Monday, January 28, 2008

(2) Tennessee 67, (10) Duke 64

DURHAM, N.C. -- Candace Parker's leaner with 22 seconds remaining lifted No. 2 Tennessee past No. 9 Duke 67-64 on Monday night, snapping the Blue Devils' 24-game home winning streak.

Parker led the Lady Vols with 17 points and 12 rebounds, but briefly gave Duke hope with 3.4 seconds left when she missed the first of two free throws that would have iced it.

After she sank her second attempt, Duke inbounded to Chante Black, and she hesitated while looking for sharpshooter Abby Waner. Her 65-foot heave harmlessly hit the rim at the buzzer.

Duke never led in the second half but tied it four times, the final time coming when Waner dribbled off Joy Cheek's screen and knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key that made it 64-all with 45.8 seconds left.

The Lady Vols calmly worked the ball to Parker, whose leaning basket over Black put Tennessee ahead for good.

Angie Bjorklund had 13 points and Shannon Bobbitt added 11 for the Lady Vols (18-1), who won their eighth straight and became the first visitors to win at Cameron Indoor Stadium since North Carolina did it almost exactly two years earlier.

Black and Jasmine Thomas each had 13 points to lead Duke (15-5), which shot 44 percent and forced 23 turnovers but couldn't overcome a 40-29 rebounding disadvantage.

It was a statement victory for the Lady Vols -- no player on Tennessee's roster had ever beaten Duke, and Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt's team was still smarting from last year's 74-70 loss in Knoxville.

That defeat was widely remembered for the Blue Devils jumping out to a 19-0 lead and shrugging off a raucous Thompson-Boling Arena crowd energized by men's coach Bruce Pearl, who painted his chest orange with a white "V" in the spelling of "GO VOLS."

This time, there weren't any sightings of a shirtless Mike Krzyzewski -- just an inspired Duke defense feeding off a sold-out crowd at Cameron in the first half.

Duke twice led by seven points and never trailed by more than one during an occasionally dominating first half in which it shot 50 percent and frustrated Tennessee's two most productive scorers.

The Blue Devils forced Parker to miss her first six shots and held her to six points on 2-for-9 shooting. Alexis Hornbuckle, who entered averaging 11 points, missed all four of her attempts and failed to score in the opening 20 minutes.

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