KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee coach Pat Summitt's latest milestone victory was similar to so many others in her illustrious 31-year career. The Lady Vols' 94-43 rout of Western Carolina in an NCAA first-round game Sunday night was win No. 879 for Summitt, tying her with Dean Smith for the most victories in NCAA history.
Former North Carolina coach Smith set the record in 1997, and Summitt could surpass it Tuesday against Purdue in the second round. Summitt's record is 879-171. Smith went 879-254 in 36 years with the Tar Heels.
Summitt has been at the top of the women's game for years with six national titles and 15 Final Four appearances.
"I have so much respect and admiration for Coach Smith. This is more than just a number," Summitt said immediately after the game.
"The Lady Vols that have played here have been really special. You think about all of them, they made it happen. It says that we've had some of the best players in the history of the game. They're part of my family and my life and for that I say thank you to all of them."
Fittingly, Summitt tied Smith on Tennessee's home court at Thompson-Boling Arena, where the Lady Vols are 252-14 since it opened in 1987. Tennessee has never lost an NCAA game in Knoxville, going 45-0 since the women's tournament began in 1982.
And this is the most appropriate time of year for Summitt, who tops all women's coaches with an 86-17 NCAA tournament record.
The top-seeded Lady Vols (27-4) and, in particular, Shanna Zolman made it easy for Summitt to get the victory.
Western Carolina (18-14), the No. 16 seed in the Philadelphia Regional, were undersized and outmatched from the beginning. Catamounts coach Kellie Harper, a point guard on Tennessee's three straight titles from 1996-98, could only watch her team fall behind big early.
The Lady Vols increased the lead to double digits, 19-8, with 13:47 left before halftime, and they had a 19-2 run that pushed it to 29 points with 4 1/2 minutes left in the first half. The margin hit 49 on Brittany Jackson's 3-pointer with 12:36 to go in the game.
Zolman matched her career high of 28 points, going 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. Shyra Ely added 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Alexis Hornbuckle had 11 points and 12 rebounds. And, in one of Summitt's favorite statistics, the Lady Vols outrebounded Western Carolina 57-36.
Chevon Keith and Monique Dawson each had nine points to lead the Catamounts, who won the Southern Conference tournament to earn the school's first bid to the NCAAs.
Tennessee 94, Western Carolina 43
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Pat Summitt thanked her team for helping her tie the NCAA victory record before getting down to what really matters to her.
Tennessee's 94-43 victory over Western Carolina on Sunday night in the first round of the NCAA tournament was win No. 879 for Summitt, tying her with former North Carolina men's coach Dean Smith for the most victories in NCAA history.
Summitt, however, is focused on advancing in the tournament.
After the victory, the Lady Vols asked their coach if she was excited about trying to break Smith's record in the second round.
``I said, 'Yes, I want your help,''' Summitt said. ``I want to get this over with only because we will be going to Philadelphia and we all want to go to Philadelphia.''
Top-seeded Tennessee (27-4) will face Purdue in the second round Tuesday night, with the winner advancing to the regional semifinals in Philadelphia.
Summitt is 879-171, while Smith was 879-254 in 36 years with the Tar Heels.
Summitt has been at the top of the women's game for years with six national titles and 15 Final Four appearances.
``I have so much respect and admiration for Coach Smith. This is more than just a number,'' Summitt said immediately after the game.
``The Lady Vols that have played here have been really special. You think about all of them, they made it happen. It says that we've had some of the best players in the history of the game. They're part of my family and my life and for that I say thank you to all of them.''
Fittingly, Summitt tied Smith on Tennessee's home court at Thompson-Boling Arena, where the Lady Vols are 252-14 since it opened in 1987. Tennessee has never lost an NCAA game in Knoxville, going 45-0 since the women's tournament began in 1982.
And this is the most appropriate time of year for Summitt, who tops all women's coaches with an 86-17 NCAA tournament record.
The Lady Vols and, in particular, Shanna Zolman made it easy for Summitt to get the victory.
Western Carolina (18-14), the No. 16 seed in the Philadelphia Regional, was undersized and outmatched from the beginning. Catamounts coach Kellie Harper, a point guard on Tennessee's three straight titles from 1996-98, could only watch her team fall behind big early.
The Lady Vols increased the lead to double digits, 19-8, with 13:47 left before halftime, and they had a 19-2 run that pushed it to 29 points with 4 1/2 minutes left in the first half. The margin hit 49 on Brittany Jackson's 3-pointer with 12:36 to go in the game.
Zolman matched her career high of 28 points, going 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. Shyra Ely added 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Alexis Hornbuckle had 11 points and 12 rebounds. And, in one of Summitt's favorite statistics, the Lady Vols outrebounded Western Carolina 57-36.
``Pat Summitt is huge for the women's basketball game,'' Harper said. ``She's been a pioneer, a legacy, a legend -- all of those adjectives. And now, her tying Dean Smith allows her legacy to move over to basketball, not just women's basketball, and I think a person like Pat Summitt needs to be a legend in the game of basketball.''
Chevon Keith and Monique Dawson each had nine points to lead the Catamounts, who won the Southern Conference tournament to earn the school's first NCAA bid.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Pat Pix
Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt walks across the court as her team works during a practice session for their first-round NCAA Tournament game against Western Carolina in Knoxville. Tenn., Saturday, March 19, 2005. Summitt is one win away from tying Dean Smith for most career wins in NCAA basketball history.
Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt directs her team during a practice session for their first-round NCAA Tournament game against Western Carolina in Knoxville. Tenn., Saturday, March 19, 2005. Summitt is one win away from tying Dean Smith for most career wins in NCAA basketball history.
Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt directs her team during a practice session for their first-round NCAA Tournament game against Western Carolina in Knoxville. Tenn., Saturday, March 19, 2005. Summitt is one win away from tying Dean Smith for most career wins in NCAA basketball history.
Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt watches as her team works during a practice session for their first-round NCAA Tournament game against Western Carolina in Knoxville. Tenn., Saturday, March 19, 2005. Summitt is one win away from tying Dean Smith for most career wins in NCAA basketball history.
Summitt goes for tie of Dean Smith's all-time wins record
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee coach Pat Summitt likes her teams to have a singular focus when the NCAA tournament rolls around.
The Lady Vols can't help but have a dual focus this year.
Summitt needs one more win to tie Dean Smith's NCAA record of 879 all-time victories, and the Tennessee players want to get it Sunday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
``Right now the timing of this is not something that I'd say is real favorable,'' Summitt said. ``Hopefully this team will understand it's survive and advance.''
The top seed in the Philadelphia regional, the Lady Vols (26-4) play 16th-seeded Western Carolina, coached by former Lady Vol Kellie Harper, on Sunday night.
``(The record) is definitely in the back of our minds. We definitely want to win for coach,'' Tennessee's Brittany Jackson said Saturday. ``We want to help her out as much as possible.''
The Lady Vols share the spotlight in Knoxville with Southeastern Conference rival LSU (29-2), the tournament's overall No. 1 seed that was placed in the Chattanooga regional.
The other teams in LSU's bracket include Sunday's opponent Stetson, Oklahoma and Arizona. New Mexico and Purdue are in Tennessee's bracket.
Summitt got her 878th win by beating LSU in the SEC tournament title game two weeks ago.
Western Carolina, winner of the Southern Conference tournament and in the tournament for the first time, faces a monumental challenge. Summitt has never lost a first or second round game, and the Lady Vols have won 44 straight NCAA games at home.
Then there's the subplot of former player against her coach. Harper, who was Kellie Jolly before she married, was the point guard on the Lady Vols' three straight national championships from 1996-98.
``I've tried to explain to them the intensity level is going to be unlike any other they've seen all year,'' Harper said.
LSU and Tennessee ended up in the same opening-rounds site because of the new format for the women's tournament, which mirrors the men's pod system.
The Lady Tigers and Tennessee split their two games this season, the last in the SEC championship, and their third meeting would be in the national title game on April 5. But the teams are most concerned about just making it that far.
``It is playing whoever we have to reach that goal,'' LSU's Seimone Augustus said. ``If Tennessee happens to be there for that final game for us to reach that goal, then that is just that.''
LSU faced Tennessee in last year's national semifinals and came up short 52-50 in their school's first trip to the Final Four.
The Lady Tigers won the school's first regular-season SEC title and had the best regular-season record in school history.
``If the ultimate goal is not accomplished I don't think it diminishes anything because we have started something with the program,'' LSU point guard Temeka Johnson said.
The Hatters (17-13), LSU's opponent, won the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament and are glad to represent the small school of 2,300 students in DeLand, Fla.
``I am so excited to be playing LSU because they are the No. 1 team,'' Stetson senior Kristy Brown said. ``How else are you going to get better without playing the best?''
If LSU gets by Stetson, the Lady Tigers would face either No. 8 seed Oklahoma or No. 9 seed Arizona.
Oklahoma (17-12), making its fifth straight NCAA appearance, hasn't had the same success the last two tournaments since making a run to the 2002 national championship game where the Sooners lost to Connecticut.
Oklahoma bowed out last year after the second round and the year before in the first round.
Sooners point guard Dionnah Jackson, one of three seniors left from the 2002 team, leads a team that starts four guards and has an undersized post game. Forward Leah Rush is the tallest starter at 6-foot-1.
Arizona (19-11) has plenty of size inside with center Shawntinice Polk, who is averaging 12.9 points and 8.1 rebounds.
``The first thing that we did was to go to the Internet and get their roster. I thought, 'Great. A 6-foot-5 player,''' Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said. ``Shawntinice Polk is very skilled.''
The Wildcats were worried about even making the tournament after losing in the quarterfinals of the Pac-10 tournament to Southern California. But they got in for their third straight appearance.
``The great thing is we are coming in here with a clean slate as is everyone else in the tournament,'' Arizona point guard Dee-Dee Walker said. ``We don't dwell on the past, and we are ready to move on.''
Meanwhile, in the Philadelphia bracket, the Lobos (26-4) felt snubbed by their seeding after winning the Mountain West Conference tournament for the third straight year.
``We were over it about two or three hours after we saw the selection. We can't mope around about it,'' New Mexico's Mandi Moore said.
Freshman Dionne Marsh leads the Lobos with 13.1 points a game, and Moore, their shortest player at 5-7, is New Mexico's best rebounder. Her 36 rebounds in the Mountain West tournament was a record.
The Lobos believe they have been a different team since losing 75-35 at Minnesota in January. Purdue lost to Minnesota three times this season, the last coming in the Big Ten tournament.
The Boilermakers (16-12) will lean on leading scorers Katie Gearlds and Erin Lawless and senior Emily Heikes. Purdue failed to reach 20 wins for the first time since 1996-97 and the first time under coach Kristy Curry.
The Lady Vols can't help but have a dual focus this year.
Summitt needs one more win to tie Dean Smith's NCAA record of 879 all-time victories, and the Tennessee players want to get it Sunday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
``Right now the timing of this is not something that I'd say is real favorable,'' Summitt said. ``Hopefully this team will understand it's survive and advance.''
The top seed in the Philadelphia regional, the Lady Vols (26-4) play 16th-seeded Western Carolina, coached by former Lady Vol Kellie Harper, on Sunday night.
``(The record) is definitely in the back of our minds. We definitely want to win for coach,'' Tennessee's Brittany Jackson said Saturday. ``We want to help her out as much as possible.''
The Lady Vols share the spotlight in Knoxville with Southeastern Conference rival LSU (29-2), the tournament's overall No. 1 seed that was placed in the Chattanooga regional.
The other teams in LSU's bracket include Sunday's opponent Stetson, Oklahoma and Arizona. New Mexico and Purdue are in Tennessee's bracket.
Summitt got her 878th win by beating LSU in the SEC tournament title game two weeks ago.
Western Carolina, winner of the Southern Conference tournament and in the tournament for the first time, faces a monumental challenge. Summitt has never lost a first or second round game, and the Lady Vols have won 44 straight NCAA games at home.
Then there's the subplot of former player against her coach. Harper, who was Kellie Jolly before she married, was the point guard on the Lady Vols' three straight national championships from 1996-98.
``I've tried to explain to them the intensity level is going to be unlike any other they've seen all year,'' Harper said.
LSU and Tennessee ended up in the same opening-rounds site because of the new format for the women's tournament, which mirrors the men's pod system.
The Lady Tigers and Tennessee split their two games this season, the last in the SEC championship, and their third meeting would be in the national title game on April 5. But the teams are most concerned about just making it that far.
``It is playing whoever we have to reach that goal,'' LSU's Seimone Augustus said. ``If Tennessee happens to be there for that final game for us to reach that goal, then that is just that.''
LSU faced Tennessee in last year's national semifinals and came up short 52-50 in their school's first trip to the Final Four.
The Lady Tigers won the school's first regular-season SEC title and had the best regular-season record in school history.
``If the ultimate goal is not accomplished I don't think it diminishes anything because we have started something with the program,'' LSU point guard Temeka Johnson said.
The Hatters (17-13), LSU's opponent, won the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament and are glad to represent the small school of 2,300 students in DeLand, Fla.
``I am so excited to be playing LSU because they are the No. 1 team,'' Stetson senior Kristy Brown said. ``How else are you going to get better without playing the best?''
If LSU gets by Stetson, the Lady Tigers would face either No. 8 seed Oklahoma or No. 9 seed Arizona.
Oklahoma (17-12), making its fifth straight NCAA appearance, hasn't had the same success the last two tournaments since making a run to the 2002 national championship game where the Sooners lost to Connecticut.
Oklahoma bowed out last year after the second round and the year before in the first round.
Sooners point guard Dionnah Jackson, one of three seniors left from the 2002 team, leads a team that starts four guards and has an undersized post game. Forward Leah Rush is the tallest starter at 6-foot-1.
Arizona (19-11) has plenty of size inside with center Shawntinice Polk, who is averaging 12.9 points and 8.1 rebounds.
``The first thing that we did was to go to the Internet and get their roster. I thought, 'Great. A 6-foot-5 player,''' Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said. ``Shawntinice Polk is very skilled.''
The Wildcats were worried about even making the tournament after losing in the quarterfinals of the Pac-10 tournament to Southern California. But they got in for their third straight appearance.
``The great thing is we are coming in here with a clean slate as is everyone else in the tournament,'' Arizona point guard Dee-Dee Walker said. ``We don't dwell on the past, and we are ready to move on.''
Meanwhile, in the Philadelphia bracket, the Lobos (26-4) felt snubbed by their seeding after winning the Mountain West Conference tournament for the third straight year.
``We were over it about two or three hours after we saw the selection. We can't mope around about it,'' New Mexico's Mandi Moore said.
Freshman Dionne Marsh leads the Lobos with 13.1 points a game, and Moore, their shortest player at 5-7, is New Mexico's best rebounder. Her 36 rebounds in the Mountain West tournament was a record.
The Lobos believe they have been a different team since losing 75-35 at Minnesota in January. Purdue lost to Minnesota three times this season, the last coming in the Big Ten tournament.
The Boilermakers (16-12) will lean on leading scorers Katie Gearlds and Erin Lawless and senior Emily Heikes. Purdue failed to reach 20 wins for the first time since 1996-97 and the first time under coach Kristy Curry.
Ex-Lady Vol aims to upset UT
KNOXVILLE — Kellie Jolly didn't play at Tennessee to keep games close.
Kellie Harper doesn't coach at Western Carolina to keep games close.
Harper, who won three national championships as a Lady Vol, will be back on the floor at Thompson-Boling Arena tonight as her Lady Catamounts get ready for tomorrow's 8:30 tip-off against her alma mater.
She comes to Knoxville bearing a different name than her playing days though. Her husband, Jon Harper, is an assistant coach on her staff.
On top of Tennessee being a No. 1 seed in the tournament, Coach Pat Summitt would tie Dean Smith for most victories by a college basketball coach.
Even though Harper knows she is walking into a buzzsaw, she doesn't plan on letting her players step out of the way of mighty Tennessee.
''I know we're a long shot to win this game, but I don't have it in me to go out there and try to keep it close,'' Harper said. ''Pat taught me better than that.''
Harper's team has been through tough situations before. Western Carolina (18-13) started off its conference season with a 3-7 record, but reversed that in the second half of the Southern Conference schedule to finish .500 in the league.
The Lady Catamounts then had to win four games in four days to win the conference tournament. In the semifinals, they snuck past Davidson 59-58 and then had to survive a 97-95 double overtime thriller against Georgia Southern to win the tournament.
''They're not just coming here just to show up,'' Summitt said. ''They'll come here eager to prove that they're worthy of being here.''
At the same time, Harper — in her first year as a head coach — said she wants her players to enjoy Western Carolina's first trip to the NCAA Tournament in the 40-year history of the program.
''They need to have fun and realize that it's an honor to play in the NCAA Tournament,'' Harper said.
''So we're going to have a good time when we go over to Knoxville. But at the same time, I wouldn't be doing my job if we didn't get out there and try to win the basketball game.''
Harper has tried to deflect attention from her onto her team this week, but not many people around the Tennessee program have forgotten the career-high 20 points she put up on a bum ankle to help the Lady Vols win the 1998 national championship.
''She was in our shoes just a couple years ago,'' UT junior Shanna Zolman said. ''It speaks volumes for our program and our teams in the past, just seeing how and where past players have gone on to in building their own programs up.''
Added Summitt: ''She shows a little more emotion as a coach than she did as a player. Kellie was as competitive a player as you could ever want, but you never really saw that in her emotions.''
Win or lose, Harper said she is already starting to see the effects on her program. The team is getting national attention that it has never gotten, and the campus in Cullowhee, N.C., has quickly taken a liking to women's basketball.
''This campus is turned upside down,'' Harper said. ''There are signs everywhere. The girls get standing ovations in their classes when they walk in. Everyone is so proud of what they were able to accomplish.''
Kellie Harper doesn't coach at Western Carolina to keep games close.
Harper, who won three national championships as a Lady Vol, will be back on the floor at Thompson-Boling Arena tonight as her Lady Catamounts get ready for tomorrow's 8:30 tip-off against her alma mater.
She comes to Knoxville bearing a different name than her playing days though. Her husband, Jon Harper, is an assistant coach on her staff.
On top of Tennessee being a No. 1 seed in the tournament, Coach Pat Summitt would tie Dean Smith for most victories by a college basketball coach.
Even though Harper knows she is walking into a buzzsaw, she doesn't plan on letting her players step out of the way of mighty Tennessee.
''I know we're a long shot to win this game, but I don't have it in me to go out there and try to keep it close,'' Harper said. ''Pat taught me better than that.''
Harper's team has been through tough situations before. Western Carolina (18-13) started off its conference season with a 3-7 record, but reversed that in the second half of the Southern Conference schedule to finish .500 in the league.
The Lady Catamounts then had to win four games in four days to win the conference tournament. In the semifinals, they snuck past Davidson 59-58 and then had to survive a 97-95 double overtime thriller against Georgia Southern to win the tournament.
''They're not just coming here just to show up,'' Summitt said. ''They'll come here eager to prove that they're worthy of being here.''
At the same time, Harper — in her first year as a head coach — said she wants her players to enjoy Western Carolina's first trip to the NCAA Tournament in the 40-year history of the program.
''They need to have fun and realize that it's an honor to play in the NCAA Tournament,'' Harper said.
