LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Freshman Meighan Simmons scored 22 points and a record crowd saw No. 4 Tennessee beat Louisville 63-50 on Friday night in the first regular-season game at the new KFC Yum! Center.
The game set a Big East women's attendance mark of 22,124. That topped the 19,123 that then-No. 1 Connecticut drew in a visit to Freedom Hall on Jan. 12, 2008.
Shekinna Stricklen scored 14 points for Tennessee, which improved to 34-3 in season openers.
Monique Reid had 19 points for Louisville in a loss that snapped a six-game winning streak in openers for the Cardinals.
It was a sloppy game as both teams struggled to hold onto the ball or find the basket. Louisville led 8-2 before Tennessee took the lead for good at 11-10 on a layup by Glory Johnson.