KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - University of Tennessee Associate Head Basketball Coach Holly Warlick and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Head Basketball Coach and former Lady Vol Nikki Caldwell are back on their motorcycles once again! The duo is proud to announce the Fourth Annual Cruisin' For A Cause presented by FedEx Office - a long haul motorcycle ride dedicated to raising funds and awareness for a cure for breast cancer - as part of their partnership in founding the charitable organization, Champions For A Cause.
This year, for their Fourth Annual Crusin' For A Cause trip, Warlick and Caldwell have their collective sights set on a ride to Niagara Falls, N.Y., with stops along the way on the ride out to Washington D.C. and New York City.
"Our goal is pretty simple," said Warlick. "We want to ride thousands of miles to raise thousands of dollars to recruit thousands of people to join the fight against breast cancer." Also a passionate crusader for breast cancer awareness and research, Caldwell noted, "More than 185,000 women are diagnosed and more than 41,000 women die from breast cancer every year. This ride is one of our advocacy efforts to encourage the health community to advance their work on finding a cure for this life threatening illness."
Kicking off Cruisin' For A Cause is Knoxville's local fundraising event, the TaTa Tour on Saturday, May 8. Warlick and Caldwell are inviting local motorcyclists to join them on a short ride beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET at the Wild Wing Café (Campbell Station Road, I-40), including a special stop at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame at 10:45 a.m. Following the ride, participants and supporters are welcome to join Warlick and Caldwell back at the Wild Wing Café at approximately 12:30 p.m. ET for the TaTa Tour Celebration. Slots are limited for the Knoxville ride and online registration is encouraged.
Following the TaTa Tour ride, Warlick and Caldwell, along with the Cruisin' Crew, an entourage of supporters, will hop back on their bikes at 2:00 p.m. at Wild Wing Café to start the first leg of the 2010 Cruisin' For A Cause, an 1850-mile round-trip to Niagara Falls and back. The motorcycle ride will begin in Knoxville and the crew will stop to host fundraisers and meet fans along the route, including planned events in Washington D.C., at the National Institutes of Health at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, May 10; in New York City on May 11 with an appearance on ABC's Good Morning America (8:30 a.m. segment with GMA host Robin Roberts); at the U.S. Military Academy on Wednesday, May 12 and in Niagara Falls, N.Y. on Thursday, May 13. The route home will take them through Cincinnati, Ohio on Friday, May 14 where they will be recognized at the St. Louis Cardinals at the Cincinnati Reds Major League Baseball game before their return to Knoxville on Saturday, May 15.
Warlick and Caldwell, along with the Cruisin' Crew, stop by Children's Hospital in Knoxville before celebrating their Knoxville homecoming back at the Wild Wing Café on May 15 at 3:00 p.m.
Past Cruisin' For A Cause events included the inaugural ride in 2007 from San Francisco to Knoxville; a 2008 round-trip from Knoxville to Key West, Fla., and last year's ride, a 1500-mile round-trip along the Natchez Trace. Since 2007, the Cruisin' Crew has traveled more than 6,000 miles and the annual event has contributed to the nearly $100,000 raised by the charitable organization, Champions For A Cause.
Based in Knoxville, Tenn., Champions For A Cause has raised and donated nearly $100,000 to help support the fight against breast cancer. The money raised through these events supports efforts such as the University of Tennessee Breast Health Outreach Program, Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund, and The Wellness Community of East Tennessee. These organizations have provided thousands of mammograms, countless treatments, and hours of education for those who could not otherwise afford these life saving services. Champions For A Cause is a non-profit (501(c)-3) fundraising organization started by UT Associate Head Basketball Coach Holly Warlick and UCLA Head Basketball Coach Nikki Caldwell, with the mission to advance and support the cause of charitable organizations who advocate and act to better the quality of life and health for individuals at risk or in need. For more information, visit Champions For A Cause at www.championsforacause.org and on Facebook and Twitter.
Friday, May 07, 2010
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Mickie DeMoss Returns to the Lady Vol Basketball Sidelines
After seven years away from the University of Tennessee, Mickie DeMoss has decided to return to the university and the women's basketball program she called home for 18 seasons as an assistant and associate head coach.
The announcement was made by Tennessee Lady Vol Head Coach Pat Summitt this morning.
DeMoss replaces Tennessee staffer Stephanie Glance who became the head coach at Illinois State University on April 20, 2010.
"I guess Mickie had the `seven-year itch'," joked Summitt. "Seriously, we are thrilled to have Mickie back in the Lady Vol program. She is tied in to so much of our championship success throughout the years. She is a tremendous recruiter, teacher of the game and a great bench coach as well.
"While she was away, she had a chance to be a successful head coach at Kentucky and also to serve on the staff at the University of Texas. Mickie's forte has always been recruiting and working with the post players. Her résumé is so much richer now as a result of her experiences over the past seven years.
"She is excited about coming back and helping us to continue to compete for championships," said Summitt.
DeMoss and current Associate Head Coach Holly Warlick both joined Tennessee's coaching staff prior to the 1985-86 season. For the next 18 years, the coaching trio of Summitt, DeMoss and Warlick, posted six NCAA Championship titles (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997 and 1998) while advancing to 12 NCAA Final Fours. During this span, the Lady Vols had a 554-77 overall record (.878). In 2000, DeMoss was promoted to associate head coach at Tennessee.
"It is just great to be coming back to Knoxville," said DeMoss. "When I left Tennessee to become the head coach at the University of Kentucky, it just seemed to be the right time in my development and growth as a coach. Following that, the opportunity I had to become an assistant coach at the University of Texas was what I needed at the time. As a result, I gained a different perspective and grew a great deal as a coach and person from those experiences.
"Now, I really feel like I'll be coming home. The University of Tennessee, the Lady Vol family and the Knoxville community have always been such a big part of my life. I was honored and excited when Pat asked if I would be interested in coming back to Tennessee," said DeMoss.
DeMoss, who just finished her 33rd season on the sidelines as a women's basketball coach, left the Lady Vols after the 2002-03 season to take the head coaching job at Kentucky. In four seasons, she guided the Wildcats to a 71-56 record including consecutive 20-win seasons (for the first time in 16 years) and three postseason appearances (one NCAA and two WNIT) for the first time in school history.
