Second-Half Spurt Powers No. 2 Tennessee

Kara Lawson scored 21 points Tuesday night, 15 in the second half, as second-ranked Tennessee defeated Memphis, 92-69, at Memphis, Tenn.

The Lady Vols (6-1) built on a 41-32 halftime lead, breaking the game open with a 25-4 run early in the second half.

Tennessee’s Tasheika Morris scored 11 points, including 10 during a 3 1/2-minute stretch in the first half, and Michelle Snow and Tamika Catchings scored 10 each.

Despite the lopsided victory, Tennessee Coach Pat Summitt was far from satisfied.

“I thought we came out really sloppy and lacked intensity,” she said. “I thought we played the game in spurts. . . . I was a little disappointed we weren’t better prepared emotionally.”

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In other games involving Top 25 teams:

LaQuanda Barksdale scored a career-high 31 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to lead No. 11 North Carolina (6-2) to a 74-55 victory over Georgia Southern (1-5) at Chapel Hill, N.C. . . . Angela Timmons’ free throw lifted Creighton (3-2) to a 55-54 victory over No. 14 Kansas (5-1) at Omaha, Neb. . . . Susan Blauser scored 19 points for No. 17 Illinois (6-3) in an 80-58 victory over Illinois State (3-3) at Champaign, Ill.