''So we're going to have a good time when we go over to Knoxville. But at the same time, I wouldn't be doing my job if we didn't get out there and try to win the basketball game.''
Harper has tried to deflect attention from her onto her team this week, but not many people around the Tennessee program have forgotten the career-high 20 points she put up on a bum ankle to help the Lady Vols win the 1998 national championship.
''She was in our shoes just a couple years ago,'' UT junior Shanna Zolman said. ''It speaks volumes for our program and our teams in the past, just seeing how and where past players have gone on to in building their own programs up.''
Added Summitt: ''She shows a little more emotion as a coach than she did as a player. Kellie was as competitive a player as you could ever want, but you never really saw that in her emotions.''
Win or lose, Harper said she is already starting to see the effects on her program. The team is getting national attention that it has never gotten, and the campus in Cullowhee, N.C., has quickly taken a liking to women's basketball.
''This campus is turned upside down,'' Harper said. ''There are signs everywhere. The girls get standing ovations in their classes when they walk in. Everyone is so proud of what they were able to accomplish.''
Friday, March 18, 2005
Western Carolina-Tennessee Preview
If Tennessee keeps a pair of perfect records intact, Pat Summitt will celebrate becoming the winningest coach in college basketball history in front of the home crowd.
First, she'll try to grab a share of the all-time record as the Lady Vols try to stay unbeaten at home in the NCAA tournament, opening against former Tennessee star Kellie Harper and tourney newcomer Western Carolina.
The Lady Vols are 44-0 at home since the tournament began in 1982, beating teams by an average margin of 37.8 points. The Lady Vols are also 34-0 all-time in the first and second rounds.
Tennessee will host the first two contests of its regional before the venue changes to Chattanooga for the round of 16.
With wins in the first two rounds, Summitt will pass Dean Smith as the winningest coach in NCAA history. A victory Sunday will be the 879th of her career, tying Smith for the record, and if she just shows up Summitt will pass Smith for the most all-time NCAA tournament appearances with 24.
``For me it is not so much what happens personally, but what happens for this team,'' said Summitt, who is 878-171 in 31 seasons at Tennessee. ``I haven't discussed it with our team; it has not been mentioned once. The only thing we are talking about is Western Carolina and having a 'survive and advance' approach to this tournament, taking it one day at a time.''
Summitt has led the Lady Vols to an 85-17 record in the NCAA tournament, with 15 trips to the Final Four and a record six national titles. Tennessee hasn't won one since 1998, its last of three consecutive championships.
Last season, the Lady Vols lost in the title game to Connecticut, which won its third straight championship.
The Lady Vols went five years without winning a Southeastern Conference tournament title before knocking off then-No. 1 LSU 67-65 for the championship last week.
Senior Shyra Ely led Tennessee with 25 points as it won for the ninth time in 10 games.
Western Carolina is making its first NCAA tournament appearance, but its coach has plenty of experience.
Harper was the starting point guard for the Lady Vols from 1996-99, then known as Kellie Jolly.
``I'm excited about getting to go back to Knoxville,'' Harper said. ``It is great that we will be close enough for our fans to make the trip with us to see us play.''
After serving as an assistant for a Chattanooga team that upset Rutgers in the first round of the NCAA tournament last season, Harper guided the Catamounts to their first ever Southern Conference tournament title this season.
She became the first first-year coach to claim the league's title as Western Carolina beat Georgia Southern 97-95 in double-overtime on Saturday.
Senior Jennifer Gardner scored a tournament-record 45 points, including the game-winner with 16 seconds remaining. The tournament MVP also had 13 rebounds while shooting 15-of-19 from the field and 13-for-15 from the foul line. Gardner set the record for points (106), field goals (33), free throws (37) and rebounds (43) in a Southern Conference tournament.
The Catamounts, who became the first team in league history to win four consecutive tournament games, have won nine of 10 overall.
Western Carolina leads the all-time series 10-8, though the teams haven't met since 1977.
The winner faces New Mexico or Purdue in the second round on Tuesday.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Western Carolina - F Lori Tanner (13.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg), F Gardner (13.8, 9.3 rpg), G Sigita Maleraite (6.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg) G Ki-Ki Glass (3.0 ppg, 3.3 apg), G Shaketia Barnes (6.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg). Tennessee - F Ely (14.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg), C Nicky Anosike (6.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg), G Shanna Zolman (11.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg), G Alexis Hornbuckle (8.2, 5.0 rpg), G Loree Moore (4.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Western Carolina - Automatic bid, Southern Conference tournament champion. Tennessee - Automatic bid, Southeastern Conference tournament champion.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Western Carolina - first appearance. Tennessee - 85-17, 23 years.
First, she'll try to grab a share of the all-time record as the Lady Vols try to stay unbeaten at home in the NCAA tournament, opening against former Tennessee star Kellie Harper and tourney newcomer Western Carolina.
The Lady Vols are 44-0 at home since the tournament began in 1982, beating teams by an average margin of 37.8 points. The Lady Vols are also 34-0 all-time in the first and second rounds.
Tennessee will host the first two contests of its regional before the venue changes to Chattanooga for the round of 16.
With wins in the first two rounds, Summitt will pass Dean Smith as the winningest coach in NCAA history. A victory Sunday will be the 879th of her career, tying Smith for the record, and if she just shows up Summitt will pass Smith for the most all-time NCAA tournament appearances with 24.
``For me it is not so much what happens personally, but what happens for this team,'' said Summitt, who is 878-171 in 31 seasons at Tennessee. ``I haven't discussed it with our team; it has not been mentioned once. The only thing we are talking about is Western Carolina and having a 'survive and advance' approach to this tournament, taking it one day at a time.''
Summitt has led the Lady Vols to an 85-17 record in the NCAA tournament, with 15 trips to the Final Four and a record six national titles. Tennessee hasn't won one since 1998, its last of three consecutive championships.
Last season, the Lady Vols lost in the title game to Connecticut, which won its third straight championship.
The Lady Vols went five years without winning a Southeastern Conference tournament title before knocking off then-No. 1 LSU 67-65 for the championship last week.
Senior Shyra Ely led Tennessee with 25 points as it won for the ninth time in 10 games.
Western Carolina is making its first NCAA tournament appearance, but its coach has plenty of experience.
Harper was the starting point guard for the Lady Vols from 1996-99, then known as Kellie Jolly.
``I'm excited about getting to go back to Knoxville,'' Harper said. ``It is great that we will be close enough for our fans to make the trip with us to see us play.''
After serving as an assistant for a Chattanooga team that upset Rutgers in the first round of the NCAA tournament last season, Harper guided the Catamounts to their first ever Southern Conference tournament title this season.
She became the first first-year coach to claim the league's title as Western Carolina beat Georgia Southern 97-95 in double-overtime on Saturday.
Senior Jennifer Gardner scored a tournament-record 45 points, including the game-winner with 16 seconds remaining. The tournament MVP also had 13 rebounds while shooting 15-of-19 from the field and 13-for-15 from the foul line. Gardner set the record for points (106), field goals (33), free throws (37) and rebounds (43) in a Southern Conference tournament.
The Catamounts, who became the first team in league history to win four consecutive tournament games, have won nine of 10 overall.
Western Carolina leads the all-time series 10-8, though the teams haven't met since 1977.
The winner faces New Mexico or Purdue in the second round on Tuesday.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Western Carolina - F Lori Tanner (13.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg), F Gardner (13.8, 9.3 rpg), G Sigita Maleraite (6.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg) G Ki-Ki Glass (3.0 ppg, 3.3 apg), G Shaketia Barnes (6.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg). Tennessee - F Ely (14.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg), C Nicky Anosike (6.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg), G Shanna Zolman (11.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg), G Alexis Hornbuckle (8.2, 5.0 rpg), G Loree Moore (4.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Western Carolina - Automatic bid, Southern Conference tournament champion. Tennessee - Automatic bid, Southeastern Conference tournament champion.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Western Carolina - first appearance. Tennessee - 85-17, 23 years.
Lady Vols relieved by lighter practice slate
KNOXVILLE — Tasha Butts had to ask somebody what was up.
The Lady Vols graduate assistant, who led UT to the national championship game a year ago, pulled junior Shanna Zolman aside to see if she had any clue.
After winning the SEC Tournament two weeks ago, Coach Pat Summitt gave her players three days off. And since then, the practices have not been as grueling as typical practices leading up to the first NCAA Tournament game.
''I don't know what the change is, but I know that we've had very good practices,'' Zolman said. ''We've been practicing very well, so there's no reason just to keep on harping on us over and over again.''
The Lady Vols will be back at practice today after taking yesterday off. Zolman said even though she was a bit surprised, she understands why they got three days off last week.
''That comes from winning the tournament,'' she said. ''I think that had a huge part in it. Coach is intense, regardless. She still boosts up her intensity come tournament time.''
Another difference between this year and previous seasons is the timing of UT's spring break. In the past, the week leading up to the NCAA Tournament has coincided with the players' spring break — meaning no class-time restrictions for Summitt.
This year, spring break does not come until next week, after the tournament has already started.
Close series: Western Carolina — Tennessee's first-round opponent — has never been to an NCAA Tournament.
That doesn't mean the Lady Catamounts haven't given the Lady Vols some trouble in years past.
Tennessee actually lost the first four meetings in the series, during the pre-Summitt era. The last meeting between the schools was Feb. 17, 1977, a game UT won 85-48. That gave the Lady Vols an 8-7 advantage in the series.
The Lady Vols graduate assistant, who led UT to the national championship game a year ago, pulled junior Shanna Zolman aside to see if she had any clue.
After winning the SEC Tournament two weeks ago, Coach Pat Summitt gave her players three days off. And since then, the practices have not been as grueling as typical practices leading up to the first NCAA Tournament game.
''I don't know what the change is, but I know that we've had very good practices,'' Zolman said. ''We've been practicing very well, so there's no reason just to keep on harping on us over and over again.''
The Lady Vols will be back at practice today after taking yesterday off. Zolman said even though she was a bit surprised, she understands why they got three days off last week.
''That comes from winning the tournament,'' she said. ''I think that had a huge part in it. Coach is intense, regardless. She still boosts up her intensity come tournament time.''
Another difference between this year and previous seasons is the timing of UT's spring break. In the past, the week leading up to the NCAA Tournament has coincided with the players' spring break — meaning no class-time restrictions for Summitt.
This year, spring break does not come until next week, after the tournament has already started.
Close series: Western Carolina — Tennessee's first-round opponent — has never been to an NCAA Tournament.
That doesn't mean the Lady Catamounts haven't given the Lady Vols some trouble in years past.
Tennessee actually lost the first four meetings in the series, during the pre-Summitt era. The last meeting between the schools was Feb. 17, 1977, a game UT won 85-48. That gave the Lady Vols an 8-7 advantage in the series.
WCU beat the odds for first berth, has longer odds ahead
As far as the players are concerned, the coach is to blame.There will be no cross-country trip for Western Carolina's women. No Fresno. No Seattle.
Instead, the Catamounts will head 90 miles northwest to Knoxville for the first NCAA Tournament game in the program's 40-year history. They'll face national power Tennessee in the first round.
"Our players wanted to travel," Coach Kellie Jolly Harper said. "They wanted to get on a plane and fly somewhere. They told me it was my fault we were going to Knoxville."
As a No. 16 seed, and with a coach who was an All-SEC point guard for Pat Summitt at Tennessee, the Catamounts were a perfect fit for an excursion across the Smoky Mountains.
They'll play the top-seeded Lady Vols at 9:30 Sunday night.
"Going to Knoxville has its pros and cons," Harper said.
The cons are obvious.
"Tennessee is not who you want to draw," Harper said. "It's a great program. Pat's an excellent coach. She's a legend. She's got an unbelievable record she's chasing right now and is close to it."
In fact, a Tennessee win over Western would be the 879th of Summitt's career, tying her with Dean Smith for the most wins in Division I history.
"But they're not looking at that right now as much as they're looking to win six games and a national championship," said Harper, speaking from experience. She helped the Lady Vols to three straight NCAA titles in the late 1990s.
The Catamounts won't be given a snowball's chance to win, but Harper said that won't deter her team.
"I know we're a long shot to win, but I don't have it in me to go out and just try to keep it close," she said. "Pat taught me better than that."
There are some pluses to the short jaunt to Knoxville, Harper said.
"Our fans will not have that far to travel to see us play," she said. "I'm excited for (WCU guard) Lori Tanner, she's from Knoxville. And I'm excited that I'm going to get to go back to my alma mater and see a lot of people that I know."
Harper, however, doesn't intend for the homecoming to be a distraction.
"I hope that me personally going back to Knoxville doesn't take away from our players playing in the NCAA Tournament," she said. "To me, the biggest story is our team being in the NCAA Tournament - not me going to play against Pat."
It will be Harper's ninth trip to the NCAA Tournament as a player or coach but the first for the Catamounts.
"I'm elated. I'm proud for the players," Harper said. "I just hung on for the ride. They played their hearts out in the conference tournament, and they were remarkable down the stretch."
Harper, 27. is one of just a few coaches to take a team to the NCAA Tournament in her first season. She was an assistant at Chattanooga before she was hired to replace Beth Dunkenberger, who was hired away to Virginia Tech after steering the Catamounts' program in the right direction.
Harper's team has gone against the odds for much of the season - it started with Western being picked to finish ninth in the Southern Conference's preseason coaches poll.
But Jennifer Gardner, the team's senior leader, said: "We knew we had a good team. We believed in ourselves then, and we believe now."
The Catamounts were 9-12 at one point but won nine of their last 10 games. The loss was to Appalachian State in the regular-season finale, one that ruined the Catamounts' chances of a first-round bye in the SoCon Tournament and left the team with the daunting task of having to win four games in four days.
Western became the first SoCon team to do that, capping the feat with a 95-92 double-overtime victory over Georgia Southern in the final.
"You never say a loss is good, but I honestly think that one loss was a gut-check for us," Gardner said. "It motivated us for the tournament."
Gardner, a 5-11 post player from Norcross, Ga., scored a tournament-record 45 points in the title game. Western also went to the SoCon final last season but lost to nine-time champion Chattanooga.
"Jennifer was very motivated all year to win a championship and go to the NCAA Tournament," Harper said. "She went out and carried this team through the conference tournament, and now we're going."
No matter where the first-round game is.
Instead, the Catamounts will head 90 miles northwest to Knoxville for the first NCAA Tournament game in the program's 40-year history. They'll face national power Tennessee in the first round.
"Our players wanted to travel," Coach Kellie Jolly Harper said. "They wanted to get on a plane and fly somewhere. They told me it was my fault we were going to Knoxville."
As a No. 16 seed, and with a coach who was an All-SEC point guard for Pat Summitt at Tennessee, the Catamounts were a perfect fit for an excursion across the Smoky Mountains.
They'll play the top-seeded Lady Vols at 9:30 Sunday night.
"Going to Knoxville has its pros and cons," Harper said.
The cons are obvious.
"Tennessee is not who you want to draw," Harper said. "It's a great program. Pat's an excellent coach. She's a legend. She's got an unbelievable record she's chasing right now and is close to it."
In fact, a Tennessee win over Western would be the 879th of Summitt's career, tying her with Dean Smith for the most wins in Division I history.
"But they're not looking at that right now as much as they're looking to win six games and a national championship," said Harper, speaking from experience. She helped the Lady Vols to three straight NCAA titles in the late 1990s.
The Catamounts won't be given a snowball's chance to win, but Harper said that won't deter her team.
"I know we're a long shot to win, but I don't have it in me to go out and just try to keep it close," she said. "Pat taught me better than that."
There are some pluses to the short jaunt to Knoxville, Harper said.
"Our fans will not have that far to travel to see us play," she said. "I'm excited for (WCU guard) Lori Tanner, she's from Knoxville. And I'm excited that I'm going to get to go back to my alma mater and see a lot of people that I know."
Harper, however, doesn't intend for the homecoming to be a distraction.
"I hope that me personally going back to Knoxville doesn't take away from our players playing in the NCAA Tournament," she said. "To me, the biggest story is our team being in the NCAA Tournament - not me going to play against Pat."
It will be Harper's ninth trip to the NCAA Tournament as a player or coach but the first for the Catamounts.
"I'm elated. I'm proud for the players," Harper said. "I just hung on for the ride. They played their hearts out in the conference tournament, and they were remarkable down the stretch."
Harper, 27. is one of just a few coaches to take a team to the NCAA Tournament in her first season. She was an assistant at Chattanooga before she was hired to replace Beth Dunkenberger, who was hired away to Virginia Tech after steering the Catamounts' program in the right direction.
Harper's team has gone against the odds for much of the season - it started with Western being picked to finish ninth in the Southern Conference's preseason coaches poll.
But Jennifer Gardner, the team's senior leader, said: "We knew we had a good team. We believed in ourselves then, and we believe now."
The Catamounts were 9-12 at one point but won nine of their last 10 games. The loss was to Appalachian State in the regular-season finale, one that ruined the Catamounts' chances of a first-round bye in the SoCon Tournament and left the team with the daunting task of having to win four games in four days.
Western became the first SoCon team to do that, capping the feat with a 95-92 double-overtime victory over Georgia Southern in the final.
"You never say a loss is good, but I honestly think that one loss was a gut-check for us," Gardner said. "It motivated us for the tournament."
Gardner, a 5-11 post player from Norcross, Ga., scored a tournament-record 45 points in the title game. Western also went to the SoCon final last season but lost to nine-time champion Chattanooga.
"Jennifer was very motivated all year to win a championship and go to the NCAA Tournament," Harper said. "She went out and carried this team through the conference tournament, and now we're going."
No matter where the first-round game is.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Pat Summitt milestone victories
March 29, 1975: Jan. 10, 1975: Pat Head, at age 22, records her first collegiate victory, beating Middle Tennessee State 69-32 in UT's Alumni Gym. Fifty-three spectators were on hand to witness the victory.
March 29, 1987: The Lady Vols win their first NCAA title with a 67-44 victory over Louisiana Tech in Austin, Texas.
April 2, 1989: The Lady Vols return to Tacoma, Wash., the scene of their national semifinal loss to Louisiana Tech the previous season, and win the program's second national championship with a 76-60 victory over Auburn in the championship game.
April 2, 1991: The Lady Vols win their third title with a 70-67 victory over Virginia in New Orleans. It was the first overtime championship in NCAA history.
March 31, 1996: The Lady Vols beat Georgia 83-65 in Charlotte, N.C., to win their fourth national championship and begin the greatest three-year run in program history. In defeat, Georgia coach Andy Landers said, "Tennessee played the way Tennessee plays.''
March 30, 1997: Tennessee finishes a 10-loss season with the ultimate victory, upsetting Old Dominion 68-59 in Cincinnati for its fifth national championship. "Fifth in the SEC and No. 1 in the country - doesn't that just sum up what this team just accomplished,'' Summitt said.
March 29, 1998: The Lady Vols make NCAA women's basketball history with a 93-75 victory over Louisiana Tech in Kansas City, becoming the first team to finish 39-0 and win a third consecutive national championship. UT was at its relentless best in the championship game, so relentless that a weary Holdsclaw walked back to the locker room saying, "I'm going to bed.''
Feb. 1, 2001: With 24,056 in attendance at Thompson-Boling Arena, the Lady Vols beat Connecticut for victory No. 750.