In 2005-06, DeMoss was named the SEC Coach of the Year, a first for a UK coach, as she guided the 22-9 Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven seasons and punctuated the trip with an NCAA win. This breakout year also included a victory over number one ranked Tennessee, 66-63, in Rupp Arena in front of a school-record crowd of 13,689. It marked UK's first win over a top-ranked team in school history. In 2006-07, UK was 20-14 and advanced to the WNIT. That season, DeMoss' Cats attracted a school record attendance of 5,863 fans per game.
She elected to step aside as head coach at Kentucky in April 2007.
Her coaching hiatus ended when she accepted an assistant coaching position at the University of Texas in the summer of 2007. Since then, she has been the Longhorns' top recruiter while also coaching the post game.
Prior to joining the Tennessee staff in 1985, she had been an assistant coach at Auburn University (1983-85), a head coach at the University of Florida (1979-83) and an assistant at Memphis State (1977-79).
DeMoss received her undergraduate degree in physical education from Louisiana Tech University in 1977, where she starred at point guard. She then received her master's degree in education at Memphis State University in 1979. She is a native of Tallulah, La.
The Mickie DeMoss File
Full Name: Mickie Faye DeMoss
Hometown: Tallulah, La. (Delhi High School)
Education: B.S. (Physical Education), Louisiana Tech, 1977; M.S. (Education), Memphis State, 1979
COACHING EXPERIENCE
The University of Texas
• Assistant Coach (July 2007-May 2010)
The University of Kentucky
• Head Coach (April 2003-April 2007)
• Four-year record: 71-56
• Led UK to first back-to-back 20-win seasons in 16 years (22-9 in 2005-06, 20-14 in 2006-07)
• Led UK to 2006 NCAA Tournament and to the 2005 and 2007 WNIT
• 2005-06 SEC Coach of the Year
The University of Tennessee
• Associate Head Coach (July 2000-03)
• Assistant Coach (July 1985-July 2000)
• Assisted in helping program to a 554-77 overall record
• Helped Tennessee to 12 NCAA Final Fours, six NCAA national championships (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998) and three NCAA finals (1995, 2000, 2003)
Auburn University
• Assistant Coach (1983-85)
The University of Florida
• Head Coach (1979-83)
• Four-year record: 45-68
Memphis State University
• Assistant Coach (1977-79)
COLLEGIATE PLAYING EXPERIENCE
• Louisiana Tech (1973-77)
The announcement was made by Tennessee Lady Vol Head Coach Pat Summitt this morning.
DeMoss replaces Tennessee staffer Stephanie Glance who became the head coach at Illinois State University on April 20, 2010.
"I guess Mickie had the `seven-year itch'," joked Summitt. "Seriously, we are thrilled to have Mickie back in the Lady Vol program. She is tied in to so much of our championship success throughout the years. She is a tremendous recruiter, teacher of the game and a great bench coach as well.
"While she was away, she had a chance to be a successful head coach at Kentucky and also to serve on the staff at the University of Texas. Mickie's forte has always been recruiting and working with the post players. Her résumé is so much richer now as a result of her experiences over the past seven years.
"She is excited about coming back and helping us to continue to compete for championships," said Summitt.
DeMoss and current Associate Head Coach Holly Warlick both joined Tennessee's coaching staff prior to the 1985-86 season. For the next 18 years, the coaching trio of Summitt, DeMoss and Warlick, posted six NCAA Championship titles (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997 and 1998) while advancing to 12 NCAA Final Fours. During this span, the Lady Vols had a 554-77 overall record (.878). In 2000, DeMoss was promoted to associate head coach at Tennessee.
"It is just great to be coming back to Knoxville," said DeMoss. "When I left Tennessee to become the head coach at the University of Kentucky, it just seemed to be the right time in my development and growth as a coach. Following that, the opportunity I had to become an assistant coach at the University of Texas was what I needed at the time. As a result, I gained a different perspective and grew a great deal as a coach and person from those experiences.
"Now, I really feel like I'll be coming home. The University of Tennessee, the Lady Vol family and the Knoxville community have always been such a big part of my life. I was honored and excited when Pat asked if I would be interested in coming back to Tennessee," said DeMoss.
DeMoss, who just finished her 33rd season on the sidelines as a women's basketball coach, left the Lady Vols after the 2002-03 season to take the head coaching job at Kentucky. In four seasons, she guided the Wildcats to a 71-56 record including consecutive 20-win seasons (for the first time in 16 years) and three postseason appearances (one NCAA and two WNIT) for the first time in school history.
In 2005-06, DeMoss was named the SEC Coach of the Year, a first for a UK coach, as she guided the 22-9 Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven seasons and punctuated the trip with an NCAA win. This breakout year also included a victory over number one ranked Tennessee, 66-63, in Rupp Arena in front of a school-record crowd of 13,689. It marked UK's first win over a top-ranked team in school history. In 2006-07, UK was 20-14 and advanced to the WNIT. That season, DeMoss' Cats attracted a school record attendance of 5,863 fans per game.
She elected to step aside as head coach at Kentucky in April 2007.
Her coaching hiatus ended when she accepted an assistant coaching position at the University of Texas in the summer of 2007. Since then, she has been the Longhorns' top recruiter while also coaching the post game.
Prior to joining the Tennessee staff in 1985, she had been an assistant coach at Auburn University (1983-85), a head coach at the University of Florida (1979-83) and an assistant at Memphis State (1977-79).
DeMoss received her undergraduate degree in physical education from Louisiana Tech University in 1977, where she starred at point guard. She then received her master's degree in education at Memphis State University in 1979. She is a native of Tallulah, La.
