TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Tennessee guard Diamond DeShields was carted off the court after a first-quarter collision Thursday night in the Lady Volunteers' 65-57 loss to Alabama.
DeShields' head hit the body of an Alabama player about four minutes into the game. She left the court on a stretcher, was taken to a hospital and didn't return to the game.
Tennessee coach Holly Warlick said in her postgame radio interview that it was a precautionary measure and added, "I think Diamond's going to be OK."
"She just felt some tingling, and I think she popped her neck a little bit," Warlick told Knoxville radio station WNML. "From all indications and what [the doctor] told me, she's going to be OK."
The Tennessee women's basketball program tweeted late Thursday night that DeShields had been cleared to fly home with the team and would receive further evaluation from team physicians Friday.
DeShields, a 6-foot-1 junior guard, entered the game averaging a team-high 18 points as well as 6.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists.