Collapse costs UT

INDIANAPOLIS — They had never been there before.

They trailed by 16 in the second half.

They were playing the winningest coach in NCAA basketball history.

The Spartans didn't care.

Michigan State advanced to its first national championship game with a 68-64 come-from-behind win over Tennessee in front of a sellout crowd of 28,937 at the RCA Dome.

''I don't understand it, because it's not the way we played to get here,'' Lady Vol Coach Pat Summitt said.

Michigan State will play Baylor tomorrow night for the national title. The Lady Bears beat the tournament's No. 1 overall seed LSU 68-57 in last night's first game.

''Any way you look at it, it is disappointing,'' said UT senior Shyra Ely, who went 4-of-14 from the floor and had six turnovers in her hometown.

''Never did I think we would lose.''

The Lady Vols (30-5) watched helplessly as their 16-point lead slipped away. Michigan State's comeback ties the biggest in the history of the Final Four.

Victoria Lucas-Perry scored seven consecutive points to bring the Spartans (33-3) within 57-56, and she tied it at 62 on a pair of free throws minutes later. The Spartans took the lead when point guard Kristin Haynie stole a pass from Shanna Zolman and laid it in at the other end.

''That was one of the greatest steals I've ever seen in my life,'' Michigan State Coach Joanne P. McCallie said.

Trailing 66-64, Tennessee got the look it wanted with a 3-pointer by Zolman, but the shot rimmed out. Putbacks by freshmen Alexis Hornbuckle and Nicky Anosike also missed.

Tennessee looked to be in firm control of the game when it quickly ran its lead out to 45-29 with a 14-2 run to start off the second half.

''Remember this feeling,'' Hornbuckle said. ''Every time you work out in the summer and the preseason, when you think you can't make it, remember this feeling.''