The Mickie DeMoss File
Full Name: Mickie Faye DeMoss
Hometown: Tallulah, La. (Delhi High School)
Education: B.S. (Physical Education), Louisiana Tech, 1977; M.S. (Education), Memphis State, 1979
COACHING EXPERIENCE
The University of Texas
• Assistant Coach (July 2007-May 2010)
The University of Kentucky
• Head Coach (April 2003-April 2007)
• Four-year record: 71-56
• Led UK to first back-to-back 20-win seasons in 16 years (22-9 in 2005-06, 20-14 in 2006-07)
• Led UK to 2006 NCAA Tournament and to the 2005 and 2007 WNIT
• 2005-06 SEC Coach of the Year
The University of Tennessee
• Associate Head Coach (July 2000-03)
• Assistant Coach (July 1985-July 2000)
• Assisted in helping program to a 554-77 overall record
• Helped Tennessee to 12 NCAA Final Fours, six NCAA national championships (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998) and three NCAA finals (1995, 2000, 2003)
Auburn University
• Assistant Coach (1983-85)
The University of Florida
• Head Coach (1979-83)
• Four-year record: 45-68
Memphis State University
• Assistant Coach (1977-79)
COLLEGIATE PLAYING EXPERIENCE
• Louisiana Tech (1973-77)
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Bjorklund and Stricklen Earn Associated Press All-America Honors
University of Tennessee junior Angie Bjorklund and sophomore Shekinna Stricklen have both been named Honorable Mention Associated Press All-American.
They become the 11th and 12th Lady Vols to earn All-America honors from the Associated Press.
"I'm very proud and happy for both Angie and Shekinna. This honor is a testament to the hard work and energy that both have invested in improving their game," said Head Coach Pat Summitt. "Angie has really elevated her game. She's been devoted to getting in the gym and getting in extra shots, which has keyed her success. Angie was really a difference maker for us. Shekinna did a great job of running the point and her size out front is a definite advantage. She has learned to attack the paint, and when you factor that in with her pull-up game and her three-point shooting, she is a complete package."
Bjorklund was a unanimous choice to the First Team All-SEC by the league coaches and was also selected First Team All-SEC as chosen by the Associated Press. In addition, she was named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and was tabbed to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Team. The Spokane Valley, Wash., native has climbed through the Tennessee record books in her third year at Rocky Top. Bjorklund has moved into third place on the career three-pointers list with 232 triples made and finished the campaign in second place in UT's single-season record books with 201 threes made. She led the team with 13.9 ppg, dished out 2.9 apg and grabbed 2.7 rpg.
Stricklen was named Second Team All-SEC by the conference coaches and the AP. She is a finalist for the Wooden Award, is a candidate for the Naismith Award and was named to the State Farm Wade Trophy Watch List. Stricklen recorded only the second triple-double in Lady Vol history when she scored 17 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out a career-best 12 assists against #14/15-ranked Oklahoma on Jan. 3, 2010, at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Morrilton, Ark., native was second on the team with 12.7 ppg, third with 6.1 rpg and boasts a team-high 3.9 apg.
They become the 11th and 12th Lady Vols to earn All-America honors from the Associated Press.
"I'm very proud and happy for both Angie and Shekinna. This honor is a testament to the hard work and energy that both have invested in improving their game," said Head Coach Pat Summitt. "Angie has really elevated her game. She's been devoted to getting in the gym and getting in extra shots, which has keyed her success. Angie was really a difference maker for us. Shekinna did a great job of running the point and her size out front is a definite advantage. She has learned to attack the paint, and when you factor that in with her pull-up game and her three-point shooting, she is a complete package."
Bjorklund was a unanimous choice to the First Team All-SEC by the league coaches and was also selected First Team All-SEC as chosen by the Associated Press. In addition, she was named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and was tabbed to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Team. The Spokane Valley, Wash., native has climbed through the Tennessee record books in her third year at Rocky Top. Bjorklund has moved into third place on the career three-pointers list with 232 triples made and finished the campaign in second place in UT's single-season record books with 201 threes made. She led the team with 13.9 ppg, dished out 2.9 apg and grabbed 2.7 rpg.
Stricklen was named Second Team All-SEC by the conference coaches and the AP. She is a finalist for the Wooden Award, is a candidate for the Naismith Award and was named to the State Farm Wade Trophy Watch List. Stricklen recorded only the second triple-double in Lady Vol history when she scored 17 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out a career-best 12 assists against #14/15-ranked Oklahoma on Jan. 3, 2010, at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Morrilton, Ark., native was second on the team with 12.7 ppg, third with 6.1 rpg and boasts a team-high 3.9 apg.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Lady Vols Fall to Baylor, 77-62, in NCAA Sweet 16
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Freshman sensation Brittney Griner has grown up a lot this season -- just ask Tennessee. Kim Mulkey knew her Lady Bears would be a good team some day. That day arrived Saturday in the Sweet 16 as Baylor toppled No. 1 seed Tennessee. Story Griner scored 27 points and blocked 10 shots, leading fourth-seeded Baylor to a 77-62 win over the top-seeded Lady Vols on Saturday to advance to the NCAA tournament regional finals.
"She was the X factor," said Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, whose team was taken out in the first round last season.
Baylor's only other appearance in the round of eight was in 2005, the same year it won the national championship. The Lady Bears (26-9) will face either No. 2 seed Duke or 11th-seeded San Diego State on Monday night.
The Lady Vols' loss spoiled the highly anticipated matchup between Tennessee and Connecticut, which could have happened in this year's national semifinals. The Lady Vols, who lost in the first round last season, haven't missed out on back-to-back Final Fours since 1993-94.
Tennessee (32-3) successfully limited the 6-foot-8 Griner in its 74-65 win over Baylor in the first game of the season but couldn't do it again even with as many as four players on her at a time. Griner hit several shots while double-teamed or passed to an open Lady Bears teammate for an easy layup.
"You're watching a phenom out here play above the rim," Mulkey said. "That's what needs to be written in every article from this day forward, because she's such a sweet child as you can see."
Griner had been somewhat tentative on offense since she was suspended for two games after throwing a punch against a Texas Tech player in early March. She was back to her dominant self on both ends of the court.
"I just knew I had to come out and play my game and go back to the old Brittney," Griner said. Griner's 26 blocks in the NCAA tournament ranks her second in history. Duke's Alison Bales holds the NCAA tournament record with 30 in 2006, and Connecticut's Rebecca Lobo's 22 now ranks third.
The teams went back and forth throughout the first half and early in the second, trading the lead 10 times and tying four times. With both 6-foot-6 Kelley Cain and 6-foot-3 Alyssia Brewer on the floor to guard Griner, Tennessee found some success inside and was up 55-50 with just under eight minutes left.
