throw by Syessence Davis, Barbee made another three-pointer from the top of the key to make it 59-58 with seven seconds left.
Tyler Scaife (Little Rock Hall) hit two free throws with 5.9 left and Khaalidah Miller’s three-pointer from 35-feet at the buzzer bounced off the front rim.
Scaife had 10 points for the Scarlet Knights.
Barbee finished with 18 points - 17 of them in the second half - to lead Georgia (11-1).
This was only the second trip out of the state of Georgia for the Lady Bulldogs, who played at Belmont earlier this month.
The Lady Bulldogs got off to a tough start turning the ball over on their first six possessions. They didn’t score their first points until Erika Ford’s jumper from the wing nearly 6 minutes into the game.
Georgia battled back to tie the game at 27-27 on Miller’s three-pointer. Rutgers led 31-27 at the break.
Sports, Pages 26 on 12/22/2013