The players come and go, but Tennessee’s women’s basketball schedule stays the same — tough.
The Lady Vols return only one starter from the 2008 national champion team, but coach Pat Summitt didn’t lighten the load on the road to the 2009 NCAA tournament.
Besides the usual Who’s Who list, UT’s schedule includes two former Lady Vols bringing teams to Thompson-Boling Arena, where they well be welcomed warmly — until tip-off.
Stanford, Texas, Duke, LSU and Rutgers headline the familiar marquee names on the two-time defending national champion’s 2008-09 schedule released Tuesday.
As for why first-time opponent San Francisco pops up on opening night (Nov. 15), look to the bench. Tanya Haave, a 1980s star and member of the Lady Vols Hall of Fame, is making her head-coaching debut.
Kellie Jolly Harper, point guard during the 1996-98 NCAA three-peat, brings her fifth Western Carolina team to Thompson-Boling Arena on Nov. 25.
Fourteen opponents come from last year’s NCAA tournament bracket.
“I’m thrilled that we’ll be playing 17 home games (counting two exhibitions) in our arena,’’ Summitt said. “Our young team will certainly benefit from playing in front of our great fans.’’
Anjie Bjorklund is the only returning starter and even she was coming off the bench behind Alberta Auguste during the NCAA tournament run.
The roster includes seven freshmen, four sophomores and senior Alex Fuller.
One of the home games will be Stanford on Dec. 21, a rematch of UT’s 64-48 victory in the 2008 NCAA tournament title game. The Cardinal was one of two teams to beat Tennessee last season, a 73-69 overtime decision in December.
Duke, DePaul, Louisiana Tech, Virginia and MTSU also come to Knoxville.
Key non-conference road games are at George Washington, Texas, Old Dominion and Rutgers.
The Lady Vols also play Oklahoma in Oklahoma City on ESPN2’s Feb. 2 “Big Monday” package. The other “Big Monday” game is Duke on Feb. 16.
A Dec. 30 road trip to Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash., is a first for the program.
Tennessee plays UT-Chattanooga on its home floor for the first time since 2004.
The 14-game SEC slate includes two games each against Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Mississippi State. Tennessee plays the other eight league teams once apiece.
The SEC opener is Jan. 8 at home against Kentucky. The Lady Vols travel to LSU — which beat them 78-62 in Knoxville last year — on Feb. 26.
“Once again this year, the SEC, from top to bottom, will be as strong as it has ever been,’’ Summitt said.
“We’ve had an infusion of some new coaches making a tough league even tougher.’’
Dawn Staley is the new coach at South Carolina. Wendell Hudson takes over at Alabama.
The SEC Tournament moves to North Little Rock, Ark., March 5-8.
NCAA tournament games begin March 21. McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga is among the first-round sites.
The four regionals are: Raleigh, N.C.; Berkeley, Calif.; Oklahoma City; Trenton, N.J.
The Final Four is April 5-7 in St. Louis.
2008-09 TENNESSEE LADY VOL BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
as of July 29, 2008
DATE OPPONENT SITE TV TIME
THURS., NOV. 6 CARSON-NEWMAN (EXH) KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.
SUN., NOV. 9 LOVE & BASKETBALL (EXH) KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.
SAT., NOV. 15 SAN FRANCISCO KNOXVILLE 2 p.m.
MON., NOV. 17 VIRGINIA KNOXVILLE 7:00 p.m.
FRI., NOV. 21 at Chattanooga Chattanooga 7 p.m.
SUN., NOV. 23 LOUISIANA TECH KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.
TUES., NOV. 25 WESTERN CAROLINA KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.
SUN., NOV. 30 DEPAUL KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.
TUES., DEC. 2 at George Washington Washington, D.C. 7 p.m.
THURS., DEC. 11 MIDDLE TENNESSEE KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.
SUN., DEC. 14 at Texas Austin, Texas FSN TBA p.m. CT
THURS., DEC. 18 at Old Dominion Norfolk, VA 7 p.m.
SUN., DEC. 21 STANFORD KNOXVILLE ESPN2 7 p.m.
TUES., DEC. 30 at Gonzaga Spokane, WA 7 p.m. PT
SAT., JAN. 3 at Rutgers Piscataway, NJ CBS Noon
THURS., JAN. 8 KENTUCKY KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.
SUN., JAN. 11 at Vanderbilt Nashville 2 p.m. CT
THURS., JAN. 15 at Mississippi State Starkville, MS 7 p.m. CT
SUN., JAN. 18 SOUTH CAROLINA KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.
THURS., JAN. 22 at Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 7 p.m. CT
SUN., JAN. 25 at Auburn Auburn, AL 2 p.m. CT
THURS., JAN. 29 MISSISSIPPI KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.
MON. FEB. 2 vs. Oklahoma (“Big Monday”) Oklahoma City, OK ESPN2 6:30 p.m. CT
THURS., FEB. 5 GEORGIA KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.
SUN., FEB. 8 at Florida Gainesville, FL 2 p.m.
THURS., FEB. 12 ALABAMA KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.
MON. FEB. 16 DUKE (“Big Monday”) KNOXVILLE ESPN2 7:30 p.m.
THURS., FEB. 19 at Kentucky Lexington, KY 7 p.m.
SUN., FEB. 22 MISSISSIPPI STATE KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.
THURS., FEB. 26 at LSU Baton Rouge, LA 7 p.m. CT
SUN., MAR. 1 VANDERBILT KNOXVILLE ESPN2 7 p.m.
Thurs.-Sun., Mar. 5-8 SEC Tournament N. Little Rock. AR
Thurs., Mar. 5 SEC Tournament N. Little Rock, AR FOX
Fri., Mar. 6 SEC Tournament N. Little Rock, AR FOX
Sun., Mar. 8 SEC Championship Game N. Little Rock, AR ESPN2
Sat.-Tues., Mar. 21-24 NCAA Tournament (1st & 2nd Rounds) Campus sites* ESPN/ESPN2
*(Eight pre-determined sites: First- and Second-Rounds: The Pit/Bob King Court, Albuquerque, N.M. Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, La.; E.A. Diddle Arena, Bowling Green, Ky.; McKenzie Arena, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Comcast Center, College Park, Md.; Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio; Arena at Gwinnett, Duluth, Ga.; Jack Breslin Student Events Center, East Lansing, Mich.; Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, Iowa; United Spirit Arena, Lubbock, Texas; Joyce Center, Notre Dame, Ind.; Galen Center, Los Angeles, Calif.; Louis Brown Athletic Center, Piscataway, N.J.; Cox Arena, San Diego, Calif.; Bank of America Arena, Seattle, Wash.; Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, Conn.)
Sat.-Tues., Mar. 28-31 NCAA Tournament (Regional) ESPN/ESPN2
Raleigh Regional (3/28 & 3/30): RBC Center, Raleigh, N.C.; Berkeley Regional (3/28 & 3/30): Haas Pavilion Berkeley, Calif.; Oklahoma City Regional (3/29 & 3/31): Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Trenton Regional (3/29 & 3/31): Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, N.J.
Sun. & Tues., Apr. 5 & 7 NCAA Final Four (Scottrade Center) St. Louis, Mo. ESPN
ALL TIMES, DATES AND TELEVISION SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE
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