The fourth-ranked University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers will be favored to defeat the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders Sunday when the teams meet in Knoxville on Sunday for the first time in over 22 years.
The three-time defending Sun Belt Tournament champions are 3-2 with one of those losses coming at the hands of South Dakota State.
The Blue Raiders, with second-year and former Shelbyville Central coach Rick Insell at the helm, lost their season and home opener on Nov. 10 80-76.
The opponent was the nation’s number one team and the defending NCAA champion Maryland.
The tip-off against the Lady Vols is scheduled for 4 p.m. and will be televised in Nashville and Knoxville, but not in Chattanooga. The game will be aired on WGOW-AM (1150).
UT is 4-0 after posting three straight victories over Pacific-10 conference teams including two nationally ranked teams in Arizona State and Stanford.
The Blue Raiders and the Lady Vols have a common opponent in UT-Chattanooga. MTSU defeated the Lady Mocs 98-69 Friday night in Murfreesboro while UT emerged with a 102-72 season opening victory on Nov. 12.
UT is 7-0 against MTSU in the series that dates back to 1976. Their last meeting was during the first round of the 1984 NCAA tournament at Stokely Athletics Center when the Lady Vols eliminated the Blue Raiders 70-52 before 1,659 spectators.
There may be 1,659 from the Chattanooga area alone at Thompson-Boling Arena along with several thousand others at game time since the MTSU roster includes a pair of former area prep standouts.
Blue Raider freshman reserve guard Jackie Pickel scored a career high 15 points against the Lady Mocs by virtue of nailing five three-point shots. The 5’10” Pickel was the 2006 Player of the Year and an AAA Miss Basketball candidate at Bradley Central.
Sophomore guard Lacondra Mason is the all-time leading scorer at Chattanooga Christian where she amassed 2,002 points in her four year career. Mason achieved her career high of 15 points last season during MTSU’s loss to Virginia.
MTSU is led by 2006 Sun Belt Player of the Year and All-American candidate Chrissy Givens and junior transfer Amber Holt as both women are averaging over 20 points per game. Givens, who is pursuing a master’s degree in Criminal Justice after obtaining her bachelors in three years, scored 29 points in the UTC win and is averaging 21.6 per game and 7.4 rebounds.
Holt, like UT’s Shannon Bobbitt and Alberta Auguste, is a junior college transfer making her university debut this season. The 6’0” junior guard from Duluth, GA arrived at MTSU from Southeastern Illinois where she attained the same NJCAA All-American honors that Bobbitt and Auguste achieved at their respective schools Trinity Valley in Texas and Central Florida.
Holt shares another common thread with Bobbitt and Auguste as she as well has made an immediate impact on the Blue Raiders averaging 21.2 points and leading in rebounding with 8.2 per game.
UT’s sophomore superstar Candace Parker leads in points (21.8 average), rebounds (7 average) and dunks (two this season and four overall). Parker’s latest slam dunk was at the expense of 11th rated Stanford on Friday during the first half of the Lady Vols’ 77-60 triumph.
However, Parker did achieve another season first against the Cardinal when she connected from beyond the arc for a triple.
Another Lady Vol who is making her mark this season is Parker’s classmate Alex Fuller, who played for Insell at Shelbyville.
Fuller, who was named the most improved Lady Vol by Coach Pat Summitt, is averaging 8.3 points and 20 minutes of play this season. The 6’3” forward/center scored a career high 10 points against UCLA.
UT will play long standing rival Louisiana Tech on Tuesday in Ruston when the teams meet for the 39th time. The Lady Vols hold a 21-17 edge in the series and have won the last six games. Tennessee’s most recent national championship in 1998 came against Tech when the Lady Vols won 93-75 to win their third straight title.
Gameday Data:
The #4-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols (4-0) face Middle Tennessee State University (3-2) in Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday at 4 p.m. It marks the first time the two squads have met in 22 years despite being located just two-and-a-half hours away from each other.
LADY VOLS AT A GLANCE
This is the Lady Vols' 33rd season under Head Coach Pat Summitt...She has compiled a staggering 917-177 overall record... Collected her 900th coaching win with a 80-68 decision over #19-ranked Vanderbilt on Jan. 19, 2006... She passed Dean Smith (879 wins) for most NCAA collegiate basketball wins of all-time with a 75-54 victory over Purdue on Mar. 22, 2005 ...Her 2005-06 squad advanced to the NCAA Elite...Finished with a 31-5 overall record and were the SEC Tournament Champions...
This season, UT returned six letterwinners, welcomed a senior manager turned player, two junior college transfers and a pair of rookies...The 2006-07 season marks the Lady Vol debut for former senior manager #10 Elizabeth Curry, JC transfers #00 Shannon Bobbitt and #33 Alberta Auguste...True freshman, #2 Cait McMahan, a 5-4 guard from Maryville, Tenn., and #34 Nicci Moats, a 6-2 forward from Daleville, Va., also see their first action in the Orange and White this season.