Feb. 7, 2002: A 93-65 rout of Arkansas represents Summitt's 1000 th game as a head coach, including collegiate and international competition.
Feb. 21, 2002: The Lady Vols clinch an unprecedented fifth consecutive SEC regular-season championship with an 86-69 victory at Ole Miss.
March 17, 2002: Tennessee eliminates defending national champion Notre Dame, 89-50, to vault Summitt into a tie on the all-time tournament victory list with Bobby Knight.
March 25, 2002: Tennessee beats Vanderbilt 69-63 in the Midwest Regional championship to advance to the Final Four in San Antonio for the 13th time in team history, moving Summitt past coaching legend John Wooden to the top of the board for most Final Four appearances for the men's and women's games.
Feb. 27, 2003: A 91-71 victory over Vanderbilt on Senior Night clinches Tennessee's sixth consecutive SEC regular-season championship.
Feb. 22, 2004: Tennessee survives Armintie Price's 32-point performance to clinch their SEC regular-season championship No. 7 in a row with a 85-69 victory at Ole Miss.
March 6, 2005: Summitt passes Kentucky coach legend Adolph Rupp into second place on the NCAA Division I career coaching victories list with No. 877, a 76-73 nail-biter against Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament semifinals in Greenville, S.C.
March 7, 2005: The Lady Vols push Summitt to within one win of Dean Smith's career victories mark with a dramatic 67-65 upset victory over No. 1 LSU in the SEC tournament championship game in Greenville, S.C. The Lady Vols rally for a four-point deficit in the final 1:33.
March 29, 1987: The Lady Vols win their first NCAA title with a 67-44 victory over Louisiana Tech in Austin, Texas.
April 2, 1989: The Lady Vols return to Tacoma, Wash., the scene of their national semifinal loss to Louisiana Tech the previous season, and win the program's second national championship with a 76-60 victory over Auburn in the championship game.
April 2, 1991: The Lady Vols win their third title with a 70-67 victory over Virginia in New Orleans. It was the first overtime championship in NCAA history.
March 31, 1996: The Lady Vols beat Georgia 83-65 in Charlotte, N.C., to win their fourth national championship and begin the greatest three-year run in program history. In defeat, Georgia coach Andy Landers said, "Tennessee played the way Tennessee plays.''
March 30, 1997: Tennessee finishes a 10-loss season with the ultimate victory, upsetting Old Dominion 68-59 in Cincinnati for its fifth national championship. "Fifth in the SEC and No. 1 in the country - doesn't that just sum up what this team just accomplished,'' Summitt said.
March 29, 1998: The Lady Vols make NCAA women's basketball history with a 93-75 victory over Louisiana Tech in Kansas City, becoming the first team to finish 39-0 and win a third consecutive national championship. UT was at its relentless best in the championship game, so relentless that a weary Holdsclaw walked back to the locker room saying, "I'm going to bed.''
Feb. 1, 2001: With 24,056 in attendance at Thompson-Boling Arena, the Lady Vols beat Connecticut for victory No. 750.
Feb. 7, 2002: A 93-65 rout of Arkansas represents Summitt's 1000 th game as a head coach, including collegiate and international competition.
Feb. 21, 2002: The Lady Vols clinch an unprecedented fifth consecutive SEC regular-season championship with an 86-69 victory at Ole Miss.
March 17, 2002: Tennessee eliminates defending national champion Notre Dame, 89-50, to vault Summitt into a tie on the all-time tournament victory list with Bobby Knight.
March 25, 2002: Tennessee beats Vanderbilt 69-63 in the Midwest Regional championship to advance to the Final Four in San Antonio for the 13th time in team history, moving Summitt past coaching legend John Wooden to the top of the board for most Final Four appearances for the men's and women's games.
Feb. 27, 2003: A 91-71 victory over Vanderbilt on Senior Night clinches Tennessee's sixth consecutive SEC regular-season championship.
Feb. 22, 2004: Tennessee survives Armintie Price's 32-point performance to clinch their SEC regular-season championship No. 7 in a row with a 85-69 victory at Ole Miss.
March 6, 2005: Summitt passes Kentucky coach legend Adolph Rupp into second place on the NCAA Division I career coaching victories list with No. 877, a 76-73 nail-biter against Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament semifinals in Greenville, S.C.
March 7, 2005: The Lady Vols push Summitt to within one win of Dean Smith's career victories mark with a dramatic 67-65 upset victory over No. 1 LSU in the SEC tournament championship game in Greenville, S.C. The Lady Vols rally for a four-point deficit in the final 1:33.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Pat Summitt to Speak at a Fund-raiser for the Child Advocacy Center
The Child Advocacy Center (CAC) is a private, non-profit agency serving severely abused children
Knoxville, Tenn. - On Thursday, April 14, at 6:00 p.m., the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) of the 9th Judicial District will have a fundraising dinner and auction at Rothchild Catering in Knoxville. Pat Summitt, whose University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team has just won the SEC championship, and Bill Williams, known for his work on behalf of children and WBIR anchor emeritus, will lend their support to the cause of the CAC as the keynote speaker and Master of Ceremonies, respectively. Ms. Summitt, and Mr. Williams can be seen on a public service announcement that will be aired on WBIR Channel 10, starting March 15.
Sports items donated by the University Of Tennessee Athletic Department, and autographed by Pat Summitt will be included in the auction as well as a UT Ladies Locker Room Tour, team practice and lunch package. Other items included in the auction, are two, just on the market, folding mopeds, theater tickets, a hand made cradle/rocker and theme baskets.
Tickets for this event are $100 each or $1000 for a reserved table. Tickets may be purchased by calling 865.986.1505 or writing The Child Advocacy Center, P.O. Box 928, Lenoir City, TN, 37771. The website, www.CACEastTN.org has a form that can print out, mail or fax to The CAC. Fax number is 865.986.1547. Checks and credit cards are acceptable. April 7 is the deadline for purchasing tickets.
The Child Advocacy Center (CAC) is a private, non-profit agency serving severely abused children in the counties of Loudon, Meigs, Morgan and Roane. Three of the four counties served have poverty levels higher than the average for the state. The CAC is located in Lenoir City.
Children who have suffered abuse often face more trauma as they are interviewed repeatedly. The CAC is committed to reducing the trauma abused children experience by coordinating ongoing support services, limiting the number of interviews to which a child is subjected, and providing a child-friendly and safe environment for forensic medical examinations and interviews. Because of the growing occurrences of child sexual abuse-over 2000 cases were reported in 2004 in the four counties the CAC serves-the CAC faces needs their current facility cannot meet in their effort to help children. In 2004, the CAC served 270 new children in addition to existing cases. The money from this fundraiser will go to opening their capital campaign to purchase or build a larger facility. A larger facility will provide the opportunity to have a larger playroom for the children, an area for teenagers as they wait, a training room for workers, and a larger office space for staff. For more information, check the new website CACEastTN.org.
Knoxville, Tenn. - On Thursday, April 14, at 6:00 p.m., the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) of the 9th Judicial District will have a fundraising dinner and auction at Rothchild Catering in Knoxville. Pat Summitt, whose University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team has just won the SEC championship, and Bill Williams, known for his work on behalf of children and WBIR anchor emeritus, will lend their support to the cause of the CAC as the keynote speaker and Master of Ceremonies, respectively. Ms. Summitt, and Mr. Williams can be seen on a public service announcement that will be aired on WBIR Channel 10, starting March 15.
Sports items donated by the University Of Tennessee Athletic Department, and autographed by Pat Summitt will be included in the auction as well as a UT Ladies Locker Room Tour, team practice and lunch package. Other items included in the auction, are two, just on the market, folding mopeds, theater tickets, a hand made cradle/rocker and theme baskets.
Tickets for this event are $100 each or $1000 for a reserved table. Tickets may be purchased by calling 865.986.1505 or writing The Child Advocacy Center, P.O. Box 928, Lenoir City, TN, 37771. The website, www.CACEastTN.org has a form that can print out, mail or fax to The CAC. Fax number is 865.986.1547. Checks and credit cards are acceptable. April 7 is the deadline for purchasing tickets.
The Child Advocacy Center (CAC) is a private, non-profit agency serving severely abused children in the counties of Loudon, Meigs, Morgan and Roane. Three of the four counties served have poverty levels higher than the average for the state. The CAC is located in Lenoir City.
Children who have suffered abuse often face more trauma as they are interviewed repeatedly. The CAC is committed to reducing the trauma abused children experience by coordinating ongoing support services, limiting the number of interviews to which a child is subjected, and providing a child-friendly and safe environment for forensic medical examinations and interviews. Because of the growing occurrences of child sexual abuse-over 2000 cases were reported in 2004 in the four counties the CAC serves-the CAC faces needs their current facility cannot meet in their effort to help children. In 2004, the CAC served 270 new children in addition to existing cases. The money from this fundraiser will go to opening their capital campaign to purchase or build a larger facility. A larger facility will provide the opportunity to have a larger playroom for the children, an area for teenagers as they wait, a training room for workers, and a larger office space for staff. For more information, check the new website CACEastTN.org.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Lady Vols coach has no peer in the business
Summitt best active court boss — and second-best all time
With a victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament — a foregone conclusion — Tennessee Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt will tie Dean Smith for the most victories all time.
We often debate who’s the best coach in college basketball, which isn’t a surprise — people have been arguing about the best of everything, from recipes to destinations to politicians to brake pads from the beginning of time. What is a surprise is how seldom Pat Summitt’s name comes up in those debates.
I’m as guilty as any andro-centric sports geek. If you had asked me that question last week, I’d have put forward John Wooden as the best of all time and offered a short list of Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Calhoun and Bobby Knight as the leading candidates for the best coach still pounding the sideline.
But word is just leaking out that with a victory — a foregone conclusion, in this case — over Western Carolina in the first round of the NCAA women’s tournament, Summitt, who has already passed Adolph Rupp, will tie Dean Smith for the most victories of all time. A second-round win — again, you can carve it in granite — will put her on top of the heap as the winningest college coach ever.
It’s impossible to say anybody active is better, and difficult to say anyone ever was better other than Wooden, who’s in a league by himself.
It’s hard to describe how remarkable this achievement will be. It took Smith 36 years to win 879 games; Summitt’s about to do it in 31. The Dean’s powers were eroding when he got the record, and retirement followed immediately; Summitt, at 52, is still at the top of the game, her Tennessee Lady Vols seeded first in the Philadelphia region of the tournament, where she is aiming for her 16th Final Four and her seventh national championship.
That’s an incredible record, better than any other active coach. You can say that she started when the women’s game was young and the talent pool was shallow, which she did. But Rupp coached in the nascent years of the men’s game, and no one holds that against him.
Besides, the women’s game has caught on, and the number of great players and deep teams multiplies every year. And Summitt just keeps on winning — nine of her last 11 seasons have produced 30 wins or more. The gap between her and the rest of the game has narrowed, and Geno Auriemma, the UConn coach, has ruled the game recently, but there’s still a gap, and Auriemma, not Summitt, is the one who has to close it.
She’s still the queen of the court, the tall working mom with a sideline stare that could wither John Chaney, the coach who defines her profession.
Even Dean Smith is in awe of her. “In my estimation, she would have had great success coaching in the men’s game had she chosen that route,” Smith recently told the Associated Press.
“I truly think she’s the best coach to ever coach the women’s game and probably one of the best, period, to ever coach basketball,” said Chamique Holdsclaw, a former Lady Vol and voted in one poll the player of the 20th century, of her former coach.
There’s no denying that truth. Coaching basketball is the same, no matter the gender of the players. And when women play the game, it’s purer than the men’s game because it’s played below the rim, where there are no easy buckets and slam dunks.
Only Wooden, with 10, has more titles than does Summitt. And he had Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton, two of the greatest centers ever to play the college game, to help him there.
Summitt has had great players, too. But she’s had to coach the game the way it was played in basketball pre-history — under the rim.
So don’t even dare to suggest a male coach has some advantage over her. No matter what facet of the game you look at — defense, rebounding, passing, motivation, strategy — she’s as good as they come.
When her teams take the floor, you get a clinic in finesse and movement and crisply run plays; in setting picks, blocking out, playing defense, being tough; in spacing, passing, moving.
She’s never failed to make the NCAA Tournament and never failed to advance to at least the third round. Her winning percentage in the playoffs, including the old AIAW that preceded the NCAA for women, is .807; her overall winning percentage is .837.
If that winning percentage is a bit bloated from her early years when she could sweep up the best of a small talent pool, it’s still extraordinary. It’s not what she did when she was a 22-year-old head coach that makes her great. It’s being able to continue to attract top players as the women’s game has gotten increasingly competitive and cut-throat. To still get the best after 31 years, she has to be the best.
And that’s what she is. The best coach in the business, and after Wooden, the best ever.
With a victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament — a foregone conclusion — Tennessee Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt will tie Dean Smith for the most victories all time.
We often debate who’s the best coach in college basketball, which isn’t a surprise — people have been arguing about the best of everything, from recipes to destinations to politicians to brake pads from the beginning of time. What is a surprise is how seldom Pat Summitt’s name comes up in those debates.
I’m as guilty as any andro-centric sports geek. If you had asked me that question last week, I’d have put forward John Wooden as the best of all time and offered a short list of Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Calhoun and Bobby Knight as the leading candidates for the best coach still pounding the sideline.
But word is just leaking out that with a victory — a foregone conclusion, in this case — over Western Carolina in the first round of the NCAA women’s tournament, Summitt, who has already passed Adolph Rupp, will tie Dean Smith for the most victories of all time. A second-round win — again, you can carve it in granite — will put her on top of the heap as the winningest college coach ever.
It’s impossible to say anybody active is better, and difficult to say anyone ever was better other than Wooden, who’s in a league by himself.
It’s hard to describe how remarkable this achievement will be. It took Smith 36 years to win 879 games; Summitt’s about to do it in 31. The Dean’s powers were eroding when he got the record, and retirement followed immediately; Summitt, at 52, is still at the top of the game, her Tennessee Lady Vols seeded first in the Philadelphia region of the tournament, where she is aiming for her 16th Final Four and her seventh national championship.
That’s an incredible record, better than any other active coach. You can say that she started when the women’s game was young and the talent pool was shallow, which she did. But Rupp coached in the nascent years of the men’s game, and no one holds that against him.
Besides, the women’s game has caught on, and the number of great players and deep teams multiplies every year. And Summitt just keeps on winning — nine of her last 11 seasons have produced 30 wins or more. The gap between her and the rest of the game has narrowed, and Geno Auriemma, the UConn coach, has ruled the game recently, but there’s still a gap, and Auriemma, not Summitt, is the one who has to close it.
She’s still the queen of the court, the tall working mom with a sideline stare that could wither John Chaney, the coach who defines her profession.
Even Dean Smith is in awe of her. “In my estimation, she would have had great success coaching in the men’s game had she chosen that route,” Smith recently told the Associated Press.
“I truly think she’s the best coach to ever coach the women’s game and probably one of the best, period, to ever coach basketball,” said Chamique Holdsclaw, a former Lady Vol and voted in one poll the player of the 20th century, of her former coach.
There’s no denying that truth. Coaching basketball is the same, no matter the gender of the players. And when women play the game, it’s purer than the men’s game because it’s played below the rim, where there are no easy buckets and slam dunks.
Only Wooden, with 10, has more titles than does Summitt. And he had Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton, two of the greatest centers ever to play the college game, to help him there.
Summitt has had great players, too. But she’s had to coach the game the way it was played in basketball pre-history — under the rim.
So don’t even dare to suggest a male coach has some advantage over her. No matter what facet of the game you look at — defense, rebounding, passing, motivation, strategy — she’s as good as they come.
When her teams take the floor, you get a clinic in finesse and movement and crisply run plays; in setting picks, blocking out, playing defense, being tough; in spacing, passing, moving.
She’s never failed to make the NCAA Tournament and never failed to advance to at least the third round. Her winning percentage in the playoffs, including the old AIAW that preceded the NCAA for women, is .807; her overall winning percentage is .837.
If that winning percentage is a bit bloated from her early years when she could sweep up the best of a small talent pool, it’s still extraordinary. It’s not what she did when she was a 22-year-old head coach that makes her great. It’s being able to continue to attract top players as the women’s game has gotten increasingly competitive and cut-throat. To still get the best after 31 years, she has to be the best.
And that’s what she is. The best coach in the business, and after Wooden, the best ever.
Summitt still driven to reach the top at history's brink
For Tennessee women's coach Pat Summitt, the victory total that concerns her is six, the number needed for an NCAA title. But there's a bigger number for her, too.
If Tennessee wins two tournament games, Summitt becomes the Division I basketball coach with the most wins — in the men's or women's game. Summitt has 878, one less than retired North Carolina men's coach Dean Smith.
"The timing of this is not the greatest," says Summitt, whose team opens against Western Carolina on Sunday as a No. 1 seed for the 17th time in 24 years. "The focus right now is on this team. I am just thinking about if (the record) happens, it means we are going to the Sweet 16."
Summitt started at Tennessee in the 1974-75 season, when she was also taking grad courses and teaching gym classes. "I've said a number of times, I can't imagine anyone coming out of college as an undergrad and walking into a job that would allow them to be a head coach at 22."
Summitt, 52, talked to USA TODAY's Dick Patrick recently about women's college basketball and her impact as she approaches Smith's mark:
USA TODAY: After 31 seasons, six national titles, fame and great salaries, what keeps you motivated? Your enthusiasm doesn't seem diminished.
A: "I love what I do and look forward to going to work. I just love it. One thing that motivates me is the competition. It's greater than it's ever been. So is the desire to help this program stay at the top. It's harder now to stay at the top. That challenge inspires me as a coach. Some people might say, 'Ooh, I'm getting out while I'm in good shape.' I'm like, 'I'm going to see what we can do here in the next few years.' "
Q: What's the best part of coaching for you?
A: "Being with the student-athletes and teaching every day. I love practice as much or more than games because teaching is my real passion. It gives me a great opportunity to be with people I enjoy — my staff and players — and spend that time helping them get better and prepare. The challenge of preparing for the next game is what I love."
Q: You've been a tireless promoter of the game. What's most gratifying for you to see in the development of women's basketball?
A: "There's a number of things that excite me in the last five years. Parity excites me, and I know that probably sounds crazy because it makes life more difficult for all of us. But it's good for the game. It excites me to see the amount of television exposure the game has received. I'm amazed at how many games are on.
"It also excites me to see big crowds. When I turn on a game and see a sold-out arena or 10,000 people at a game, that speaks volumes."
Q: What's an important next step in the progression of the game?
A: "I'd go back to marketing. There's still a number of institutions that are behind in that area. Some people say when you win, they come. They do. But I know a lot of programs that have marketed and not won at the highest level but have had success.
"You've got to spend money to make money. People are going to look at how they want to spend their money in terms of entertainment. I tell our kids people have a choice of what they want to do about entertainment. I say, to be frank, we're in the entertainment business when we play. People don't want to come and watch ugly basketball."
Q: You mentioned parity. There seems to be more good players than ever. Is part of that attributable to the WNBA?
A: "Part of it, yes. Young players now seem to have a greater incentive for working on their skills, working on their game, whether it's to earn a college scholarship or be a professional player. I see the interest level growing because of, in particular, the exposure of the game and players that have name recognition.
