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Lady Vols fall to A&M in OT, end 15-game winning streak

The No. 6 Lady Vols dropped their first game of the season to No. 17 Texas A&M, 79-76, on Thursday night.

The No. 6 Lady Vols dropped their first game of the season to No. 17 Texas A&M, 79-76, on Thursday night.

The game at Reed Arena required overtime after the score was knotted at 70 at the end of regulation.

Freshman guard Evina Westbrook made two mistakes in the five-minute overtime that cost the Lady Vols. With Tennessee leading 76-74 and seven seconds left in the period, Westbrook fouled the Aggies' Danni Williams while Williams was shooting from outside the arc. Williams would make her three free throws to give Texas A&M the lead.

Westbrook would then turn the ball over immediately on the next possession on a pass attempt to Jaime Nared, which sealed the Lady Vols' first loss of the season.

Senior center Mercedes Russell had a double-double, leading Tennessee (15-1, 3-1 SEC) with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Redshirt junior Cheridene Greene entered the game early after freshman guard Rennia Davis was shaken up with a minor injury. The London, England native rewarded UT with a 12-point, five-rebound performance of her own.

The Lady Vols' 15-0 start was the fourth-best winning streak to start a season in the program's history. Tennessee went 16-0 to start the 1994-1995 campaign; 18-0 during 2005-2006; and 39-0 in the undefeated 1997-1998 season.

The Lady Vols will look to bounce back Sunday when they travel to play conference rival South Carolina. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. on ESPN2.

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