The Lady Vol orange-clad crowd fell silent as Griner hit back-to-back layups and had a three-point play as part of a 21-1 run as Tennessee's defense unraveled.
Tennessee (32-3) turned to its shooters in desperation. Though Angie Bjorklund and Shekinna Stricklen managed to hit jumpers in traffic and knock down a few 3s in the first half, they missed left and right in the second half.
The Lady Vols managed to hit only 32.9 percent, only slightly better than their season-worst 32.8 percent against Stanford, and finished with 22 paint points. The Lady Vols allowed the Lady Bears 49.1 percent shooting -- a season high for a Tennessee opponent -- and 36 paint points.
"I can't believe it. I'm just really excited that to get to the Elite Eight we had to go through the best, and the best in this region was Tennessee," Baylor's Morghan Medlock said.
Stricklen led Tennessee with 18 points, and Bjorklund added 12.
"I think anytime you play against a 6-8 player, it's is going to be tough to shoot over her," Bjorklund said. "At the same time, I thought when our posts did have the ball they did a good job. Going against her, we just needed to give the posts more touches."
Tennessee fell to 23-5 in regional semifinal games.
"She was the X factor," said Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, whose team was taken out in the first round last season.
Baylor's only other appearance in the round of eight was in 2005, the same year it won the national championship. The Lady Bears (26-9) will face either No. 2 seed Duke or 11th-seeded San Diego State on Monday night.
The Lady Vols' loss spoiled the highly anticipated matchup between Tennessee and Connecticut, which could have happened in this year's national semifinals. The Lady Vols, who lost in the first round last season, haven't missed out on back-to-back Final Fours since 1993-94.
Tennessee (32-3) successfully limited the 6-foot-8 Griner in its 74-65 win over Baylor in the first game of the season but couldn't do it again even with as many as four players on her at a time. Griner hit several shots while double-teamed or passed to an open Lady Bears teammate for an easy layup.
"You're watching a phenom out here play above the rim," Mulkey said. "That's what needs to be written in every article from this day forward, because she's such a sweet child as you can see."
Griner had been somewhat tentative on offense since she was suspended for two games after throwing a punch against a Texas Tech player in early March. She was back to her dominant self on both ends of the court.
"I just knew I had to come out and play my game and go back to the old Brittney," Griner said. Griner's 26 blocks in the NCAA tournament ranks her second in history. Duke's Alison Bales holds the NCAA tournament record with 30 in 2006, and Connecticut's Rebecca Lobo's 22 now ranks third.
The teams went back and forth throughout the first half and early in the second, trading the lead 10 times and tying four times. With both 6-foot-6 Kelley Cain and 6-foot-3 Alyssia Brewer on the floor to guard Griner, Tennessee found some success inside and was up 55-50 with just under eight minutes left.
The Lady Vol orange-clad crowd fell silent as Griner hit back-to-back layups and had a three-point play as part of a 21-1 run as Tennessee's defense unraveled.
Tennessee (32-3) turned to its shooters in desperation. Though Angie Bjorklund and Shekinna Stricklen managed to hit jumpers in traffic and knock down a few 3s in the first half, they missed left and right in the second half.
The Lady Vols managed to hit only 32.9 percent, only slightly better than their season-worst 32.8 percent against Stanford, and finished with 22 paint points. The Lady Vols allowed the Lady Bears 49.1 percent shooting -- a season high for a Tennessee opponent -- and 36 paint points.
"I can't believe it. I'm just really excited that to get to the Elite Eight we had to go through the best, and the best in this region was Tennessee," Baylor's Morghan Medlock said.
Stricklen led Tennessee with 18 points, and Bjorklund added 12.
"I think anytime you play against a 6-8 player, it's is going to be tough to shoot over her," Bjorklund said. "At the same time, I thought when our posts did have the ball they did a good job. Going against her, we just needed to give the posts more touches."
Tennessee fell to 23-5 in regional semifinal games.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Tennessee Storms past Dayton into Sweet Sixteen, 92-64
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- After an unprecedented early loss in the NCAAs last year, it's back to business as usual for Tennessee.
The No. 1-seeded Lady Volunteers beat eighth-seeded Dayton 92-64 in the second round of the tournament on Monday night.
Tennessee (32-2) will make its 28th appearance in the regional semifinals Saturday, this time playing 350 miles from home in Memphis. The Lady Vols' lone absence from the round of 16 in the tournament's 29-year history came after last season's 71-55 loss to Ball State in the opening round.
And the Lady Vols are ready to prove that loss was an anomaly.
"I thought I could feel the energy in the locker room, and I mean they were wanting to get out on the court ASAP. With all that energy, I thought: they're ready to play," coach Pat Summitt said.
Alicia Manning scored a career-high 17 points and had 10 rebounds and a career-high seven assists to lead Tennessee after fouling out of the opening-round game with two points. Manning was among five Lady Vols who had double-digit scoring against Dayton.
"I felt like last game I kind of let the team down getting in foul trouble, so I definitely felt like I needed to pick it up and make up for what I didn't do in the other game," she said.
Tennessee will face either No. 4 Baylor or No. 5 Georgetown in Memphis.
Dayton (25-8), which managed to rally from an 18-point deficit in its 67-66 win over TCU in the first round, was tasked with playing only its second NCAA tournament game in front of about 10,000 orange-clad fans on the court named "The Summitt."
A three-point play by Shekinna Stricklen launched a 17-2 scoring run for Tennessee. The Lady Vols had their way under their own basket, hitting wide-open shots from the perimeter and slashing the lane to take easy layups.
Manning cut through the paint to hit a layup that gave Tennessee a 19-4 run with 13:31 left in the first half. Taber Spani, who hit her first seven shots, sank a smooth 3 from the sideline to push Tennessee's lead to 23 points, and the Lady Vols entered halftime with a 50-30 lead.
"We knew we had to take away their inside game, so we were hoping they wouldn't go crazy on us. And they went crazy on us," Dayton coach Jim Jabir said. "I don't know if they do that usually. If they do, you should raise the ticket prices because that's some really good basketball."
At the break, Tennessee led in every category except rebounds -- something Summitt emphasized in the first round game. The two teams each had 20 at halftime.