THE 4-1-1 ON THE BLUE RAIDERS
In their last contest before taking on the Lady Vols, Middle Tennessee State University senior guard Chrissy Givens tallied 29 points and 6-0 forward Amber Holt added 26 points along with 10 rebounds to lead the Blue Raiders to a 98-69 victory over Chattanooga on Nov. 24 in Murfreesboro. MTSU (3-2) exacted a little revenge on the Lady Mocs after last season's 76-66 UTC victory in the season opener for both teams. Middle Tennessee got off to a slow start, turning the ball over the first two times down the floor but came back to shoot 58 percent in the first half en route to a 50-38 halftime lead. The Blue Raiders full-court pressure forced 13 first-half turnovers by the Lady Mocs and Givens led the way on the offensive end with 15 points, including a driving lay-up just before the buzzer. MTSU rookie guard Jackie Pickel was a catalyst in the contest nailing an amazing five treys. Pickel hit a pair of 3-pointers in the first half and three more in the second period for a career-high 15 points in just 14 minutes of action. She took advantage of the Lady Mocs zone, knocking down 5-of-7 attempts from behind the arc. The Blue Raiders outrebounded UTC, 40-28, and caused 21 Lady Mocs turnovers in all. Middle Tennessee also posted a season-high 16 steals and also had 20 assists.
OUR SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
The Lady Vols will enjoy the Thanksgiving holidays at home this year hosting #11 Stanford on Nov. 24 (a 77-60 win) and taking on cross-state foe Middle Tennessee on Nov. 26 in Thompson-Boling Arena.
LADY VOLS ON TV
A record 21 Lady Vol regular season games are slated for national/regional television this season. Five non-televised games will be available as streaming video with voice-over from Mickey Dearstone on utladyvols.com. UT is 2-0 on TV this season.
ON THIS DAY
UT is 8-2 in games played on Nov. 26. The Lady Vols are 4-1 at home, 2-0 on the road and 2-1 on neutral courts. The last time out on Nov. 26, the Lady Vols registered an 80-75 victory over #10 Maryland in the 2005 Paradise Jam title game.
LOOKING BACK
Last year at this time, the Lady Vols were 4-0 and enjoying Thanksgiving in the Virgin Islands at the Paradise Jam. UT had just defeated #10 Maryland, 80-75.
PLAYING 12 RANKED TEAMS
Tennessee will play 12 teams in 14 games and five of the nation's top 10 teams ranked in the AP and USA TODAY ESPN polls: 2. North Carolina, 5. Duke, 7. Connecticut, 8. Georgia, 9. LSU, 11. Stanford, 13/12. Arizona St., 14. Vanderbilt, 20/24. Kentucky 21/19. UCLA, 23/21. George Washington, and 25/NR Texas.
UT'S OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
In all games, this is how Tennessee has shot from the field: 50%FG: Chattanooga (.579), Arizona St. (.548), UCLA (.531), Stanford (.500); 40%FG: none; 30%FG: none,
DEEE ----- FENSE
In all games, this is how the opposition has shot from the field: 50%FG: none, 40%FG: Arizona St. (.469), Stanford (.456), UCLA (.451), Chattanooga (.431), 30%FG: none; 20%FG: none
2006-07 WON-LOSS DIFFERENTIAL
Wins: +30 (1), +23 (1), +17 (1), +9 (1), Losses: none
UPCOMING OPPONENT - LOUISIANA TECH
Louisiana Tech (1-3) lost a heartbreaker to Eastern Kentucky, 86-84, on Nov. 24 in the first round of the La Quinta Inn Lady Eagle Classic hosted by Southern Mississippi. EKU's Crystal Jones' jumper with :03 remaining in the game lifted the Colonels to the victory. Jones' game-winning play came after the Lady Techsters tied the contest on a Ty Moore jumper following a Tamika Kursh missed free throw with :10 left. After an EKU timeout, Jones drove into the lane and made the shot. La Tech will play Grambling State on Nov. 25 in the consolation contest. Tech has experienced a slow start to the season. Western Kentucky knocked-off the Lady Techsters, 73-60, in the home season opener and a trip to Stephen F. Austin resulted in a 65-55 loss. Tech put its first win of the 2006-07 season on the board with a 77-59 win at Iowa on Nov. 21. Tennessee coach Pat Summitt will be looking for her 300th career win on the road (she is 299-78 all-time).
