Lady Vols deal with injuries, weaknesses after Duke loss

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee coach Pat Summitt railed about the Lady Vols' weaknesses on defense before their embarrassing defeat at second-ranked Duke earlier this week.

While they work on those problems, they have two players trying to heal enough to play Thursday at Kentucky.

Starting point guard Alexis Hornbuckle suffered a bruised right knee cap during Tennessee's 75-53 loss at Duke on Monday. Center Tye'sha Fluker has had some swelling in her left knee. Both were listed as questionable on Wednesday.

Summitt said she was optimistic Fluker would play and that there was a "possibility" Hornbuckle would play. Hornbuckle was already playing more since guard Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood left the team last month for personal reasons. Hornbuckle is averaging 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds a game.

The starting lineup for Kentucky had not been determined, but Summitt said: "I can tell you there will be a change."

The Lady Vols (18-1), nearing the end of a four-game stretch on the road, will likely fall from the No. 1 ranking next week after losing at Duke. The defeat was the eighth-worst in program history.

The Blue Devils handed Tennessee its first loss of the season and seemingly scored with ease most of the game. Duke shot 64 percent from the field in the second half and expanded a seven-point halftime lead to a margin Tennessee could not overcome.

"They know as a team they have to get better. We've been talking about this now for four games going into the Duke game as a staff and just basically trying to send out a warning signal to this team," Summitt said.

Summitt earned win No. 900 a week ago at Vanderbilt but only after the Lady Vols had to rebound from a 14-point deficit.

The Blue Devils made Tennessee look discombobulated in all phases. The Lady Vols had 22 turnovers, 15 off steals by Duke and some from uncharacteristic sloppy passes and bad ball handling. Tennessee was 2-of-10 from the foul line.

Candace Parker had 17 points but a team-high seven turnovers. Shanna Zolman was held to zero points.

Hornbuckle had 10 points and six turnovers while being heckled relentlessly by the Cameron Crazies about how she was arrested for shoplifting at Wal-Mart when she was a senior in high school.

Duke also held the rebounding edge 33-26, and Summitt said the Lady Vols should be much better in rebounding considering their post players are usually bigger than opponents.

"I think they took ownership of what did or did not happen. Obviously there was a glaring lack of leadership during the game, which was I thought a real factor in how we responded and our lack of being able to pull together during some adversity," Summitt said. "I think we'll learn volumes from this loss. Now we understand how much better we have to be at that level."

Summitt will try to get to 901 against the Wildcats, who are coached by her former longtime assistant Mickie DeMoss. The Lady Vols play again at home on Sunday against Alabama.