But the Lady Vols didn't need the boards as they took care of the ball on offense and scored 13 off seven Dayton turnovers in the first half.
Tennessee scored the first 10 points of the second half, and Manning reached her career high on a fast-break layup that put the Lady Vols ahead 73-44 with 12:11 left.
Justine Raterman led the Flyers with 17 points.
The Lady Vols hit 53.9 percent of their shots as their lead ballooned to 34 points off a layup by Glory Johnson with 14:59 left. The Flyers hit 41.5 of their shots.
The Flyers struggled nearly every time they reached their end of the court. They had at least a half-dozen airballs in the first half, and Tennessee blocked 10 shots -- six by Kelley Cain.
And with 10 minutes to go, both Olivia Applewhite and Casey Nance had fouled out for Dayton.
"Offensively I thought we just looked nervous," Jabir said. "Justine doesn't shoot a lot of airballs and neither does Kendel [Ross]. I think both of those guys had rim bypasses a couple of times."
The No. 1-seeded Lady Volunteers beat eighth-seeded Dayton 92-64 in the second round of the tournament on Monday night.
Tennessee (32-2) will make its 28th appearance in the regional semifinals Saturday, this time playing 350 miles from home in Memphis. The Lady Vols' lone absence from the round of 16 in the tournament's 29-year history came after last season's 71-55 loss to Ball State in the opening round.
And the Lady Vols are ready to prove that loss was an anomaly.
"I thought I could feel the energy in the locker room, and I mean they were wanting to get out on the court ASAP. With all that energy, I thought: they're ready to play," coach Pat Summitt said.
Alicia Manning scored a career-high 17 points and had 10 rebounds and a career-high seven assists to lead Tennessee after fouling out of the opening-round game with two points. Manning was among five Lady Vols who had double-digit scoring against Dayton.
"I felt like last game I kind of let the team down getting in foul trouble, so I definitely felt like I needed to pick it up and make up for what I didn't do in the other game," she said.
Tennessee will face either No. 4 Baylor or No. 5 Georgetown in Memphis.
Dayton (25-8), which managed to rally from an 18-point deficit in its 67-66 win over TCU in the first round, was tasked with playing only its second NCAA tournament game in front of about 10,000 orange-clad fans on the court named "The Summitt."
A three-point play by Shekinna Stricklen launched a 17-2 scoring run for Tennessee. The Lady Vols had their way under their own basket, hitting wide-open shots from the perimeter and slashing the lane to take easy layups.
Manning cut through the paint to hit a layup that gave Tennessee a 19-4 run with 13:31 left in the first half. Taber Spani, who hit her first seven shots, sank a smooth 3 from the sideline to push Tennessee's lead to 23 points, and the Lady Vols entered halftime with a 50-30 lead.
"We knew we had to take away their inside game, so we were hoping they wouldn't go crazy on us. And they went crazy on us," Dayton coach Jim Jabir said. "I don't know if they do that usually. If they do, you should raise the ticket prices because that's some really good basketball."
At the break, Tennessee led in every category except rebounds -- something Summitt emphasized in the first round game. The two teams each had 20 at halftime.
But the Lady Vols didn't need the boards as they took care of the ball on offense and scored 13 off seven Dayton turnovers in the first half.
Tennessee scored the first 10 points of the second half, and Manning reached her career high on a fast-break layup that put the Lady Vols ahead 73-44 with 12:11 left.
Justine Raterman led the Flyers with 17 points.
The Lady Vols hit 53.9 percent of their shots as their lead ballooned to 34 points off a layup by Glory Johnson with 14:59 left. The Flyers hit 41.5 of their shots.
The Flyers struggled nearly every time they reached their end of the court. They had at least a half-dozen airballs in the first half, and Tennessee blocked 10 shots -- six by Kelley Cain.
And with 10 minutes to go, both Olivia Applewhite and Casey Nance had fouled out for Dayton.
"Offensively I thought we just looked nervous," Jabir said. "Justine doesn't shoot a lot of airballs and neither does Kendel [Ross]. I think both of those guys had rim bypasses a couple of times."
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Top-Seeded Lady Vols Breeze By Austin Peay, 75-42
KNOXVILLE -- When Tennessee lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year, coach Pat Summitt sent the team to the practice court immediately.
That extra work helped the Lady Vols secure a No. 1 seed this season and return to their winning ways with a 75-42 victory over No. 16 seed Austin Peay on Saturday in the opening round of the NCAA women's tournament.
"They were confused why would we go right back to practice. They thought it was punishment," Summitt said. "I said, 'No, it's an opportunity for this basketball team to get better.'"
The Lady Vols (31-2), playing in their NCAA-record 29th first-round game, had advanced out of the opening weekend every season until last year's 71-55 loss to Ball State in the first round as a No. 5 seed. They're now 43-1 in the first two rounds.
The Lady Vols' work ethic wasn't the only difference in the two games.
This time Tennessee played at "The Summitt" and in front of mostly orange-clad fans. Summitt said her players were also more committed playing well.
"[It's] just a little bit different," Tennessee's Angie Bjorklund said of the atmosphere of the arena and the postgame locker room.
Tennessee also lost Kelley Cain in the first half of last year's tournament game to a knee injury.
This time, Cain had 18 points and 12 rebounds and hit a jumper 30 seconds into the game. The Lady Vols scored the first 15 points before Austin Peay hit a basket.
Austin Peay coach Carrie Daniels said the Lady Govs had experience with players who were bigger them but hadn't seen anyone quite like the 6-foot-6 Cain.
"Prior to this game we brought out broomsticks and made the players shoot over them to simulate," Daniels said.
The Lady Govs (15-18) got their first points when Ashley Herring hauled in a rebound off Brooke Faulkner's missed jumper and hit a jumper with 13:14 left in the first half.
"At the start when shots aren't just aren't falling, what can you do?" Herring said.
Herring scored 21 points for Austin Peay, which worked its way into tournament as only the eighth team in history with a losing record by winning the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.
By halftime, the Lady Vols had expanded their lead to 37-16 and that margin grew to 38 points in the second half off a 3-point shot by Taber Spani that made it 73-35 with 3:45.
Austin Peay turned the ball over 14 times in the first half, leading to 17 Tennessee points. Despite being smaller at every position, the Lady Govs found success in the paint against the imposing Lady Vols posts and scored all but two of their first-half points in the lane. They finished with 20 points in the paint.
And Austin Peay's loss still wasn't as bad as the last time it visited Knoxville, when it lost 80-38 to Tennessee in the opening round of the 2001 NCAA tournament.
Tennessee went everywhere to score, putting up 36 points in the paint and getting 14 points from Angie Bjorklund around the perimeter.
If the Lady Vols defeat either No. 8 Dayton or No. 9 TCU, who were to meet later Saturday, Tennessee gets the privilege of staying in state to play in the semifinals of the Memphis regional, 350 miles away from Tennessee's campus but still saturated with Lady Vols fans.
That extra work helped the Lady Vols secure a No. 1 seed this season and return to their winning ways with a 75-42 victory over No. 16 seed Austin Peay on Saturday in the opening round of the NCAA women's tournament.
"They were confused why would we go right back to practice. They thought it was punishment," Summitt said. "I said, 'No, it's an opportunity for this basketball team to get better.'"
The Lady Vols (31-2), playing in their NCAA-record 29th first-round game, had advanced out of the opening weekend every season until last year's 71-55 loss to Ball State in the first round as a No. 5 seed. They're now 43-1 in the first two rounds.
The Lady Vols' work ethic wasn't the only difference in the two games.
This time Tennessee played at "The Summitt" and in front of mostly orange-clad fans. Summitt said her players were also more committed playing well.
"[It's] just a little bit different," Tennessee's Angie Bjorklund said of the atmosphere of the arena and the postgame locker room.
Tennessee also lost Kelley Cain in the first half of last year's tournament game to a knee injury.
This time, Cain had 18 points and 12 rebounds and hit a jumper 30 seconds into the game. The Lady Vols scored the first 15 points before Austin Peay hit a basket.
Austin Peay coach Carrie Daniels said the Lady Govs had experience with players who were bigger them but hadn't seen anyone quite like the 6-foot-6 Cain.
"Prior to this game we brought out broomsticks and made the players shoot over them to simulate," Daniels said.
The Lady Govs (15-18) got their first points when Ashley Herring hauled in a rebound off Brooke Faulkner's missed jumper and hit a jumper with 13:14 left in the first half.
"At the start when shots aren't just aren't falling, what can you do?" Herring said.
Herring scored 21 points for Austin Peay, which worked its way into tournament as only the eighth team in history with a losing record by winning the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.
By halftime, the Lady Vols had expanded their lead to 37-16 and that margin grew to 38 points in the second half off a 3-point shot by Taber Spani that made it 73-35 with 3:45.
Austin Peay turned the ball over 14 times in the first half, leading to 17 Tennessee points. Despite being smaller at every position, the Lady Govs found success in the paint against the imposing Lady Vols posts and scored all but two of their first-half points in the lane. They finished with 20 points in the paint.
And Austin Peay's loss still wasn't as bad as the last time it visited Knoxville, when it lost 80-38 to Tennessee in the opening round of the 2001 NCAA tournament.
Tennessee went everywhere to score, putting up 36 points in the paint and getting 14 points from Angie Bjorklund around the perimeter.
If the Lady Vols defeat either No. 8 Dayton or No. 9 TCU, who were to meet later Saturday, Tennessee gets the privilege of staying in state to play in the semifinals of the Memphis regional, 350 miles away from Tennessee's campus but still saturated with Lady Vols fans.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Lady Vol Coach Pat Summitt Named Finalist For Prestigious Naismith Coaching Award
Atlanta, Ga. - After leading her team to a record 20th No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, University of Tennessee Lady Vol basketball coach Pat Summitt was named one of four finalists for the prestigious Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year award by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Third-ranked Tennessee (30-2 overall) claimed the Southeastern Conference regular season and tournament titles for the first time since 2000, and the Lady Vols were the first SEC school to pull off the super sweep in a decade. The Lady Vols won their 15th SEC regular season title and the 14th SEC Tournament title in 2009-10. She will be leading Tennessee into to its 29th NCAA Tournament this weekend, the only school to have appeared in all 29 championships.
Summitt has won the Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year five previous times. She claimed the honor after winning the 1987, 1989 and 1998 national championships. Summitt also earned the award in 1994 and 2004.
The other finalists are Connecticut's Geno Auriemma, Nebraska's Connie Yori and Stanford's Tara VanDerveer.
The finalists were voted on by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's National Voting Academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club, founded during the 1956-57 season, has presented the Naismith Trophy every year since UCLA's Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. Old Dominion's Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women's Naismith Trophy in 1983.
The Naismith Award has become the most prestigious award in all of college basketball, recognizing the Men's and Women's College Basketball Player of the Year, Men's and Women's College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and contribution to the game.
For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.
Third-ranked Tennessee (30-2 overall) claimed the Southeastern Conference regular season and tournament titles for the first time since 2000, and the Lady Vols were the first SEC school to pull off the super sweep in a decade. The Lady Vols won their 15th SEC regular season title and the 14th SEC Tournament title in 2009-10. She will be leading Tennessee into to its 29th NCAA Tournament this weekend, the only school to have appeared in all 29 championships.
Summitt has won the Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year five previous times. She claimed the honor after winning the 1987, 1989 and 1998 national championships. Summitt also earned the award in 1994 and 2004.
The other finalists are Connecticut's Geno Auriemma, Nebraska's Connie Yori and Stanford's Tara VanDerveer.
The finalists were voted on by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's National Voting Academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club, founded during the 1956-57 season, has presented the Naismith Trophy every year since UCLA's Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. Old Dominion's Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women's Naismith Trophy in 1983.
The Naismith Award has become the most prestigious award in all of college basketball, recognizing the Men's and Women's College Basketball Player of the Year, Men's and Women's College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and contribution to the game.
For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.
Lady Vol Coach Pat Summitt Named Finalist For Prestigious Naismith Coaching Award
Atlanta, Ga. - After leading her team to a record 20th No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, University of Tennessee Lady Vol basketball coach Pat Summitt was named one of four finalists for the prestigious Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year award by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Third-ranked Tennessee (30-2 overall) claimed the Southeastern Conference regular season and tournament titles for the first time since 2000, and the Lady Vols were the first SEC school to pull off the super sweep in a decade. The Lady Vols won their 15th SEC regular season title and the 14th SEC Tournament title in 2009-10. She will be leading Tennessee into to its 29th NCAA Tournament this weekend, the only school to have appeared in all 29 championships.
Summitt has won the Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year five previous times. She claimed the honor after winning the 1987, 1989 and 1998 national championships. Summitt also earned the award in 1994 and 2004.
The other finalists are Connecticut's Geno Auriemma, Nebraska's Connie Yori and Stanford's Tara VanDerveer.
The finalists were voted on by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's National Voting Academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club, founded during the 1956-57 season, has presented the Naismith Trophy every year since UCLA's Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. Old Dominion's Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women's Naismith Trophy in 1983.
The Naismith Award has become the most prestigious award in all of college basketball, recognizing the Men's and Women's College Basketball Player of the Year, Men's and Women's College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and contribution to the game.
For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.
Third-ranked Tennessee (30-2 overall) claimed the Southeastern Conference regular season and tournament titles for the first time since 2000, and the Lady Vols were the first SEC school to pull off the super sweep in a decade. The Lady Vols won their 15th SEC regular season title and the 14th SEC Tournament title in 2009-10. She will be leading Tennessee into to its 29th NCAA Tournament this weekend, the only school to have appeared in all 29 championships.
Summitt has won the Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year five previous times. She claimed the honor after winning the 1987, 1989 and 1998 national championships. Summitt also earned the award in 1994 and 2004.
The other finalists are Connecticut's Geno Auriemma, Nebraska's Connie Yori and Stanford's Tara VanDerveer.
The finalists were voted on by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's National Voting Academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club, founded during the 1956-57 season, has presented the Naismith Trophy every year since UCLA's Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. Old Dominion's Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women's Naismith Trophy in 1983.
The Naismith Award has become the most prestigious award in all of college basketball, recognizing the Men's and Women's College Basketball Player of the Year, Men's and Women's College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and contribution to the game.
For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Three Basketball Lady Vols Earn Associated Press All-SEC Honors
After sweeping the Southeastern Conference regular season and tournament titles for the first time in 10 years, the Tennessee Lady Vols landed a trio of cagers on the Associated Press' All-SEC Teams today. Junior Angie Bjorklund and redshirt-sophomore Kelley Cain each earned First Team All-SEC accolades, while sophomore Shekinna Stricklen earned Second Team honors. Tennessee featured the most student-athletes on the two squads.
"I'm extremely proud of our student-athletes for being recognized by the league media for their success this season," said Head Coach Pat Summitt. "They all invested a great amount in the offseason both on and off the court. These honors reflect the improvement that they have made in becoming better basketball players and we have made in becoming a better basketball team. It is a tremendous reward for that hard work."
Bjorklund started 31 of 32 regular season contests for the Lady Vols and led UT with 14.1 ppg and added 2.8 apg and 2.8 rpg. The Spokane Valley, Wash., converted 42.6 percent of her field goals and made 93-of-217 three pointers. The junior sharp-shooter led the SEC in three-point field goal percentage, 42.9, and was third in three-pointers made, 2.9 per game. Bjorklund was a unanimous choice to the All-SEC First Team as voted on by the league coaches and was selected as SEC Player of the Week once during the 2009-10 campaign.
Cain dominated the low post and set a single-season school record of 103 blocks, topping the previous mark of 99 set by former Player of the Year Candace Parker in 2006-07. She also set a single-game record of 12 blocks against LSU on Feb. 22, 2010, at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Atlanta, Ga., native led the SEC and was fourth in the NCAA with 3.2 bpg. The 6-6 center tossed in 10.2 ppg and was sixth in the SEC with 7.4 rpg. Cain converted 60.3 percent of her field goals, which is the second best clip in the SEC. She was also selected to the All-SEC First Team and All-Defensive Team as voted on by league coaches.
Stricklen, a finalist for numerous national post-season awards, earned a selection to the Second Team All-SEC after averaging 12.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg and a team-best 3.8 apg. She is the only Lady Vol to have started all 32 games. The Morrilton, Ark., native posted just the second triple-double in Lady Vol history when she tallied 17 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists against #14/15-ranked Oklahoma on Jan. 3, 2010. Stricklen led the SEC in free throw percentage, converting 76-of-89 attempts, good for a 85.4 percent conversion clip, and ranked sixth in the league in assist/turnover ratio at 1.4 (123 assists to 86 turnovers). She was named SEC Player of the Week three times during the year, earned SEC All-Tournament honors and All-SEC Second Team honors as voted on by the league coaches.
The Lady Vols earned their 20th No. 1 seed in the 2010 NCAA Tournament and will face No. 16 seed Austin Peay at 12:16 p.m. on Saturday, March 20, at Thompson-Boling Arena. The arena will also host the first round contest between the No. 8-seeded Dayton Flyers and the No. 9-seeded TCU Horned Frogs, which will tip off at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. The two winners will face off at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 22, and all three games will be aired on ESPN2.
"I'm extremely proud of our student-athletes for being recognized by the league media for their success this season," said Head Coach Pat Summitt. "They all invested a great amount in the offseason both on and off the court. These honors reflect the improvement that they have made in becoming better basketball players and we have made in becoming a better basketball team. It is a tremendous reward for that hard work."
Bjorklund started 31 of 32 regular season contests for the Lady Vols and led UT with 14.1 ppg and added 2.8 apg and 2.8 rpg. The Spokane Valley, Wash., converted 42.6 percent of her field goals and made 93-of-217 three pointers. The junior sharp-shooter led the SEC in three-point field goal percentage, 42.9, and was third in three-pointers made, 2.9 per game. Bjorklund was a unanimous choice to the All-SEC First Team as voted on by the league coaches and was selected as SEC Player of the Week once during the 2009-10 campaign.