Candace Parker EARNS SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR
Tennessee Lady Vol sophomore basketball standout Candace Parker was named the SEC Player of the Week for her recent performances in wins over #20/21 UCLA (83-60) and #11 Arizona State (83-74). Last season, Parker received the league's Freshman of the Week honor on four occasions, and the Player of the Week award once during her rookie campaign. In two games last week, Parker averaged 23.5 points and eight rebounds along with four steals and a pair of blocks. In the game against Arizona State, the Naperville, Ill., native picked up her 11th career double-double and first of the season with 25 points and 10 rebounds. She shot 10-of-15 from the field against UCLA and stayed perfect from the line (2-of-2) for 22 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block to earn Philips Player of the Game accolades. The scoring occurrences marked the 35th and 36th double figure games in her 39-game career. The match-ups were also the 10th and 11th game with 20 or more points.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE NOTEBOOK
Middle Tennessee holds a 3-2 record on the season, including a narrow 80-76 loss to top-ranked Maryland in its first regular season game of the 2006-07 campaign. The contest drew a record crowd of 10,010 to the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, as junior guard Amber Holt led the way with 28 points. Freshman Chelsia Lymon added 15 points to the Blue Raiders' cause. Holt was named the Sun Belt Conference's Player of the Week for her efforts. On Friday night, the Blue Raiders defeated Chattanooga, 98-69. Senior guard Chrissy Givens scored 29 points for Middle Tennessee, while Holt had a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Jackie Pickel hit five three-pointers for a career-high 15 points. In the week leading up to the Chattanooga game, the Blue Raiders took the tournament title at the Subway Basketball Classic in Minneapolis, Minn., defeating Maine (87-60) and homestanding Minnesota (79-60). Givens was voted the Sun Belt's Player of the Week after earning the Most Valuable Player Award at the tournament. In the contest versus Maine, Givens put up 23 points and 13 rebounds for her sixth career double-double.
ALL-TIME SERIES MEETINGS
DATE RANK SITE W/L SCORE
1/15/71 H (W)* *
1/15/72 H W 55-45
3/2/72 H W 47-39
1/17/73 A W 43-42
3/2/73 N5 W 58-43
2/1/74 H W 77-33
1/10/75 H W 69-32
3/6/76 N4 W 73-70
3/3/77 12/nr N10 W 87-66
1/17/78 2/nr A W 87-79
12/5/78 1/nr H W 87-63
11/26/79 4/nr A W 63-48
2/27/81 4/nr N3 W 66-47
3/17/84 15/nr H W 70-52
MTSU SERIES
This marks just the 15th meeting between the two schools dating back to the 1971 season. Tennessee coach Pat Summitt has an 8-0 record against the Blue Raiders. The Lady Vols have been ranked in the last six meetings.
AVERAGE SCORE
The average score of a UT-MTSU game in the Summitt Era is - 75.3 for UT and 57.1 for MTSU.
AGAINST IN-STATE SCHOOLS
The University of Tennessee has been facing schools from around the state of Tennessee since 1903. UT owns a 195-55-1 overall record against 18 schools. Most notably, the Lady Vols have met Vanderbilt 53 times and come away with a 47-6 record.
VERSUS THE SUNBELT
Tennessee is 24-2 all-time against five Universities representing the current Sun Belt Conference. UT is 2-0 against Florida Atlantic, 1-0 vs. Florida International, 0-1 against Louisiana-Monroe, 14-0 versus Middle Tennessee State and 7-1 over Western Kentucky.
A HIGH SCHOOL DYNASTY
Although MTSU Head Coach Rick Insell is just in his second season in the collegiate ranks, he's no stranger to distaff hoops. Prior to taking the head coaching job at his alma mater, Insell was the head girls basketball coach at Shelbyville Central High School in Shelbyville, Tenn. He led the Golden Eaglettes to 10 Class AAA state championships, 23 district championships, and produced six Tennessee Class AAA Miss Basketball Award Recipients. In his first year at MTSU, Insell led the Blue Raiders to their third consecutive Sun Belt Conference tournament title in 2006.
