The Lady Vols rewrote sections of the history book on Saturday afternoon during a 139-59 win over North Carolina Central in Knoxville, TN.
Tennessee set several records with its win on Saturday including program records, SEC records, and an overall American basketball record.
Starting with the overall score, Tennessee’s 139 points on Saturday are the most points in a game in school history and in SEC history.
The Lady Vols made 30 three-pointers in 47 field goals from the floor on Saturday, which is also a record. No one in American basketball history – the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA – has ever hit 30 three-pointers in a single game.
The NBA’s record is held by the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics at 29 threes in a single game while the WNBA record is held by several teams at 18 made threes.
Tennessee recorded its 30 three-pointers on 63 attempts from the perimeter on Saturday.
The Lady Vols are the first team in women or men’s DI, NBA or WNBA history to make 30+ 3-pt FG in a game 🙌
The Lady Vols also scored the MOST POINTS in a game in school and SEC history 👏
(📸 @LadyVol_Hoops) pic.twitter.com/1vMj7P797Q
— espnW (@espnW) December 14, 2024
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Lady Vols guard Samara Spencer also set a Tennessee program-record with nine three-pointers in the massive win. Spencer racked up a career-high 33 points on Saturday as she went 10-of-15 from the field, 9-of-13 from deep, and 4-of-7 from the free throw line.
Tennessee had six players in double-digit scoring including Ruby Whitehorn’s 13, Talaysia Cooper’s 21, Tess Darby’s 17, Zee Spearman’s 15, and Sara Puckett’s 11. The Lady Vols had 11 players score across the whole game.
“It does surprise me,” Tennessee head 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.”
In her first season with Tennessee, Caldwell has led the Lady Vols to an undefeated record at 8-0 as Tennessee is averaging a blistering 98.4 points per game while also averaging a scoring margin of 32.8.
In eight games this season, Tennessee has passed the 100-point mark on four occasions including a program-high 139 points on Saturday in Knoxville. Caldwell’s team also has a gritty win over No. 17 Iowa that took place last weekend in New York to give the early season slate some substance, too.
The Lady Vols’ record-breaking win on Saturday also came just a few hours before Tennessee’s men’s team had an incredible game-winning layup at the buzzer from guard Jordan Gainey. The Tennessee senior went coast-to-coast for the game’s final make to cap off a career-high 23-point night against Illinois in Champaign.
Tennessee is the only program in D1 basketball with both its men’s and women’s basketball teams still undefeated at this point in the season.
Here’s a look at the various records that Tennessee set during its win on Saturday night courtesy of Tennessee Media Communications:
SEC Scoring Record
139 Tennessee vs. NC Central, 2024
136 Tennessee vs. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, 2002
133 LSU vs. McNeese, 2023
133 Kentucky vs. Baylor, 2013
133 Tennessee vs. UT-Martin, 1999
131 Tennessee vs. Troy, 2017
Tennessee Scoring Record
139 vs. NC Central (H) 12/14/24
136 vs. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (A) 11/29/02
133 vs. Tennessee-Martin (H) 11/19/99
131 vs. Troy (H) 12/6/17
130 vs. Hawaii Pacific (A) 12/20/85
125 vs. DePaul (A) 1/20/98
NCAA Three-Point Field Goals Made – Game
30 Tennessee vs. NC Central, 12/14/24
28 Western Ill. vs. MacMurray, 11/12/18
25 Sacramento St. vs. Portland, St., 1/23/16
25 Sacramento St. vs. Montana St., 2/6/16
23 FGCU vs. Ave Maria, 12/11/21
SEC Three-Point Field Goals Made – Game
30 Tennessee vs. NC Central, 2024
19 Arkansas vs. Alabama, 2021
18 Mississippi State vs. Troy, 2020
18 Missouri vs. Florida, 2021
18 Missouri vs. Bradley, 2013
18 Missouri vs. Auburn, 2013
Tennessee Three Point Field Goals Made – Game
30 vs. NC Central 12/14/24
16 vs. Kentucky 3/6/11
15 vs. Lamar 12/1/10
15 vs. Chattanooga 11/15/10
14 vs. Furman 12/10/20
13 vs. Auburn 1/28/10
13 vs. Arkansas 1/24/08
13 vs. Mississippi 2/6/05
13 vs. Army 11/30/02
SEC Three Point Attempts – Game
63 Tennessee vs. NC Central, 2024
47 Arkansas vs. LSU, 2024
46 South Carolina vs. Florida, 1994
43 Arkansas vs. Ark.-Pine Bluff, 2021
43 South Carolina vs. Alabama, 1994
42 Arkansas vs. Auburn, 2020
Tennessee Three Point Attempts – Game
63 vs. NC Central 12/14/24
42 vs. Middle Tennessee 11/12/24
41 vs. Western Carolina 11/26/24
39 vs. UT Martin 11/7/24
38 vs. Liberty 11/16/24
36 vs. Lamar 12/1/10
