Nov. 15, 2008

Box Score |  Quotes | Game Action 

(Knoxvile, Tenn.) - Shay Rollins posted a game-high 17 points as the USF women's basketball team opened the season with a 68-39 loss to two-time defending national champion No. 6 Tennessee at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn. The game marked the return to Knoxville of USF head coach Tanya Haave and assistant coach Abby Conklin, both of which played basketball for the Lady Vols.

The Dons played the Lady Vols close in the first half and trailed only by eight at halftime. San Francisco held UT to 38.2 percent shooting from the field and held Tennessee to just one 3-pointer in the half. With 7:17 remaining in the first stanza, USF's Shay Rollins hit a three to tie the score at 17. Tennessee regained a slight lead until the 1:45 mark, when Danesha Wright drove in a lay-up for the Dons to knot the score 24-24. The Lady Vols' then rallied to go on an 8-0 run in the final 1:30 to take a 32-24 a lead - Tennessee's largest lead of the half - into the locker room.

Tennessee came out strong in the second half going on a 24-4 run to seal the victory over San Francisco.

Rollins led the Dons with 17 points and game-high three steals. The senior guard recorded a game-high three 3-pointers, all of which came in the first half.

Senior forward Necolia Simmons pulled down 10 rebounds, a USF-high, while posting six points.

Six Dons made their USF regular season debut Saturday, including junior transfer Danesha Wright. Wright was San Francisco's starting point guard, recording six points, five rebounds and a pair of assists. Freshman forward Katy Keating recorded six rebounds for the Dons, while freshman guard Rheina Ale posted three rebounds with six points.

Prior to the contest, both Haave and Conklin were welcomed back to Knoxville with loud cheers from Tennessee fans. Haave played for the Lady Vols from 1980-84, where she earned numerous honors while competing in three Final Fours. As a junior, Haave earned Kodak All-America, First Team All-SEC, Academic All-SEC and team MVP honors. Conklin was a four-year letterwinner for Tennessee, leading the Lady Vols to back-to-back national titles in 1996 and 1997, as well as a 126-19 overall record

Glory Johnson led Tennessee, recording a double-double with 17 points and a dozen, while Shekinna Stricklen recorded 12 points.

San Francisco returns home to the Hilltop this week to host the Academy of Art in its home opener. The tip-off with the Urban Knights will be Tuesday at 7 p.m. at War Memorial Gym.