LADY VOLS VS. BRUINS STAT COMPARISON
TENNESSEE MTSU
OVERALL RECORD 4-0 3-2
SCORING 86.2 80.2
SCORING DEFENSE 66.5 68.4
POINT MARGIN +19.8 +11.8
REBOUNDS 33.8 35.4
OPP. REBOUNDS 30.3 32.6
REBOUND MARGIN + 3.5 + 2.8
FG% .540 .432
OPPONENT FG% .451 .496
THREE POINT FG% .453 .352
OPPONENT 3FG% .400 .403
FT% .783 .786
OPPONENT FT% .658 .731
ASSISTS 18.0 17.0
BLOCKS AVERAGE 5.5 1.6
STEALS AVERAGE 14.8 10.4
TURNOVER AVERAGE 16.5 14.0
OUR LAST MEETING
Senior All-American forward Mary Ostrowski tossed in 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds leading the 15th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols to a 70-52 victory over Middle Tennessee State University in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Mar. 17, 1984. The sparse Stokely Athletics Center crowd of 1,639 was on hand to watch the Lady Vols register their 20th win on the 1983-84 season. Behind Ostrowski and fellow senior All-American Tanya Haave (14 points and four rebounds), Tennessee opened up at 10-point lead at the break, 34-24, after connecting on 50% from the field (13-26) in the opening stanza. UT's defense, spearheaded by senior point guard Pat Hatmaker and Shelia Collins off the bench, held the Blue Raiders to just nine field goals in the first half. In the second half, Tennessee coach Pat Summitt cleared her eight player bench for the final 10 minutes. MTSU was led in scoring by Kim Webb's 18 points as the Lady Blue Raiders finished the season at 19-10. For the game, UT shot 49 percent from the field, and connected on 70 percent from the charity stripe. The taller Lady Vols claimed a 14-rebound edge, 46-32. With the win, Tennessee faced Alabama in the 1984 NCAA Mideast Regionals, Mar. 23 in Knoxville.
LADY VOLS WHO PLAYED FOR COACH INSELL
Including current Lady Vol sophomore Alex Fuller. five Tennessee players have hailed from Shelbyville Central High School and benefited from the coaching of Rick Insell. Sisters Abby (2004-05) and Amanda Canon (1998-2002), Michelle Johnson (1993, 1995) and Tiffany Woosley (1991-95) all were Golden Eaglettes before they became Lady Vols.
NEW SCHOOL RECORD
Sophomore Candace Parker broke Michelle Snow's school record for most dunks in a career in the game with #11 Stanford on Nov. 24. Parker's one-handed slam with 10:55 left in the first half was the fourth of Parker's career and the second of the season. Snow registered three dunks (1998-2002) during her career.
A TALE OF TWO HALVES
After opening games shooting at .613 (UTC), .531 (UCLA), .516 (Arizona St.) - UT had its first stinker in the opening 20 minutes making just 13-31 field goals for a season-low .419 shooting percentage in the first half against Stanford ...UT responded with .609 accuracy in the second half (14-23) for the best second half field goal performance of the season...
UT-STANFORD WRAP-UP
The 77 points were the fewest scored by the Lady Vols this season...All Lady Vols who played scored...UT missed only one free throw, shooting at a 94.7 percent clip... Individually, Candace Parker... Sank her first three-point attempt of the season, recorded her second dunk of the season, her first career dunk against a ranked opponent, Was the first of two Lady Vols to reach double-figures, Eclipsed the 20-point plateau for the third straight game and the 13th time in her career, Surpassed 700 points for her career, Recorded five blocks, tying for the 10th-most in a single game by a Lady Vol (She now has 93 for her career, moving past Tiffani Johnson (89) and Cindy Noble (91) into 10th place in the Lady Vol record books); Alexis Hornbuckle...Extended her streak of games with a steal to 40. She has made at least one steal in 61 of 68 career game; Sidney Spencer... Scored in double figures for the fourth time this season, the 31st time in her career.
UT LEADS PAC-10 AT 3-0
The Tennessee Lady Vols have finished their Pac-10 slate with a 3-0 record against three ranked teams in consecutive games. During the stretch of wins over #20/21 UCLA, at #11 Arizona State and #11 Stanford in the last week, UT averaged 81.0 ppg and gave up 64.7 ppg for a 16.3 scoring margin. The Lady Vols shot .528 from the field, .455 from three point land and .760 from the line. UT forced the opposition in an average of 23.0 turnovers per game while coming up with 14.0 steals per contest. Individually, Candace Parker tossed in 24.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg and registered two dunks.
CAN THIS TEAM DEFEND THE 3?
Coach Pat Summitt has not been pleased with the Lady Vols' commitment to defending the three-pointer. On the season, UT's opponents have connected on 6.0 treys per game and connecting on 40 percent of their attempts. Chattanooga recorded a school record 31 attempts from three-point land versus the Lady Vols.
FIFTY IS NIFTY
With the victory over Stanford, Tennessee has now claimed 52 victories all-time against teams from the Pac-10. Outside of the Southeastern Conference (365 wins), the Lady Vols have recorded 77 wins over teams from the ACC and 66 victories over BIG EAST Conference schools. The Pac-10 ranks as the fourth most defeated conference by Tennessee.