"We didn't have that for years. Even when we had Cheryl Miller, she didn't have as much exposure as we have now with Seimone Augustus. It's a different world in terms of exposure."
Q: You've been involved with the WNBA's Washington Mystics as a consultant. Could you see yourself as a pro coach?
A: "I thought about it, to be honest with you. I did. I thought someday I might want to, and I would never say never. And I strongly considered all the options.
"I just love the college campus and college athletics. That's a place where you can teach and influence and impact lives.
"I wouldn't do real well if a player strolls into practice 15 minutes late. What am I going to do, fine 'em? No. I'm going to put them on the line (to run). And I'm not sure that would work.
"I see so many pro athletes I think are spoiled individuals. And they're adults. I think that with fame and money, sometimes, somehow, people think that empowers them to be jerks.
"No. I think I'd really struggle with my upbringing and my philosophy as a basketball coach in the pros. They may all walk out and boycott. I'm not saying I'd never go there. I will admit I thought long and hard about it."
Q: Of all your coaching accomplishments, the most remarkable might be your 23-for-23 record in making the Sweet 16. Is that pressure or inspiration or both?
A: "You know, I didn't even realize that stat. I'm not a records person. (Sports information director) Debby Jennings said the other day, 'Can you believe we've been to seven of the last 10 Final Fours?' I wasn't aware of that, either.
"I'm not saying we take winning for granted. I've always lived in the moment. ... It's been a wonderful and successful program to be a part of, but right now my focus is on this team. When you said that, I thought, 'Wow.'
"As we all know, it goes back to having players. (Hall of Fame coach) Billie Moore, who has been a mentor of mine for years, she always reminds me come March, when we're trying to add new wrinkles, 'Let me ask you, Pat, would you rather have two more great plays or two more great players?' I say, "I got you, coach.' "
Q: With all your wins, you have never taken the easy route. Your victory total hasn't been padded. It seems like your schedule is always the toughest in the country (this year, the Vols are No. 1 nationally in strength of schedule). What's the method to your scheduling madness?
A: "I grew up with three older brothers. ... They challenged me all the time. In my development as a player and competitor, they made me who I am as far as my toughness and my drive. They never let me beat them.
"My father played my nephew in checkers and Derek would cry because Dad was always beating him. I said, 'Dad, why don't you let him win?' He goes, 'I'm never going to let him win. He's going to have to learn how to beat me.'
"That's how I grew up. We had to learn how to be successful. I played for good coaches early, and they challenged me. When I was trying to make the Olympic team while I was coaching, I went over to the rec center every day and played against guys. I knew if I was going to make that team, I'd have to work against guys.
"I don't make it easy for my teams. I challenge them with tough schedules."
Q: You're young, healthy and motivated enough to put the win total into the stratosphere. How much longer will you coach? Will you know when it's time to get out?
A: "I think I'll know. The hardest part of what I do is the travel. The coaching part I love as much as ever. I don't enjoy all the travel and the time away from home. With Tyler (her 14-year-old son) playing ball, that part is hard for me.
"I'm going to do this as long as I love it as much as I love it. I'll know when. I knew when it was time to quit playing. I grew up riding horses and competing in shows. One Saturday evening I said, 'I'm tired of this. I don't want to do it anymore.' And I quit, cold turkey.
"I think I'll know. I hope I'll know. I told (assistant) Holly (Warlick), 'If y'all roll me into Thompson-Boling (Arena) in a wheelchair, I'll never forgive you. When that day happens, you just need to roll me right into my living room.' "
What they're saying
Former North Carolina men's coach Dean Smith: "I am delighted Coach Summitt has had continued success based on her tremendous coaching skill and dedication. In my estimation, she would have had great success coaching in the men's game had she chosen that route."
Wichita coach Jane Albright, a former assistant: "I knew Pat was a superstar and the best there was before she got famous. I've never seen anyone so driven. You're with her and she's a normal person. When her foot steps on the basketball court, she transforms into the most competitive person I've ever known."
North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell, a former assistant: "She's fun-loving, a great cook and puts her family first. She's a great person and a great friend. She's done so much for the game. I wouldn't be where I am and have had the experiences I've had if it weren't for Pat Summitt."
Georgia coach Andy Landers: "You knew a long time ago that Pat or (Texas coach) Jody (Conradt) were going to forge ahead and set a milestone that will be difficult for people to conceive" in the future.
LSU coach Pokey Chatman: "She is women's basketball as we know it. It's amazing the period of time she's been able to excel at such a high level. They're always going to be the program you're chasing."
The Summitt file
Born: June 14, 1952
Family: Married R.B. Summitt in 1980. Has one son, Ross Tyler Summitt, 14.
Education: B.S. in physical education from Tennessee-Martin, M.S. in physical education from Tennessee.
Playing experience: Led UT-Martin to a 64-29 record over four years. Co-captain of 1976 Olympic team that won silver medal. Member 1975 World Championship team, '75 Pan American Games team that won gold and '73 U.S. World University Games team that won silver.
Coaching career: Thirty-one seasons, all at Tennessee. In 1974-75, while rehabilitating a knee injury, she began her first season as coach. She had no previous experience. Led U.S. women's team to its first Olympic gold medal, in 1984.
First win: Jan. 10, 1975 — 69-32 vs. Middle Tennessee State at Alumni Gym in Knoxville. Attendance — 53.
Overall record: 878-171, including 14 30-plus win seasons.
NCAA Tournament record: 85-17 (.833)
Record vs. ranked teams: 352-141, (.713)
NCAA titles: 6 (1987, '89, '91, '96, '97, '98)
Final Fours: 15 appearances, 17-9.
SEC titles: 13 regular season (1980, '85, '90, '93-95, '98-2004); 11 tournament (1980, '85, '88-89, '92, '94, '96, '98-2000, '05).
Honors: In 2000, became the fourth women's coach to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.; named SEC coach of the year six times, the last in 2004; NCAA coach of the year seven times, most recently in '04; named Naismith Coach of the Century in 2000.
Summitt by the numbers
0 — Games coached prior to Tennessee
1 — Undefeated season
5 — NCAA runner-up
6 — SEC coach of the year
6 — NCAA championships
7 — NCAA coach of the year awards
7 — Consecutive SEC regular-season championships
11 — Most single-season losses
11 — SEC tournament titles
13 — SEC regular-season titles
14 — 30-plus win seasons
15 — NCAA Final Four appearances
17 — Regular seasons with 1 or less conference losses
17 — No. 1 seeds in NCAA Tournament
18 — Seasons with five or fewer losses
20 — Assistants who became college or professional head coaches
21 — Final top 5 rankings in AP poll
28 — Consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins
28.5 — Average of wins per season
30 — Regular-season conference losses, all-time
31 — Seasons in Knoxville
39 — Most single-season wins
46 — Assistants who became college or pro basketball coaches
47 — Longest winning streak
53 — Fans in attendance for first victory as coach
69 — Consecutive home wins
74 — Largest margin of victory in NCAA Tournament (1994, vs. N.C. A&T)
83.3 — Win percentage in NCAA Tournament games
85 — Victories in NCAA Tournament
95 — Weeks ranked No. 1 in AP poll
100 — Percentage of NCAA Tournaments made
345 — Weeks ranked in AP poll top 5
352 — Victories vs. ranked teams
878 — Career victories
24,611 — Largest home crowd (Jan. 5 2002 vs. UConn)
Pat Summitt’s year-by-record at Tennessee
Season Overall Conf. Postseason
1974-75 16-8 None State
1975-76 16-11 None State finals
1976-77 28-5 None AIAW Final Four
1977-78 27-4 None AIAW Regionals
1978-79 30-9 None AIAW Final Four
1979-80 33-5 0-0(3) AIAW Finals
1980-81 25-6 0-0 AIAW Finals
1981-82 22-10 0-0 Final Four
1982-83 25-8 7-1(1) Round of 8
1983-84 23-10 7-1(1) NCAA runner-up
1984-85 22-10 4-4(2) Round of 16
1985-86 24-10 5-4 Final Four
1986-87 28-6 6-3 NCAA champions
1987-88 31-3 8-1(2) Final Four
1988-89 35-2 8-1(2) NCAA champions
1989-90 27-6 8-1(1) Round of 8
1990-91 30-5 6-3 NCAA champions
1991-92 28-3 10-1(2) Round of 16
1992-93 29-3 11-0(1) Round of 8
1993-94 31-2 11-0(1,2) Round of 16
1994-95 34-3 11-0(1) NCAA runner-up
1995-96 32-4 9-2(2) NCAA champions
1996-97 29-10 8-4 NCAA champions
1997-98 39-0 14-0(1,2) NCAA champions
1998-99 31-3 13-1(1,2) Round of 8
1999-00 33-4 13-1(1,2) Final Four
2000-01 31-3 14-0(1) Round of 16
2001-02 29-5 13-1(1) Final Four
2002-03 33-5 14-0(1) NCAA runner-up
2003-04 31-4 14-01(1) NCAA runner-up
2004-05 26-4 13-1(2) ???
Totals 878-171 (.837) 241-30
(1) Won Southeastern Conference regular season championship
(2) Won SEC tournament
(3) Did not play SEC regular season schedule but won league tournament
If Tennessee wins two tournament games, Summitt becomes the Division I basketball coach with the most wins — in the men's or women's game. Summitt has 878, one less than retired North Carolina men's coach Dean Smith.
"The timing of this is not the greatest," says Summitt, whose team opens against Western Carolina on Sunday as a No. 1 seed for the 17th time in 24 years. "The focus right now is on this team. I am just thinking about if (the record) happens, it means we are going to the Sweet 16."
Summitt started at Tennessee in the 1974-75 season, when she was also taking grad courses and teaching gym classes. "I've said a number of times, I can't imagine anyone coming out of college as an undergrad and walking into a job that would allow them to be a head coach at 22."
Summitt, 52, talked to USA TODAY's Dick Patrick recently about women's college basketball and her impact as she approaches Smith's mark:
USA TODAY: After 31 seasons, six national titles, fame and great salaries, what keeps you motivated? Your enthusiasm doesn't seem diminished.
A: "I love what I do and look forward to going to work. I just love it. One thing that motivates me is the competition. It's greater than it's ever been. So is the desire to help this program stay at the top. It's harder now to stay at the top. That challenge inspires me as a coach. Some people might say, 'Ooh, I'm getting out while I'm in good shape.' I'm like, 'I'm going to see what we can do here in the next few years.' "
Q: What's the best part of coaching for you?
A: "Being with the student-athletes and teaching every day. I love practice as much or more than games because teaching is my real passion. It gives me a great opportunity to be with people I enjoy — my staff and players — and spend that time helping them get better and prepare. The challenge of preparing for the next game is what I love."
Q: You've been a tireless promoter of the game. What's most gratifying for you to see in the development of women's basketball?
A: "There's a number of things that excite me in the last five years. Parity excites me, and I know that probably sounds crazy because it makes life more difficult for all of us. But it's good for the game. It excites me to see the amount of television exposure the game has received. I'm amazed at how many games are on.
"It also excites me to see big crowds. When I turn on a game and see a sold-out arena or 10,000 people at a game, that speaks volumes."
Q: What's an important next step in the progression of the game?
A: "I'd go back to marketing. There's still a number of institutions that are behind in that area. Some people say when you win, they come. They do. But I know a lot of programs that have marketed and not won at the highest level but have had success.
"You've got to spend money to make money. People are going to look at how they want to spend their money in terms of entertainment. I tell our kids people have a choice of what they want to do about entertainment. I say, to be frank, we're in the entertainment business when we play. People don't want to come and watch ugly basketball."
Q: You mentioned parity. There seems to be more good players than ever. Is part of that attributable to the WNBA?
A: "Part of it, yes. Young players now seem to have a greater incentive for working on their skills, working on their game, whether it's to earn a college scholarship or be a professional player. I see the interest level growing because of, in particular, the exposure of the game and players that have name recognition.
"We didn't have that for years. Even when we had Cheryl Miller, she didn't have as much exposure as we have now with Seimone Augustus. It's a different world in terms of exposure."
Q: You've been involved with the WNBA's Washington Mystics as a consultant. Could you see yourself as a pro coach?
A: "I thought about it, to be honest with you. I did. I thought someday I might want to, and I would never say never. And I strongly considered all the options.
"I just love the college campus and college athletics. That's a place where you can teach and influence and impact lives.
"I wouldn't do real well if a player strolls into practice 15 minutes late. What am I going to do, fine 'em? No. I'm going to put them on the line (to run). And I'm not sure that would work.
"I see so many pro athletes I think are spoiled individuals. And they're adults. I think that with fame and money, sometimes, somehow, people think that empowers them to be jerks.
"No. I think I'd really struggle with my upbringing and my philosophy as a basketball coach in the pros. They may all walk out and boycott. I'm not saying I'd never go there. I will admit I thought long and hard about it."
Q: Of all your coaching accomplishments, the most remarkable might be your 23-for-23 record in making the Sweet 16. Is that pressure or inspiration or both?
A: "You know, I didn't even realize that stat. I'm not a records person. (Sports information director) Debby Jennings said the other day, 'Can you believe we've been to seven of the last 10 Final Fours?' I wasn't aware of that, either.
"I'm not saying we take winning for granted. I've always lived in the moment. ... It's been a wonderful and successful program to be a part of, but right now my focus is on this team. When you said that, I thought, 'Wow.'
"As we all know, it goes back to having players. (Hall of Fame coach) Billie Moore, who has been a mentor of mine for years, she always reminds me come March, when we're trying to add new wrinkles, 'Let me ask you, Pat, would you rather have two more great plays or two more great players?' I say, "I got you, coach.' "
Q: With all your wins, you have never taken the easy route. Your victory total hasn't been padded. It seems like your schedule is always the toughest in the country (this year, the Vols are No. 1 nationally in strength of schedule). What's the method to your scheduling madness?
A: "I grew up with three older brothers. ... They challenged me all the time. In my development as a player and competitor, they made me who I am as far as my toughness and my drive. They never let me beat them.
"My father played my nephew in checkers and Derek would cry because Dad was always beating him. I said, 'Dad, why don't you let him win?' He goes, 'I'm never going to let him win. He's going to have to learn how to beat me.'
"That's how I grew up. We had to learn how to be successful. I played for good coaches early, and they challenged me. When I was trying to make the Olympic team while I was coaching, I went over to the rec center every day and played against guys. I knew if I was going to make that team, I'd have to work against guys.
"I don't make it easy for my teams. I challenge them with tough schedules."
Q: You're young, healthy and motivated enough to put the win total into the stratosphere. How much longer will you coach? Will you know when it's time to get out?
A: "I think I'll know. The hardest part of what I do is the travel. The coaching part I love as much as ever. I don't enjoy all the travel and the time away from home. With Tyler (her 14-year-old son) playing ball, that part is hard for me.
"I'm going to do this as long as I love it as much as I love it. I'll know when. I knew when it was time to quit playing. I grew up riding horses and competing in shows. One Saturday evening I said, 'I'm tired of this. I don't want to do it anymore.' And I quit, cold turkey.
"I think I'll know. I hope I'll know. I told (assistant) Holly (Warlick), 'If y'all roll me into Thompson-Boling (Arena) in a wheelchair, I'll never forgive you. When that day happens, you just need to roll me right into my living room.' "
What they're saying
Former North Carolina men's coach Dean Smith: "I am delighted Coach Summitt has had continued success based on her tremendous coaching skill and dedication. In my estimation, she would have had great success coaching in the men's game had she chosen that route."
Wichita coach Jane Albright, a former assistant: "I knew Pat was a superstar and the best there was before she got famous. I've never seen anyone so driven. You're with her and she's a normal person. When her foot steps on the basketball court, she transforms into the most competitive person I've ever known."
North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell, a former assistant: "She's fun-loving, a great cook and puts her family first. She's a great person and a great friend. She's done so much for the game. I wouldn't be where I am and have had the experiences I've had if it weren't for Pat Summitt."
Georgia coach Andy Landers: "You knew a long time ago that Pat or (Texas coach) Jody (Conradt) were going to forge ahead and set a milestone that will be difficult for people to conceive" in the future.
LSU coach Pokey Chatman: "She is women's basketball as we know it. It's amazing the period of time she's been able to excel at such a high level. They're always going to be the program you're chasing."
The Summitt file
Born: June 14, 1952
Family: Married R.B. Summitt in 1980. Has one son, Ross Tyler Summitt, 14.
Education: B.S. in physical education from Tennessee-Martin, M.S. in physical education from Tennessee.
Playing experience: Led UT-Martin to a 64-29 record over four years. Co-captain of 1976 Olympic team that won silver medal. Member 1975 World Championship team, '75 Pan American Games team that won gold and '73 U.S. World University Games team that won silver.
Coaching career: Thirty-one seasons, all at Tennessee. In 1974-75, while rehabilitating a knee injury, she began her first season as coach. She had no previous experience. Led U.S. women's team to its first Olympic gold medal, in 1984.
First win: Jan. 10, 1975 — 69-32 vs. Middle Tennessee State at Alumni Gym in Knoxville. Attendance — 53.
Overall record: 878-171, including 14 30-plus win seasons.
NCAA Tournament record: 85-17 (.833)
Record vs. ranked teams: 352-141, (.713)
NCAA titles: 6 (1987, '89, '91, '96, '97, '98)
Final Fours: 15 appearances, 17-9.
SEC titles: 13 regular season (1980, '85, '90, '93-95, '98-2004); 11 tournament (1980, '85, '88-89, '92, '94, '96, '98-2000, '05).
Honors: In 2000, became the fourth women's coach to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.; named SEC coach of the year six times, the last in 2004; NCAA coach of the year seven times, most recently in '04; named Naismith Coach of the Century in 2000.
Summitt by the numbers
0 — Games coached prior to Tennessee
1 — Undefeated season
5 — NCAA runner-up
6 — SEC coach of the year
6 — NCAA championships
7 — NCAA coach of the year awards
7 — Consecutive SEC regular-season championships
11 — Most single-season losses
11 — SEC tournament titles
13 — SEC regular-season titles
14 — 30-plus win seasons
15 — NCAA Final Four appearances
17 — Regular seasons with 1 or less conference losses
17 — No. 1 seeds in NCAA Tournament
18 — Seasons with five or fewer losses
20 — Assistants who became college or professional head coaches
21 — Final top 5 rankings in AP poll
28 — Consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins
28.5 — Average of wins per season
30 — Regular-season conference losses, all-time
31 — Seasons in Knoxville
39 — Most single-season wins
46 — Assistants who became college or pro basketball coaches
47 — Longest winning streak
53 — Fans in attendance for first victory as coach
69 — Consecutive home wins
74 — Largest margin of victory in NCAA Tournament (1994, vs. N.C. A&T)
83.3 — Win percentage in NCAA Tournament games
85 — Victories in NCAA Tournament
95 — Weeks ranked No. 1 in AP poll
100 — Percentage of NCAA Tournaments made
345 — Weeks ranked in AP poll top 5
352 — Victories vs. ranked teams
878 — Career victories
24,611 — Largest home crowd (Jan. 5 2002 vs. UConn)
Pat Summitt’s year-by-record at Tennessee
Season Overall Conf. Postseason
1974-75 16-8 None State
1975-76 16-11 None State finals
1976-77 28-5 None AIAW Final Four
1977-78 27-4 None AIAW Regionals
1978-79 30-9 None AIAW Final Four
1979-80 33-5 0-0(3) AIAW Finals
1980-81 25-6 0-0 AIAW Finals
1981-82 22-10 0-0 Final Four
1982-83 25-8 7-1(1) Round of 8
1983-84 23-10 7-1(1) NCAA runner-up
1984-85 22-10 4-4(2) Round of 16
1985-86 24-10 5-4 Final Four
1986-87 28-6 6-3 NCAA champions
1987-88 31-3 8-1(2) Final Four
1988-89 35-2 8-1(2) NCAA champions
1989-90 27-6 8-1(1) Round of 8
1990-91 30-5 6-3 NCAA champions
1991-92 28-3 10-1(2) Round of 16
1992-93 29-3 11-0(1) Round of 8
1993-94 31-2 11-0(1,2) Round of 16
1994-95 34-3 11-0(1) NCAA runner-up
1995-96 32-4 9-2(2) NCAA champions
1996-97 29-10 8-4 NCAA champions
1997-98 39-0 14-0(1,2) NCAA champions
1998-99 31-3 13-1(1,2) Round of 8
1999-00 33-4 13-1(1,2) Final Four
2000-01 31-3 14-0(1) Round of 16
2001-02 29-5 13-1(1) Final Four
2002-03 33-5 14-0(1) NCAA runner-up
2003-04 31-4 14-01(1) NCAA runner-up
2004-05 26-4 13-1(2) ???
Totals 878-171 (.837) 241-30
(1) Won Southeastern Conference regular season championship
(2) Won SEC tournament
(3) Did not play SEC regular season schedule but won league tournament
Monday, March 14, 2005
Lady Vols' Spencer has surgery on knee
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee forward Sidney Spencer had surgery Monday to repair a torn ligament in her right knee.
Spencer tore her anterior cruciate ligament in practice Feb. 23, causing her to miss the rest of the season.
Doctors reconstructed Spencer's knee, said Jenny Moshak, Tennessee's assistant athletic director for sports medicine.
Spencer, a 6-foot-3 sophomore from Hoover, Ala., had played in all 25 games and started 13. She averaged 5.2 points, four rebounds and almost 19 minutes per game.
Spencer tore her anterior cruciate ligament in practice Feb. 23, causing her to miss the rest of the season.
Doctors reconstructed Spencer's knee, said Jenny Moshak, Tennessee's assistant athletic director for sports medicine.
Spencer, a 6-foot-3 sophomore from Hoover, Ala., had played in all 25 games and started 13. She averaged 5.2 points, four rebounds and almost 19 minutes per game.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Pairings Are Announced
Tennessee coach Pat Summitt listen as pairings are announced for the Women's NCAA tournament Sunday, March 13, 2005 in Knoxville, Tenn.
Tennessee Lady Vols left to right front,Sidney Spencer, Dominique Redding, Shanna Zolman, and Tye'sha Fluker listen as pairings are announced for the Women's NCAA tournament Sunday, March 13, 2005 in Knoxville, Tenn. behind left to right are Aubrey Guastalli, Loree Moore, coach Pat Summitt, asst. coach Nikki Caldwell and graduate asst. Tasha Butts.
LSU, Tennessee, North Carolina, Michigan State Top Women's Seeds
Michigan State first muscled its way through the Big Ten Conference. Then the Spartans pushed aside some of the nation's biggest names to get the program's first No. 1 seed in the NCAA women's basketball tournament.
Southeastern Conference powers LSU and Tennessee also received No. 1 seeds, as did ACC champion North Carolina on Sunday. Despite jumping to No. 1 in The Associated Press poll in the last week of the season, Stanford was only a No. 2 seed in the Kansas City Regional opposite Michigan State.
Never before seeded higher than fourth, Michigan State was placed at the top of the bracket in Kansas City and will take a 12-game winning streak into a first-round game against Alcorn State at Minneapolis next Saturday.
The Spartans (28-3) can't wait.
"We're just kind of ready to play a game, to be honest," said Michigan State coach Joanne P. McCallie, wearing a wide grin with her jubilant team behind her. "We've had a week off and these girls are getting grumpy."
Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer looked defiant when she saw the bracket. The Cardinal, who climbed to the top of the poll just last week, are the first No. 1-ranked team not to earn a top tournament seed since Texas in 1984.
"The numbers are irrelevant," VanDerveer said. "I believe in our team. I love coaching this team and I want to play six more games. There's no sense overanalyzing this thing."
LSU (29-2) received the top seed overall and was placed in the Chattanooga Regional. The other No. 1s in order were Tennessee (Philadelphia), Michigan State and North Carolina (Tempe).
The women's tournament scrapped the East, Mideast, Midwest and West designations for regionals this year and replaced them with the name of the city hosting the regional semifinals and finals.
Baylor was the top No. 2 seed and was put in the Tempe Regional opposite North Carolina. Stanford was ranked as just the sixth team overall despite winning the Pac-10 regular-season and tournament championships. The Cardinal (29-2) have won 20 straight since a 62-58 loss at Oregon on Dec. 29. Their only other loss was by three points at Tennessee.
Picking those final two No. 1 seeds from among North Carolina, Michigan State, Stanford and Baylor wasn't easy, said Lynn Parkes, who chairs the selection committee.
"There was just not much that really separated them, other than the fact that Stanford and Baylor both had losses out of the Top 50," said Parkes, associate athletic director at Memphis.
"We just felt like Michigan State and North Carolina, given the fact both won conference tournaments and the regular season and the success they had in the Top 25, that they were worth those (last) two seeds."
With its powerful front line of 6-4 Kelli Roehrig and 6-1 Liz Shimek, Michigan State built an impressive resume.
The Spartans shared the Big Ten regular-season title with Ohio State and won the conference tournament. They went 10-2 on the road, with victories at Notre Dame and Connecticut, and their schedule also helped — eight victories over teams now ranked in the Top 25.
Connecticut, which has won the last three national championships, was seeded third in the Kansas City Regional and Kansas State, runner-up in the Big 12 tournament, was the No. 4, making for a tough bracket.
There was little debate of the top two No. 1s.
LSU, which was No. 1 in the poll longer than anyone this season, won the SEC regular-season championship, then dropped a two-point game to Tennessee in the finals of the conference tournament. Tennessee (26-4) was the regular-season runner-up, losing only to LSU in league play.
Two teams from the same conference have been No. 1 seeds 10 times previously, most recently in 2003. Tennessee and LSU also were the two that year.
Interestingly, LSU and Tennessee both will start the tournament on the Lady Vols' court in Knoxville. There are eight teams at the first- and second-round sites, twice as many as before. Each site has four teams from one regional and four from another.
Among teams thought to be sitting on the "bubble" — Virginia Tech, Purdue, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Houston, Arizona, Oregon and Richmond all got in. Iowa, Villanova and Xavier did not.
Three teams with glossy records that won regular-season conference titles but lost in their league tournaments also weren't among the select 64 — Delaware (25-5), Gonzaga (27-3) and Chattanooga (24-4).
LSU and Tennessee both play on Sunday, LSU meeting Stetson and Tennessee taking on Western Carolina. That game will send Tennessee coach Pat Summitt against one of her former point guards, Western Carolina coach Kellie Harper, who helped the Lady Vols win three straight NCAA titles from 1996-98.
Tennessee's expected victory in that game would be No. 879 for Summitt, tying her with Dean Smith for the most wins in NCAA history.
North Carolina is hosting the first two rounds in Chapel Hill and will play Coppin State on Sunday. The Tar Heels shared the ACC regular-season title with Duke and won the conference tournament.
For just the third time, a team with a losing overall record got in. Illinois State (13-17) earned an automatic bid by winning the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. The 15th-seeded Redbirds play Baylor in Seattle on Saturday.
The ACC led all leagues with seven selections — North Carolina, Duke, Florida State, Maryland, North Carolina State, Virginia and Virginia Tech. The Big 12 had six, while the Pac-10, in a bit of surprise, matched the SEC and Big Ten with five teams. The Big East had only four after getting eight last year.
It all leads to the Final Four, which is April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis.
Southeastern Conference powers LSU and Tennessee also received No. 1 seeds, as did ACC champion North Carolina on Sunday. Despite jumping to No. 1 in The Associated Press poll in the last week of the season, Stanford was only a No. 2 seed in the Kansas City Regional opposite Michigan State.
Never before seeded higher than fourth, Michigan State was placed at the top of the bracket in Kansas City and will take a 12-game winning streak into a first-round game against Alcorn State at Minneapolis next Saturday.
The Spartans (28-3) can't wait.
"We're just kind of ready to play a game, to be honest," said Michigan State coach Joanne P. McCallie, wearing a wide grin with her jubilant team behind her. "We've had a week off and these girls are getting grumpy."
Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer looked defiant when she saw the bracket. The Cardinal, who climbed to the top of the poll just last week, are the first No. 1-ranked team not to earn a top tournament seed since Texas in 1984.
"The numbers are irrelevant," VanDerveer said. "I believe in our team. I love coaching this team and I want to play six more games. There's no sense overanalyzing this thing."
LSU (29-2) received the top seed overall and was placed in the Chattanooga Regional. The other No. 1s in order were Tennessee (Philadelphia), Michigan State and North Carolina (Tempe).
The women's tournament scrapped the East, Mideast, Midwest and West designations for regionals this year and replaced them with the name of the city hosting the regional semifinals and finals.
Baylor was the top No. 2 seed and was put in the Tempe Regional opposite North Carolina. Stanford was ranked as just the sixth team overall despite winning the Pac-10 regular-season and tournament championships. The Cardinal (29-2) have won 20 straight since a 62-58 loss at Oregon on Dec. 29. Their only other loss was by three points at Tennessee.
Picking those final two No. 1 seeds from among North Carolina, Michigan State, Stanford and Baylor wasn't easy, said Lynn Parkes, who chairs the selection committee.
"There was just not much that really separated them, other than the fact that Stanford and Baylor both had losses out of the Top 50," said Parkes, associate athletic director at Memphis.
"We just felt like Michigan State and North Carolina, given the fact both won conference tournaments and the regular season and the success they had in the Top 25, that they were worth those (last) two seeds."
With its powerful front line of 6-4 Kelli Roehrig and 6-1 Liz Shimek, Michigan State built an impressive resume.
The Spartans shared the Big Ten regular-season title with Ohio State and won the conference tournament. They went 10-2 on the road, with victories at Notre Dame and Connecticut, and their schedule also helped — eight victories over teams now ranked in the Top 25.
Connecticut, which has won the last three national championships, was seeded third in the Kansas City Regional and Kansas State, runner-up in the Big 12 tournament, was the No. 4, making for a tough bracket.
There was little debate of the top two No. 1s.
LSU, which was No. 1 in the poll longer than anyone this season, won the SEC regular-season championship, then dropped a two-point game to Tennessee in the finals of the conference tournament. Tennessee (26-4) was the regular-season runner-up, losing only to LSU in league play.
Two teams from the same conference have been No. 1 seeds 10 times previously, most recently in 2003. Tennessee and LSU also were the two that year.
Interestingly, LSU and Tennessee both will start the tournament on the Lady Vols' court in Knoxville. There are eight teams at the first- and second-round sites, twice as many as before. Each site has four teams from one regional and four from another.
Among teams thought to be sitting on the "bubble" — Virginia Tech, Purdue, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Houston, Arizona, Oregon and Richmond all got in. Iowa, Villanova and Xavier did not.
Three teams with glossy records that won regular-season conference titles but lost in their league tournaments also weren't among the select 64 — Delaware (25-5), Gonzaga (27-3) and Chattanooga (24-4).
LSU and Tennessee both play on Sunday, LSU meeting Stetson and Tennessee taking on Western Carolina. That game will send Tennessee coach Pat Summitt against one of her former point guards, Western Carolina coach Kellie Harper, who helped the Lady Vols win three straight NCAA titles from 1996-98.
Tennessee's expected victory in that game would be No. 879 for Summitt, tying her with Dean Smith for the most wins in NCAA history.
North Carolina is hosting the first two rounds in Chapel Hill and will play Coppin State on Sunday. The Tar Heels shared the ACC regular-season title with Duke and won the conference tournament.
For just the third time, a team with a losing overall record got in. Illinois State (13-17) earned an automatic bid by winning the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. The 15th-seeded Redbirds play Baylor in Seattle on Saturday.
The ACC led all leagues with seven selections — North Carolina, Duke, Florida State, Maryland, North Carolina State, Virginia and Virginia Tech. The Big 12 had six, while the Pac-10, in a bit of surprise, matched the SEC and Big Ten with five teams. The Big East had only four after getting eight last year.
It all leads to the Final Four, which is April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis.
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Summitt nears Smith's all-time win mark
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - For someone as competitive as Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, it's no surprise she remembers the games she's lost more than the games she's won.
It's also easier to keep track of only 171 losses, compared with 878 victories.
But Summitt's next two wins might be tough for even her to forget.
Now in her 31st season with the Lady Vols, Summitt needs one victory to tie Dean Smith's record for the most wins in NCAA history and two to set a new mark.
Summitt reached No. 878 when Tennessee beat No. 1 LSU 67-65 for the Southeastern Conference tournament championship last week.
The Lady Vols will host the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament, and Summitt says her main focus is on winning a seventh national title. But even she recognizes the next two games are special.
"I don't think anyone is going to ignore the fact that there is an opportunity there to break a record. I'm just thinking about if that happens we're going to a Sweet Sixteen," she said.
Smith, who retired in 1997 after 36 years at North Carolina with an 879-254 record, offered her some encouragement.
"In my estimation, she would have had great success coaching in the men's game had she chosen that route," Smith said. "I remember what a great competitor she was in the 1976 Olympics, and it's obvious she has maintained that competitiveness all these years directing the Tennessee program."
Smith's record was surpassed this year by an NAIA coach. Harry Statham of McKendree College in Illinois finished this season with 896 wins.
Some have questioned whether Summitt's win total belongs in the same list with Smith and Kentucky's Adolph Rupp (876). After all, there has been less parity in the women's game, where only a handful of teams have dominated.
But Summitt, already a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, has six championships, more than any other college coach but John Wooden, who won 10 at UCLA.
"She is basketball," said Beth Bass, CEO of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. "What she's done is universal."
Summitt is known for "The Stare," a fierce, blue-eyed laser that reflects a determination so intense she once demanded a pilot keep flying to Knoxville despite bad weather so her son, Tyler, could be born in her home state.
"I truly think she's the best coach to ever coach the women's game and probably one of the best period to coach basketball," said Chamique Holdsclaw, the Lady Vols' career scoring leader. "Generations kind of change and players get even more talented, and yet year in and year out she gets it done."
Hired at 22 as a graduate assistant and physical education teacher, Summitt has seen the sport grow from the days when she washed uniforms and drove the team van.
But some things haven't changed - like Summitt's dominance in the NCAA tournament. The Lady Vols have been in every tournament since it began for women in 1982, and have reached the Final Four 15 times.
Breaking Smith's record couldn't come at a more fitting time, her husband says.
"It just seems like it ought to happen. The sky ought to be blue and the sun yellow and the grass green, and Pat ought to break the record during the NCAA tournament," R.B. Summitt said.
She has never lost in the first two rounds of the NCAAs, but the Lady Vols have been surpassed in recent years by archrival Connecticut.
Led by the brash Geno Auriemma, Connecticut has won three national championships in a row and has beaten Tennessee in the title game three of the past five years.
"While the losses were hard to stomach at the time, they have been so rewarding in the end, because they have brought out our character and competitiveness as a program," Pat Summitt said.
Summitt has never shied away from a difficult schedule. Every year she faces powerhouse teams such as UConn, Texas, Stanford, Duke and LSU.
"Tennessee created every single rivalry that's worth anything in this country," former Lady Vols player Kara Lawson said. "She didn't have to play Connecticut, but she did."
Summitt, 52, grew up helping her parents, Richard and Hazel Head, work a tobacco and dairy farm in the rural west Tennessee town of Henrietta. Like many girls who play basketball in college or the pros, she got her start by playing against boys. She and her three older brothers played in the hayloft of their family's barn.
She played basketball at nearby University of Tennessee-Martin and made the 1973 national team as a junior. Summitt tore her ACL at the end of her senior season in 1974, but hoped to recover for the 1976 Olympics.
She came to Knoxville to get a master's degree in physical education.
The head of Tennessee's P.E. department, Helen B. Watson, who died last fall, hired Summitt. Watson gave her a graduate teaching position and put her in charge of the women's basketball team, which then was similar to a club sport. It had no scholarship players and held games at UT's old gym with free admission. The Lady Vols nickname didn't yet exist.
Summitt took classes, taught P.E. and coached. She was 16-8 and 16-11 in her first two seasons while playing on the U.S. teams in the 1975 Pan American Games and '76 Olympics.
"Probably the worst part for the players was I had to be the trainer and tape their ankles," Summitt joked.
Meanwhile, UT decided to make a bigger commitment to women's athletics and offer some scholarships even before Title IX was enacted. A full-time coach was the top priority.
So when Summitt got home from the Olympics, Gloria Ray, UT's first women's athletic director, was there to convince her to stay in Knoxville.
"It was a time of the university having faith in a young person, and a young person having faith that it was going to be different than it had been and had the potential to be big time," said Ray, now head of the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corp.
That season Summitt reached her first Final Four - albeit in the now-defunct Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, or AIAW.
"I've said a number of times I can't imagine anyone coming out of college as an undergrad and walking into a job that would allow them to be a head coach at 22. I appreciate the university giving me that opportunity and then supporting our program to the level ... that allowed us to hire a great staff and go get some of the best players," Summitt said.
There has been talk over the years of Summitt leaving the women's game and coaching men. It crops up every time Tennessee needs a new men's coach, the last time in 2001 when she turned down the university president's offer.
"There's not a doubt in my mind she could be a successful men's coach," Tennessee women's athletic director Joan Cronan said. "Her goal is to make a difference in young women's lives."
Once there were even discussions of Summitt quitting altogether.
In 1984, Summitt went from losing to Southern California in the national title game to coaching the U.S. Olympic team, which won the gold medal in Los Angeles. She had no time off for the approaching collegiate season. The Lady Vols went 22-10, losing in the 1985 regional semifinals. Richard Head suggested his daughter quit, which made her want to stick with it, R.B. Summitt said.
Summitt has said she won't retire until she no longer enjoys her job. By then, she might be well past 900 wins.
"One of her teams might struggle, but I think it's more of a challenge to her," said former Lady Vols star Tamika Catchings. "Some coaches might be like, 'I've already won six championships and about to break this record. I can quit at any point in time.' As long as she sees coaching as a challenge then she'll continue to do it."
It's also easier to keep track of only 171 losses, compared with 878 victories.
But Summitt's next two wins might be tough for even her to forget.
Now in her 31st season with the Lady Vols, Summitt needs one victory to tie Dean Smith's record for the most wins in NCAA history and two to set a new mark.
Summitt reached No. 878 when Tennessee beat No. 1 LSU 67-65 for the Southeastern Conference tournament championship last week.
The Lady Vols will host the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament, and Summitt says her main focus is on winning a seventh national title. But even she recognizes the next two games are special.
"I don't think anyone is going to ignore the fact that there is an opportunity there to break a record. I'm just thinking about if that happens we're going to a Sweet Sixteen," she said.
Smith, who retired in 1997 after 36 years at North Carolina with an 879-254 record, offered her some encouragement.
"In my estimation, she would have had great success coaching in the men's game had she chosen that route," Smith said. "I remember what a great competitor she was in the 1976 Olympics, and it's obvious she has maintained that competitiveness all these years directing the Tennessee program."
Smith's record was surpassed this year by an NAIA coach. Harry Statham of McKendree College in Illinois finished this season with 896 wins.
Some have questioned whether Summitt's win total belongs in the same list with Smith and Kentucky's Adolph Rupp (876). After all, there has been less parity in the women's game, where only a handful of teams have dominated.
But Summitt, already a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, has six championships, more than any other college coach but John Wooden, who won 10 at UCLA.
"She is basketball," said Beth Bass, CEO of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. "What she's done is universal."
Summitt is known for "The Stare," a fierce, blue-eyed laser that reflects a determination so intense she once demanded a pilot keep flying to Knoxville despite bad weather so her son, Tyler, could be born in her home state.
"I truly think she's the best coach to ever coach the women's game and probably one of the best period to coach basketball," said Chamique Holdsclaw, the Lady Vols' career scoring leader. "Generations kind of change and players get even more talented, and yet year in and year out she gets it done."
Hired at 22 as a graduate assistant and physical education teacher, Summitt has seen the sport grow from the days when she washed uniforms and drove the team van.
But some things haven't changed - like Summitt's dominance in the NCAA tournament. The Lady Vols have been in every tournament since it began for women in 1982, and have reached the Final Four 15 times.
Breaking Smith's record couldn't come at a more fitting time, her husband says.
"It just seems like it ought to happen. The sky ought to be blue and the sun yellow and the grass green, and Pat ought to break the record during the NCAA tournament," R.B. Summitt said.
She has never lost in the first two rounds of the NCAAs, but the Lady Vols have been surpassed in recent years by archrival Connecticut.
Led by the brash Geno Auriemma, Connecticut has won three national championships in a row and has beaten Tennessee in the title game three of the past five years.
"While the losses were hard to stomach at the time, they have been so rewarding in the end, because they have brought out our character and competitiveness as a program," Pat Summitt said.
Summitt has never shied away from a difficult schedule. Every year she faces powerhouse teams such as UConn, Texas, Stanford, Duke and LSU.
"Tennessee created every single rivalry that's worth anything in this country," former Lady Vols player Kara Lawson said. "She didn't have to play Connecticut, but she did."
Summitt, 52, grew up helping her parents, Richard and Hazel Head, work a tobacco and dairy farm in the rural west Tennessee town of Henrietta. Like many girls who play basketball in college or the pros, she got her start by playing against boys. She and her three older brothers played in the hayloft of their family's barn.
She played basketball at nearby University of Tennessee-Martin and made the 1973 national team as a junior. Summitt tore her ACL at the end of her senior season in 1974, but hoped to recover for the 1976 Olympics.
She came to Knoxville to get a master's degree in physical education.
The head of Tennessee's P.E. department, Helen B. Watson, who died last fall, hired Summitt. Watson gave her a graduate teaching position and put her in charge of the women's basketball team, which then was similar to a club sport. It had no scholarship players and held games at UT's old gym with free admission. The Lady Vols nickname didn't yet exist.
Summitt took classes, taught P.E. and coached. She was 16-8 and 16-11 in her first two seasons while playing on the U.S. teams in the 1975 Pan American Games and '76 Olympics.
"Probably the worst part for the players was I had to be the trainer and tape their ankles," Summitt joked.
Meanwhile, UT decided to make a bigger commitment to women's athletics and offer some scholarships even before Title IX was enacted. A full-time coach was the top priority.
So when Summitt got home from the Olympics, Gloria Ray, UT's first women's athletic director, was there to convince her to stay in Knoxville.
"It was a time of the university having faith in a young person, and a young person having faith that it was going to be different than it had been and had the potential to be big time," said Ray, now head of the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corp.
That season Summitt reached her first Final Four - albeit in the now-defunct Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, or AIAW.
"I've said a number of times I can't imagine anyone coming out of college as an undergrad and walking into a job that would allow them to be a head coach at 22. I appreciate the university giving me that opportunity and then supporting our program to the level ... that allowed us to hire a great staff and go get some of the best players," Summitt said.
There has been talk over the years of Summitt leaving the women's game and coaching men. It crops up every time Tennessee needs a new men's coach, the last time in 2001 when she turned down the university president's offer.
"There's not a doubt in my mind she could be a successful men's coach," Tennessee women's athletic director Joan Cronan said. "Her goal is to make a difference in young women's lives."
Once there were even discussions of Summitt quitting altogether.
In 1984, Summitt went from losing to Southern California in the national title game to coaching the U.S. Olympic team, which won the gold medal in Los Angeles. She had no time off for the approaching collegiate season. The Lady Vols went 22-10, losing in the 1985 regional semifinals. Richard Head suggested his daughter quit, which made her want to stick with it, R.B. Summitt said.
Summitt has said she won't retire until she no longer enjoys her job. By then, she might be well past 900 wins.
"One of her teams might struggle, but I think it's more of a challenge to her," said former Lady Vols star Tamika Catchings. "Some coaches might be like, 'I've already won six championships and about to break this record. I can quit at any point in time.' As long as she sees coaching as a challenge then she'll continue to do it."
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Parity makes women's NCAA selections harder
The fun's over for the NCAA women's basketball selection committee.
After an intriguing season filled with upsets, surprises and frequent shuffling in The AP poll, the 10 committee members now have to sort it all out and come up with a bracket for the NCAA tournament by Sunday.
Yes, parity finally prevails in the women's game, but it sure can complicate things.
``I will tell you that over the course of the past week I've spoken to a number of the committee members as we try to get prepared for this,'' Lynn Parkes, who chairs the committee, said Tuesday. ``And the most common response has been, `Wow! Where do we start?'''
The committee gathers in Indianapolis on Thursday to start selecting the 33 at-large entries and seeding the entire 64-team field. They'll have the expertise of the NCAA staff to call on, plus printouts, computer programs and the knowledge they've gained from watching hundreds of games on television during the season.
``I do think it's going to be much more of a challenge this year than it has been in the past, simply because of the parity in women's basketball,'' said Parkes, associate athletic director at Memphis.
``But I think that's so healthy for the game. This is what we've all been wanting for the game for a long time.''
That challenge extends to picking the No. 1 seeds in each of the four regions. Many times, those four teams have fallen neatly into place with little debate. Parkes doesn't expect her group to get off that easily this time.
Most feel that Southeastern Conference powers LSU and Tennessee both will be seeded No. 1. LSU won the SEC regular-season title, was ranked No. 1 for 11 weeks and lost to Tennessee by two in the championship game of the SEC tournament.
Tennessee lost only to LSU during the conference season and played the nation's hardest schedule.
Several others also could make a case for being a No. 1, including North Carolina, Stanford, Michigan State and Baylor, if it wins the Big 12 tournament.
``I told somebody earlier in the week that I think for the first time since I've been on the committee, the top four teams, there's probably more of a difference of opinion right now than there ever has been going into the selections,'' Parkes said.
``I think everybody could probably pick one or two teams, but where the other two come from, we're probably a little bit all over the map. Some of that is yet to be determined. There are more games to be played. We'll just have to sit back and kind of talk some of that through and see what we come up with.''
What's certain is that the bracket will have a new look. First- and second-round games will be played at eight sites, each with eight teams. Previously, four teams were sent to 16 sites for the first two rounds.
Compass points are a thing of the past, too. The four regions are named by location -- Philadelphia, Chattanooga, Kansas City and Tempe. First- and second-round sites also will be known by their locale. Those sites are Storrs, Conn.; College Park, Md.; Chapel Hill, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Minneapolis, Dallas, Fresno and Seattle.
``I think we've got some wonderful sites,'' Parkes said. ``I think it's going to be a fun process.''
By Sunday, she might be using a different word to describe it.
After an intriguing season filled with upsets, surprises and frequent shuffling in The AP poll, the 10 committee members now have to sort it all out and come up with a bracket for the NCAA tournament by Sunday.
Yes, parity finally prevails in the women's game, but it sure can complicate things.
``I will tell you that over the course of the past week I've spoken to a number of the committee members as we try to get prepared for this,'' Lynn Parkes, who chairs the committee, said Tuesday. ``And the most common response has been, `Wow! Where do we start?'''
The committee gathers in Indianapolis on Thursday to start selecting the 33 at-large entries and seeding the entire 64-team field. They'll have the expertise of the NCAA staff to call on, plus printouts, computer programs and the knowledge they've gained from watching hundreds of games on television during the season.
``I do think it's going to be much more of a challenge this year than it has been in the past, simply because of the parity in women's basketball,'' said Parkes, associate athletic director at Memphis.
``But I think that's so healthy for the game. This is what we've all been wanting for the game for a long time.''
That challenge extends to picking the No. 1 seeds in each of the four regions. Many times, those four teams have fallen neatly into place with little debate. Parkes doesn't expect her group to get off that easily this time.
Most feel that Southeastern Conference powers LSU and Tennessee both will be seeded No. 1. LSU won the SEC regular-season title, was ranked No. 1 for 11 weeks and lost to Tennessee by two in the championship game of the SEC tournament.
Tennessee lost only to LSU during the conference season and played the nation's hardest schedule.
Several others also could make a case for being a No. 1, including North Carolina, Stanford, Michigan State and Baylor, if it wins the Big 12 tournament.
``I told somebody earlier in the week that I think for the first time since I've been on the committee, the top four teams, there's probably more of a difference of opinion right now than there ever has been going into the selections,'' Parkes said.
``I think everybody could probably pick one or two teams, but where the other two come from, we're probably a little bit all over the map. Some of that is yet to be determined. There are more games to be played. We'll just have to sit back and kind of talk some of that through and see what we come up with.''
What's certain is that the bracket will have a new look. First- and second-round games will be played at eight sites, each with eight teams. Previously, four teams were sent to 16 sites for the first two rounds.
Compass points are a thing of the past, too. The four regions are named by location -- Philadelphia, Chattanooga, Kansas City and Tempe. First- and second-round sites also will be known by their locale. Those sites are Storrs, Conn.; College Park, Md.; Chapel Hill, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Minneapolis, Dallas, Fresno and Seattle.
``I think we've got some wonderful sites,'' Parkes said. ``I think it's going to be a fun process.''
By Sunday, she might be using a different word to describe it.
Sunday, March 06, 2005
(5) Tennessee 67, (1) LSU 65
Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt celebrates with guard Shanna Zolman after defeating LSU 67-65 in the Southeastern Conference championship game Sunday, March 6, 2005 in Greenville, S.C..
Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt and her son Tyler, 14, cut down the net after defeating LSU 67-65 in the Southeastern Conference championship game Sunday March 6, 2005 in Greenville, S.C..
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Milestones can wait for Pat Summitt. The Tennessee coach has a Southeastern Conference tournament championship to celebrate for the first time in five years.
Tennessee beat top-ranked LSU 67-65 on Sunday in the SEC final, moving Summitt within a victory of Dean Smith's career record with her 878th win.
``Nothing has broken the spirit of this team. I've worked them hard and they've bought into it. That's more important to me right now than numbers,'' Summitt said. ``I'm glad to get up on the ladder and do something other than wash windows. I got to cut down the nets.''
The fifth-ranked Lady Vols (26-4) had been in LSU's shadow this season ever since Feb. 10 when the Lady Tigers had their way inside in the 68-58 defeat. And while Summitt never focused on payback, the loss galvanized her team, which has won its past eight games since.
``Our philosophy is to take that and learn from it,'' Summitt said. ``We went back to work and became a better basketball team because of that loss. That's when I saw a team that understood we can not do this individually.''
Those lessons were evident late in this one.
Trailing 65-61 with 1:28 left, Tennessee rallied with Shanna Zolman's 3-pointer and Shyra Ely's fast-break layup to move in front 66-65.
LSU (29-2) had the play it wanted the next time down, but a wide-open Sylvia Fowles couldn't handle Temeka Johnson's pass beneath the basket. Alexis Hornbuckle collected the loose ball for Tennessee and made a foul shot for the final points.
Scholanda Hoston had a straightaway 3-point try at the end that hit hard off the rim and bounced away, ending LSU's 16-game winning streak -- and possibly its hopes for landing the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament.
Ely, who led Tennessee with 25 points, grabbed the ball after the horn sounded and flung it high into the stands, as her teammates jumped high in celebration.
``It's been a long time since Tennessee has done this, not just here, at any tournament,'' Zolman said.
No one on the roster was around for the team's last tournament title. While they've gone to the past three Final Fours, Zolman says anything short of victory doesn't cut it.
Summitt, who won her 11th SEC tournament crown, is a good bet to at least tie Smith, the longtime North Carolina men's coach, as the leading winner in Division I when the NCAA tournament begins in two weeks.
LSU players sat quietly on the bench as the tournament trophies were given out. Ely was named the SEC torment's MVP. Then Tye'sha Fluker and Shanna Zolman paraded an SEC logo around the court in triumph.
``I feel like we let something go that should've been ours,'' Johnson said.
Seimone Augustus had 23 points to lead LSU while Johnson had 13 points and 12 assists.
The loss by LSU (29-2) finished a bad Sunday for No. 1 teams. On the men's side, top-ranked Illinois lost its perfect season with a 65-64 defeat at Ohio State.
For so long, Tennessee dominated the Lady Tigers, winning 29 of 34 games between 1977 and 2002. But over the past few seasons, the LSU-Tennessee game has grown into the SEC's most anticipated matchup.
The Lady Tigers first showed their power at the 2002 SEC tournament, defeating Tennessee 81-80 in the semifinals. Next year came a rematch for the tournament title with LSU on top again, 78-62.
But in the Final Four last spring, Tennessee outlasted the Lady Tigers 52-50 when LSU point guard Temeka Johnson turned the ball over and LaToya Davis scored with 1.6 seconds left to save the Lady Vols.
This year's regular-season matchup was seen by a 15,233 at LSU, the biggest Lady Tigers' crowd in history.
So it was no surprise when neither team could get very far ahead of the other for most of this one. There were 16 ties.
LSU's biggest lead came at the half, 37-31, and Tennessee quickly erased that in the first 5 minutes of the second half to retake the lead, 42-41.
The Lady Vols never got up by more than 51-47, a lead that also didn't last long.
Summitt said both Tennessee and LSU deserve No. 1 seeds for the NCAA tournament.
Augustus says the Lady Tigers will use the break between tournaments to regroup. ``It's a learning experience that no one wants to experience,'' she said. ``Of course we'll bounce back.''
They just might find Tennessee waiting there when they do.
Western Carolina makes the big dance
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Jennifer Gardner scored a career-high 45 points for Western Carolina in a 97-95 double-overtime win against Georgia Southern for the Catamounts' first Southern Conference tournament championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Gardner, the tournament most valuable player, was 15-of-19 from the floor, 13-of-15 from the foul line and grabbed 13 rebounds for Western Carolina (18-13). It marks the Catamounts' first trip to the NCAA tournament.
Georgia Southern (16-14) went ahead 95-94 on Fallon Lee's jumper with 32.7 seconds left, but Gardner scored inside to retake the lead. Then Lee slipped on the inbounds and lost the ball, and Gardner was fouled with 8.7 seconds left.
She made the second of two free throws, and the Eagles missed at the other end as the buzzer sounded.
Gardner set tournament records for points in a game and in the four-game tournament (106). Catamounts coach Kellie Harper is the first rookie coach to win the tournament.
Gardner, the tournament most valuable player, was 15-of-19 from the floor, 13-of-15 from the foul line and grabbed 13 rebounds for Western Carolina (18-13). It marks the Catamounts' first trip to the NCAA tournament.
Georgia Southern (16-14) went ahead 95-94 on Fallon Lee's jumper with 32.7 seconds left, but Gardner scored inside to retake the lead. Then Lee slipped on the inbounds and lost the ball, and Gardner was fouled with 8.7 seconds left.
She made the second of two free throws, and the Eagles missed at the other end as the buzzer sounded.
Gardner set tournament records for points in a game and in the four-game tournament (106). Catamounts coach Kellie Harper is the first rookie coach to win the tournament.
LSU looks to win third SEC tourney championship at Tennessee's expense
The road to the Southeastern Conference championship goes through Tennessee. Nobody knows that better than top-ranked LSU.
After dethroning the Lady Vols (25-4) for their first regular season SEC title, the Lady Tigers (29-1) look to win their third tournament championship game against Tennessee when the teams meet at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, S.C., on Friday.
Tennessee won seven SEC regular titles in a row before LSU halted the run this season, handing the Lady Vols their lone conference loss of the season. The Lady Tigers finished 14-0 in SEC play, while Tennessee settled for a 13-1 mark and the No. 2 seed.
LSU is in the SEC final for the fifth time in school history. The Lady Tigers won the tournament twice, beating Tennessee in 1991 and 2003.
LSU knocked off No. 21 Georgia 79-65 on Saturday night after sweating out the ending of its quarterfinal matchup with Alabama on Friday. Officials had to consult a TV replay before changing Alabama's tying 3-pointer to a 2-point goal, giving the Lady Tigers a 60-59 win.
LSU coach Pokey Chatman said that game served as a wake-up call for her team.
``We went back to the drawing board and were able to correct some things for tonight,'' she said.
Seimone Augustus, the SEC player of the year, had 22 points and Temeka Johnson added a career-high 17 assists as LSU won its 16th straight game.
The Lady Vols, playing in their 16th SEC final, are trying to win their first championship since 2000, and 11th overall. They knocked off defending SEC tournament champion Vanderbilt 76-73 in their semifinal game Saturday.
Shanna Zolman scored 18 points, Brittany Jackson added 15 and freshman Alexis Hornbuckle had 14 against the Commodores, the league's highest-scoring team.
``I'm really proud of this team for finding a way to win against a team that ran its offense very well against us,'' Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said.
The win was Tennessee's ninth in a row overall, and gave Summitt 877 coaching victories, moving her past Kentucky's Adolph Rupp for second place on the NCAA all-time list. She needs two to tie leader Dean Smith (879).
Summitt knows the Lady Vols will have to maintain their intensity against LSU, which allows a league-low 52.5 points per game and 34 percent shooting from the field.
``It's going to take a solid team effort to beat LSU,'' she said. ``They have good balance.''
The Lady Vols shot just 31 percent in their 68-58 road loss to the Lady Tigers on Feb. 10. That defeat snapped Tennessee's 42-game SEC win streak. The Lady Vols had won 32 of the previous 42 meetings with LSU, including a 52-50 victory in the Final Four last season.
Tennessee is 4-3 against the Lady Tigers in the SEC tournament.
After dethroning the Lady Vols (25-4) for their first regular season SEC title, the Lady Tigers (29-1) look to win their third tournament championship game against Tennessee when the teams meet at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, S.C., on Friday.
Tennessee won seven SEC regular titles in a row before LSU halted the run this season, handing the Lady Vols their lone conference loss of the season. The Lady Tigers finished 14-0 in SEC play, while Tennessee settled for a 13-1 mark and the No. 2 seed.
LSU is in the SEC final for the fifth time in school history. The Lady Tigers won the tournament twice, beating Tennessee in 1991 and 2003.
LSU knocked off No. 21 Georgia 79-65 on Saturday night after sweating out the ending of its quarterfinal matchup with Alabama on Friday. Officials had to consult a TV replay before changing Alabama's tying 3-pointer to a 2-point goal, giving the Lady Tigers a 60-59 win.
LSU coach Pokey Chatman said that game served as a wake-up call for her team.
``We went back to the drawing board and were able to correct some things for tonight,'' she said.
Seimone Augustus, the SEC player of the year, had 22 points and Temeka Johnson added a career-high 17 assists as LSU won its 16th straight game.
The Lady Vols, playing in their 16th SEC final, are trying to win their first championship since 2000, and 11th overall. They knocked off defending SEC tournament champion Vanderbilt 76-73 in their semifinal game Saturday.
Shanna Zolman scored 18 points, Brittany Jackson added 15 and freshman Alexis Hornbuckle had 14 against the Commodores, the league's highest-scoring team.
``I'm really proud of this team for finding a way to win against a team that ran its offense very well against us,'' Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said.
The win was Tennessee's ninth in a row overall, and gave Summitt 877 coaching victories, moving her past Kentucky's Adolph Rupp for second place on the NCAA all-time list. She needs two to tie leader Dean Smith (879).
Summitt knows the Lady Vols will have to maintain their intensity against LSU, which allows a league-low 52.5 points per game and 34 percent shooting from the field.
``It's going to take a solid team effort to beat LSU,'' she said. ``They have good balance.''
The Lady Vols shot just 31 percent in their 68-58 road loss to the Lady Tigers on Feb. 10. That defeat snapped Tennessee's 42-game SEC win streak. The Lady Vols had won 32 of the previous 42 meetings with LSU, including a 52-50 victory in the Final Four last season.
Tennessee is 4-3 against the Lady Tigers in the SEC tournament.
No. 5 Tennessee 76, No. 18 Vanderbilt 73
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Tennessee coach Pat Summitt knows the kind of effort her team needs in its next game against No. 1 LSU -- the same type it gave Saturday night in a win against Vanderbilt.
``I'm really proud of this team for finding a way to win against a team that ran its offense very well against us,'' Summitt said.
Summitt won her 877th game to move past Kentucky's Adolph Rupp, and the fifth-ranked Lady Vols reached the Southeastern Conference championship game with their ninth straight victory over state rival Vanderbilt, 76-73.
The win sets up the SEC's dream final with Tennessee (25-4) facing LSU for the title Sunday. A victory there would draw Summitt within one of Dean Smith's all-time mark of 879 victories, with the NCAA tournament ahead.
``It's going to take a solid team effort'' to beat LSU, Summitt said. ``They have good balance.''
Sounds a lot like Tennessee.
When Vanderbilt (22-7) was raining 3s late in the game -- six of the Commodores' 11 3-pointers came in the last 11 minutes -- Shanna Zolman and Brittany Jackson were there to answer with long-range shots of their own.
When the Commodores got going down low with Ashley Early, Tennessee freshman Alexis Hornbuckle scored three straight short jumpers to keep the Lady Vols out front.
And when Vandy's defense forced turnovers in the final minute, Tennessee's Tye'sha Fluker deflected a critical pass and converted an open layup for the final points.
``That's just our team,'' Zolman said. ``We're that way night in and night out.''
Vanderbilt overcame an 11-point deficit in the second half, and was trailing 74-73 and in possession of the ball in the final minute. But a pass down low to star Carla Thomas was knocked away by Fluker. Moments later, Fluker was alone underneath the basket and converted the simple layup with 44 seconds left.
The 18th-ranked Commodores had two good looks from behind the arc to tie the game in the final seconds. But Abi Ramsey missed everything with her attempt and Caroline Williams' try from the left corner hit the rim and bounded away.
Tennessee ran out the final seconds as the largely orange-clad crowd at the Bi-Lo Center cheered and screamed.
The Lady Vols have won 23 of their past 25 meetings with Vanderbilt over the past decade.
``I really thought my team tonight showed a lot of heart,'' Vanderbilt coach Melanie Balcomb said. ``They executed the game plan as we asked them to. Down the stretch, we had the opportunity to win and were in the position we wanted to be in, but the shots just didn't go.''
Zolman had 18 points and four of the Lady Vols' seven 3-pointers. Jackson, who had the other three long-range baskets, added 15 points and Hornbuckle had 14.
Earley led Vanderbilt with 20 points. Ramsey finished with 19. Point guard Dee Davis had 11 points and 10 assists. She also had nine of the Commodores' 14 turnovers.
It seemed Tennessee had control of this one midway through the final half when Zolman hit a 12-footer and a 3-pointer for a 54-43 lead with 12:54 to go.
But Vanderbilt wasn't finished. Williams had two 3-pointers and Davis' layup drew the Commodores to 56-55.
Hornbuckle followed with three straight baskets to restore Tennessee's lead to 62-55. But Ramsey made four 3-pointers over the next five minutes to keep the Commodores alive. Her last one, with 1:40 to go, brought Vanderbilt within 74-73 and set up the final, scrambling moments.
Tennessee, the second seed, is aiming for its 11th tournament title, but first since 2000.
Despite the loss, Vanderbilt is still expecting its sixth straight NCAA tournament trip.
``I'm really proud of this team for finding a way to win against a team that ran its offense very well against us,'' Summitt said.
Summitt won her 877th game to move past Kentucky's Adolph Rupp, and the fifth-ranked Lady Vols reached the Southeastern Conference championship game with their ninth straight victory over state rival Vanderbilt, 76-73.
The win sets up the SEC's dream final with Tennessee (25-4) facing LSU for the title Sunday. A victory there would draw Summitt within one of Dean Smith's all-time mark of 879 victories, with the NCAA tournament ahead.
``It's going to take a solid team effort'' to beat LSU, Summitt said. ``They have good balance.''
Sounds a lot like Tennessee.
When Vanderbilt (22-7) was raining 3s late in the game -- six of the Commodores' 11 3-pointers came in the last 11 minutes -- Shanna Zolman and Brittany Jackson were there to answer with long-range shots of their own.
When the Commodores got going down low with Ashley Early, Tennessee freshman Alexis Hornbuckle scored three straight short jumpers to keep the Lady Vols out front.
And when Vandy's defense forced turnovers in the final minute, Tennessee's Tye'sha Fluker deflected a critical pass and converted an open layup for the final points.
``That's just our team,'' Zolman said. ``We're that way night in and night out.''
Vanderbilt overcame an 11-point deficit in the second half, and was trailing 74-73 and in possession of the ball in the final minute. But a pass down low to star Carla Thomas was knocked away by Fluker. Moments later, Fluker was alone underneath the basket and converted the simple layup with 44 seconds left.
The 18th-ranked Commodores had two good looks from behind the arc to tie the game in the final seconds. But Abi Ramsey missed everything with her attempt and Caroline Williams' try from the left corner hit the rim and bounded away.
Tennessee ran out the final seconds as the largely orange-clad crowd at the Bi-Lo Center cheered and screamed.
The Lady Vols have won 23 of their past 25 meetings with Vanderbilt over the past decade.
``I really thought my team tonight showed a lot of heart,'' Vanderbilt coach Melanie Balcomb said. ``They executed the game plan as we asked them to. Down the stretch, we had the opportunity to win and were in the position we wanted to be in, but the shots just didn't go.''
Zolman had 18 points and four of the Lady Vols' seven 3-pointers. Jackson, who had the other three long-range baskets, added 15 points and Hornbuckle had 14.
Earley led Vanderbilt with 20 points. Ramsey finished with 19. Point guard Dee Davis had 11 points and 10 assists. She also had nine of the Commodores' 14 turnovers.
It seemed Tennessee had control of this one midway through the final half when Zolman hit a 12-footer and a 3-pointer for a 54-43 lead with 12:54 to go.
But Vanderbilt wasn't finished. Williams had two 3-pointers and Davis' layup drew the Commodores to 56-55.
Hornbuckle followed with three straight baskets to restore Tennessee's lead to 62-55. But Ramsey made four 3-pointers over the next five minutes to keep the Commodores alive. Her last one, with 1:40 to go, brought Vanderbilt within 74-73 and set up the final, scrambling moments.
Tennessee, the second seed, is aiming for its 11th tournament title, but first since 2000.
Despite the loss, Vanderbilt is still expecting its sixth straight NCAA tournament trip.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Summitt ties Rupp for career wins
Lady Vols Coach Pat Summitt's 876th career win yesterday moved her into a tie for second on the all-time wins list with legendary Kentucky men's coach Adolph Rupp.
''It's interesting since I grew up a Kentucky Wildcat fan and watched their teams play,'' Summitt said. ''I never had the opportunity to meet Coach Rupp, but obviously it's hard to even imagine being mentioned in that company.''
Summitt needs just three wins to tie North Carolina's Dean Smith for the Division I career record.
If the Lady Vols win the SEC Tournament, Summitt could break Smith's record in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Knoxville.
Having words: UT's Shyra Ely and Auburn's Natasha Brackett had to be separated in the final minute of yesterday's game as they argued. Ely had just been fouled by Louise Emeagi, and Emeagi bent over in pain when she was hit by Ely's elbow.
''You get really emotional through the course of the game,'' Ely said. ''It was nothing.''
Brackett and Ely had both calmed down after coming back from their team's huddles.
Barbara the Great: Barbara Brackman Capobianco was recognized at halftime of Vanderbilt's game last night by the Southeastern Conference as one of the SEC Greats.
Playing for the Commodores from 1981-85, Brackman Capobianco is the seventh all-time leading scorer in Vanderbilt history with 1,631 points. In her first season, she averaged 19.4 points per game to earn Women's Basketball News Service freshman All-America honors.
She led the team in rebounding her sophomore season and in assists her senior year. Her 22 rebounds against Union during the 1982-83 season still stands as a single-season record, although it was tied twice by Wendy Scholtens. Her single-game career highs in points (34) and assists (13) are also among the top performances in the history of the program.
Auburn gets Summitt's vote: Auburn had one last chance to state its case for an NCAA Tournament bid. Unfortunately for the Tigers, they had to do it against the No. 5 team in the country.
But after two tough wins over Auburn (16-13), Lady Vols Coach Pat Summitt said she would vote for the Tigers if she was on the NCAA Tournament selection committee.
''They've played most people in this league very, very close,'' Summitt said. ''But have they won enough games? I think we who live in this league and coach in this league understand the talent that they have.''
Shot-swatter: Auburn's Marita Payne set an SEC single-season record for blocked shots this year. With four blocks in the Tigers' opening-round win over Kentucky, Payne's total of 134 pushed her past former Vanderbilt All-American Heidi Gillingham (131, 1991-92).
Payne had another seven blocks in yesterday's 64-54 loss to Tennessee, giving her 141 for the year.
Numerology: Georgia Coach Andy Landers joked earlier this week about helping improve freshman forward Tasha Humphrey's game by letting her wear tearaway jerseys like legendary Bulldog tailback Herschel Walker — a dig at the defensive grab-and-hold tactics used against her by many opponents.
Missed by Landers, though, was that Humphrey wears the same jersey numeral — 34 — that Walker wore while running roughshod between the hedges at Sanford Stadium during the early 1980s.
It's probably fitting that the two share the same number, given the first-year success of each. In addition to being named SEC Freshman of the Year, Humphrey was a first team All-SEC performer as well and is being discussed as an All-America candidate.
''It's interesting since I grew up a Kentucky Wildcat fan and watched their teams play,'' Summitt said. ''I never had the opportunity to meet Coach Rupp, but obviously it's hard to even imagine being mentioned in that company.''
Summitt needs just three wins to tie North Carolina's Dean Smith for the Division I career record.
If the Lady Vols win the SEC Tournament, Summitt could break Smith's record in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Knoxville.
Having words: UT's Shyra Ely and Auburn's Natasha Brackett had to be separated in the final minute of yesterday's game as they argued. Ely had just been fouled by Louise Emeagi, and Emeagi bent over in pain when she was hit by Ely's elbow.
''You get really emotional through the course of the game,'' Ely said. ''It was nothing.''
Brackett and Ely had both calmed down after coming back from their team's huddles.
Barbara the Great: Barbara Brackman Capobianco was recognized at halftime of Vanderbilt's game last night by the Southeastern Conference as one of the SEC Greats.
Playing for the Commodores from 1981-85, Brackman Capobianco is the seventh all-time leading scorer in Vanderbilt history with 1,631 points. In her first season, she averaged 19.4 points per game to earn Women's Basketball News Service freshman All-America honors.
She led the team in rebounding her sophomore season and in assists her senior year. Her 22 rebounds against Union during the 1982-83 season still stands as a single-season record, although it was tied twice by Wendy Scholtens. Her single-game career highs in points (34) and assists (13) are also among the top performances in the history of the program.
Auburn gets Summitt's vote: Auburn had one last chance to state its case for an NCAA Tournament bid. Unfortunately for the Tigers, they had to do it against the No. 5 team in the country.
But after two tough wins over Auburn (16-13), Lady Vols Coach Pat Summitt said she would vote for the Tigers if she was on the NCAA Tournament selection committee.
''They've played most people in this league very, very close,'' Summitt said. ''But have they won enough games? I think we who live in this league and coach in this league understand the talent that they have.''
Shot-swatter: Auburn's Marita Payne set an SEC single-season record for blocked shots this year. With four blocks in the Tigers' opening-round win over Kentucky, Payne's total of 134 pushed her past former Vanderbilt All-American Heidi Gillingham (131, 1991-92).
Payne had another seven blocks in yesterday's 64-54 loss to Tennessee, giving her 141 for the year.
Numerology: Georgia Coach Andy Landers joked earlier this week about helping improve freshman forward Tasha Humphrey's game by letting her wear tearaway jerseys like legendary Bulldog tailback Herschel Walker — a dig at the defensive grab-and-hold tactics used against her by many opponents.
Missed by Landers, though, was that Humphrey wears the same jersey numeral — 34 — that Walker wore while running roughshod between the hedges at Sanford Stadium during the early 1980s.
It's probably fitting that the two share the same number, given the first-year success of each. In addition to being named SEC Freshman of the Year, Humphrey was a first team All-SEC performer as well and is being discussed as an All-America candidate.
Friday, March 04, 2005
No. 5 Tennessee 64, Auburn 54
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Pat Summitt grew up a fan of Kentucky basketball, wishing only for a chance to see the ``Baron of Bluegrass'' coaching great Adolph Rupp.
She got her wish, and now they share a legacy as two of the best coaches in the game.
Fifth-ranked Tennessee gave Summitt her 876th career win, matching Rupp's mark in a 64-54 victory Auburn at the Southeastern Conference tournament Friday.
``I feel it very hard to even imagine being in his company,'' said Summitt, who is 876-171 in 31 seasons. ``It's all because the University of Tennessee has given me the chance to coach for 31 years. They're the one's responsible.''
Summitt stands three wins shy of Dean Smith's all-time victories record of 879.
Since arriving on campus in 1974, Summitt turned the fledging program into the benchmark of women's basketball success with six NCAA championships and a remarkable 19 trips to the Final Four.
The Lady Vols (24-4) showed why a 20th might be in line this season.
Despite one of their worst shooting performances of the year, Summitt said the defensive effort and rebounding intensity got the Lady Vols past Auburn (16-13) to win their 12th straight tournament opener.
Freshman Nicky Anosike scored 15 points and Shyra Ely finished with 11 points, going 4-of-17 from the floor. Three-point threat Shanna Zolman was just 2-of-10 for 10 points.
The Lady Vols will play Vanderbilt or Arkansas in Saturday's semifinals, aiming for their first tournament title since 2000.
Zolman said Tennessee watched top-ranked LSU nearly get upset by Alabama in an earlier game and vowed not to have that happen.
``We knew Auburn would have a lot of emotion and motivation going into this game and we did not want to have it turn out a close one,'' she said.
But Tennessee made only 19-of-67 field goals for 28.4 percent, nearly matching its season-worst 27.8-percent performance in a loss to Rutgers in December.
The difference was Anosike, the 6-foot-4 newcomer from Staten Island, N.Y.
After Nicole Louden's jumper cut the lead to 48-45, Anosike followed with a three-point play to extend the lead. When Auburn's Natasha Brackett had consecutive drives to make it 51-49, Anosike again converted a three-point play with 4:05 left.
The Lady Tigers, who were outrebounded 50-38, could not recover.
``Our defense and our board play won this basketball game on a night when it seemed that we couldn't buy a shot,'' Summitt said. ``I'm pleased we had the maturity not to let that drag down the other aspects of our game.''
Bracket led the Lady Tigers with 18 points and Louden had 15.
Brittany Jackson also had 11 points for Tennessee, which hasn't lost its first SEC tournament game since 1993.
The Lady Vols' shooting problems started early. Only a 13-2 run midway through the opening period put them ahead by the break, 25-21.
Tennessee's five starters made a shot apiece the first 20 minutes, going a combined 5-of-21. Ely was just 1-of-9 in the half.
Auburn had its troubles, too. The team's top outside shooter, Louise Emeagi, was just 1-of-11 overall and missed all five of her 3-point tries.
``We're not a physical post team and Tennessee is,'' said first-year Auburn coach Nell Fortner. ``Our post players have a more finesse style. It's something we struggled with all season.''
She got her wish, and now they share a legacy as two of the best coaches in the game.
Fifth-ranked Tennessee gave Summitt her 876th career win, matching Rupp's mark in a 64-54 victory Auburn at the Southeastern Conference tournament Friday.
``I feel it very hard to even imagine being in his company,'' said Summitt, who is 876-171 in 31 seasons. ``It's all because the University of Tennessee has given me the chance to coach for 31 years. They're the one's responsible.''
Summitt stands three wins shy of Dean Smith's all-time victories record of 879.
Since arriving on campus in 1974, Summitt turned the fledging program into the benchmark of women's basketball success with six NCAA championships and a remarkable 19 trips to the Final Four.
The Lady Vols (24-4) showed why a 20th might be in line this season.
Despite one of their worst shooting performances of the year, Summitt said the defensive effort and rebounding intensity got the Lady Vols past Auburn (16-13) to win their 12th straight tournament opener.
Freshman Nicky Anosike scored 15 points and Shyra Ely finished with 11 points, going 4-of-17 from the floor. Three-point threat Shanna Zolman was just 2-of-10 for 10 points.
The Lady Vols will play Vanderbilt or Arkansas in Saturday's semifinals, aiming for their first tournament title since 2000.
Zolman said Tennessee watched top-ranked LSU nearly get upset by Alabama in an earlier game and vowed not to have that happen.
``We knew Auburn would have a lot of emotion and motivation going into this game and we did not want to have it turn out a close one,'' she said.
But Tennessee made only 19-of-67 field goals for 28.4 percent, nearly matching its season-worst 27.8-percent performance in a loss to Rutgers in December.
The difference was Anosike, the 6-foot-4 newcomer from Staten Island, N.Y.
After Nicole Louden's jumper cut the lead to 48-45, Anosike followed with a three-point play to extend the lead. When Auburn's Natasha Brackett had consecutive drives to make it 51-49, Anosike again converted a three-point play with 4:05 left.
The Lady Tigers, who were outrebounded 50-38, could not recover.
