There was no grand celebration, court renaming or history making for Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt yesterday.
Just win No. 881 - and another step closer to playing in the Final Four.
The orange-clad fans inside Temple University's Liacouras Center for the Philadelphia Regional semifinal were happy to keep celebrating the success of Summitt, who broke Dean Smith's coaching record for wins in Division I basketball on Tuesday. The Volunteers' party will continue after a 75-59 win over Texas Tech.
Tennessee will play Rutgers, which advanced with a 64-58 victory over Ohio State in yesterday's other semifinal, for the regional title. The winner of that game, scheduled for tomorrow at the Liacouras Center, earns a trip to the Final Four in Indianapolis.
Tennessee (29-4), the region's top seed, stomped fourth-seeded Texas Tech (24-8) with a dominating inside game and by defensively disrupting Raiders guard Erin Grant.
"The team decided they wanted to play together at both ends," Summitt said. "This team is really fitting together in a way to allow them to be a better team defensively."
The Vols limited Texas Tech to just 32.8 percent shooting from the field (20 for 61), and they did not allow any player more than three field goals. The Vols, relying on the strong inside presence of senior forward Shyra Ely, shot 43.3 percent.
In the Vols' second-round win over Purdue last week, Ely kissed the floor after the game. Her lips never touched the Liacouras Center court, but she definitely embraced her game.
Ely muscled her way under the basket, scoring most of her game-high 23 points in the paint. She has never scored more points in the NCAA tournament.
The post play was crucial for the Vols, who made just 1 of 10 three-point attempts. (Texas Tech was 3 for 13.)
Ely also contributed seven rebounds and two assists.
Summitt credited Ely for "just finishing some tough, tough shots."
"Shyra was terrific in positioning," she said. "It made a big difference."
Ely has more motivation to survive another day of the tournament. The Indianapolis native wrote the words homeward bound on the back of her sneakers.
Ely said playing in the Final Four would be "icing on the cake to finish my career where I started."
The defensive hold Alexis Hornbuckle and Loree Moore put on Grant, who averaged two turnovers and seven assists during the regular season, also helped Tennessee. Yesterday, Grant committed six of the Raiders' 14 turnovers.
"They just pressured the ball like we knew they would," Grant said. "They tried to take away our passes to the wings and to our entry to the post."
"Their offense definitely runs through her," Hornbuckle, a freshman, said of Grant. "She takes care of the ball very well... . We had to keep pressure on her and not allow her to get the looks that she wanted."
Coach Marsha Sharp said she could not explain Texas Tech's cold play.
Just eight minutes into the game, the Raiders were already deep in the hole they were digging, trailing 16-6. The Vols never trailed, and the Raiders never looked as if they had a chance.
"We all failed today," she said, "because we didn't come with the right mentality to make the big plays early and it cost us."
Tennessee led by 40-26 at halftime.
"We had wide-open shots we should have knocked down," Grant said.
The Raiders did not help matters by connecting on only 8 of 14 free-throw attempts in the first half.
LaToya Davis led Texas Tech with 12 points and nine rebounds. Freshman guard Judith Smith came off the bench and chipped in 10 points.
Summitt said that although this year's national title chase might be the most wide open she has ever seen, the Vols figured they would be in the mix. Summitt has led Tennessee to 20 regional finals and 15 Final Four appearances. The Vols are chasing a seventh national championship.
"I think Coach said it best," Ely said, "that we're on a mission."
Tennessee 75, Texas Tech 59
TEXAS TECH (24-8)
Davis 3-6 6-8 12, Robertson 2-10 2-2 7, Greenwalt 3-7 0-1 6, Dabbs 3-10 3-5 9, Grant 3-7 2-2 9, Smith 3-9 3-4 10, Myrick 2-6 0-0 4, Griffin 1-6 0-1 2. Totals 20-61 16-23 59.
TENNESSEE (29-4)
Hornbuckle 5-11 3-4 14, Ely 8-11 7-8 23, Anosike 2-5 7-7 11, Zolman 4-10 0-0 8, Moore 3-8 3-3 9, Redding 1-4 0-0 2, Jackson 0-6 2-4 2, Dosty 1-1 0-0 2, Fluker 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 26-60 22-26 75.
Halftime:Tennessee 40-26. Three-point goals: Texas Tech 3-13 (Grant 1-2, Smith 1-5, Robertson 1-6), Tennessee 1-10 (Hornbuckle 1-2, Jackson 0-2, Moore 0-3, Zolman 0-3). Fouled out: Myrick. Rebounds: Texas Tech 36 (Davis 9), Tennessee 46 (Anosike 11). Assists: Texas Tech 13 (Smith 6), Tennessee 13 (Hornbuckle, Zolman 3). Total fouls: Texas Tech 19, Tennessee 20.
Monday, March 28, 2005
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Moore, Hornbuckle more like UT sister act
PHILADELPHIA — With the tone of certainty in her voice and the finality with which she gestures, it looks like a typical relationship between a senior and a freshman.
She doesn't hesitate to put her teammate in her place with a stern word or a disapproving look. The thing is … it's the freshman acting that way toward the senior.
Ever since stepping on campus, Lady Vol freshman Alexis Hornbuckle has not been afraid to express her feelings to senior Loree Moore.
''She's very blunt,'' Moore said. ''She gets to the point of what she has to say to me. It comes across very well. She gets my attention.''
It's not a one-sided deal though. The senior knows when to call out the freshman.
''We have a bond where we can say whatever we have to say to each other,'' Moore said.
With both players running the point for this team, that relationship has proven to be just as essential to Tennessee's success as Shyra Ely's post-up or Shanna Zolman's jumper.
It will be no less evident today when the Lady Vols (28-4) play point guard Erin Grant and Texas Tech (24-7) in the Sweet 16 at the Liacouras Center at 12 p.m.
''I hope I am the key to this game, as far as handling the pressure and being able to push the ball up the court and get some easy baskets,'' Grant said.
Grant is one of the nation's most efficient point guards with her assist total more than tripling her turnovers.
''I think it's very important that Loree sets the tempo,'' Hornbuckle said. ''I think if you get (Grant) frustrated, if you get her anxious to give up the ball or rush her shots, I don't think you can force turnovers on her, but you can maybe force her to make bad decisions or to play to get scrambled up a little bit.''
Moore won't be the only one with the responsibility of shutting down Grant. Her buddy Hornbuckle will also match up on her.
Will the Tennessee coaches be able to tell who's who?
As if they didn't already look and act alike, Moore and Hornbuckle took it a step further for the NCAA Tournament. Unbeknownst to the other, they both got their hair braided because they didn't want to do their hair before the games.
Now, Moore even wears the same blue headband that Hornbuckle has sported all season.
Earlier this week at practice, assistant coach Holly Warlick yelled at Moore while she was doing a drill, but she called her ''Lex.'' Hornbuckle, who was standing on the sideline, tapped Warlick on the shoulder.
''Holly, I'm right here,'' she said.
Even Hornbuckle's father mistook Moore for his daughter the first time he visited a Lady Vol practice.
And when they talk, their speech is interchangeable. They answer questions from the media with almost identical words.
''We start to finish each other's sentences,'' Moore said. ''We think alike. It's kind of crazy how things are.''
''It's crazy sometimes,'' Hornbuckle said. ''We finish each other's sentences. That's when it gets a little scary.''
Hornbuckle, a member of the All-SEC freshman team, has depended on Moore all season to bring her back from her occasional freshman moments.
''Sometimes she's very intense, and then other times she'll just lose it real quick,'' Moore said. ''Like she gets out of it, and she gets careless. She gets back to her style of play where she's laid back and carefree.''
Moore has no problem telling her that either.
''She's definitely like my big sister,'' Hornbuckle said. ''It's family. We look out for each other.''
It's just like a freshman to take care of a senior.
She doesn't hesitate to put her teammate in her place with a stern word or a disapproving look. The thing is … it's the freshman acting that way toward the senior.
Ever since stepping on campus, Lady Vol freshman Alexis Hornbuckle has not been afraid to express her feelings to senior Loree Moore.
''She's very blunt,'' Moore said. ''She gets to the point of what she has to say to me. It comes across very well. She gets my attention.''
It's not a one-sided deal though. The senior knows when to call out the freshman.
''We have a bond where we can say whatever we have to say to each other,'' Moore said.
With both players running the point for this team, that relationship has proven to be just as essential to Tennessee's success as Shyra Ely's post-up or Shanna Zolman's jumper.
It will be no less evident today when the Lady Vols (28-4) play point guard Erin Grant and Texas Tech (24-7) in the Sweet 16 at the Liacouras Center at 12 p.m.
''I hope I am the key to this game, as far as handling the pressure and being able to push the ball up the court and get some easy baskets,'' Grant said.
Grant is one of the nation's most efficient point guards with her assist total more than tripling her turnovers.
''I think it's very important that Loree sets the tempo,'' Hornbuckle said. ''I think if you get (Grant) frustrated, if you get her anxious to give up the ball or rush her shots, I don't think you can force turnovers on her, but you can maybe force her to make bad decisions or to play to get scrambled up a little bit.''
Moore won't be the only one with the responsibility of shutting down Grant. Her buddy Hornbuckle will also match up on her.
Will the Tennessee coaches be able to tell who's who?
As if they didn't already look and act alike, Moore and Hornbuckle took it a step further for the NCAA Tournament. Unbeknownst to the other, they both got their hair braided because they didn't want to do their hair before the games.
Now, Moore even wears the same blue headband that Hornbuckle has sported all season.
Earlier this week at practice, assistant coach Holly Warlick yelled at Moore while she was doing a drill, but she called her ''Lex.'' Hornbuckle, who was standing on the sideline, tapped Warlick on the shoulder.
''Holly, I'm right here,'' she said.
Even Hornbuckle's father mistook Moore for his daughter the first time he visited a Lady Vol practice.
And when they talk, their speech is interchangeable. They answer questions from the media with almost identical words.
''We start to finish each other's sentences,'' Moore said. ''We think alike. It's kind of crazy how things are.''
''It's crazy sometimes,'' Hornbuckle said. ''We finish each other's sentences. That's when it gets a little scary.''
Hornbuckle, a member of the All-SEC freshman team, has depended on Moore all season to bring her back from her occasional freshman moments.
''Sometimes she's very intense, and then other times she'll just lose it real quick,'' Moore said. ''Like she gets out of it, and she gets careless. She gets back to her style of play where she's laid back and carefree.''
Moore has no problem telling her that either.
''She's definitely like my big sister,'' Hornbuckle said. ''It's family. We look out for each other.''
It's just like a freshman to take care of a senior.
Summitt Reaches the Top, and Keeps Climbing
Let's get right to the point. Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt, who on Tuesday broke retired North Carolina coach Dean Smith's record for college basketball victories with her 880th win, said in a telephone interview Thursday night she has no interest in applying for the vacant job as coach of Tennessee's men's team.
"The job I have now is my passion," Summitt said. "My goal has always been to make a difference for women. I can do that as the coach of the women's basketball team. That's what I care most about."
Summitt, 52, goes into today's Philadelphia Region semifinal with a record of 880-171, with six NCAA titles, 15 Final Four appearances and 87 NCAA tournament wins in 31 years, with a 28-4 record this season. Smith was 879-254 with the Tar Heels when he retired after 36 years in 1997, and now both of their names will be associated their schools' on-campus arenas.
"I'm happy the record is behind us," said Summitt, who remains a consultant with the WNBA's Washington Mystics "because I enjoy working with Susan" O'Malley, who runs the team.
"Pat Summitt is the greatest women's basketball coach ever," said Gary Williams, coach of the Maryland men's team. "She's the consummate coach," added Maryland Athletic Director Debbie Yow.
"She accomplished this record in one of the toughest leagues [Southeastern Conference]," said GW women's coach Joe McKeown, adding: "I did my part [0 for 6] in her getting the record. She gets everyone's best shot, because when you play Tennessee that's your big game of the year. But she continues to win with class and has been such a pioneer and role model for coaches.''
McKeown, whose Colonials (23-9) reached the second round of the NCAA tournament before losing to UNC on Tuesday night, said Summitt "has always been willing to stand up for women's basketball, fighting uphill battles, and gaining respect for herself, her team and the game."
These uphill battles persist, as last weekend's NCAA first-round games at Maryland's Comcast Center showed, with doubleheaders Sunday (4,062) and Tuesday night (4,483) drawing far less than the 12,000 fans the well-supported Terps men have been averaging for two NIT home games. "We can always do better," said Yow, adding the attendance for two days at Maryland doubled the turnout in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Still, some talking heads and fans of men's basketball not only avoid the women's game but become hostile in discussions. "The players are wonderful athletes," observed Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach. "It's an okay game, but I'm not a fan. At my age [86], it's too late to pick up something new."
"The job I have now is my passion," Summitt said. "My goal has always been to make a difference for women. I can do that as the coach of the women's basketball team. That's what I care most about."
Summitt, 52, goes into today's Philadelphia Region semifinal with a record of 880-171, with six NCAA titles, 15 Final Four appearances and 87 NCAA tournament wins in 31 years, with a 28-4 record this season. Smith was 879-254 with the Tar Heels when he retired after 36 years in 1997, and now both of their names will be associated their schools' on-campus arenas.
"I'm happy the record is behind us," said Summitt, who remains a consultant with the WNBA's Washington Mystics "because I enjoy working with Susan" O'Malley, who runs the team.
"Pat Summitt is the greatest women's basketball coach ever," said Gary Williams, coach of the Maryland men's team. "She's the consummate coach," added Maryland Athletic Director Debbie Yow.
"She accomplished this record in one of the toughest leagues [Southeastern Conference]," said GW women's coach Joe McKeown, adding: "I did my part [0 for 6] in her getting the record. She gets everyone's best shot, because when you play Tennessee that's your big game of the year. But she continues to win with class and has been such a pioneer and role model for coaches.''
McKeown, whose Colonials (23-9) reached the second round of the NCAA tournament before losing to UNC on Tuesday night, said Summitt "has always been willing to stand up for women's basketball, fighting uphill battles, and gaining respect for herself, her team and the game."
