NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Basketball is a game of runs and Tennessee and Kentucky proved that to be true on Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena.
The Wildcats were on the right side of too many runs for the Lady Vols, winning 83-74.
Kentucky opened the game on a 14 to 3 run just three minutes into the game.
The Wildcats' first 12 points were off four three-pointers.
Tennessee's first point of the game came at 7:37 to play in the first quarter when senior point guard Jordan Walker hit a free throw. The Lady Vols' first field goal came at 7:09 in the first quarter when senior forward Alexus Dye hit a jumper from mid-paint.
Kentucky went six of nine from behind-the-arc in the first quarter, leading Tennessee 22-13.
For the second game in a row, Dye sparked Tennessee early. She had six points in the first quarter.
To start the second quarter, senior Rae Burrell found her grove. She hit two quick jump shots and a three-pointer.
Tamari Key got two early fouls and Karoline Striplin stepped up scoring seven points and coming up with a huge block with 4:52 to play. Key only played nine minutes in the first half.
At halftime, Kentucky led Tennessee, 44-37. The Wildcats made nine threes in the first half. The Wildcats had 10-second chance points on 10 offensive rebounds.
Burrell came out of halftime on a mission, once again. She had a quick six points, sparking an 8-2 run for Tennessee.
Then, Tamari Key made history.
With her first block in the semifinals against Kentucky, she set the single-season program record for blocks in a season. The previous record was when Kelley Cain had 113 in the 2009-2010 season.
Key had five blocks in the semifinals against Alabama on Friday.
Key is now just four blocks away from breaking Candace Parker's career block record of 275 blocks, and three blocks away from tying it. Key has 272 career blocks.
Kentucky ended the third quarter on a run, leading Tennessee 61-53.
With 9:05 left to play, Alexus Dye hit a lay-up and was fouled on the way up for an and-one. She hit the free throw to put Tennessee within four.
Rae Burrell pushed in transition, missed a fadeaway lay-up, Tamari Key got the rebound and Jordan Walker knocked down a mid-range jump-shot to put Tennessee within two.
Kentucky and Tennessee traded buckets throughout the fourth quarter.
With 4:28 left to play in the game, Kentucky led Tennessee, 73-65.
Brooklyn Miles hit Tamari Key on a high-low pass, and Key executed. She was fouled on the made bucket but missed the free-throw attempt. Jordan Walker got the offensive rebound and put-back to cut Kentucky's lead to four.
Alexus Dye led Tennessee in scoring with 26 points. Rae Burrell added 16 points.
The Lady Vols weren't able to stop Kentucky on the offensive end and did not lead the entire game.
Kentucky and South Carolina will play in the SEC Tournament championship game tomorrow. It will be the Wildcats' fourth game in four days.
Up next: Tennessee will wait for Selection Monday next Monday, March 14th to find out its NCAA Tournament seeding and scenario.