FIRST MONTH OF THE SEASON: STATE LOVE & PAC-10 EAST
In the first month of the 2006-07 season, the Lady Vols have eight foes scheduled. Three teams hail from the state of Tennessee as the Lady Vols will face Chattanooga (a 102-72 win), Middle Tennessee (Nov. 26) and Coach Pat Summitt's alma mater, UT-Martin (Dec. 5). UT will seem like a member of the Pac-10, eastern division, as the Lady Vols face three ranked Pac-10 schools in consecutive games: #20/21 UCLA (an 83-60 win), at #11 Arizona State (an 83-74 win ) and #11 Stanford (a 77-60 win). Trips to long-standing rival Louisiana Tech (Nov. 28) and #2-ranked North Carolina (Dec. 3) round out the first month of the season.
LADY VOL SPOILERS
The Lady Vols have enjoyed the role of spoiler snapping long-standing winning streaks on a number of opponent's home floors over the years. Last Sunday, Tennessee halted Arizona State's 26-game winning streak at Wells Fargo Arena with an 83-74 win. Last season, Stanford had amassed a 23-game winning streak at Maples Pavilion before the Lady Vols grabbed a 74-67 win on Dec. 4, 2005.
FREE THROW WOES
Good thing that the Lady Vols exploded to as much as a 24-point lead against Arizona State. Had Tennessee been forced to rely on relief from the charity stripe down the stretch, it would have been a bad outcome. UT made only 12-21 free throws against the Sun Devils for just 57.1 percent. Candace Parker missed four (7-11), Shannon Bobbitt missed the front end of two 1+1 situations (0-2) and Alex Fuller, uncharacteristically, missed both of her bonus tosses (0-2).
UCLA WAS 370TH WIN VS. RANKED
Tennessee's victory over UCLA improved its record 2-0 on the season and gave the Lady Vols their 370th all-time win over a ranked foe. The Big Orange is 370-145 in games against Top-25 ranked opposition. At halftime, Lady Vol coach Pat Summitt challenged her team to get off to a quick start in the second half and hunker down on defense. Challenge answered. Tennessee opened the second half with a 10-0 run and UCLA did not score a field goal until 3:55 into the second stanza. Individually: Alexis Hornbuckle...Extended her streak of games with at least one steal to 38 straight contests; Sidney Spencer...The first of three Lady Vols to reach double-figures -- it was the 29th double-digit game of her career; Candace Parker...Scored in double-figures for the 35th time in her 38-game career -- it was her 11th career contest of 20 or more points. No dunks against the Bruins. However, her repertoire of shots was simply amazing; Nicky Anosike...Surpassed the 500-point plateau for her career -- she now has 503 career points and Alex Fuller...Scored a career-high 10.
NEW UNIFORM PATCH
This year, University of Tennessee student-athletes who achieve a 3.0 GPA or better in the classroom have a "VS" patch on their uniform. The "VS" stands for Vol Scholar. Every Lady Vol basketball player (except for the newcomers -- rookies Cait McMahan and Nicci Moats and junior college transfers Alberta Auguste and Shannon Bobbitt) are proudly displaying the patch on their uniform jerseys this season.
THREE 100 POINT GAMES
In the two preseason exhibition tilts and in the first game of the season, the Tennessee Lady Vols registered at least 100 points in all three contests. It marks the first time in program history that a Lady Vol team had tallied triple digits in back-to-back-to-back contests. UT dropped in 102 points against Chattanooga in the season opener and recorded games of 104 points versus Carson-Newman and 101 points against the Houston Jaguars in a pair of exhibition match-ups.
"SOMETHING SPECIAL"
In her first handful of games in a Lady Vol uniform, 5'2" junior point guard Shannon Bobbitt has quickly become a crowd favorite. The diminutive Bobbitt is so quick with the ball, she has left defenders shaking their heads more than once. Hailing from Manhattan, N.Y., Bobbitt earned her hoops rep on some of the toughest courts in the city. The guys at the famed hoops mecca, Rucker Park, nicknamed her "something special." After watching some of her moves in the first two games, a more accurate nickname might be "the ankle breaker."
CANDACE JAMS
Lady Vol sophomore All-American Candace Parker gave Lady Vols fans the dunk they had been waiting to see at Thompson-Boling Arena. On Nov. 12, 2006, with UT leading Chattanooga, 75-43, Parker stole the ball from the Lady Mocs' Brooke Hand near the sideline. The 6-4 forward took off for the other end of the court and slammed the rock in with her right hand with 16:02 left in the game as cheers shook the Arena. Parker elected to finger roll a couple of shots last year but never dunked at home. She finally dunked twice as a rookie in the NCAA First Round game versus Army last season. Prior to Parker's dunking exploits, Michelle Snow dunked three times as a Lady Vol. Unfortunately, the dunks occurred on the road at Maui, South Carolina and Vanderbilt. In Snow's final game at Thompson-Boling Arena, she went in to dunk against Notre Dame in the waning seconds of UT's NCAA Second Round victory over the Irish, but she was fouled instead and the dunk never went down. Parker's dunk against Chattanooga ties Snow for the Lady Vol records for "dunks in a career" with three.
