Monday, March 16, 2009

Tennessee Lady Vols get program-worst No. 5 seed

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee coach Pat Summitt spent Monday trying to keep herself from thinking too much about the Lady Volunteers’ fate in the NCAA tournament bracket after a roller-coaster 10-loss season.

A practice, a workout, a nap and an afternoon in the kitchen later, Summitt and the Lady Vols found out they were a No. 5 seed—the program’s worst seeding ever.

“It doesn’t really bother me,” Summitt said. “A four seed? Yeah, that would have been good, but as I look at the bracket, I don’t see where it’s a big deal.”

Tennessee (22-10) drew the Berkeley, Calif., regional and a first-round matchup against Ball State in Bowling Green, Ky., on Sunday. That region features five teams the Lady Vols faced this season, including two that beat them: sixth-seeded Texas and top-seed Duke.

The Lady Vols are the defending national champions in name only after graduating five seniors and replacing them with seven freshmen.

Monday was the first time the freshman participated in Summitt’s selection day cookout. The team crowded into her pool house to watch the announcements, cheering at clips of themselves and falling silent at a clip of Summitt speaking of her frustration from the season.

A fixture atop the bracket since the first NCAA tournament in 1982, Tennessee has earned a top seed 19 times, a No. 2 seed four times and No. 3 seed three times. The analysts usually talk about Tennessee being among the teams to beat, but this time the talk was about the Lady Vols’ off year.

“It just motivates us,” said freshman Shekinna Stricklen, who leads the team with 13.1 points per game. “Some people like us and some people don’t, and we’re going to get there either way we go.”

Tennessee, which is the only team to play in every NCAA tournament, has only been seeded as low as fourth once—in 1986. The Lady Vols also hold an unblemished streak of reaching the regional semifinals in every NCAA tournament.

Tennessee took 10 losses into the NCAA tournament in 1997, earned a No. 3 seed and made an unlikely run to the title.

“I keep thinking about that. Ten losses, and now we’re going to win it all,” Summitt said.

Summitt had hoped a strong schedule and high RPI would help the Lady Vols make a strong case for a No. 4 seed, though she said she wasn’t surprised that didn’t happen. Tennessee and Oklahoma have alternately held the strongest schedule throughout the year, and the Lady Vols are currently seventh on the RPI list.

Lady Vols fans travel well, and Bowling Green is located only 155 miles from Knoxville. The team has played much better when they’re fans are around. Eight of its 10 losses were on the road.

Bowling Green is also close to Summitt’s childhood home of Henrietta, Tenn., and the Hall of Fame coach is already making plans for her entire family to come.

“I’m calling them tonight and telling them to start counting tickets,” she said.

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