Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Summitt, Auriemma in cancer ad

It's not hard for Pat Summitt and Geno Auriemma to find common ground - not when it comes to the fight against cancer and women's basketball coaching colleague Kay Yow.

Tennessee's Summitt and Connecticut's Auriemma, known more for their adversary relationship, came together to do a promotional spot in support of the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. The spot was aired Monday night during the Jimmy V Women's Basketball Classic game between Rutgers and Maryland on ESPN2 and will air again during February Frenzy telecasts on Feb. 10.

The V Foundation for Cancer Research, in collaboration with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, announced Monday a new initiative to raise money for women's cancer research, named in honor of Yow, who has battled breast cancer since 1987. She is in her 37th season of collegiate coaching and her 33rd season at North Carolina State.

Summitt said the promotional spot was taped at the ESPN studios in Bristol, Conn., several months ago.

"It was fine,'' said Summitt of her time with Auriemma. "He was very cordial."

This meeting was more about Yow than them.

"I think she's been such a great spokesperson for breast cancer, how she's handled her adversity and her fight for her life," Summitt said. "She has incredible courage and faith. I think she's inspired a lot of people."

Closer To Home: Former Lady Vols All-American Mary Ostrowski is at UT Medical Center battling Multiple Myeloma, a blood cancer.

Summitt said that she and former Lady Vol Shelley Collier visited Ostrowski on Saturday.

Ostrowski was mentioned on Sunday night's telecast of the Tennessee-North Carolina game. ESPN2 analyst Carolyn Peck, who grew up in Jefferson City and played at Vanderbilt, said on the telecast that she grew up wanting to have a hook shot like Ostrowski's.

Notebook: Old Dominion, Tennessee's opponent Wednesday night, has cracked the weekly Associated Press top 25 at No. 24. ... With its 57 rebounds, North Carolina broke a 26-year record for most rebounds by a UT opponent. Colorado grabbed 55 during a game on Dec. 8, 1981. Kentucky had 55 in 1978. ... After Wednesday, the Lady Vols will break for exams and not play again until Dec. 13 against Middle Tennessee State.

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