FIRST GAME IMPRESSIONS
The 102-72 win over Chattanooga improves Tennessee to 68-3 in 100-point games...Tennessee made its first six shots of the game from the field and its first 11 free throws...In the first half, the Lady Vols shot a sizzling 60 percent from beyond the arc, connecting on six of 10 attempts...Every Lady Vols saw playing time in the first half... Chattanooga broke the opponent record for three-pointers in a game with 13...The previous opponent record was 12, by Stanford in Knoxville on Dec. 21, 1992...The Lady Vols reached the century scoring mark when rookie Cait McMahan drove the length of the floor for a lay up with just over five minutes remaining in the game...This was the first 100+ point season-opening game for the Lady Vols since a 112-39 victory over Stetson on Nov. 26, 1989...Shannon Bobbitt was the first of six Lady Vols to reach double-figure scoring...Alex Fuller tied a career high in blocks (2) in the first half and scored a career-high nine points...Cait McMahan's first bucket in a Lady Vol uniform came when she snuck around the defense for her first career lay-up...Alexis Hornbuckle extended her streak of games to 37 with at least one steal and she shattered her own career-best mark with seven steals against UTC...Candace Parker scored in double-figures for the 15th consecutive game dating back to last season and dunked for the first time at home in her 37-game career -- It was the first recorded dunk by a woman in a game in Thompson-Boling Arena history.
EXHIBIONISTS I TELL YOU
In two 2006-07 preseason exhibition tilts against Carson-Newman and the Houston Jaguars, the Lady Vols averaged 102.5 ppg while giving up 50.0 ppg. UT connected on 49.7 percent from the field and cashed in on 70.2 percent from the line. UT's defense forced 35.5 turnovers per game and came away with 22.0 steals per outing.
SIX IN DOUBLE-FIGS
Another interesting stat from the exhibition contests found six Lady Vols registering double-digits. Leader of the pack was sophomore forward Alex Fuller who tossed in 15.5 ppg while also grabbing a team leading 11.5 rpg. Fuller was followed in the scoring parade by senior Dominique Redding (15.0 ppg), sophomore Candace Parker (15.0 ppg), junior Alexis Hornbuckle (15.0 ppg), junior Nicky Anosike (12.5 ppg) and senior Sidney Spencer (11.5 ppg). Junior College transfers Shannon Bobbitt and Alberta "Bird" Auguste were impressive in their Lady Vol debut. Bobbitt started at point guard and averaged 9.5 ppg, 6.0 apg and 3.5 spg. Auguste averaged 7.5 ppg, grabbed 5.5 rpg and handed out 4.0 apg.
62 INCHES OF DYNAMITE
Lady Vol junior college transfer Shannon Bobbitt is listed at 5'2" and is the shortest player on the roster since Diane Brady donned uniform number 20 for Tennessee during the 1973-75 seasons.
PARKER NAMED TO AP A-A
Lady Vols' Candace Parker was named to yet another preseason All-America team earning the nod from the Associated Press on Nov. 9, 2006. Joining Parker (45 votes) on the team was leading vote getter Courtney Paris of Oklahoma (47 votes out of 50). Also named to the team was North Carolina's Ivory Latta (43), Stanford's Candice Wiggins (35) and Maryland's Crystal Langhorne (28). Parker, the 2006 SEC rookie of the year, is returning for her second season at Tennessee after winning a bronze medal with the U.S. national team at the world championships in Brazil.
WOODEN AWARD NOMINEES
Tennessee Lady Vols Candace Parker and Alexis Hornbuckle were named to the list of 30 preseason candidates for the 2006-07 John R. Wooden Women's Award. Defending national champion and No. 1-ranked Maryland and No. 2-ranked North Carolina placed three athletes each on the list, while Duke, Rutgers and Tennessee each added two players. The 30 candidates are comprised of the top returning players. The award, which is voted on by sports writers and broadcasters, is entering its fourth year.
PARKER UP FOR THE WADE
Lady Vol basketball star Candace Parker has been named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) preseason "Wade Watch" list for The State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year for the 2006-2007 season. The list is comprised of 25 student-athletes who are members of an NCAA Division I institution and are selected based on the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability. The national awards committee who selects these candidates is comprised of leading basketball coaches, journalists and basketball administrators.
In 2006, Parker guided the Lady Vols to a 31-5 record, the SEC Tournament title and an appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight during her rookie season. The Naperville, Ill., native led the team in scoring (17.3 ppg), rebounding (8.3 rpg) and blocks (2.4 bpg) and was named a Kodak/WBCA All-American. Parker became the first female to dunk in an NCAA Tournament game and the only woman to dunk twice in the same contest, when she slammed two home against Army in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19, 2006. She was a first team All-SEC selection, the SEC Freshman of the Year and the conference tournament MVP after hitting the game-winning shot to lift Tennessee past LSU, 63-62.
THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA
WELCOME TO "THE SUMMITT"
The playing court in the Thompson-Boling Arena on the University of Tennessee campus donned a new look for the 2005-06 season. After Lady Vol coach Pat Summitt passed Dean Smith for most NCAA collegiate basketball wins of all-time with a 75-54 win over Purdue on Mar. 22, 2005, UT named the TBA court, "The Summitt." The floor had a complete overhaul with permanent logos of both the Lady Vols and Vols painted directly in front of the scorer's table; the free throw lanes were painted orange with "SEC" reversed out; the giant jump circle/mid-court TENNESSEE was given a new brighter color scheme, and "The Summitt," Coach Summitt's actual signature adorns the sidelines opposite the team benches.
ON OUR WAY TO 300 WINS
Tennessee recorded its 200th win in Thompson-Boling Arena when the Lady Vols defeated the University of Southern California on Nov. 18, 2001, 106-66. UT has now amassed a 268-16 (.943) record since the Orange and White moved into the Thompson-Boling Arena to start the 1987-88 season 19-years ago. Along the way, the Lady Vols have produced nine flawless home records in 1988-89 (15-0), 1991-92 (14-0), 1992-93 (13-0), 1993-94 (15-0), 1994-95 (15-0), 1997-98 (16-0), 1998-99 (14-0), 2000-01 (15-0) and 2002-03 (16-0). UT also registered an NCAA record 69-game home court-winning streak from Feb. 1, 1991 thru Jan. 2, 1996.
JUST 16 LOSSES
The Tennessee Lady Vols rarely lose at home. In fact, since moving to the Thompson-Boling Arena for the 1987-88 campaign, UT has lost two games in one season just six times. UT lost two games in TBA during the inaugural 1987-88 campaign, 1996-97, 1999-00, 2001-02, 2003-04 and the 2005-06 seasons. The 16 all-time losses at Thompson-Boling Arena have come at the hands of just nine teams: Florida (2006), LSU (2006), Duke (2004), Connecticut (2004, 2002, 2000, 1996), Louisiana Tech (1999, 1989), Georgia (1996, 1991), Texas (2003, 2002, 1987), Stanford (1996) and Auburn (1988).
HOME SWEET HOME -- 400th HOME WIN
The victory over Georgia on Jan. 31, 2005, was the Lady Vols 400th home win since Pat Summitt took over as head coach in 1974. Summitt has won 91.4 percent of all home games in 33 years producing a 421-40 overall record. Home losses (in the Summitt era) include: six in Alumni Gym from 1974-76; 18 in Stokely Athletics Center from 1976-87; and 16 in Thompson-Boling Arena since 1987.
219 OF 232 AT HOME
UT has won 219 of their last 232 games in Thompson-Boling Arena dating back to 2-1-91. UT's 13 losses during this time have been to Florida, LSU, Duke, Louisiana Tech, UConn (four times), Stanford, Texas (three times) and Georgia (OT).
500 GAMES VERSUS RANKED
Tennessee's game versus #13 Georgia on Feb. 16, 2006 was the Lady Vols' 500th all-time versus a ranked team since the inception of the polls in 1976. UT is an amazing 372-145 (.703) versus ranked teams. Last year, Tennessee was 13-3 versus ranked teams.
LADY VOL STREAKS
The last time the Lady Vols lost at home was against Florida, 95-93 OT on Feb. 26, 2006 -- since then, UT has won three games at home. The last time UT lost on the road was on Jan. 26, 2006 at Kentucky, since then, UT has won four road games. The last time the Lady Vols lost on a neutral court was against North Carolina, 75-63, in the NCAA Elite 8 game on Mar. 28, 2006 Since then, UT has not played on a neutral court.
LAST LOSS TO AN UNRANKED TEAM?
Florida became the second unranked team in the 2005-06 season to knock off the Lady Vols, when they won 95-93 OT on Feb. 26, 2006. Exactly one month earlier, unranked Kentucky turned the trick with a 66-63 win over #1/3-ranked Tennessee on Jan. 26, 2006 at Rupp Arena. Previously, it had been four years since an unranked team upset the Lady Vols. So before Florida and Kentucky had their way with UT, when was the last time Tennessee lost to an unranked team? That would have been to LSU on Mar. 2, 2002 at the SEC Tournament in Nashville, Tenn. LSU had been in and out of the Top 25 polls in late January and February. Prior to that, UT's last loss to an unranked team was five years previous (to the day) losing to Auburn on Mar. 2, 1997 at the SEC Tournament.
