KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — The Tennessee Lady Volunteers rebounded from a season-opening loss with a dominant 97-47 victory over the visiting East Tennessee State Lady Buccaneers in a non-conference women’s basketball game Friday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Playing before a crowd of 10,671, the Lady Volunteers seized control immediately, outscoring the Lady Buccaneers 27-5 in the first quarter and never looked back. The win improved Tennessee’s record to 1-1, while East Tennessee State fell to 0-2.

Tennessee’s offense was efficient from the start, fueled by a stifling defense that forced 25 turnovers, which the Lady Volunteers converted into 32 points. The home team also dominated the glass, outrebounding ETSU 48-30, including a 16-8 advantage on the offensive boards that led to 19 second-chance points.

The statistical disparity was stark. Tennessee shot 45.7 percent from the floor, connecting on 12 of 38 attempts from three-point range. They also capitalized at the free-throw line, making 21 of 27 attempts. East Tennessee State struggled offensively, shooting just 28 percent from the field and 18.8 percent from beyond the arc. The Lady Buccaneers’ offensive rating of 60.3 on 78 possessions underscored their difficulties against Tennessee’s defensive pressure.

Zee Spearman led all scorers for Tennessee, pouring in 24 points in just 22 minutes of action. The 6-foot-4 freshman from Dacula, Georgia, also added six rebounds, two assists and a block. Talaysia Cooper provided a major spark off the bench with 18 points, four rebounds and two blocks. Janiah Barker recorded a stat line of 15 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Mia Pauldo chipped in 12 points.

For East Tennessee State, Emmah McAmis was the lone player to reach double figures, finishing with 10 points, four rebounds and two assists. Lucia France pulled down a game-high nine rebounds but was limited to just two points.

The Lady Volunteers’ depth was on full display as they tallied 17 assists and 17 steals as a team, compared to just five assists and five steals for the Lady Buccaneers. Tennessee also protected the rim effectively, registering five blocks.

After their explosive first quarter, the Lady Volunteers maintained their intensity, leading 49-14 at halftime and 75-31 after three quarters. The victory provided a decisive response after Tennessee’s narrow 80-77 road loss to North Carolina State earlier in the week.

East Tennessee State, coming off an overtime loss to Elon, will look to secure its first win of the season when it hosts Kennesaw State on Wednesday. Tennessee returns to action Sunday with a road game against Tennessee-Martin.