These uphill battles persist, as last weekend's NCAA first-round games at Maryland's Comcast Center showed, with doubleheaders Sunday (4,062) and Tuesday night (4,483) drawing far less than the 12,000 fans the well-supported Terps men have been averaging for two NIT home games. "We can always do better," said Yow, adding the attendance for two days at Maryland doubled the turnout in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Still, some talking heads and fans of men's basketball not only avoid the women's game but become hostile in discussions. "The players are wonderful athletes," observed Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach. "It's an okay game, but I'm not a fan. At my age [86], it's too late to pick up something new."
Reaching the 'Summitt' in NCAA sports
THUMBS UP TO:
The University of Tennessee’s legendary lady of basketball, Pat Summitt, now with more wins under her belt than any other NCAA coach – man or woman – in history.
Summitt reached this momentous milestone Tuesday when the Lady Vols defeated Purdue in the second round of the NCAA tournament. For Summitt, it was her 880th career win – a proud moment she shared with her team, her husband, their son and her elderly mother. In honor of her accomplishment, the court at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville was renamed, "The Summitt."
Here’s looking at you, Pat. May you serve as an inspiration, not just to your team, but to all the grade school and high school young ladies out there with hoop dreams of their own.
The University of Tennessee’s legendary lady of basketball, Pat Summitt, now with more wins under her belt than any other NCAA coach – man or woman – in history.
Summitt reached this momentous milestone Tuesday when the Lady Vols defeated Purdue in the second round of the NCAA tournament. For Summitt, it was her 880th career win – a proud moment she shared with her team, her husband, their son and her elderly mother. In honor of her accomplishment, the court at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville was renamed, "The Summitt."
Here’s looking at you, Pat. May you serve as an inspiration, not just to your team, but to all the grade school and high school young ladies out there with hoop dreams of their own.
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Texas Tech offense gets to the point
KNOXVILLE — Texas Tech point guard Erin Grant is as efficient as they come.
The Lady Vols get their chance to try to make her inefficient tomorrow at 12 p.m. at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia in the Sweet 16.
The junior has 213 assists this season to only 60 turnovers. Her assist-to-turnover ratio in the tournament has been 4-to-1.
''That is outstanding,'' UT freshman Alexis Hornbuckle said. ''It's so hard to be that efficient.
''I wish I could have that assist-to-turnover ratio. She has to work hard. She controls her team. Hopefully we can just make her a little less efficient in the game.''
By comparison, senior point guard Loree Moore has the best ratio of any Lady Vol, and she has 89 assists to 61 turnovers this year.
''(Grant) runs everything,'' Moore said. ''She gets everybody open shots, gets everybody into the game. I think if we can control her and focus on her a lot more that we can kind of disrupt them and get them out of their gameplan.''
The deep end: Since the NCAA Tournament started, Texas Tech has not had a bench player in the game for more than 13 minutes.
In the Lady Raiders' most recent win over MTSU, all five starters played for 35 minutes or more.
The Lady Vols, meanwhile, had nine players get more than 15 minutes of playing time in the first round and seven in the second.
''Hopefully that can wear any team out,'' Lady Vols junior Shanna Zolman said. ''So we're going to try to make their five guard our nine.''
Good timing: While the early tipoff on Easter is causing some problems for players' families to make the trip to Philadelphia, Lady Vols Coach Pat Summitt said she would rather have that than what her team dealt with a week ago.
Tennessee did not tip off until nearly 10 p.m. Eastern time in both the first and second rounds. Summitt said if she had her pick though, she would have preferred the 2 p.m. tipoff tomorrow.
''One thing is you don't have to sit around all day and think about it,'' she said.
The Lady Vols get their chance to try to make her inefficient tomorrow at 12 p.m. at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia in the Sweet 16.
The junior has 213 assists this season to only 60 turnovers. Her assist-to-turnover ratio in the tournament has been 4-to-1.
''That is outstanding,'' UT freshman Alexis Hornbuckle said. ''It's so hard to be that efficient.
''I wish I could have that assist-to-turnover ratio. She has to work hard. She controls her team. Hopefully we can just make her a little less efficient in the game.''
By comparison, senior point guard Loree Moore has the best ratio of any Lady Vol, and she has 89 assists to 61 turnovers this year.
''(Grant) runs everything,'' Moore said. ''She gets everybody open shots, gets everybody into the game. I think if we can control her and focus on her a lot more that we can kind of disrupt them and get them out of their gameplan.''
The deep end: Since the NCAA Tournament started, Texas Tech has not had a bench player in the game for more than 13 minutes.
In the Lady Raiders' most recent win over MTSU, all five starters played for 35 minutes or more.
The Lady Vols, meanwhile, had nine players get more than 15 minutes of playing time in the first round and seven in the second.
''Hopefully that can wear any team out,'' Lady Vols junior Shanna Zolman said. ''So we're going to try to make their five guard our nine.''
Good timing: While the early tipoff on Easter is causing some problems for players' families to make the trip to Philadelphia, Lady Vols Coach Pat Summitt said she would rather have that than what her team dealt with a week ago.
Tennessee did not tip off until nearly 10 p.m. Eastern time in both the first and second rounds. Summitt said if she had her pick though, she would have preferred the 2 p.m. tipoff tomorrow.
''One thing is you don't have to sit around all day and think about it,'' she said.
Summitt Glad Victory Record Is Behind Her
PHILADELPHIA - Now that Pat Summitt has the record for career coaching victories, Tennessee has one less distraction as it chases a seventh national championship.
Though Summitt appreciated the recognition she earned for passing Dean Smith with her 880th career win, the Hall of Fame coach felt it overshadowed how well her Lady Vols were playing.
"It was talked about probably more than I ever had imagined," Summitt said Saturday. "To have that in the past is a good thing. I don't even want to take a chance of any distractions at this point."
The top-seeded Lady Vols (28-4) get their next chance to add to Summitt's record when they play fourth-seeded Texas Tech (24-7) Sunday in the Philadelphia Regional. Second-seeded Ohio State (30-4) plays No. 3 seed Rutgers (27-6) in the other regional semifinal game.
The Philadelphia Regional is the only one with the top four seeds still playing and boasts three Hall of Fame coaches. Besides Summitt, there's Texas Tech's Marsha Sharp and Rutgers' C. Vivian Stringer. Ohio State coach Jim Foster is a likely future inductee with 577 career wins and a trip to the 1993 Final Four.
Stringer is the only women's coach to lead three teams (Cheyney State, Iowa and Rutgers) to a Final Four, after Louisville's Rick Pitino accomplished the feat with a 93-85 overtime win over West Virginia on Saturday.
Tennessee comes to Philly as the team to beat, with easy wins in their first two tournament games. The Lady Vols hardly seemed bothered by all the attention rightfully lavished on Summitt's record (880-171). They fought through an injury-plagued season to turn themselves into contenders for a national championship — something Tennessee hasn't won since the last of its three straight titles in 1998.
"I think we are the level we need to be at the right time," guard Loree Moore said.
That could be bad news for the Lady Raiders. Known for a methodical offense, they might have to pick up the pace against a Tennessee team that can overpower teams inside or take charge with 3-pointers.
"If we come out and we're a little tentative or we're a little soft, we won't hang around very long because they'll really bring it at you," Sharp said. "We've talked all week about being aggressive from the very first possession and at both ends of the floor."
The difference could come in the point guard matchup between Moore and Texas Tech's Erin Grant. Grant's known for getting all her teammates involved while keeping her own mistakes to a minimum, with 213 assists to only 60 turnovers.
"I hope I am the key to this game as far as handling the pressure and being able to push the ball up the court and get some easy baskets," she said.
Moore knows stopping Grant won't be easy.
"I just want to make her uncomfortable," she said. "I want to make her play faster than she normally does. That is what is really in my mind."
The Lady Raiders are in their sixth regional semifinal in the last seven years — they won the 1993 national championship — but they've never beaten the Lady Vols.
"You get some opportunities sometimes to try to take your program to a different level," Sharp said. "It's a great opportunity for us and I hope we look at it that way."
With Tennessee waiting for Texas Tech, it was probably a good idea the Lady Raiders did their sightseeing early. The players toured the city Friday and chowed down on cheesesteaks.
If they need any more tourist tips, perhaps they could ask Foster, who graduated from Temple and started his coaching career at Saint Joseph's, where he led the Hawks to six NCAA tournaments.
Or they could ask Stringer, who coached at Cheyney State when Temple's John Chaney also was at the school in the Philadelphia suburbs.
Stringer is still close with Chaney and visited with the embattled Temple coach Friday night. After reminiscing about the old days, she said it felt odd to practice on the same court where Chaney is honored.
"I should have taken a picture because I was standing on his name," she said.
Certainly, the two teams are as familiar with each other as if they were conference foes. Ohio State and Rutgers are playing each other for the third time in the last two seasons, including the Buckeyes' 52-50 win in January. Rutgers was a 56-53 winner over Ohio State last year.
"I don't think about the last time we played them," Foster said. "I look at the film to see what they did, but I don't have too many feelings about it. I don't think our kids do either."
Though Summitt appreciated the recognition she earned for passing Dean Smith with her 880th career win, the Hall of Fame coach felt it overshadowed how well her Lady Vols were playing.
"It was talked about probably more than I ever had imagined," Summitt said Saturday. "To have that in the past is a good thing. I don't even want to take a chance of any distractions at this point."
The top-seeded Lady Vols (28-4) get their next chance to add to Summitt's record when they play fourth-seeded Texas Tech (24-7) Sunday in the Philadelphia Regional. Second-seeded Ohio State (30-4) plays No. 3 seed Rutgers (27-6) in the other regional semifinal game.
The Philadelphia Regional is the only one with the top four seeds still playing and boasts three Hall of Fame coaches. Besides Summitt, there's Texas Tech's Marsha Sharp and Rutgers' C. Vivian Stringer. Ohio State coach Jim Foster is a likely future inductee with 577 career wins and a trip to the 1993 Final Four.
Stringer is the only women's coach to lead three teams (Cheyney State, Iowa and Rutgers) to a Final Four, after Louisville's Rick Pitino accomplished the feat with a 93-85 overtime win over West Virginia on Saturday.
Tennessee comes to Philly as the team to beat, with easy wins in their first two tournament games. The Lady Vols hardly seemed bothered by all the attention rightfully lavished on Summitt's record (880-171). They fought through an injury-plagued season to turn themselves into contenders for a national championship — something Tennessee hasn't won since the last of its three straight titles in 1998.
"I think we are the level we need to be at the right time," guard Loree Moore said.
That could be bad news for the Lady Raiders. Known for a methodical offense, they might have to pick up the pace against a Tennessee team that can overpower teams inside or take charge with 3-pointers.
"If we come out and we're a little tentative or we're a little soft, we won't hang around very long because they'll really bring it at you," Sharp said. "We've talked all week about being aggressive from the very first possession and at both ends of the floor."
The difference could come in the point guard matchup between Moore and Texas Tech's Erin Grant. Grant's known for getting all her teammates involved while keeping her own mistakes to a minimum, with 213 assists to only 60 turnovers.
"I hope I am the key to this game as far as handling the pressure and being able to push the ball up the court and get some easy baskets," she said.
Moore knows stopping Grant won't be easy.
"I just want to make her uncomfortable," she said. "I want to make her play faster than she normally does. That is what is really in my mind."
The Lady Raiders are in their sixth regional semifinal in the last seven years — they won the 1993 national championship — but they've never beaten the Lady Vols.
"You get some opportunities sometimes to try to take your program to a different level," Sharp said. "It's a great opportunity for us and I hope we look at it that way."
With Tennessee waiting for Texas Tech, it was probably a good idea the Lady Raiders did their sightseeing early. The players toured the city Friday and chowed down on cheesesteaks.
If they need any more tourist tips, perhaps they could ask Foster, who graduated from Temple and started his coaching career at Saint Joseph's, where he led the Hawks to six NCAA tournaments.
Or they could ask Stringer, who coached at Cheyney State when Temple's John Chaney also was at the school in the Philadelphia suburbs.
Stringer is still close with Chaney and visited with the embattled Temple coach Friday night. After reminiscing about the old days, she said it felt odd to practice on the same court where Chaney is honored.
"I should have taken a picture because I was standing on his name," she said.
Certainly, the two teams are as familiar with each other as if they were conference foes. Ohio State and Rutgers are playing each other for the third time in the last two seasons, including the Buckeyes' 52-50 win in January. Rutgers was a 56-53 winner over Ohio State last year.
"I don't think about the last time we played them," Foster said. "I look at the film to see what they did, but I don't have too many feelings about it. I don't think our kids do either."
Pat Pix
Tennessee's coach Pat Summitt listens during a news conference for the NCAA women's basketball regional tournament Saturday, March 26, 2005 in Philadelphia. Texas Tech plays Tennessee on Sunday, March 27 in a regional semifinal game.
Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, left, watches practice with forward Candace Parker on Saturday, March 26, 2005 in Philadelphia. Texas Tech plays Tennessee on Sunday in a regional semifinal of the NCAA Div. I championships.
Summitt puts record behind her and championship hopes in front
PHILADELPHIA -- Now that Pat Summitt has the record for career coaching victories, Tennessee has one less distraction as it chases a seventh national championship.
Though Summitt appreciated the recognition she earned for passing Dean Smith with her 880th career win, the Hall of Fame coach felt it overshadowed how well her Lady Vols were playing.
``It was talked about probably more than I ever had imagined,'' Summitt said Saturday. ``To have that in the past is a good thing. I don't even want to take a chance of any distractions at this point.''
The top-seeded Lady Vols (28-4) get their next chance to add to Summitt's record when they play fourth-seeded Texas Tech (24-7) Sunday in the Philadelphia Regional. Second-seeded Ohio State (30-4) plays No. 3 seed Rutgers (27-6) in the other regional semifinal game.
The Philadelphia Regional is the only one with the top four seeds still playing and boasts three Hall of Fame coaches. Besides Summitt, there's Texas Tech's Marsha Sharp and Rutgers' C. Vivian Stringer. Ohio State coach Jim Foster is a likely future inductee with 577 career wins and a trip to the 1993 Final Four.
Stringer is the only women's coach to lead three teams (Cheyney State, Iowa and Rutgers) to a Final Four, after Louisville's Rick Pitino accomplished the feat with a 93-85 overtime win over West Virginia on Saturday.
Tennessee comes to Philly as the team to beat, with easy wins in their first two tournament games. The Lady Vols hardly seemed bothered by all the attention rightfully lavished on Summitt's record (880-171). They fought through an injury-plagued season to turn themselves into contenders for a national championship -- something Tennessee hasn't won since the last of its three straight titles in 1998.
``I think we are the level we need to be at the right time,'' guard Loree Moore said.
That could be bad news for the Lady Raiders. Known for a methodical offense, they might have to pick up the pace against a Tennessee team that can overpower teams inside or take charge with 3-pointers.
``If we come out and we're a little tentative or we're a little soft, we won't hang around very long because they'll really bring it at you,'' Sharp said. ``We've talked all week about being aggressive from the very first possession and at both ends of the floor.''
The difference could come in the point guard matchup between Moore and Texas Tech's Erin Grant. Grant's known for getting all her teammates involved while keeping her own mistakes to a minimum, with 213 assists to only 60 turnovers.
``I hope I am the key to this game as far as handling the pressure and being able to push the ball up the court and get some easy baskets,'' she said.
Moore knows stopping Grant won't be easy.
``I just want to make her uncomfortable,'' she said. ``I want to make her play faster than she normally does. That is what is really in my mind.''
The Lady Raiders are in their sixth regional semifinal in the last seven years -- they won the 1993 national championship -- but they've never beaten the Lady Vols.
``You get some opportunities sometimes to try to take your program to a different level,'' Sharp said. ``It's a great opportunity for us and I hope we look at it that way.''
With Tennessee waiting for Texas Tech, it was probably a good idea the Lady Raiders did their sightseeing early. The players toured the city Friday and chowed down on cheesesteaks.
If they need any more tourist tips, perhaps they could ask Foster, who graduated from Temple and started his coaching career at Saint Joseph's, where he led the Hawks to six NCAA tournaments.
Or they could ask Stringer, who coached at Cheyney State when Temple's John Chaney also was at the school in the Philadelphia suburbs.
Stringer is still close with Chaney and visited with the embattled Temple coach Friday night. After reminiscing about the old days, she said it felt odd to practice on the same court where Chaney is honored.
``I should have taken a picture because I was standing on his name,'' she said.
Certainly, the two teams are as familiar with each other as if they were conference foes. Ohio State and Rutgers are playing each other for the third time in the last two seasons, including the Buckeyes' 52-50 win in January. Rutgers was a 56-53 winner over Ohio State last year.
``I don't think about the last time we played them,'' Foster said. ``I look at the film to see what they did, but I don't have too many feelings about it. I don't think our kids do either.''
Though Summitt appreciated the recognition she earned for passing Dean Smith with her 880th career win, the Hall of Fame coach felt it overshadowed how well her Lady Vols were playing.
``It was talked about probably more than I ever had imagined,'' Summitt said Saturday. ``To have that in the past is a good thing. I don't even want to take a chance of any distractions at this point.''
The top-seeded Lady Vols (28-4) get their next chance to add to Summitt's record when they play fourth-seeded Texas Tech (24-7) Sunday in the Philadelphia Regional. Second-seeded Ohio State (30-4) plays No. 3 seed Rutgers (27-6) in the other regional semifinal game.
The Philadelphia Regional is the only one with the top four seeds still playing and boasts three Hall of Fame coaches. Besides Summitt, there's Texas Tech's Marsha Sharp and Rutgers' C. Vivian Stringer. Ohio State coach Jim Foster is a likely future inductee with 577 career wins and a trip to the 1993 Final Four.
Stringer is the only women's coach to lead three teams (Cheyney State, Iowa and Rutgers) to a Final Four, after Louisville's Rick Pitino accomplished the feat with a 93-85 overtime win over West Virginia on Saturday.
Tennessee comes to Philly as the team to beat, with easy wins in their first two tournament games. The Lady Vols hardly seemed bothered by all the attention rightfully lavished on Summitt's record (880-171). They fought through an injury-plagued season to turn themselves into contenders for a national championship -- something Tennessee hasn't won since the last of its three straight titles in 1998.
``I think we are the level we need to be at the right time,'' guard Loree Moore said.
That could be bad news for the Lady Raiders. Known for a methodical offense, they might have to pick up the pace against a Tennessee team that can overpower teams inside or take charge with 3-pointers.
``If we come out and we're a little tentative or we're a little soft, we won't hang around very long because they'll really bring it at you,'' Sharp said. ``We've talked all week about being aggressive from the very first possession and at both ends of the floor.''
The difference could come in the point guard matchup between Moore and Texas Tech's Erin Grant. Grant's known for getting all her teammates involved while keeping her own mistakes to a minimum, with 213 assists to only 60 turnovers.
``I hope I am the key to this game as far as handling the pressure and being able to push the ball up the court and get some easy baskets,'' she said.
Moore knows stopping Grant won't be easy.
``I just want to make her uncomfortable,'' she said. ``I want to make her play faster than she normally does. That is what is really in my mind.''
The Lady Raiders are in their sixth regional semifinal in the last seven years -- they won the 1993 national championship -- but they've never beaten the Lady Vols.
``You get some opportunities sometimes to try to take your program to a different level,'' Sharp said. ``It's a great opportunity for us and I hope we look at it that way.''
With Tennessee waiting for Texas Tech, it was probably a good idea the Lady Raiders did their sightseeing early. The players toured the city Friday and chowed down on cheesesteaks.
If they need any more tourist tips, perhaps they could ask Foster, who graduated from Temple and started his coaching career at Saint Joseph's, where he led the Hawks to six NCAA tournaments.
Or they could ask Stringer, who coached at Cheyney State when Temple's John Chaney also was at the school in the Philadelphia suburbs.
Stringer is still close with Chaney and visited with the embattled Temple coach Friday night. After reminiscing about the old days, she said it felt odd to practice on the same court where Chaney is honored.
``I should have taken a picture because I was standing on his name,'' she said.
Certainly, the two teams are as familiar with each other as if they were conference foes. Ohio State and Rutgers are playing each other for the third time in the last two seasons, including the Buckeyes' 52-50 win in January. Rutgers was a 56-53 winner over Ohio State last year.
``I don't think about the last time we played them,'' Foster said. ``I look at the film to see what they did, but I don't have too many feelings about it. I don't think our kids do either.''
Friday, March 25, 2005
ABC News: Person of the Week: Pat Summitt
Winningest Basketball Coach in NCAA History
Pat Summitt, coach of the women's basketball team at the University of Tennessee, this week won her 880th career victory when her team advanced in the NCAA championship. Summitt has now won more games than any coach, male or female, in college basketball.
"It's more than just 'Hey, we won the game,'" Summit said. "It's this team and these players did something really special together."
Summitt, 52, was only 22 when she first got the job, having never coached before.
"I don't do well with laid-back or lazy players," said Summitt. "I just can't relate to people who don't want to be at the top of their game every day and [don't] want to compete on every play."
Summitt's no-nonsense approach has been a pretty good formula. But she says she's cooler and calmer than she used to be.
"I think earlier in my coaching career, when I was single, I was a total workaholic," she said. "With time and years of experience, you have to learn to shut the door and really leave it."
Summitt's rules are clear on and off the court. Players have to attend all of their academic classes and sit in the front three rows, so professors will notice if they are not paying attention.
"When you talk about stats you can talk about national championships, but I like to talk about graduation rates and career opportunities for our young women," said Summitt.
From a Farm to the Court
Summit grew up on a dairy farm in Henrietta, Tenn., where she planted tobacco and milked cows.
"I look back now and I think that just made me who I am, in terms of my drive and my work ethic," she said.
She and her three older brothers learned to play basketball using a hoop her father put up in the hay barn. As a teenager, she was good enough to play for the U.S. Olympic team in 1976.
Summit is married to a banker, and their teenage son, of course, plays basketball. She makes an effort to attend all of his games.
"The travel is probably the hardest thing," she said. "It's like sometimes you can't have a quote 'normal' or routine schedule, and that makes it tough."
College sports for women were in their infancy when Summitt was hired at Tennessee, and she thinks colleges can always do better for women.
For now, however, Summitt is basking in the glow of being the best.
"You win in life with people," she said, "and if you think you can do this alone, you're wrong."
Pat Summitt, coach of the women's basketball team at the University of Tennessee, this week won her 880th career victory when her team advanced in the NCAA championship. Summitt has now won more games than any coach, male or female, in college basketball.
"It's more than just 'Hey, we won the game,'" Summit said. "It's this team and these players did something really special together."
Summitt, 52, was only 22 when she first got the job, having never coached before.
"I don't do well with laid-back or lazy players," said Summitt. "I just can't relate to people who don't want to be at the top of their game every day and [don't] want to compete on every play."
Summitt's no-nonsense approach has been a pretty good formula. But she says she's cooler and calmer than she used to be.
"I think earlier in my coaching career, when I was single, I was a total workaholic," she said. "With time and years of experience, you have to learn to shut the door and really leave it."
Summitt's rules are clear on and off the court. Players have to attend all of their academic classes and sit in the front three rows, so professors will notice if they are not paying attention.
"When you talk about stats you can talk about national championships, but I like to talk about graduation rates and career opportunities for our young women," said Summitt.
From a Farm to the Court
Summit grew up on a dairy farm in Henrietta, Tenn., where she planted tobacco and milked cows.
"I look back now and I think that just made me who I am, in terms of my drive and my work ethic," she said.
She and her three older brothers learned to play basketball using a hoop her father put up in the hay barn. As a teenager, she was good enough to play for the U.S. Olympic team in 1976.
Summit is married to a banker, and their teenage son, of course, plays basketball. She makes an effort to attend all of his games.
"The travel is probably the hardest thing," she said. "It's like sometimes you can't have a quote 'normal' or routine schedule, and that makes it tough."
College sports for women were in their infancy when Summitt was hired at Tennessee, and she thinks colleges can always do better for women.
For now, however, Summitt is basking in the glow of being the best.
"You win in life with people," she said, "and if you think you can do this alone, you're wrong."
(4) Texas Tech (24-7) vs. (1) Tennessee (28-4)
Game Info: 12:00 pm EST Sun Mar 27, 2005
Philadelphia Region - Liacouras Center (Philadelphia, PA)
Now that Tennesee's Pat Summitt holds virtually every important coaching record in NCAA history, Texas Tech wants to make sure her list of achievements doesn't grow any longer.
The Lady Raiders will try to derail Summitt's bid for a seventh national championship when they take on the top-seeded Lady Vols in the regional semifinals.
``I look at it as a great opportunity for us,'' Texas Tech coach Marsha Sharp said. ``There are few programs that can give you instant credibility around the country and Tennessee's one of them. I think you have to look at it as a chance to do something special.''
Summitt became the winningest coach in NCAA history with Tennessee's 75-54 second-round victory over Purdue on Tuesday. In her 31st season, Summitt passed former North Carolina men's coach Dean Smith with her 880th victory.
``It really touches me,'' she said. ``I never even thought about anything like that ever. I don't think there could have been a better gift in terms of the feeling that I had and how much I love this university.''
Summitt holds nearly every NCAA tournament record for a women's coach, including NCAA titles (six), Final Four appearances (15), Final Four wins (17), tournament appearances (24), tournament games (104) and tournament wins (87).
While her chase of the historic win received national attention, Summitt has kept her team focused on a much bigger goal.
``She did a very good job of keeping our focus and she continually was harping on us that this was a game in the tournament and we've got to get to the Sweet 16, and if we do that we'll get the record,'' said Shanna Zolman, who scored 15 points against the Boilermakers.
Texas Tech reached the round of 16 for the sixth time in seven years with an 80-69 win over Middle Tennessee State. Alesha Robertson scored 25 points to lead the fourth-seeded Lady Raiders, who have won seven of their last nine games.
Texas Tech is still looking for its first-ever win against the Lady Vols. Tennessee has won each of the previous four meetings, including a pair of NCAA regional final matchups, the last coming in 2000.
That history won't diminish LaToya Davis' confidence. She totaled 37 points and 30 rebounds in Texas Tech's first two victories, and is looking forward to another big day against the Lady Vols.
``We can't be intimidated by them,'' Davis said. ``They're a good team, but we can't be intimidated by the fact that they're Tennessee. Every team is beatable.''
PROBABLE STARTERS: Texas Tech - F Davis (12 ppg, 7.3 rpg), F Robertson (12.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg), C Cisti Greenwalt (13.1 ppg, 9 rpg), G Chesley Dabbs (12.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg), G Erin Grant (8 ppg, 6.9 apg). Tennessee - F Shyra Ely (14.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg), F Alexis Hornbuckle (8.3, 5.3 rpg), C Nicky Anosike (6.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg), G Zolman (12.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg), G Loree Moore (4.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.4 apg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Texas Tech - At-large berth, Big 12; beat No. 13 Texas-Arlington 69-49, first round; beat No. 12 Middle Tennessee State 80-69, second round. Tennessee - Automatic bid, Southeastern Conference tournament champion; beat No. 16 Western Carolina 94-43, first round; beat No. 9 Purdue 75-54, second round.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Texas Tech - 30-16, 18 years. Tennessee - 87-17, 24 years.
Philadelphia Region - Liacouras Center (Philadelphia, PA)
Now that Tennesee's Pat Summitt holds virtually every important coaching record in NCAA history, Texas Tech wants to make sure her list of achievements doesn't grow any longer.
The Lady Raiders will try to derail Summitt's bid for a seventh national championship when they take on the top-seeded Lady Vols in the regional semifinals.
``I look at it as a great opportunity for us,'' Texas Tech coach Marsha Sharp said. ``There are few programs that can give you instant credibility around the country and Tennessee's one of them. I think you have to look at it as a chance to do something special.''
Summitt became the winningest coach in NCAA history with Tennessee's 75-54 second-round victory over Purdue on Tuesday. In her 31st season, Summitt passed former North Carolina men's coach Dean Smith with her 880th victory.
``It really touches me,'' she said. ``I never even thought about anything like that ever. I don't think there could have been a better gift in terms of the feeling that I had and how much I love this university.''
Summitt holds nearly every NCAA tournament record for a women's coach, including NCAA titles (six), Final Four appearances (15), Final Four wins (17), tournament appearances (24), tournament games (104) and tournament wins (87).
While her chase of the historic win received national attention, Summitt has kept her team focused on a much bigger goal.
``She did a very good job of keeping our focus and she continually was harping on us that this was a game in the tournament and we've got to get to the Sweet 16, and if we do that we'll get the record,'' said Shanna Zolman, who scored 15 points against the Boilermakers.
Texas Tech reached the round of 16 for the sixth time in seven years with an 80-69 win over Middle Tennessee State. Alesha Robertson scored 25 points to lead the fourth-seeded Lady Raiders, who have won seven of their last nine games.
Texas Tech is still looking for its first-ever win against the Lady Vols. Tennessee has won each of the previous four meetings, including a pair of NCAA regional final matchups, the last coming in 2000.
That history won't diminish LaToya Davis' confidence. She totaled 37 points and 30 rebounds in Texas Tech's first two victories, and is looking forward to another big day against the Lady Vols.
``We can't be intimidated by them,'' Davis said. ``They're a good team, but we can't be intimidated by the fact that they're Tennessee. Every team is beatable.''
PROBABLE STARTERS: Texas Tech - F Davis (12 ppg, 7.3 rpg), F Robertson (12.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg), C Cisti Greenwalt (13.1 ppg, 9 rpg), G Chesley Dabbs (12.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg), G Erin Grant (8 ppg, 6.9 apg). Tennessee - F Shyra Ely (14.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg), F Alexis Hornbuckle (8.3, 5.3 rpg), C Nicky Anosike (6.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg), G Zolman (12.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg), G Loree Moore (4.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.4 apg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Texas Tech - At-large berth, Big 12; beat No. 13 Texas-Arlington 69-49, first round; beat No. 12 Middle Tennessee State 80-69, second round. Tennessee - Automatic bid, Southeastern Conference tournament champion; beat No. 16 Western Carolina 94-43, first round; beat No. 9 Purdue 75-54, second round.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Texas Tech - 30-16, 18 years. Tennessee - 87-17, 24 years.
'The Summitt' name will stick to UT's court
KNOXVILLE — The Summitt is permanent.
After some debate the last few days on radio talk shows and Internet message boards, University of Tennessee officials clarified yesterday that the court at Thompson-Boling Arena will be re-named for Coach Pat Summitt for all events — and not just women's basketball games.
''Pat Summitt deserves the honor of naming the court for her at Thompson-Boling Arena,'' Tennessee Athletics Director Mike Hamilton said. ''She's the winningest coach in college basketball history. She's represented the state and the University of Tennessee in a first-class manner over the years.''
Summitt, whose Lady Vols face Texas Tech on Sunday in the Sweet 16, won her 880th career game last Tuesday to pass North Carolina's Dean Smith for the most wins in NCAA basketball history.
Joan Cronan, the Tennessee women's athletics director, said the decision to re-name the court after Summitt was approved by UT President John Petersen, the board of trustees, Hamilton and Cronan. She said ''The Summitt'' will be permanently painted onto the court and will include Summitt's signature.
''Any coach, male or female, should be proud to play on a court that stands for excellence,'' Cronan said.
One of the concerns by fans of the Tennessee men's program was that playing on a court named for a women's basketball coach might be used against the Vols in recruiting. Tennessee is in the process of trying to hire its sixth men's basketball coach in the last 16 years.
''I would question anyone who would have a problem with being associated with excellence,'' Cronan said. ''Pat Summitt has won 880 games, six national titles and has represented the university and the state of Tennessee so well. We should all be proud to have something named in her honor.''
Summitt, unaware of the plans to re-name the court in her honor until it was announced Tuesday, shrugged off any potential controversy.
''I think a long time ago, I said, 'I'm not listening to any of that stuff,' '' she said. ''I can't imagine it hurting the men's program.''
After some debate the last few days on radio talk shows and Internet message boards, University of Tennessee officials clarified yesterday that the court at Thompson-Boling Arena will be re-named for Coach Pat Summitt for all events — and not just women's basketball games.
''Pat Summitt deserves the honor of naming the court for her at Thompson-Boling Arena,'' Tennessee Athletics Director Mike Hamilton said. ''She's the winningest coach in college basketball history. She's represented the state and the University of Tennessee in a first-class manner over the years.''
Summitt, whose Lady Vols face Texas Tech on Sunday in the Sweet 16, won her 880th career game last Tuesday to pass North Carolina's Dean Smith for the most wins in NCAA basketball history.
Joan Cronan, the Tennessee women's athletics director, said the decision to re-name the court after Summitt was approved by UT President John Petersen, the board of trustees, Hamilton and Cronan. She said ''The Summitt'' will be permanently painted onto the court and will include Summitt's signature.
''Any coach, male or female, should be proud to play on a court that stands for excellence,'' Cronan said.
One of the concerns by fans of the Tennessee men's program was that playing on a court named for a women's basketball coach might be used against the Vols in recruiting. Tennessee is in the process of trying to hire its sixth men's basketball coach in the last 16 years.
''I would question anyone who would have a problem with being associated with excellence,'' Cronan said. ''Pat Summitt has won 880 games, six national titles and has represented the university and the state of Tennessee so well. We should all be proud to have something named in her honor.''
Summitt, unaware of the plans to re-name the court in her honor until it was announced Tuesday, shrugged off any potential controversy.
''I think a long time ago, I said, 'I'm not listening to any of that stuff,' '' she said. ''I can't imagine it hurting the men's program.''
Summitt's celebration over for now
KNOXVILLE — The innocent flower man had no idea he was stirring up something that the Lady Vols would have preferred to forget about for now.
He walked up in the middle of Tennessee's practice yesterday with orange-yellow roses for Coach Pat Summitt, who surpassed Dean Smith as the winningest basketball coach in NCAA history with her 880th career win against Purdue on Tuesday night.
''I thought I was going to a funeral when I went into my office today,'' Summitt said. ''I don't think I've ever seen so many flowers.''
With Summitt's milestone win coming in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, she did everything she could to put the focus on her team advancing to the Sweet 16, not on her career win total.
The Lady Vols (28-4) will play Texas Tech (24-7) in Philadelphia at 11 a.m. on Sunday, and flowers or not, that's all Summitt is thinking about now.
''I met with the staff, and everybody is watching tape on them,'' Summitt said. ''I thought we got through a lot of what we needed to do today.''
But the celebration lasted long into the wee hours of Wednesday morning. Summitt went home to a crowd of her family and friends and said she didn't get around to watching the film of the Purdue game until nearly 3 a.m.
She was up to do a radio show by 7:15, and she had watched the film a second time before meeting with the team to watch film of the Lady Raiders.
Summitt's players are taking the same approach.
''We haven't really talked about it,'' senior point guard Loree Moore said. ''We kind of celebrated it (Tuesday night) and had our fun with it. Now we're focusing on Texas Tech.
''I think maybe after the season and down the line, we'll all get together and talk about it and appreciate it a lot more than we are right now.''
After the game Tuesday, UT officials revealed that the court at Thompson-Boling Arena would be renamed ''The Summitt.'' The players gave Summitt a hard time about it after the game, and assistant coach Holly Warlick stopped by Summitt's house Tuesday night to tease her.
''Holly said when they got mad at me, they were going to go over and stomp on 'The Summitt,' '' Summitt said.
That has all become secondary now though.
The focus has switched over to how to slow down a Texas Tech team that has four players averaging double digits.
''I don't think we're facing anything that we can't handle,'' freshman Nicky Anosike said. ''It's going to be a challenge, and we're just going to have to bring something extra to set us apart.''
He walked up in the middle of Tennessee's practice yesterday with orange-yellow roses for Coach Pat Summitt, who surpassed Dean Smith as the winningest basketball coach in NCAA history with her 880th career win against Purdue on Tuesday night.
''I thought I was going to a funeral when I went into my office today,'' Summitt said. ''I don't think I've ever seen so many flowers.''
With Summitt's milestone win coming in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, she did everything she could to put the focus on her team advancing to the Sweet 16, not on her career win total.
The Lady Vols (28-4) will play Texas Tech (24-7) in Philadelphia at 11 a.m. on Sunday, and flowers or not, that's all Summitt is thinking about now.
''I met with the staff, and everybody is watching tape on them,'' Summitt said. ''I thought we got through a lot of what we needed to do today.''
But the celebration lasted long into the wee hours of Wednesday morning. Summitt went home to a crowd of her family and friends and said she didn't get around to watching the film of the Purdue game until nearly 3 a.m.
She was up to do a radio show by 7:15, and she had watched the film a second time before meeting with the team to watch film of the Lady Raiders.
Summitt's players are taking the same approach.
''We haven't really talked about it,'' senior point guard Loree Moore said. ''We kind of celebrated it (Tuesday night) and had our fun with it. Now we're focusing on Texas Tech.
''I think maybe after the season and down the line, we'll all get together and talk about it and appreciate it a lot more than we are right now.''
After the game Tuesday, UT officials revealed that the court at Thompson-Boling Arena would be renamed ''The Summitt.'' The players gave Summitt a hard time about it after the game, and assistant coach Holly Warlick stopped by Summitt's house Tuesday night to tease her.
''Holly said when they got mad at me, they were going to go over and stomp on 'The Summitt,' '' Summitt said.
That has all become secondary now though.
The focus has switched over to how to slow down a Texas Tech team that has four players averaging double digits.
''I don't think we're facing anything that we can't handle,'' freshman Nicky Anosike said. ''It's going to be a challenge, and we're just going to have to bring something extra to set us apart.''
Coach Summitt addresses the NCAA Tournament
Lady Vol Head Coach Pat Summitt
"I am really proud of our team. I felt that in both the first and second round games that they were very focused. We did a better job in the second half of our Purdue game. I think our defensive intensity picked up. It is really exciting. We have been watching a lot of (Texas) Tech games and Tech is a team with balance, and looking at the teams from the past, this is one of the most balanced teams that (Texas Tech head) coach (Marsha) Sharp has put on the floor. But we are excited and we had some time to work out yesterday and we will do the same today before we travel tomorrow."
On Arizona State:
"I think they are certainly a team that could sustain (success) over the long term. I say that because I like their style of play and their intensity. They get out there defensively and they are very aggressive offensively. They continue to get players that can play that style and they have been successful. It is all about players. Certainly they have the toughness and the aggressive mind set. I think without question, our success is directly related to our recruiting success, our success during the regular season, as well as our success during the postseason. I think the key, and this is not a secret, everyone knows this, is that the coaching staff brings in players, year in and year out, that can take you to that level and allow you to maintain that level of play."
On Loree Moore and Alexis Hornbuckle:
"First thing, I really think that Loree has done a great job of taking Alexis in, under her wing so to speak. She could have easily been jealous of her and threatened by her, but it has been quite the opposite. I think she has just said that 'I want to help you' and there is a great friendship there, but also a great connection on the court. I think that Loree's leadership in that area has been critical to Alexis' development as a point guard. Obviously, she is a player that can play multiple positions and was forced into that role because of Loree's injuries and setbacks. To me it is very telling of Loree as a leader, as a teammate and as a friend. I think it has been an important part of Alexis' development. She has been great. It could have been a nightmare, but it has been great to watch how much they have bonded and Loree playing mother hen."
"I think she can talk to her and reassure her. I think Loree, when she needs to be direct and tough, she will be. But certainly from that standpoint, Loree has really just tried to talk to her and help her see what she needs to see as a point guard."
On using the 1996-97 NCAA Championship team as motivation:
"I have not used it with our team this year, but we constantly remind players of what they need to do individually. The one thing that we remind them of is to do it 'pot luck style' and that is to bring their best dish. That is what we talked about in the playoffs. That year we didn't have a team that could overpower anyone. But if we collectively did what we do best, we felt that we as a team could be successful. We have talked about that this year with this team. Over the years we have talked about us not all being able to bring the total package to the floor because very few players have the total package. Those that do have it stand above and those that play a particular role have to play to their strengths. As I reflect on that team, they had been through so much adversity, it made (winning) that much sweeter."
On comparing the adversity the 1996-97 team faced to this season's team:
"At the beginning of the season it was rough. I thought of this team more as a team that had some adversity early and pulled together. With that other team, we had adversity all year, with injuries and a lot of losses. I remember thinking in early January that we could have a losing season and maybe not even make the tournament for the first time. I could not believe it. We were in Norfolk, Va, and Debby Jennings (Lady Vol media relation's director) and her staff was saying this could be a disaster. We were just like, it can't be, we have to do something. The team pulled together and it made them so much tougher."
On whether the post position is beginning to dominate more in the women's game:
"I think with the overall improvement in women's basketball, we are seeing teams that go both inside and outside. That is when teams are difficult to defend. Also, when you have a player of that stature, you're talking about a player most teams can't match up against. We don't have anyone 6-7. I do feel that it gives teams an advantage. There are a number of teams, while they do not have (players) 6-7, they do have good outside-inside play. Our success has been much better because we have the balance inside and out."
On Jessica Davenport:
"I watched her out of high school. I went up and watched her play and tried to get in on recruiting Jessica. I thought then as a physical talent and presence that she would make a great college player with her athleticism, ability to run the floor, and ability inside against much smaller players. I thought she was fairly skilled as a high school junior. I thought there was such an upside to her game. When Jim (Foster) went there, along with Jim went Pete Gaudet - and if you know anything about Coach Gaudet, you know that he is one of the very best at developing the post game. I thought, 'look out.' This young lady will really develop her game quickly in this system. I am not at all surprised at her development. In knowing her work ethic and her athletic stature going in, I thought she was going to be a great center in the college game."
On whether she feels like she will need to give any pep talks during the tournament:
"If necessary. I think at this time, players all need to feel they know what to expect, they know what to do. It is more about encouraging players. They need to be confident. Every team that is playing in the tournament and in the Sweet 16 - they are there for a reason. They have earned that right, and they are in an elite group. Certainly, I want our players to understand they are playing their best basketball right now. They have every reason to be confident but also to keep them focused on why they have had the level of success they have had. They have just played so well together. This is an athletic group and a skilled group, but they did not always play well together. They did not always have the focus of finishing shots. If you recall early in the year, we were sporadic at the offensive end and our offense and players struggled to play together. I think they were trying to do it one-on-one. Now, I think they understand and respect what each individual can bring to the success of our team."
On what she remembers about UT's last meeting with Texas Tech:
"It was a tough game, obviously, a battle. I just remember that they played us tough in the paint. We were not as balanced as offensively. I remember struggling against their defense. They are always known as being a strong defensive team. I think this year they have more balance, but when you think of playing Texas Tech you know they are going to play great defense and they have three-point shooters and at least one go-to inside. From the past, it has been a battle."
On potential matchup problems with Texas Tech:
"I think we matchup well with them, as they do with us. I think (Erin) Grant is just an efficient point guard. (Cisti) Greenwalt and (LaToya) Davis bring the size. Certainly, if you look at (Chesley) Dabbs at the two and (Shanna) Zolman, that is pretty evenly matched across the board. I do not see a big advantage for either team. They can obviously go seven to eight deep, and we can go eight to nine deep. Although, I think they are probably playing their top five more minutes. At this time of the year you can do that because you can play, rest, play, as opposed to playing back-to-back."
On whether the TV 2:15 timeouts interfere with the rhythm of the game:
"They interfere with what I do. I am not used to having that much time. As far as the players, I do not think it really affects the players that much as far as breaking rhythm once they get accustomed to it. The way we play, it is a good break, because we are looking at up-temp (play). I thought it helped us in the Purdue game."
"I am really proud of our team. I felt that in both the first and second round games that they were very focused. We did a better job in the second half of our Purdue game. I think our defensive intensity picked up. It is really exciting. We have been watching a lot of (Texas) Tech games and Tech is a team with balance, and looking at the teams from the past, this is one of the most balanced teams that (Texas Tech head) coach (Marsha) Sharp has put on the floor. But we are excited and we had some time to work out yesterday and we will do the same today before we travel tomorrow."
On Arizona State:
"I think they are certainly a team that could sustain (success) over the long term. I say that because I like their style of play and their intensity. They get out there defensively and they are very aggressive offensively. They continue to get players that can play that style and they have been successful. It is all about players. Certainly they have the toughness and the aggressive mind set. I think without question, our success is directly related to our recruiting success, our success during the regular season, as well as our success during the postseason. I think the key, and this is not a secret, everyone knows this, is that the coaching staff brings in players, year in and year out, that can take you to that level and allow you to maintain that level of play."
On Loree Moore and Alexis Hornbuckle:
"First thing, I really think that Loree has done a great job of taking Alexis in, under her wing so to speak. She could have easily been jealous of her and threatened by her, but it has been quite the opposite. I think she has just said that 'I want to help you' and there is a great friendship there, but also a great connection on the court. I think that Loree's leadership in that area has been critical to Alexis' development as a point guard. Obviously, she is a player that can play multiple positions and was forced into that role because of Loree's injuries and setbacks. To me it is very telling of Loree as a leader, as a teammate and as a friend. I think it has been an important part of Alexis' development. She has been great. It could have been a nightmare, but it has been great to watch how much they have bonded and Loree playing mother hen."
"I think she can talk to her and reassure her. I think Loree, when she needs to be direct and tough, she will be. But certainly from that standpoint, Loree has really just tried to talk to her and help her see what she needs to see as a point guard."
On using the 1996-97 NCAA Championship team as motivation:
"I have not used it with our team this year, but we constantly remind players of what they need to do individually. The one thing that we remind them of is to do it 'pot luck style' and that is to bring their best dish. That is what we talked about in the playoffs. That year we didn't have a team that could overpower anyone. But if we collectively did what we do best, we felt that we as a team could be successful. We have talked about that this year with this team. Over the years we have talked about us not all being able to bring the total package to the floor because very few players have the total package. Those that do have it stand above and those that play a particular role have to play to their strengths. As I reflect on that team, they had been through so much adversity, it made (winning) that much sweeter."
On comparing the adversity the 1996-97 team faced to this season's team:
"At the beginning of the season it was rough. I thought of this team more as a team that had some adversity early and pulled together. With that other team, we had adversity all year, with injuries and a lot of losses. I remember thinking in early January that we could have a losing season and maybe not even make the tournament for the first time. I could not believe it. We were in Norfolk, Va, and Debby Jennings (Lady Vol media relation's director) and her staff was saying this could be a disaster. We were just like, it can't be, we have to do something. The team pulled together and it made them so much tougher."
On whether the post position is beginning to dominate more in the women's game:
"I think with the overall improvement in women's basketball, we are seeing teams that go both inside and outside. That is when teams are difficult to defend. Also, when you have a player of that stature, you're talking about a player most teams can't match up against. We don't have anyone 6-7. I do feel that it gives teams an advantage. There are a number of teams, while they do not have (players) 6-7, they do have good outside-inside play. Our success has been much better because we have the balance inside and out."
On Jessica Davenport:
"I watched her out of high school. I went up and watched her play and tried to get in on recruiting Jessica. I thought then as a physical talent and presence that she would make a great college player with her athleticism, ability to run the floor, and ability inside against much smaller players. I thought she was fairly skilled as a high school junior. I thought there was such an upside to her game. When Jim (Foster) went there, along with Jim went Pete Gaudet - and if you know anything about Coach Gaudet, you know that he is one of the very best at developing the post game. I thought, 'look out.' This young lady will really develop her game quickly in this system. I am not at all surprised at her development. In knowing her work ethic and her athletic stature going in, I thought she was going to be a great center in the college game."
On whether she feels like she will need to give any pep talks during the tournament:
"If necessary. I think at this time, players all need to feel they know what to expect, they know what to do. It is more about encouraging players. They need to be confident. Every team that is playing in the tournament and in the Sweet 16 - they are there for a reason. They have earned that right, and they are in an elite group. Certainly, I want our players to understand they are playing their best basketball right now. They have every reason to be confident but also to keep them focused on why they have had the level of success they have had. They have just played so well together. This is an athletic group and a skilled group, but they did not always play well together. They did not always have the focus of finishing shots. If you recall early in the year, we were sporadic at the offensive end and our offense and players struggled to play together. I think they were trying to do it one-on-one. Now, I think they understand and respect what each individual can bring to the success of our team."
On what she remembers about UT's last meeting with Texas Tech:
"It was a tough game, obviously, a battle. I just remember that they played us tough in the paint. We were not as balanced as offensively. I remember struggling against their defense. They are always known as being a strong defensive team. I think this year they have more balance, but when you think of playing Texas Tech you know they are going to play great defense and they have three-point shooters and at least one go-to inside. From the past, it has been a battle."
On potential matchup problems with Texas Tech:
"I think we matchup well with them, as they do with us. I think (Erin) Grant is just an efficient point guard. (Cisti) Greenwalt and (LaToya) Davis bring the size. Certainly, if you look at (Chesley) Dabbs at the two and (Shanna) Zolman, that is pretty evenly matched across the board. I do not see a big advantage for either team. They can obviously go seven to eight deep, and we can go eight to nine deep. Although, I think they are probably playing their top five more minutes. At this time of the year you can do that because you can play, rest, play, as opposed to playing back-to-back."
On whether the TV 2:15 timeouts interfere with the rhythm of the game:
"They interfere with what I do. I am not used to having that much time. As far as the players, I do not think it really affects the players that much as far as breaking rhythm once they get accustomed to it. The way we play, it is a good break, because we are looking at up-temp (play). I thought it helped us in the Purdue game."
Pat at the Summitt
If you need a good example of a steely gaze, find a typical picture of Pat Summitt. According to a Knoxville newspaper, when she started her career in the fall of 1974 she decided to pursue it with this basic approach: "Go in and be tough. You can always let up."
The philosophy worked well for Summitt, who has achieved just about everything that can be achieved as a college basketball coach, having reached the pinnacle on her home court in Knoxville Tuesday night.
Summitt's 880th career coaching victory (75-54 over Purdue, for the record) gave her the most coaching wins in Division 1 college basketball history. The occasion prompted UT to rename her home court "The Summitt."
Summitt was already an icon of Tennessee sports: inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the Naismith "Coach of the Century" in 2000, coach of the women's gold medal basketball team at the 1984 Olympics.
Her University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers were named the "Team of the Century" for the 2000s. She's mentioned as a possible replacement for every UT men's coach who moves on and would probably put up a credible statewide political campaign if she wanted to give that a try. The next UT athletic director? Sure, why not?
Whether she chooses to move on eventually or spend the rest of her career on the Lady Vols bench, Pat Summitt has carved out a unique place of honor in Tennessee lore.
The philosophy worked well for Summitt, who has achieved just about everything that can be achieved as a college basketball coach, having reached the pinnacle on her home court in Knoxville Tuesday night.
Summitt's 880th career coaching victory (75-54 over Purdue, for the record) gave her the most coaching wins in Division 1 college basketball history. The occasion prompted UT to rename her home court "The Summitt."
Summitt was already an icon of Tennessee sports: inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the Naismith "Coach of the Century" in 2000, coach of the women's gold medal basketball team at the 1984 Olympics.
Her University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers were named the "Team of the Century" for the 2000s. She's mentioned as a possible replacement for every UT men's coach who moves on and would probably put up a credible statewide political campaign if she wanted to give that a try. The next UT athletic director? Sure, why not?
Whether she chooses to move on eventually or spend the rest of her career on the Lady Vols bench, Pat Summitt has carved out a unique place of honor in Tennessee lore.
Pat Summitt, then and now
Twenty years ago, Pat Summitt spoke in Fort Wayne. If memory serves, I tracked her down a few months earlier at her parents’ home in the early evening. Yes, she does give those kinds of speeches. Yes, she would be available. Yes, she does charge. We paid her air fare, her hotel and, as I recall, $200.
She was a pretty big hit at The Journal Gazette’s annual spring banquet April 8, 1985, honoring the best basketball players in the Summit Athletic Conference. After her speech – which, like almost all such speeches, wasn’t at all memorable – most of the girls being honored asked her to sign the program.
At the time, Summitt had won 222 games as the coach of the Lady Volunteers of the University of Tennessee. She was, even then, perhaps the best known and most respected women’s basketball coach. Now that she has won 658 more games and holds the NCAA record for most victories by any coach – woman or man – things have not changed in that respect. (Sadly, the topics she spoke about at a news conference before the speech also have not changed much. She expressed concern about the scandals roiling college basketball in those days: drugs, recruiting violations and point-shaving.)
But in other respects, things have changed for the better. While the attendance at the women’s NCAA tournament hardly rivals the men’s, clearly the women’s game is gaining. Competition is better; the University of Tennessee is hardly alone among the best teams in the nation. High school girls have a lot more places where they can play and win scholarships. (Notre Dame and Purdue have hugely respected programs and indeed faced each other in a memorable NCAA championship game in 2001.)
What also tells the story about change in women’s basketball is Summitt herself. Any idea that I could call the University of Tennessee, explain that I wanted her to speak, get her parents’ home phone number and then personally cut a deal with her for $200 is laughable.
Today, according to her secretary, Katie Wynn, Summitt does a lot of charity speaking locally, for which she charges nothing. She does no speaking during the season and generally likes to spend her time away from work at home.
But otherwise, she works through the Washington Speakers Bureau in Alexandria, Va. She commands $40,000 for a speech, and she does only five or so a year.
So for those of you frustrated at the pace of the march toward equity in women’s sports, keep those figures in mind. And now that Notre Dame and Purdue are out of the women’s tournament, I know whom I rooting for.
She was a pretty big hit at The Journal Gazette’s annual spring banquet April 8, 1985, honoring the best basketball players in the Summit Athletic Conference. After her speech – which, like almost all such speeches, wasn’t at all memorable – most of the girls being honored asked her to sign the program.
At the time, Summitt had won 222 games as the coach of the Lady Volunteers of the University of Tennessee. She was, even then, perhaps the best known and most respected women’s basketball coach. Now that she has won 658 more games and holds the NCAA record for most victories by any coach – woman or man – things have not changed in that respect. (Sadly, the topics she spoke about at a news conference before the speech also have not changed much. She expressed concern about the scandals roiling college basketball in those days: drugs, recruiting violations and point-shaving.)
But in other respects, things have changed for the better. While the attendance at the women’s NCAA tournament hardly rivals the men’s, clearly the women’s game is gaining. Competition is better; the University of Tennessee is hardly alone among the best teams in the nation. High school girls have a lot more places where they can play and win scholarships. (Notre Dame and Purdue have hugely respected programs and indeed faced each other in a memorable NCAA championship game in 2001.)
What also tells the story about change in women’s basketball is Summitt herself. Any idea that I could call the University of Tennessee, explain that I wanted her to speak, get her parents’ home phone number and then personally cut a deal with her for $200 is laughable.
Today, according to her secretary, Katie Wynn, Summitt does a lot of charity speaking locally, for which she charges nothing. She does no speaking during the season and generally likes to spend her time away from work at home.
But otherwise, she works through the Washington Speakers Bureau in Alexandria, Va. She commands $40,000 for a speech, and she does only five or so a year.
So for those of you frustrated at the pace of the march toward equity in women’s sports, keep those figures in mind. And now that Notre Dame and Purdue are out of the women’s tournament, I know whom I rooting for.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Tennessee 75 - Purdue 54 - Post Game Quotes
Head Coach Pat Summitt
(remarks from the court following game) "Let me just say thanks to all of you fans. You are such a part of this. This has been a special year for this team. You (fans) have helped build a great tradition here and helped us recruit great players. To all of you (former) players who played here-I love and appreciate you. This team is on a mission. Stick with us. Our assistant coaches-I do listen to you occasionally. The administration has been awesome. Having the floor named "The Summitt" is one of the greatest accomplishments of my life."
(opening remarks in press conference) "First of all, I'm excited that this team is headed to Philadelphia. We played in spurts, but it was good enough for us to advance. I'm proud of this team, and I'm proud for this team. We'll enjoy tonight and start preparing for Texas Tech tomorrow. Tye Fluker got the award for focus for this game. I hope she'll keep those glasses (the award) for a while."
(on the court at Thompson-Boling Arena being named "The Summitt") "I had no idea. It really touches me. It is a tremendous honor. I never ever thought of anything like that ever. I don't think anyone knows how much I love this university. It was a vote of confidence. This recognition was very touching. I want to thank all of those who have been behind the program for years. It is an honor for me personally, and my family as well."
(on whether she was relieved on reaching the record) "I turned the volume on the TV down last night, and Tennessee wasn't playing. I appreciate the attention that women's basketball has received because of this. I want to keep my focus on this team. I didn't want our players to feel pressure from this. They handled it well. Like they said, it was in the back of their minds. It's special for them, to be a part of this. Now, it's strictly about this team. This team has a chance to do something special. We'll prepare for Texas Tech and move forward."
(on defensive improvement in the second half) "At halftime, I was not real happy. Purdue can make shots, and they play well together. We didn't disrupt them. The way our program was built was with defense and rebounding. That's the way we win in March. Obviously, Purdue's shooting in the second half was not what it was in the first half. Our defense was better (in the second half)."
(on who she was surprised to see in the crowd at the game) "My mother. I don't know how many former players were here. I had voice messages from many of them. Cindy Noble Hauserman was here. Lea Henry left a message that she was going to be here. I saw Daedra Charles. There were a number of them. (Former Tennessee associate head coach and current Kentucky head coach) Mickie DeMoss came down from Lexington. I was sad because I thought my mom and dad would not be here. It was great when my family walked in. When I saw my mother, she cried, and then I started crying. When your mother cries, you cry. The longer that I'm in this profession, I see a lot of my mother in me. That's a good thing because it means I've mellowed."
(closing remarks) "I just want to thank you (the media) for being here. I appreciate what the media has meant to the growth of the sport."
(remarks from the court following game) "Let me just say thanks to all of you fans. You are such a part of this. This has been a special year for this team. You (fans) have helped build a great tradition here and helped us recruit great players. To all of you (former) players who played here-I love and appreciate you. This team is on a mission. Stick with us. Our assistant coaches-I do listen to you occasionally. The administration has been awesome. Having the floor named "The Summitt" is one of the greatest accomplishments of my life."
(opening remarks in press conference) "First of all, I'm excited that this team is headed to Philadelphia. We played in spurts, but it was good enough for us to advance. I'm proud of this team, and I'm proud for this team. We'll enjoy tonight and start preparing for Texas Tech tomorrow. Tye Fluker got the award for focus for this game. I hope she'll keep those glasses (the award) for a while."
(on the court at Thompson-Boling Arena being named "The Summitt") "I had no idea. It really touches me. It is a tremendous honor. I never ever thought of anything like that ever. I don't think anyone knows how much I love this university. It was a vote of confidence. This recognition was very touching. I want to thank all of those who have been behind the program for years. It is an honor for me personally, and my family as well."
(on whether she was relieved on reaching the record) "I turned the volume on the TV down last night, and Tennessee wasn't playing. I appreciate the attention that women's basketball has received because of this. I want to keep my focus on this team. I didn't want our players to feel pressure from this. They handled it well. Like they said, it was in the back of their minds. It's special for them, to be a part of this. Now, it's strictly about this team. This team has a chance to do something special. We'll prepare for Texas Tech and move forward."
(on defensive improvement in the second half) "At halftime, I was not real happy. Purdue can make shots, and they play well together. We didn't disrupt them. The way our program was built was with defense and rebounding. That's the way we win in March. Obviously, Purdue's shooting in the second half was not what it was in the first half. Our defense was better (in the second half)."
(on who she was surprised to see in the crowd at the game) "My mother. I don't know how many former players were here. I had voice messages from many of them. Cindy Noble Hauserman was here. Lea Henry left a message that she was going to be here. I saw Daedra Charles. There were a number of them. (Former Tennessee associate head coach and current Kentucky head coach) Mickie DeMoss came down from Lexington. I was sad because I thought my mom and dad would not be here. It was great when my family walked in. When I saw my mother, she cried, and then I started crying. When your mother cries, you cry. The longer that I'm in this profession, I see a lot of my mother in me. That's a good thing because it means I've mellowed."
(closing remarks) "I just want to thank you (the media) for being here. I appreciate what the media has meant to the growth of the sport."
Tennessee 75 - Purdue 54 - Post Game Notes
Top-seeded Tennessee defeated 9th-seeded Purdue, 75-54, to advance to the Philadelphia Regional semifinals and will play Texas Tech.
Tennessee Head Coach Pat Summitt passes Dean Smith to become the NCAA's all-time winningest coach with her 880th victory.
Tennessee's court will now be known as "The Summitt" at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Pat Summitt Dean Smith
Wins 880 879
Losses 171 254
Pct. .837 .776
Years 31 36
NCAA tournament berths 24* 27^
Final Four appearances 15$ 11
Consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 berths 24 13
Regular-season conference titles 13 17
Consecutive 20-win seasons 29 27
Total 20-win seasons 29 30
Consecutive 25-win seasons 25 22
Win #879 94-43 over Western Carolina 97-74 over Louisville
Mar. 20, 2005 Mar. 23, 1997
Win #880 75-54 over Purdue --
Mar. 22, 2005 --
* increases to 30 including six AIAW appearances
^ increases to 31 including 4 NIT appearances
$ increases to 19 including 4 AIAW appearances
University of Tennessee Notes
First-seeded Tennessee improves to 28-4 on the season. Tennessee has now won at least 28 games in each of the last 15 seasons.
The Lady Vols have compiled an 87-17 record in their 24 trips to the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee has won 46 consecutive NCAA tournament games in Knoxville, including 34 in Thompson-Boling Arena. Their streak increases to 51 games when taking into account contests in the AIAW tournament.
Tennessee advances to its 24th consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 and will face Texas Tech. UT is 4-0 all-time versus the Lady Raiders. The Lady Vols earned a 57-44 victory in their last meeting on March 27, 2000, in the Mideast Regional final in Memphis, Tenn.
UT improves its all-time record to 6-1 against Purdue. It was the first meeting in the NCAA Tournament between the schools. It is now 42-4 all-time against Big Ten opponents.
Tennessee held Purdue to just 4-of-23 (17.4 percent) shooting in the second half.
Tennessee's 11 3-pointers set a school record in NCAA tournament games, eclipsing the nine the Lady Vols made against DePaul in the second round on Mar. 22, 2004.
With a game-high 18 points and a team-high 10 rebounds in 23 minutes, Tye'sha Fluker earned her third double-double of the season.
Freshman Nicky Anosike swiped a career-high six steals, coming up just shy of UT's NCAA Tournament single-game record (Nicky McCray, 7, versus Northwestern on March 20, 1993.
Shanna Zolman is 8-of-13 from beyond the arc during the first two games of the NCAA Tournament. She is 16-of-23 from the field overall.
Zolman has scored in double figures in seven of her past eight tournament games. She has now hit 22 3-pointers in 14 career tournament games.
Tennessee Head Coach Pat Summitt passes Dean Smith to become the NCAA's all-time winningest coach with her 880th victory.
Tennessee's court will now be known as "The Summitt" at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Pat Summitt Dean Smith
Wins 880 879
Losses 171 254
Pct. .837 .776
Years 31 36
NCAA tournament berths 24* 27^
Final Four appearances 15$ 11
Consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 berths 24 13
Regular-season conference titles 13 17
Consecutive 20-win seasons 29 27
Total 20-win seasons 29 30
Consecutive 25-win seasons 25 22
Win #879 94-43 over Western Carolina 97-74 over Louisville
Mar. 20, 2005 Mar. 23, 1997
Win #880 75-54 over Purdue --
Mar. 22, 2005 --
* increases to 30 including six AIAW appearances
^ increases to 31 including 4 NIT appearances
$ increases to 19 including 4 AIAW appearances
University of Tennessee Notes
First-seeded Tennessee improves to 28-4 on the season. Tennessee has now won at least 28 games in each of the last 15 seasons.
The Lady Vols have compiled an 87-17 record in their 24 trips to the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee has won 46 consecutive NCAA tournament games in Knoxville, including 34 in Thompson-Boling Arena. Their streak increases to 51 games when taking into account contests in the AIAW tournament.
Tennessee advances to its 24th consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 and will face Texas Tech. UT is 4-0 all-time versus the Lady Raiders. The Lady Vols earned a 57-44 victory in their last meeting on March 27, 2000, in the Mideast Regional final in Memphis, Tenn.
UT improves its all-time record to 6-1 against Purdue. It was the first meeting in the NCAA Tournament between the schools. It is now 42-4 all-time against Big Ten opponents.
Tennessee held Purdue to just 4-of-23 (17.4 percent) shooting in the second half.
Tennessee's 11 3-pointers set a school record in NCAA tournament games, eclipsing the nine the Lady Vols made against DePaul in the second round on Mar. 22, 2004.
With a game-high 18 points and a team-high 10 rebounds in 23 minutes, Tye'sha Fluker earned her third double-double of the season.
Freshman Nicky Anosike swiped a career-high six steals, coming up just shy of UT's NCAA Tournament single-game record (Nicky McCray, 7, versus Northwestern on March 20, 1993.
Shanna Zolman is 8-of-13 from beyond the arc during the first two games of the NCAA Tournament. She is 16-of-23 from the field overall.
Zolman has scored in double figures in seven of her past eight tournament games. She has now hit 22 3-pointers in 14 career tournament games.
Summitt by the 100s
March 15, 2005
800
Please, enough of this Pat Summitt history already.
DePaul coach Doug Bruno could be forgiven the thought before the Blue Demons' game at Tennessee on Jan. 14, 2003.
Summitt was poised to become the first women's coach to join the 800 victory club. The previous time the two teams met, UT was playing its first game after Summitt's induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Lady Vols marked that occasion with a 42-point margin of victory and, according to Bruno, "were like a group of tigers that hadn't been fed.''
In the return engagement, the Lady Vols paid the final dues on their coach's 29-season passage to 800 with a 76-57 victory.
Bruno and his players were gracious in defeat. They stayed for the post-game ceremony and joined the photo session.
"When you get into this profession,'' Bruno said, "you understand when you step between the lines there are no friends. You have to be ready to compete with your mother and father. At the same time, when you step outside the lines, there are some very special people in this business.''
Bruno joked about having a future place in Summitt history.
"My guardian angel already has pulled me aside and said the next time we're there, she'll be going for 880 to beat (Dean) Smith,'' he said.
His angel was winging it on that prediction. No such bad luck for Bruno.
700
Dec. 5, 1999: After Tennessee beats Wisconsin 85-62 at Madison's Kohl Center, the hall of fame memorabilia seekers went so far as to request Pat Summitt's outfit. She referred to the mauve ensemble she wore that day as one of her favorite suits.
"If they had told me, I'd have worn a different suit,'' she said.
Summitt continued her accelerated pace, reaching 700 victories quicker than any coach in women's basketball history.
600
Nov. 23, 1996: Cozy Patrick Gymnasium brought to mind some of the smaller venues of Summitt's early coaching career as the Lady Vols beat Marquette 83-68 at the Howard Bank Classic in Burlington, Vt.
Summitt posed for pictures afterward with players who weren't born when Summitt win No. 1 went into the books.
She received flowers and a cake from Vermont Gov. Howard Dean as well as a standing ovation from the crowd.
"It was neat, it was touching,'' Summitt said. "You expect that at home. By no means did I expect it here. I'll remember this.''
The Lady Vols knocked out this latest batch of 100 wins in three years, two days, allowing Summitt reached the 600-win plateau in 734 games, the fastest accumulation in women's basketball history.
500
Nov. 21, 1993: Before the hugs and flowers, the Lady Vols gave Summitt the perfect gift with tenacious defense.
They helped force 25 turnovers and held Ohio State to 28.8 percent shooting from the floor in an 80-45 victory in the inaugural State Farm Hall of Fame Tipoff Classic in Jackson, Tenn.
The milestone win came against Ohio State coach Nancy Darsch, Summitt's former top assistant coach.
400
Jan. 25, 1990: Against South Carolina, the Lady Vols needed to overcome a double-figure deficit similar to Sunday's deficit against Auburn to prevail 70-69 at Carolina Coliseum in Columbia, S.C.
The victory predated South Carolina's inclusion into the SEC.
300
Jan. 4, 1987: The Lady Vols beat North Carolina 87-68 at Stokely Athletics Center.
The victory came during a season in which the Lady Vols won the first of their six NCAA championships.
This batch of 100 took the longest to accumulate, spanning five years and 32 days.
200
Dec. 3, 1982: The Lady Vols deliver win No. 200 to coach Pat Head at the University of Detroit's Coca-Cola Classic Tournament. Tennessee beats St. John's 69-56.
Like the Marquette win for No. 600, this game stands as the only women's basketball meeting between the two schools.
100
Jan. 13, 1979: Tennessee beats North Carolina State 79-66 at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, N.C. It took Summitt three years and 362 days to reach triple figures in career victories.
800
Please, enough of this Pat Summitt history already.
DePaul coach Doug Bruno could be forgiven the thought before the Blue Demons' game at Tennessee on Jan. 14, 2003.
Summitt was poised to become the first women's coach to join the 800 victory club. The previous time the two teams met, UT was playing its first game after Summitt's induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Lady Vols marked that occasion with a 42-point margin of victory and, according to Bruno, "were like a group of tigers that hadn't been fed.''
In the return engagement, the Lady Vols paid the final dues on their coach's 29-season passage to 800 with a 76-57 victory.
Bruno and his players were gracious in defeat. They stayed for the post-game ceremony and joined the photo session.
"When you get into this profession,'' Bruno said, "you understand when you step between the lines there are no friends. You have to be ready to compete with your mother and father. At the same time, when you step outside the lines, there are some very special people in this business.''
Bruno joked about having a future place in Summitt history.
"My guardian angel already has pulled me aside and said the next time we're there, she'll be going for 880 to beat (Dean) Smith,'' he said.
His angel was winging it on that prediction. No such bad luck for Bruno.
700
Dec. 5, 1999: After Tennessee beats Wisconsin 85-62 at Madison's Kohl Center, the hall of fame memorabilia seekers went so far as to request Pat Summitt's outfit. She referred to the mauve ensemble she wore that day as one of her favorite suits.
"If they had told me, I'd have worn a different suit,'' she said.
Summitt continued her accelerated pace, reaching 700 victories quicker than any coach in women's basketball history.
600
Nov. 23, 1996: Cozy Patrick Gymnasium brought to mind some of the smaller venues of Summitt's early coaching career as the Lady Vols beat Marquette 83-68 at the Howard Bank Classic in Burlington, Vt.
Summitt posed for pictures afterward with players who weren't born when Summitt win No. 1 went into the books.
She received flowers and a cake from Vermont Gov. Howard Dean as well as a standing ovation from the crowd.
"It was neat, it was touching,'' Summitt said. "You expect that at home. By no means did I expect it here. I'll remember this.''
The Lady Vols knocked out this latest batch of 100 wins in three years, two days, allowing Summitt reached the 600-win plateau in 734 games, the fastest accumulation in women's basketball history.
500
Nov. 21, 1993: Before the hugs and flowers, the Lady Vols gave Summitt the perfect gift with tenacious defense.
They helped force 25 turnovers and held Ohio State to 28.8 percent shooting from the floor in an 80-45 victory in the inaugural State Farm Hall of Fame Tipoff Classic in Jackson, Tenn.
The milestone win came against Ohio State coach Nancy Darsch, Summitt's former top assistant coach.
400
Jan. 25, 1990: Against South Carolina, the Lady Vols needed to overcome a double-figure deficit similar to Sunday's deficit against Auburn to prevail 70-69 at Carolina Coliseum in Columbia, S.C.
The victory predated South Carolina's inclusion into the SEC.
300
Jan. 4, 1987: The Lady Vols beat North Carolina 87-68 at Stokely Athletics Center.
The victory came during a season in which the Lady Vols won the first of their six NCAA championships.
This batch of 100 took the longest to accumulate, spanning five years and 32 days.
200
Dec. 3, 1982: The Lady Vols deliver win No. 200 to coach Pat Head at the University of Detroit's Coca-Cola Classic Tournament. Tennessee beats St. John's 69-56.
Like the Marquette win for No. 600, this game stands as the only women's basketball meeting between the two schools.
100
Jan. 13, 1979: Tennessee beats North Carolina State 79-66 at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, N.C. It took Summitt three years and 362 days to reach triple figures in career victories.
Pat Summitt Atop the Summit
Atop the summit. Sum it up. Pat at the pinnacle. However you want to say it, Pat Summitt is now the winningest basketball coach in NCAA history.
And from now on, every University of Tennessee basketball player - men and women - will play on a floor named The Summitt.
The evening began with Pat Summitt crying because her mother made it to the historic game and ended with her crying when the university surprised her with the announcement about the floor. In between, the Lady Vols made it to the Sweet 16, which was Summitt's sole goal for the evening.
Tennessee took out Purdue , 75-54, on Tuesday night to advance to the regional in Philadelphia and to allow Summitt to surpass Dean Smith in career wins with no. 880, an event that has garnered nearly unprecedented media coverage, even for this storied program.
Summitt had to mute her own television Monday night because her pursuit of the record was all she heard. The primary concern was that the players would come out pressing - as in uptight - because of the pressure.
They didn't. The Lady Vols never trailed in the game.
"I think coach helped us with that," UT senior forward Shyra Ely said. "She always kept us focused on the game and not the record. At the same I think we're mature enough to be able to separate and focus on the moment."
Tennessee jumped out to a 30-17 lead, still led 39-32 at halftime and then put Purdue away in the second half. Four players were in double figures - Tye'sha Fluker tied a career high with 18 points and also had 10 rebounds - and 38 of the team's points came in the paint. The other top scorers were Ely with 16 points, Shanna Zolman with 15 and Nicky Anosike with 11.
"First of all I'm excited that this basketball team is headed to Philadelphia, and I appreciate the fact they managed to get it done tonight," Summitt said. "We played in spurts at times but good enough to advance, and that's what you do in post-season. Survive and advance. I'm proud of this team and proud for this team. We'll enjoy this tonight and start thinking about Texas Tech immediately."
The Lady Vols will play Texas Tech on Sunday (either noon or 2:30 p.m.). Rutgers and Ohio State will play in the other regional semifinal at Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University. The winners will meet March 30 for the right to go to the Final Four in Indianapolis.
"I never really thought about winning X number of games," Summitt said. It's more about winning the next game. Trying to win another championship. Every team I want to reach their full potential."
To get to Philadelphia, Tennessee, 28-4, first had to beat Purdue, 17-13. The Boilermakers were considerable underdogs - the Lady Vols have never lost an NCAA tourney game at home and now have 36 wins - and are a relatively young team prone to turning over the ball.
"It definitely hurt as without question," said Purdue coach Kristy Curry, who first opened her statement to the media with congratulations for Summitt.
Purdue was led by Katie Gearlds with 13 points and Sharika Webb with 16. The day before the game, Curry said her team needed to have less than 15 turnovers to be successful. The Boilermakers had 16 in the first half and finished with 26. Tennessee scored 26 of its points off of turnovers.
"Against any good basketball team you have to take care of the basketball, and Tennessee is a great basketball team," Gearlds said. "We mishandled a few times, and they took advantage of it. But coach said this was something to learn from, but give them credit as they took advantage of our turnovers.
Tennessee was having trouble hanging on to the ball, too, and finished the game with more turnovers (18) than assists (15.) But the Lady Vols also had 15 steals - including a career high six by freshman center Anosike - and seven blocks in what was a solid defensive effort, especially after Summitt's halftime speech.
"At halftime I was not real happy, because I didn't think our defense had the level of influence that it should have had," Summitt said. "This Purdue team they can make shots obviously, and they play well together. I didn't think that we disrupted them. I told them at halftime that's the way we built this program. That's how you win in March with defense and board play. I thought we really picked up our defensive intensity in the second half."
But Purdue also has reasons to feel good after the game. The Boilermakers were a bubble team to make the tournament and beat New Mexico in the first round. The experience should pay off next season.
"That is what I told them is that you have to learn from these experiences, and it is important to understand they can either make you better or make you worse," Curry said. "There is no staying the same. We have to get better so that a year from now we have two Big 10 Champion rings on our fingers, one from the tournament and regular season. We look up a year from now we are headed to the Sweet 16, and we are going to be in a situation to be on our home floor. So you turn the experiences into a positive, and I told them that I loved them, and I was proud of them."
Although Purdue was behind the entire game, the players never quit and held the rebounding edge on Tennessee until the Lady Vols squeaked ahead, 42-40.
"That's huge, you know, because we never really hung our head," Gearlds said. "I think that shows how far we have come along since the season began. ... They gave it to us a few times, but we did not hang our heads, and we kept battling. I am proud that we didn't quit. I saw a lot of fire out there in people's eyes, and that is something to look forward to in the future."
After the game, the NCAA revised its policy and had the losing team holds it press conference first. That allowed Summitt and her team to remain on the floor for a ceremony to honor her achievement. Sue Donohoe, the NCAA's vice president for Division I women's basketball, and Lynn Parkes, the chair of the NCAA Women's Basketball Committee, presented Summitt with the game ball and a commemorative plaque at center court.
Then Women's Athletics Director Joan Cronan and UT President John Petersen made the surprise announcement that the floor at Thompson-Boling Arena will be named The Summitt. It will be a permanent logo on the floor - THE SUMMITT, KNOXVILLE - and will remain in place for all basketball games played at the arena.
"I had no idea," Summitt said. "It really touches me. It's a tremendous honor. I never even thought about anything like that. I don't think there could have been a better gift. It's an incredible honor for me personally and for my family as well."
Summitt had tears in her eyes after a poster-board replica of the court was unveiled.
"That was shocking," senior guard Loree Moore said. "She was crying, and we were crying. This is a great moment for her to have that named after her. It's wonderful. I'm just mad I can't play on it. I want to play on the court, too. It's special. She deserves it. She's done so much for the program and women's basketball."
"I think it's awesome," said senior guard Brittany Jackson . "It's well-deserved. Too bad I'm not going to get to play on it. I think it's really neat. It's exciting to be a part of it."
"We didn't see that coming by any means but very well deserved," Zolman said. "It's so cool to say, 'Let's go play on the Summitt.' "
Ely joked with reporters that she has always played on The Summitt, even if it wasn't officially called that. When the post-game celebration ended Ely, a senior playing in her final game at home, kneeled down to kiss the court before leaving it for the last time.
"I've been playing on the Summitt," Ely said. "I'm so proud of her. I'm happy to be a part of it."
Ely said the gesture was "to show my appreciation and kiss it good-bye and acknowledge the Summitt, a lot of emotion."
Summitt was emotional before the game when her mother, Hazel Head, made a surprise trip to Knoxville from her home in Middle Tennessee with other members of Summitt's family, including her siblings.
"I was really sad because my mom and dad weren't going to be able to be here (as Summitt's father, Richard Head, has been ill)," Summitt said. "It was just great when my family walked in, and I walked around the corner and there's my mother. Of course she's crying. So what do I do? I cry. That's what you do. When your mother cries, you cry. It's really special. The longer that I'm in this profession, the more I realize I have a lot of my mother in me. That's a good thing. That means I've mellowed."
It was Summitt's maternal nature that helped her secure a recruit four years ago that is one of this team's most-important players.
"I think it was important to come here because I knew that I would become an adult, become a better person and be disciplined, just be able to take care of myself," Ely said. "I'm such a homebody, a little girl at heart. I think it was important for my parents just knowing that Pat was going to take care of me while I'm away from home. She's done nothing but that. One thing that influenced me to come here was the family atmosphere, and I know that Pat Summitt genuinely cares about every single one of us. I think that's what makes it so special that we are a family."
Summitt, however, wasn't always mellow during the game. She stalked the sideline, encouraged her players and didn't hesitate to stomp her feet and raise her voice when something displeased her.
One target of her ire was freshman guard Alexis Hornbuckle , who had one assist to four turnovers. Hornbuckle did chip in five points - including a driving off-balance layup that she converted into a three-point basket after a foul - and five rebounds. But by Hornbuckle's standards, it was sub-par, though she is happy to be going to Philly, where she played a few times in high school for AAU basketball.
"Definitely excited. My first Sweet Sixteen," Hornbuckle said. "It's big. I'm ready for another game. Got to redeem myself from tonight."
Another player, Jackson, was held scoreless, but earned Summitt's praise because of other efforts, including four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block.
"That's big. I want her to be able to be on the floor when she's not scoring and do other things," Summitt said. "I think that's really important ... with her being a senior and wanting her to be on the floor now."
"My shot didn't fall so I was just trying to do the other things," Jackson said. "It was an exciting game and it was fun to play. I didn't score, but I didn't care. Different people step up every night. I think that's the fun thing about this team."
On this night Fluker stepped up - she earned the oversized sunglasses award for best focus, Moore got the ring for leadership and Anosike kept the hat for attitude.
"I felt good tonight," Fluker said. "My teammates gave me the ball, and I was able to finish and play with my teammates."
"Tye Fluker had great focus tonight and stepped up and made really big plays for us," Summitt said. "I hope she'll keep those glasses for awhile."
The entire team was focused as they blocked out the distraction of Summitt's record and concentrated on getting a win. It wasn't easy. An electric crowd of 13,188 cheered and held up signs of 880 before, during and after the game.
"Play in the moment," Ely said when asked about her mindset. "You look in the crowd and see 880. You just kind of have to separate it and live in that moment. Take care of the business."
Zolman was impressed with how her coach handled the attention and accolades, even before the ball was tipped.
"I don't know how she did it, be able to stay focused like she does constantly and be intense in the moment," Zolman said. "We're not really relieved (the pursuit of the record is over), but it's nice to be able to focus solely on the tournament right now - but giving her all due respect and all the props for what she's done because it's amazing.
"I didn't feel any more tightness because of the record or anything else. She did a very good job of keeping us focused, and she continually told us this is a game, a tournament."
Summitt had tried all week to deflect attention away from the record - she tied it Sunday with a win over Western Carolina - and steer the emphasis back to her players.
"I just want to keep my focus on this team. That's all I was thinking about today and just getting them ready to play," Summitt said. "I didn't want the players to feel pressure from this. I think they handled it very well. They said to me it would be special to them because they would be a part of it always."
The moment was shared by a lot of people - former Tennessee men's coach Buzz Peterson sat with Summitt's family and football coach Phillip Fulmer also was in the stands - including Summitt's former players and staff members. One of them was Mickie DeMoss, an assistant to Summitt for 18 years who recruited many players on this team and now the head coach at Kentucky.
"At first I thought, ho-hum, Pat's breaking another record," DeMoss said after the game in the Lady Vols locker room. "The more I thought about it and the more I watched it on ESPN and the magnitude of it and the significance of it I thought if there's any way I could work it out to be here, I wanted to be here."
It meant a lot to Summitt that she made it, but the coach is also glad that's it over.
"Yes I am glad that it's over because now it's strictly about this team, and that's the way it should be," Summitt said. "This team has got the chance to do something special."
Summitt ended her press conference by thanking the reporters in attendance.
"Thank you all for being here," Summitt said. "I always appreciated what the media has meant for the growth of our sport."
She ended the post-game celebration by taking a courtside microphone and thanking the fans.
"You're such a part of this," Summitt said. "This has been a special year. This basketball team is on a mission so stick with us."
THE UNDERCARD: In the evening's first game, LSU beat Arizona, 76-43, to advance to the Sweet 16 in the Chattanooga Region. LSU will face surprise winner Liberty, which has beaten Penn State and DePaul. The other semifinal in that region will pit Duke against Georgia.
LSU, 31-2, dominated Arizona, 20-12, from beginning to the end. The Lady Tigers leaped out to a 28-8 lead in the first half and never looked back.
LSU point guard Temeka Johnson was perfect from the floor - 4-4 in field goals, including two 3-pointers and 4-4 from the line - to finish with 14 points. Johnson also had 10 assists, four rebounds and two steals. Seimone Augustus had 18 points - she has scored in double figures in a school record 59 straight games - and Scholanda Hoston added 12 points.
Arizona was led by Dee-Dee Wheeler with 13 points and Shawntinice Polk with 10. Forward Danielle Adefeso led all rebounders with 12 boards. Wheeler finished her career as Arizona's all-time leader in steals (306), games played (124), games started (118) and minutes played (4,031). She is second in the Wildcats' record book in points with 1,968.
"Right from the get-go they jumped on us and unfortunately for us that set the tempo for the rest of the game," Arizona coach Joan Bonvicini said. "They really put us back on our heels. They are a super-athletic team. ... It is going to take someone special to beat them."
LSU coach Pokey Chatman was pleased with how her team set the tempo from the start of the game.
"I thought from the very first possession on defense we established ourselves with an entry to the post with a quick trap," Chatman said. "I think Temeka was the one who secured the steal in transition and that sort of became the theme for the first half."
Arizona's center agreed.
"Early we saw them play a lot of one-on-one in the post, and tonight they doubled and tripled, and I was not expecting that," Polk said. "I have faced it all year (from other teams), but mentally I was just making some bad turnovers (six)."
Augustus said the disruption is part of the plan.
"I think every time we go out, we want to try to make the other team's offense not even have a chance to run their offense," she said.
During pre-game warmups and once during the game, Arizona's band played "Rocky Top," much to the delight of Tennessee fans already in the arena.
"I guess it didn't really work as well as Arizona hoped it did," Johnson said. "We don't feed into all that stuff."
Chatman, however, was glad to be in Knoxville.
"I'm glad I'm in the building to have the chance to possibly witness that," Chatman said before Tennessee's game about Summitt breaking Smith's record. "So many people pick up the newspaper or tune into the game because it's monumental. I think it's tremendous."
And from now on, every University of Tennessee basketball player - men and women - will play on a floor named The Summitt.
The evening began with Pat Summitt crying because her mother made it to the historic game and ended with her crying when the university surprised her with the announcement about the floor. In between, the Lady Vols made it to the Sweet 16, which was Summitt's sole goal for the evening.
Tennessee took out Purdue , 75-54, on Tuesday night to advance to the regional in Philadelphia and to allow Summitt to surpass Dean Smith in career wins with no. 880, an event that has garnered nearly unprecedented media coverage, even for this storied program.
Summitt had to mute her own television Monday night because her pursuit of the record was all she heard. The primary concern was that the players would come out pressing - as in uptight - because of the pressure.
They didn't. The Lady Vols never trailed in the game.
"I think coach helped us with that," UT senior forward Shyra Ely said. "She always kept us focused on the game and not the record. At the same I think we're mature enough to be able to separate and focus on the moment."
Tennessee jumped out to a 30-17 lead, still led 39-32 at halftime and then put Purdue away in the second half. Four players were in double figures - Tye'sha Fluker tied a career high with 18 points and also had 10 rebounds - and 38 of the team's points came in the paint. The other top scorers were Ely with 16 points, Shanna Zolman with 15 and Nicky Anosike with 11.
"First of all I'm excited that this basketball team is headed to Philadelphia, and I appreciate the fact they managed to get it done tonight," Summitt said. "We played in spurts at times but good enough to advance, and that's what you do in post-season. Survive and advance. I'm proud of this team and proud for this team. We'll enjoy this tonight and start thinking about Texas Tech immediately."
The Lady Vols will play Texas Tech on Sunday (either noon or 2:30 p.m.). Rutgers and Ohio State will play in the other regional semifinal at Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University. The winners will meet March 30 for the right to go to the Final Four in Indianapolis.
"I never really thought about winning X number of games," Summitt said. It's more about winning the next game. Trying to win another championship. Every team I want to reach their full potential."
To get to Philadelphia, Tennessee, 28-4, first had to beat Purdue, 17-13. The Boilermakers were considerable underdogs - the Lady Vols have never lost an NCAA tourney game at home and now have 36 wins - and are a relatively young team prone to turning over the ball.
"It definitely hurt as without question," said Purdue coach Kristy Curry, who first opened her statement to the media with congratulations for Summitt.
Purdue was led by Katie Gearlds with 13 points and Sharika Webb with 16. The day before the game, Curry said her team needed to have less than 15 turnovers to be successful. The Boilermakers had 16 in the first half and finished with 26. Tennessee scored 26 of its points off of turnovers.
"Against any good basketball team you have to take care of the basketball, and Tennessee is a great basketball team," Gearlds said. "We mishandled a few times, and they took advantage of it. But coach said this was something to learn from, but give them credit as they took advantage of our turnovers.
Tennessee was having trouble hanging on to the ball, too, and finished the game with more turnovers (18) than assists (15.) But the Lady Vols also had 15 steals - including a career high six by freshman center Anosike - and seven blocks in what was a solid defensive effort, especially after Summitt's halftime speech.
"At halftime I was not real happy, because I didn't think our defense had the level of influence that it should have had," Summitt said. "This Purdue team they can make shots obviously, and they play well together. I didn't think that we disrupted them. I told them at halftime that's the way we built this program. That's how you win in March with defense and board play. I thought we really picked up our defensive intensity in the second half."
But Purdue also has reasons to feel good after the game. The Boilermakers were a bubble team to make the tournament and beat New Mexico in the first round. The experience should pay off next season.
"That is what I told them is that you have to learn from these experiences, and it is important to understand they can either make you better or make you worse," Curry said. "There is no staying the same. We have to get better so that a year from now we have two Big 10 Champion rings on our fingers, one from the tournament and regular season. We look up a year from now we are headed to the Sweet 16, and we are going to be in a situation to be on our home floor. So you turn the experiences into a positive, and I told them that I loved them, and I was proud of them."
Although Purdue was behind the entire game, the players never quit and held the rebounding edge on Tennessee until the Lady Vols squeaked ahead, 42-40.
"That's huge, you know, because we never really hung our head," Gearlds said. "I think that shows how far we have come along since the season began. ... They gave it to us a few times, but we did not hang our heads, and we kept battling. I am proud that we didn't quit. I saw a lot of fire out there in people's eyes, and that is something to look forward to in the future."
After the game, the NCAA revised its policy and had the losing team holds it press conference first. That allowed Summitt and her team to remain on the floor for a ceremony to honor her achievement. Sue Donohoe, the NCAA's vice president for Division I women's basketball, and Lynn Parkes, the chair of the NCAA Women's Basketball Committee, presented Summitt with the game ball and a commemorative plaque at center court.
Then Women's Athletics Director Joan Cronan and UT President John Petersen made the surprise announcement that the floor at Thompson-Boling Arena will be named The Summitt. It will be a permanent logo on the floor - THE SUMMITT, KNOXVILLE - and will remain in place for all basketball games played at the arena.
"I had no idea," Summitt said. "It really touches me. It's a tremendous honor. I never even thought about anything like that. I don't think there could have been a better gift. It's an incredible honor for me personally and for my family as well."
Summitt had tears in her eyes after a poster-board replica of the court was unveiled.
"That was shocking," senior guard Loree Moore said. "She was crying, and we were crying. This is a great moment for her to have that named after her. It's wonderful. I'm just mad I can't play on it. I want to play on the court, too. It's special. She deserves it. She's done so much for the program and women's basketball."
"I think it's awesome," said senior guard Brittany Jackson . "It's well-deserved. Too bad I'm not going to get to play on it. I think it's really neat. It's exciting to be a part of it."
"We didn't see that coming by any means but very well deserved," Zolman said. "It's so cool to say, 'Let's go play on the Summitt.' "
Ely joked with reporters that she has always played on The Summitt, even if it wasn't officially called that. When the post-game celebration ended Ely, a senior playing in her final game at home, kneeled down to kiss the court before leaving it for the last time.
"I've been playing on the Summitt," Ely said. "I'm so proud of her. I'm happy to be a part of it."
Ely said the gesture was "to show my appreciation and kiss it good-bye and acknowledge the Summitt, a lot of emotion."
Summitt was emotional before the game when her mother, Hazel Head, made a surprise trip to Knoxville from her home in Middle Tennessee with other members of Summitt's family, including her siblings.
"I was really sad because my mom and dad weren't going to be able to be here (as Summitt's father, Richard Head, has been ill)," Summitt said. "It was just great when my family walked in, and I walked around the corner and there's my mother. Of course she's crying. So what do I do? I cry. That's what you do. When your mother cries, you cry. It's really special. The longer that I'm in this profession, the more I realize I have a lot of my mother in me. That's a good thing. That means I've mellowed."
It was Summitt's maternal nature that helped her secure a recruit four years ago that is one of this team's most-important players.
"I think it was important to come here because I knew that I would become an adult, become a better person and be disciplined, just be able to take care of myself," Ely said. "I'm such a homebody, a little girl at heart. I think it was important for my parents just knowing that Pat was going to take care of me while I'm away from home. She's done nothing but that. One thing that influenced me to come here was the family atmosphere, and I know that Pat Summitt genuinely cares about every single one of us. I think that's what makes it so special that we are a family."
Summitt, however, wasn't always mellow during the game. She stalked the sideline, encouraged her players and didn't hesitate to stomp her feet and raise her voice when something displeased her.
One target of her ire was freshman guard Alexis Hornbuckle , who had one assist to four turnovers. Hornbuckle did chip in five points - including a driving off-balance layup that she converted into a three-point basket after a foul - and five rebounds. But by Hornbuckle's standards, it was sub-par, though she is happy to be going to Philly, where she played a few times in high school for AAU basketball.
"Definitely excited. My first Sweet Sixteen," Hornbuckle said. "It's big. I'm ready for another game. Got to redeem myself from tonight."
Another player, Jackson, was held scoreless, but earned Summitt's praise because of other efforts, including four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block.
"That's big. I want her to be able to be on the floor when she's not scoring and do other things," Summitt said. "I think that's really important ... with her being a senior and wanting her to be on the floor now."
"My shot didn't fall so I was just trying to do the other things," Jackson said. "It was an exciting game and it was fun to play. I didn't score, but I didn't care. Different people step up every night. I think that's the fun thing about this team."
On this night Fluker stepped up - she earned the oversized sunglasses award for best focus, Moore got the ring for leadership and Anosike kept the hat for attitude.
"I felt good tonight," Fluker said. "My teammates gave me the ball, and I was able to finish and play with my teammates."
"Tye Fluker had great focus tonight and stepped up and made really big plays for us," Summitt said. "I hope she'll keep those glasses for awhile."
The entire team was focused as they blocked out the distraction of Summitt's record and concentrated on getting a win. It wasn't easy. An electric crowd of 13,188 cheered and held up signs of 880 before, during and after the game.
"Play in the moment," Ely said when asked about her mindset. "You look in the crowd and see 880. You just kind of have to separate it and live in that moment. Take care of the business."
Zolman was impressed with how her coach handled the attention and accolades, even before the ball was tipped.
"I don't know how she did it, be able to stay focused like she does constantly and be intense in the moment," Zolman said. "We're not really relieved (the pursuit of the record is over), but it's nice to be able to focus solely on the tournament right now - but giving her all due respect and all the props for what she's done because it's amazing.
"I didn't feel any more tightness because of the record or anything else. She did a very good job of keeping us focused, and she continually told us this is a game, a tournament."
Summitt had tried all week to deflect attention away from the record - she tied it Sunday with a win over Western Carolina - and steer the emphasis back to her players.
"I just want to keep my focus on this team. That's all I was thinking about today and just getting them ready to play," Summitt said. "I didn't want the players to feel pressure from this. I think they handled it very well. They said to me it would be special to them because they would be a part of it always."
The moment was shared by a lot of people - former Tennessee men's coach Buzz Peterson sat with Summitt's family and football coach Phillip Fulmer also was in the stands - including Summitt's former players and staff members. One of them was Mickie DeMoss, an assistant to Summitt for 18 years who recruited many players on this team and now the head coach at Kentucky.
"At first I thought, ho-hum, Pat's breaking another record," DeMoss said after the game in the Lady Vols locker room. "The more I thought about it and the more I watched it on ESPN and the magnitude of it and the significance of it I thought if there's any way I could work it out to be here, I wanted to be here."
It meant a lot to Summitt that she made it, but the coach is also glad that's it over.
"Yes I am glad that it's over because now it's strictly about this team, and that's the way it should be," Summitt said. "This team has got the chance to do something special."
Summitt ended her press conference by thanking the reporters in attendance.
"Thank you all for being here," Summitt said. "I always appreciated what the media has meant for the growth of our sport."
She ended the post-game celebration by taking a courtside microphone and thanking the fans.
"You're such a part of this," Summitt said. "This has been a special year. This basketball team is on a mission so stick with us."
THE UNDERCARD: In the evening's first game, LSU beat Arizona, 76-43, to advance to the Sweet 16 in the Chattanooga Region. LSU will face surprise winner Liberty, which has beaten Penn State and DePaul. The other semifinal in that region will pit Duke against Georgia.
LSU, 31-2, dominated Arizona, 20-12, from beginning to the end. The Lady Tigers leaped out to a 28-8 lead in the first half and never looked back.
LSU point guard Temeka Johnson was perfect from the floor - 4-4 in field goals, including two 3-pointers and 4-4 from the line - to finish with 14 points. Johnson also had 10 assists, four rebounds and two steals. Seimone Augustus had 18 points - she has scored in double figures in a school record 59 straight games - and Scholanda Hoston added 12 points.
Arizona was led by Dee-Dee Wheeler with 13 points and Shawntinice Polk with 10. Forward Danielle Adefeso led all rebounders with 12 boards. Wheeler finished her career as Arizona's all-time leader in steals (306), games played (124), games started (118) and minutes played (4,031). She is second in the Wildcats' record book in points with 1,968.
"Right from the get-go they jumped on us and unfortunately for us that set the tempo for the rest of the game," Arizona coach Joan Bonvicini said. "They really put us back on our heels. They are a super-athletic team. ... It is going to take someone special to beat them."
LSU coach Pokey Chatman was pleased with how her team set the tempo from the start of the game.
"I thought from the very first possession on defense we established ourselves with an entry to the post with a quick trap," Chatman said. "I think Temeka was the one who secured the steal in transition and that sort of became the theme for the first half."
Arizona's center agreed.
"Early we saw them play a lot of one-on-one in the post, and tonight they doubled and tripled, and I was not expecting that," Polk said. "I have faced it all year (from other teams), but mentally I was just making some bad turnovers (six)."
Augustus said the disruption is part of the plan.
"I think every time we go out, we want to try to make the other team's offense not even have a chance to run their offense," she said.
During pre-game warmups and once during the game, Arizona's band played "Rocky Top," much to the delight of Tennessee fans already in the arena.
"I guess it didn't really work as well as Arizona hoped it did," Johnson said. "We don't feed into all that stuff."
Chatman, however, was glad to be in Knoxville.
"I'm glad I'm in the building to have the chance to possibly witness that," Chatman said before Tennessee's game about Summitt breaking Smith's record. "So many people pick up the newspaper or tune into the game because it's monumental. I think it's tremendous."
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