``Our defense and our board play won this basketball game on a night when it seemed that we couldn't buy a shot,'' Summitt said. ``I'm pleased we had the maturity not to let that drag down the other aspects of our game.''
Bracket led the Lady Tigers with 18 points and Louden had 15.
Brittany Jackson also had 11 points for Tennessee, which hasn't lost its first SEC tournament game since 1993.
The Lady Vols' shooting problems started early. Only a 13-2 run midway through the opening period put them ahead by the break, 25-21.
Tennessee's five starters made a shot apiece the first 20 minutes, going a combined 5-of-21. Ely was just 1-of-9 in the half.
Auburn had its troubles, too. The team's top outside shooter, Louise Emeagi, was just 1-of-11 overall and missed all five of her 3-point tries.
``We're not a physical post team and Tennessee is,'' said first-year Auburn coach Nell Fortner. ``Our post players have a more finesse style. It's something we struggled with all season.''
2005 SEC Women's Basketball Awards Released
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Southeastern Conference announced its 2005 women's basketball postseason awards Wednesday, highlighted by LSU's Seimone Augustus being named Player of the Year and Georgia's Tasha Humphrey being named Freshman of the Year. First-team and second-team All-SEC honorees, All-Freshman team, along with Player, Coach and Freshman, Defensive Player, 6th Woman and Scholar-Athlete of the Year were chosen by the league's 12 coaches.
Augustus, along with Tasha Humphrey, Tan White and Ashley Earley were unanimous first-team members. While Humphrey, Sylvia Fowles, Alexis Hornbuckle and Nikki Anosike were unanimous all-freshman members.
Ole Miss' Armintie Price was named Defensive Player of the Year, while LSU freshman Sylvia Fowles was named 6th Woman of the Year.
Arkansas' Sarah Pfeifer was named the SEC Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
LSU's Pokey Chatman, in her first year as head coach was named SEC Coach of the Year. This season the Lady Tigers finished the regular season with a 27-1 overall record and a perfect 14-0 conference record. The only loss came at Rutgers in early January.
The 2005 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament begins Thursday, March3 and runs through Sunday, March 6 in Greenville, S.C.. SEC's regional sports network (FSN South, FSN Southwest and Sunshine Network) will televise all games on Thursday, Friday and Saturday while ESPN2 will broadcast the championship game at 7 p.m. ET.
The complete 2005 SEC Women's Basketball Postseason Awards follow.
First Team All-SEC
Natasha Brackett, Auburn
*Tasha Humphrey, Georgia
*Seimone Augustus, LSU
Temeka Johnson, LSU
Armintie Price, Ole Miss
*Tan White, Mississippi State
Shyra Ely, Tennessee
*Ashley Earley, Vanderbilt
Second Team All-SEC
Monique Bivins, Alabama
Bernice Mosby, Florida
Sara Potts, Kentucky
Sylvia Fowles, LSU
Amber Watts, Ole Miss
Shanna Zolman, Tennessee
Carla Thomas, Vanderbilt
Dee Davis, Vanderbilt
All-Freshman Team
Alexis Ogubie, Auburn
Megan Darrah, Georgia
*Tasha Humphrey, Georgia
Sarah Elliott, Kentucky
Samantha Mahoney, Kentucky
Quianna Chaney, LSU
*Sylvia Fowles, LSU
*Alexis Hornbuckle, Tennessee
*Nikki Anosike, Tennessee
Coach of the Year: Pokey Chatman, LSU
Player of the Year: Seimone Augustus, LSU
Freshman of the Year: Tasha Humphrey, Georgia
Defensive Player of the Year: Armintie Price, Ole Miss
6th Woman of the Year: Sylvia Fowles, LSU
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Sarah Pfeifer, Arkansas
Augustus, along with Tasha Humphrey, Tan White and Ashley Earley were unanimous first-team members. While Humphrey, Sylvia Fowles, Alexis Hornbuckle and Nikki Anosike were unanimous all-freshman members.
Ole Miss' Armintie Price was named Defensive Player of the Year, while LSU freshman Sylvia Fowles was named 6th Woman of the Year.
Arkansas' Sarah Pfeifer was named the SEC Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
LSU's Pokey Chatman, in her first year as head coach was named SEC Coach of the Year. This season the Lady Tigers finished the regular season with a 27-1 overall record and a perfect 14-0 conference record. The only loss came at Rutgers in early January.
The 2005 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament begins Thursday, March3 and runs through Sunday, March 6 in Greenville, S.C.. SEC's regional sports network (FSN South, FSN Southwest and Sunshine Network) will televise all games on Thursday, Friday and Saturday while ESPN2 will broadcast the championship game at 7 p.m. ET.
The complete 2005 SEC Women's Basketball Postseason Awards follow.
First Team All-SEC
Natasha Brackett, Auburn
*Tasha Humphrey, Georgia
*Seimone Augustus, LSU
Temeka Johnson, LSU
Armintie Price, Ole Miss
*Tan White, Mississippi State
Shyra Ely, Tennessee
*Ashley Earley, Vanderbilt
Second Team All-SEC
Monique Bivins, Alabama
Bernice Mosby, Florida
Sara Potts, Kentucky
Sylvia Fowles, LSU
Amber Watts, Ole Miss
Shanna Zolman, Tennessee
Carla Thomas, Vanderbilt
Dee Davis, Vanderbilt
All-Freshman Team
Alexis Ogubie, Auburn
Megan Darrah, Georgia
*Tasha Humphrey, Georgia
Sarah Elliott, Kentucky
Samantha Mahoney, Kentucky
Quianna Chaney, LSU
*Sylvia Fowles, LSU
*Alexis Hornbuckle, Tennessee
*Nikki Anosike, Tennessee
Coach of the Year: Pokey Chatman, LSU
Player of the Year: Seimone Augustus, LSU
Freshman of the Year: Tasha Humphrey, Georgia
Defensive Player of the Year: Armintie Price, Ole Miss
6th Woman of the Year: Sylvia Fowles, LSU
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Sarah Pfeifer, Arkansas
Lady Vols begin quest for first SEC tourney title in five years, face Auburn
Not only has Tennessee not won the Southeastern Conference tournament in five years, it is entering postseason play without a regular-season title for the first time since 1997.
Have the Lady Volunteers lost their aura of invincibility?
The No. 2 seed in the SEC tournament for the first time in eight years, Tennessee (23-4) will begin addressing that question when it takes on seventh-seeded Auburn (16-12) at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, S.C., on Friday.
The Lady Vols' run of regular-season dominance in the SEC came to an unceremonious end this season thanks to LSU, the nation's No. 1 team. The Lady Tigers, who finished 14-0 in SEC play, handed Tennessee its only conference loss.
``It's been a good SEC run for the team with only one loss,'' Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said. ``I think this team right now is more focused on winning the SEC tournament.
``We do have a veteran team that understands tournament play. And (there's) a little bit of motivation since they did not win the regular season.''
While a team like Tennessee is entitled to an occasional off-year by its lofty standards, the Lady Vols' struggles in the SEC tournament have been perplexing. During their run of seven straight regular-season titles, the Lady Vols won the conference tournament just three times.
Seniors Shyra Ely, Brittany Jackson and Loree Moore hope to leave with their first SEC tournament title after helping Tennessee to a 54-2 conference record in four seasons. In last year's tournament, the Lady Vols defeated Mississippi State 67-57 in the second round, then lost to Georgia 68-66 in the semifinals. The Lady Bulldogs went on to lose the title to Vanderbilt.
``We've won the last three regular seasons but lost the last three tournaments. Maybe it's time to turn the tables and win the tournament games,'' said Ely, who is averaging team highs of 14.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. ``I think it's really important to the senior class.''
Tennessee has won seven of 10 meetings against Auburn in the SEC tournament, and is 19-4 all-time in neutral site games in the tournament. Overall, the Lady Vols are 27-8 against the Lady Tigers, winning the last 11 meetings by an average of 12 points.
Tennessee shot 58 percent from the floor in an 81-71 win at Auburn on Jan. 20.
The Lady Vols are riding a five-game winning streak heading into Friday, with Ely averaging 20.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and shooting 57 percent in that span.
``I am very pleased to see Ely stepping up on the inside and doing a great job for us.'' Summitt said. ``I think the team looks to Shyra to play a big role for us offensively.''
With 875 wins, Summitt is one shy of tying Adolph Rupp for second place on the NCAA all-time list, and just five away from passing leader Dean Smith.
Auburn knocked off 10th-seeded Kentucky 62-57 in the opening round Thursday.
First-year coach Nell Fortner said the victory should cement her team's case for selection to the NCAA tournament.
``If you're going to put this in the paper, then yes, we belong,'' Fortner said. ``I want the NCAA committee to read that.''
Sophomore Nicole Louden tied her career high with 23 points, and senior Natasha Brackett, averaging a team-high 17.1 points, added 18.
Junior Marita Payne had four blocks, giving her 134 for the season, three more than the previous SEC record, set be Heidi Gillingham of Vanderbilt in 1992.
Auburn, which has won four SEC tournament titles, is looking for its first since 1997.
Have the Lady Volunteers lost their aura of invincibility?
The No. 2 seed in the SEC tournament for the first time in eight years, Tennessee (23-4) will begin addressing that question when it takes on seventh-seeded Auburn (16-12) at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, S.C., on Friday.
The Lady Vols' run of regular-season dominance in the SEC came to an unceremonious end this season thanks to LSU, the nation's No. 1 team. The Lady Tigers, who finished 14-0 in SEC play, handed Tennessee its only conference loss.
``It's been a good SEC run for the team with only one loss,'' Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said. ``I think this team right now is more focused on winning the SEC tournament.
``We do have a veteran team that understands tournament play. And (there's) a little bit of motivation since they did not win the regular season.''
While a team like Tennessee is entitled to an occasional off-year by its lofty standards, the Lady Vols' struggles in the SEC tournament have been perplexing. During their run of seven straight regular-season titles, the Lady Vols won the conference tournament just three times.
Seniors Shyra Ely, Brittany Jackson and Loree Moore hope to leave with their first SEC tournament title after helping Tennessee to a 54-2 conference record in four seasons. In last year's tournament, the Lady Vols defeated Mississippi State 67-57 in the second round, then lost to Georgia 68-66 in the semifinals. The Lady Bulldogs went on to lose the title to Vanderbilt.
``We've won the last three regular seasons but lost the last three tournaments. Maybe it's time to turn the tables and win the tournament games,'' said Ely, who is averaging team highs of 14.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. ``I think it's really important to the senior class.''
Tennessee has won seven of 10 meetings against Auburn in the SEC tournament, and is 19-4 all-time in neutral site games in the tournament. Overall, the Lady Vols are 27-8 against the Lady Tigers, winning the last 11 meetings by an average of 12 points.
Tennessee shot 58 percent from the floor in an 81-71 win at Auburn on Jan. 20.
The Lady Vols are riding a five-game winning streak heading into Friday, with Ely averaging 20.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and shooting 57 percent in that span.
``I am very pleased to see Ely stepping up on the inside and doing a great job for us.'' Summitt said. ``I think the team looks to Shyra to play a big role for us offensively.''
With 875 wins, Summitt is one shy of tying Adolph Rupp for second place on the NCAA all-time list, and just five away from passing leader Dean Smith.
Auburn knocked off 10th-seeded Kentucky 62-57 in the opening round Thursday.
First-year coach Nell Fortner said the victory should cement her team's case for selection to the NCAA tournament.
``If you're going to put this in the paper, then yes, we belong,'' Fortner said. ``I want the NCAA committee to read that.''
Sophomore Nicole Louden tied her career high with 23 points, and senior Natasha Brackett, averaging a team-high 17.1 points, added 18.
Junior Marita Payne had four blocks, giving her 134 for the season, three more than the previous SEC record, set be Heidi Gillingham of Vanderbilt in 1992.
Auburn, which has won four SEC tournament titles, is looking for its first since 1997.
Thursday, March 03, 2005
No. 5 Tennessee Aims for SEC Tourney Title
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- For the first time since 1997, Tennessee is going to the Southeastern Conference tournament without a trophy.
The No. 5 Lady Vols are not the SEC regular-season champions. That honor went to top-ranked LSU, which beat Tennessee on Feb. 10 and finished a perfect 14-0 in conference to snap the Vols' streak of seven straight crowns.
Tennessee hasn't won the SEC tournament since 2000, but the Lady Vols have some extra incentive this year.
"We do have a veteran team that understands tournament play," coach Pat Summitt said Wednesday. "And (there's) a little bit of motivation since they did not win the regular season."
That's not the only reason to win when the SEC tournament begins Thursday in Greenville, S.C. Summitt is one victory from tying Adolph Rupp for second place in all-time NCAA wins and could break Dean Smith's win record as soon as the second round of the national tournament -- if the Lady Vols win out this weekend.
Summitt is in third place at 875 victories, behind Rupp (876) and Smith (879), but doesn't want the record chase to be a distraction.
"Obviously this program has enjoyed tremendous success, and I'm thankful for the opportunity the university provided Pat Summitt a long time ago and more importantly for the commitment they made to women's basketball," she said.
Tennessee received a first-round bye as the second seed and will face either Kentucky or Auburn in the second round Friday.
Summitt likes what she's seen from her team in practice this week.
"They really seemed excited about preparing," Summitt said. "So from that standpoint I go in optimistic, but we've been in the business long enough here to know the players have to bring it themselves when it comes gametime. The leadership has to be there, which we're counting on from our seniors."
The Lady Vols went 13-1 in the SEC this season and have lost only three regular-season conference games during their run of seven titles. They shared the 2000 title with Georgia.
The 68-58 loss at LSU last month ended Tennessee's SEC regular-season win streak at 42 games. The Lady Vols had trouble stopping LSU's Seimone Augustus, who had 25 points, and Sylvia Fowles, who finished with 17 rebounds and five blocked shots.
Tennessee rebounded well from the loss, especially on offense. After shooting 31 percent against LSU, the Lady Vols have shot at least 43 percent in their past five games, going 50 percent or better in three of those games.
"We have made a significant improvement on our half-court execution. In particular, I think our shot selection is better, and that has led to just being percentage-wise at a different place," Summitt said. "That is a must for us. You've got to make shots."
Seniors Shyra Ely, Brittany Jackson and Loree Moore are looking to win their first SEC tournament.
"We've won the last three regular seasons but lost the last three tournaments. Maybe it's time to turn the tables and win the tournament games," Ely said. "I think it's really important to the senior class."
Tennessee has won 10 SEC tournament titles but struggled in the last four seasons after winning in 2000. The Lady Vols have reached the finals only once since then.
The Lady Vols found out last week they will enter the postseason without two reserves. Forward Sidney Spencer has a torn ACL, and guard Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood has patellar tendinitis that requires surgery.
The No. 5 Lady Vols are not the SEC regular-season champions. That honor went to top-ranked LSU, which beat Tennessee on Feb. 10 and finished a perfect 14-0 in conference to snap the Vols' streak of seven straight crowns.
Tennessee hasn't won the SEC tournament since 2000, but the Lady Vols have some extra incentive this year.
"We do have a veteran team that understands tournament play," coach Pat Summitt said Wednesday. "And (there's) a little bit of motivation since they did not win the regular season."
That's not the only reason to win when the SEC tournament begins Thursday in Greenville, S.C. Summitt is one victory from tying Adolph Rupp for second place in all-time NCAA wins and could break Dean Smith's win record as soon as the second round of the national tournament -- if the Lady Vols win out this weekend.
Summitt is in third place at 875 victories, behind Rupp (876) and Smith (879), but doesn't want the record chase to be a distraction.
"Obviously this program has enjoyed tremendous success, and I'm thankful for the opportunity the university provided Pat Summitt a long time ago and more importantly for the commitment they made to women's basketball," she said.
Tennessee received a first-round bye as the second seed and will face either Kentucky or Auburn in the second round Friday.
Summitt likes what she's seen from her team in practice this week.
"They really seemed excited about preparing," Summitt said. "So from that standpoint I go in optimistic, but we've been in the business long enough here to know the players have to bring it themselves when it comes gametime. The leadership has to be there, which we're counting on from our seniors."
The Lady Vols went 13-1 in the SEC this season and have lost only three regular-season conference games during their run of seven titles. They shared the 2000 title with Georgia.
The 68-58 loss at LSU last month ended Tennessee's SEC regular-season win streak at 42 games. The Lady Vols had trouble stopping LSU's Seimone Augustus, who had 25 points, and Sylvia Fowles, who finished with 17 rebounds and five blocked shots.
Tennessee rebounded well from the loss, especially on offense. After shooting 31 percent against LSU, the Lady Vols have shot at least 43 percent in their past five games, going 50 percent or better in three of those games.
"We have made a significant improvement on our half-court execution. In particular, I think our shot selection is better, and that has led to just being percentage-wise at a different place," Summitt said. "That is a must for us. You've got to make shots."
Seniors Shyra Ely, Brittany Jackson and Loree Moore are looking to win their first SEC tournament.
"We've won the last three regular seasons but lost the last three tournaments. Maybe it's time to turn the tables and win the tournament games," Ely said. "I think it's really important to the senior class."
Tennessee has won 10 SEC tournament titles but struggled in the last four seasons after winning in 2000. The Lady Vols have reached the finals only once since then.
The Lady Vols found out last week they will enter the postseason without two reserves. Forward Sidney Spencer has a torn ACL, and guard Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood has patellar tendinitis that requires surgery.
UT Alumni Association hosting reception at SEC Basketball Tournament
The University of Tennessee Alumni Association is hosting a reception in Greenville, S.C., for Vol fans before the start of the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament.
Lady Vols head coach Pat Summitt and women's athletics director Joan Cronan will speak during the reception on Thursday, March 3, at Rene’s Steak House.
The reception begins at 5:30 p.m. and will conclude at 7:30 p.m.
The cost is $25 in advance and $28 at the door. A dinner buffet is included and door prizes will be awarded throughout the event.
Reservations can be made by calling the Tennessee Alumni Association at 865-974-3011.
Prior to each Lady Vols game, the Tennessee Alumni Association and the Women's Athletics Department will host the Big Orange Tailgate Tour-Lady Vols Edition at Tiki Bob’s Cantina (18 East North Street, Greenville, SC). It's only three blocks from the Bi-Lo Center. Admission is free.
Big Orange Tailgate Tour - Lady Vols Edition:
Friday, March 4, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
*Saturday, March 5, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
*Sunday, March 6, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
*Contingent on the Lady Vols advancing in the tourney.
Lady Vols head coach Pat Summitt and women's athletics director Joan Cronan will speak during the reception on Thursday, March 3, at Rene’s Steak House.
The reception begins at 5:30 p.m. and will conclude at 7:30 p.m.
The cost is $25 in advance and $28 at the door. A dinner buffet is included and door prizes will be awarded throughout the event.
Reservations can be made by calling the Tennessee Alumni Association at 865-974-3011.
Prior to each Lady Vols game, the Tennessee Alumni Association and the Women's Athletics Department will host the Big Orange Tailgate Tour-Lady Vols Edition at Tiki Bob’s Cantina (18 East North Street, Greenville, SC). It's only three blocks from the Bi-Lo Center. Admission is free.
Big Orange Tailgate Tour - Lady Vols Edition:
Friday, March 4, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
*Saturday, March 5, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
*Sunday, March 6, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
*Contingent on the Lady Vols advancing in the tourney.
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