OWENSBORO, Ky. – The University of Tennessee Southern women's basketball team capped off a perfect weekend at the Kentucky Bluegrass Classic with a gritty 58–52 comeback win over the host school Saturday night. The Firehawks trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half but outscored their opponent 19–7 in the final quarter to secure the sweep and improve to 2–0 on the young season.
The game opened as a defensive battle, with both sides struggling from the field. Lauren Smith gave UT Southern an early lead with a layup assisted by Silkiari Vazquez-Troche, but the hosts responded with a 12–4 spurt inside. A late three-pointer from Taya Totten helped close the gap to 16–11 after the first quarter.
In the second frame, Ashley Dickey and Smith steadied the Firehawks' offense. Totten knocked down another triple, and Mia Jones scored on a drive to cut the deficit to one. A pair of free throws from Smith made it 17–18, but the home team responded to maintain a slim lead. Dickey's mid-range jumper in the closing seconds kept UTS within striking distance, down 26–25 at halftime.
The hosts seized momentum coming out of the break, using an 11–4 run to push the lead to 36–25 midway through the third quarter. UT Southern struggled to find rhythm until Vazquez-Troche and Dickey connected on back-to-back scoring possessions. Mia Jones provided a key spark off the bench with a jumper and free throws, and Totten buried a late three followed by Dickey's triple to pull within 45–39 entering the fourth.
From there, the Firehawks' defense and composure took over. Dickey converted two free throws early, and Jones scored six of her 12 points in the period, including a clutch three-pointer at the 3:11 mark to tie the game at 52. On the next possession, Vazquez-Troche sliced through the lane for the go-ahead layup, and Dickey sealed the win with another drive and a pair of free throws in the final seconds. UT Southern closed the game on a 9–0 run while holding the host team scoreless over the last two minutes.
Dickey led all scorers with 20 points, adding six rebounds, four assists, and five steals. Jones came off the bench for 12 points and five boards, while Vazquez-Troche stuffed the stat sheet with six points, eight assists, five rebounds, and five steals. Smith contributed 10 points and eight rebounds, and Totten hit three triples for nine points.
UT Southern shot just 28% from the field but forced 24 turnovers and scored 23 points off them. The Firehawks also outrebounded their opponent 41–39 and held them to only 27% shooting in the final quarter.
UT Southern Statistical Leaders
Team Comparison
| Category |
UT Southern |
Opponent |
| FG% |
28.2% (20–71) |
40.4% (19–47) |
| 3PT% |
17.2% (5–29) |
21.4% (3–14) |
| FT% |
76.5% (13–17) |
64.7% (11–17) |
| Rebounds |
41 |
39 |
| Assists |
14 |
11 |
| Turnovers |
10 |
24 |
| Points Off Turnovers |
23 |
1 |
UT Southern (2–0) returns home to the Curry Athletic Complex on Monday, November 4, to host Oakwood University at 6 p.m.
FOLLOW THE FIREHAWKS
Stay up to date with all the latest action from UTS Athletics! Follow the Firehawks on social media:
Twitter: @utsathletics
Instagram: @utsouthernathletics
Facebook: @UT Southern Firehawks
Don't miss a moment — Go Firehawks!