100 POINT GAMES
Since 1974, the Lady Vols have gone over the century mark 72 times. Last season, UT eclipsed 100 points in two games - Princeton, 107 and #16/18 Texas, 102. The 1987-88 team hit triple digits in seven games to lead the NCAA.
IN OVERTIME
The Lady Vols are 24-13 all-time in overtime games. The most OT games in a year was tied in 2003-04 with four as the Lady Vols went 3-1 in overtime losing to Georgia, 68-66, and defeating Auburn, 68-61, DePaul, 96-89, and Stanford, 70-66. It tied the mark set in 1996-97, when the Lady Vols were 3-1 in overtime contests losing to Georgia, 94-93, and defeating Texas, 68-65, Vanderbilt, 92-79 and LSU, 100-99. UT's 22 points in the OT against Florida (2-3-05), was the most ever scored by the Lady Vols in a single overtime. UT's most recent OT affair was a 95-93 loss to Florida on 2-26-06.
TWO LADY VOLS TO BE INDUCTED
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame announced its ninth group of inductees, the Class of 2007, on Nov. 12, 2006, and former Lady Vol Olympians and All-Americans Bridgette Gordon and Daedra Charles-Furlow were named as two of the six members to be inducted. Joining Gordon and Charles-Furlow are players Andrea Lloyd Curry (University of Texas) and Pam Kelly Flowers (Louisiana Tech); coach Andy Landers (University of Georgia) and sportswriter Mel Greenberg (Philadelphia Inquirer).
DAEDRA CHARLES-FURLOW - The Tennessee great was a two-time National Champion (1989, 1991), two-time Kodak All-American and became the first player from the Southeastern Conference to win the Wade Trophy in 1991; Olympic bronze medalist in 1992.
BRIDGETTE GORDON - A Tennessee standout helped to lead the Lady Vols to four NCAA Final Four appearances, winning two national championships (1987 and 1989) and earning the Women's Final Four Most Outstanding Player honor in 1989; one of two collegiate members on the gold-medal winning USA Olympic Team in 1988.
Charles-Furlow and Gordon join Coach Pat Summitt (1999), Cindy Noble and Patricia Roberts (2000), Holly Warlick (2001) and Cindy Brogdon (2002) as Tennessee Lady Vol members of the WBHOF. The six individuals in the Class of 2007 will be formally inducted as members of the Hall of Fame during a weekend of induction festivities to be held Friday and Saturday, June 8-9, 2007, in Knoxville, Tenn.
OPENING DAY RECORD
Over the last 33 years on opening day, the Lady Vols have won 30 times and lost just three contests. Coach Pat Summitt lost her very first game as a college head coach -- a heartbreaking one-point decision at home to Mercer, 84-83, on Dec. 7, 1974. The next time UT lost an opening game was in Knoxville on Nov. 21, 1981, to Stephen F. Austin, 80-74. Most recently, UT fell in their first contest of the 1999-2000 campaign dropping a 69-64 decision to Louisiana Tech in Thompson-Boling Arena on Nov. 14, 1999. Until the loss to the Lady Techsters, the Lady Vols had won 18 consecutive season openers.
FIRST ACTION FOR "CAITY-MAC"
Lady Vol rookie point guard Cait McMahan saw her first career action in an Orange and White uniform against Chattanooga. "Caity-Mac" entered the game midway through the first half to thunderous cheers from the Tennessee crowd. In her debut, she tossed in four points, grabbed three rebounds and dished two assists. A 5-4 point guard, McMahan missed the first two exhibition games of the season. The feisty freshman had arthroscopic surgery on her right knee on Oct. 20, 2006 by Dr. Greg Mathien, UT team orthopaedist. She was cleared to return to the practice floor on Nov. 6.
FIVE LADY VOL GAMES TO BE VIDEO STREAMED
The 2006-07 University of Tennessee Lady Vol basketball team already has a record 21 regular season games scheduled for television and five home games have been added for video streaming on utladyvols.com. Tennessee fans will have the opportunity to watch Lady Vol games versus Chattanooga (Sun., Nov. 12), Stanford (Fri., Nov. 24), UT-Martin (Tues., Dec. 5), George Washington (Thurs., Dec. 7) and West Virginia (Wed., Dec. 20) via the internet. Listeners will be able to hear Mickey Dearstone's radio play-by-play while watching the live action from Thompson-Boling Arena. The Yahoo! Sports University of Tennessee School Pass costs $4.95 per month and features: UT football, men's and women's basketball, baseball and "Vol Calls" radio broadcasts as well as the Pat Summitt TV Show, the Phillip Fulmer TV Show and the Bruce Pearl TV Show during the season. An additional option is the College Pass subscription, which includes broadcasts for more than 100+ schools, and costs $9.95 per month.
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