Cain dominated the low post and set a single-season school record of 103 blocks, topping the previous mark of 99 set by former Player of the Year Candace Parker in 2006-07. She also set a single-game record of 12 blocks against LSU on Feb. 22, 2010, at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Atlanta, Ga., native led the SEC and was fourth in the NCAA with 3.2 bpg. The 6-6 center tossed in 10.2 ppg and was sixth in the SEC with 7.4 rpg. Cain converted 60.3 percent of her field goals, which is the second best clip in the SEC. She was also selected to the All-SEC First Team and All-Defensive Team as voted on by league coaches.
Stricklen, a finalist for numerous national post-season awards, earned a selection to the Second Team All-SEC after averaging 12.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg and a team-best 3.8 apg. She is the only Lady Vol to have started all 32 games. The Morrilton, Ark., native posted just the second triple-double in Lady Vol history when she tallied 17 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists against #14/15-ranked Oklahoma on Jan. 3, 2010. Stricklen led the SEC in free throw percentage, converting 76-of-89 attempts, good for a 85.4 percent conversion clip, and ranked sixth in the league in assist/turnover ratio at 1.4 (123 assists to 86 turnovers). She was named SEC Player of the Week three times during the year, earned SEC All-Tournament honors and All-SEC Second Team honors as voted on by the league coaches.
The Lady Vols earned their 20th No. 1 seed in the 2010 NCAA Tournament and will face No. 16 seed Austin Peay at 12:16 p.m. on Saturday, March 20, at Thompson-Boling Arena. The arena will also host the first round contest between the No. 8-seeded Dayton Flyers and the No. 9-seeded TCU Horned Frogs, which will tip off at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. The two winners will face off at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 22, and all three games will be aired on ESPN2.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Lady Vols Get No. 1 Seed in Memphis Regional
KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee's offseason work paid off. The Lady Vols have earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament a year after their worst postseason finish.
"They wanted to get better," coach Pat Summitt said. "I think they were embarrassed. They made history in a bad way, so now I think they want to make history in a good way."
The Lady Vols drew a No. 5 seed last year -- their lowest ever -- and lost to Ball State in their first opening round defeat in school history.
This year, all is right in Knoxville again -- so far.
Winning the Southeastern Conference's regular-season and tournament titles helped Tennessee (29-2) grab the top seed in the Memphis, Tenn., regional, which will be played 350 miles away from its campus. It's the 20th time the program has earned a No. 1 spot.
"It feels great because usually Tennessee is a No. 1 seed, and I just feel like we're back to Tennessee -- the way Tennessee is supposed to be," sophomore guard Shekinna Stricklen said.
The Lady Vols, who finished ranked third in the final Top 25 poll, will open against Austin Peay on Saturday on their home court in Knoxville named for Summitt. The Govs (15-17) are the eighth team in NCAA history to make the tournament with a losing record.
Two of Summitt's brothers attended Austin Peay, which is located in Clarksville, Tenn., 200 miles from Knoxville and just 13 miles from her hometown of Henrietta, Tenn. The Lady Vols have won all five meetings between the two teams.
Austin Peay lost to top-ranked Duke in the first round of last season's NCAA tournament.
"Tennessee is a tremendous team and has had a great season, and you know they're going to make a great run in the tournament," Austin Peay coach Carrie Daniels said "We're going to go step on the court having the experience of being in the tournament last year. Hopefully we'll draw from that experience and go out there and give them a good game."
Also in the Memphis regional are: No. 2 Duke, No. 3 West Virginia, No. 4 Baylor, No. 5 Georgetown, No. 6 Texas and No. 7 LSU. Tennessee beat Baylor, Texas and LSU during the regular season.
But the more anticipated matchup is the possible Final Four meeting with undefeated Connecticut. Geno Auriemma's Huskies have won an NCAA record 72 straight games, but none of them have come against the Lady Vols since Summitt ended their annual matchup in 2007.
"A lot of this (bracket arrangement) has to do with what they want to see," Summitt said. "I think a lot of people feel this is a matchup that we've got to have for the NCAA tournament and women's basketball. I'm not looking down the road at all though."
The Lady Vols graduated only one player last year and the three juniors, seven sophomores and three freshmen who returned worked harder in the offseason than any Tennessee team had for the better part of a decade to improve.
It paid off with Tennessee's first regular-season SEC title in three seasons and a 70-62 win over Kentucky in the SEC tournament championship. It's the first time the Lady Vols have taken both crowns since 2000, when they lost to Connecticut in the NCAA championship game.
"We've worked hard, and we've proven a lot," Stricklen said. "I feel like we've really earned that No. 1 spot."
"They wanted to get better," coach Pat Summitt said. "I think they were embarrassed. They made history in a bad way, so now I think they want to make history in a good way."
The Lady Vols drew a No. 5 seed last year -- their lowest ever -- and lost to Ball State in their first opening round defeat in school history.
This year, all is right in Knoxville again -- so far.
Winning the Southeastern Conference's regular-season and tournament titles helped Tennessee (29-2) grab the top seed in the Memphis, Tenn., regional, which will be played 350 miles away from its campus. It's the 20th time the program has earned a No. 1 spot.
"It feels great because usually Tennessee is a No. 1 seed, and I just feel like we're back to Tennessee -- the way Tennessee is supposed to be," sophomore guard Shekinna Stricklen said.
The Lady Vols, who finished ranked third in the final Top 25 poll, will open against Austin Peay on Saturday on their home court in Knoxville named for Summitt. The Govs (15-17) are the eighth team in NCAA history to make the tournament with a losing record.
Two of Summitt's brothers attended Austin Peay, which is located in Clarksville, Tenn., 200 miles from Knoxville and just 13 miles from her hometown of Henrietta, Tenn. The Lady Vols have won all five meetings between the two teams.
Austin Peay lost to top-ranked Duke in the first round of last season's NCAA tournament.
"Tennessee is a tremendous team and has had a great season, and you know they're going to make a great run in the tournament," Austin Peay coach Carrie Daniels said "We're going to go step on the court having the experience of being in the tournament last year. Hopefully we'll draw from that experience and go out there and give them a good game."
Also in the Memphis regional are: No. 2 Duke, No. 3 West Virginia, No. 4 Baylor, No. 5 Georgetown, No. 6 Texas and No. 7 LSU. Tennessee beat Baylor, Texas and LSU during the regular season.
But the more anticipated matchup is the possible Final Four meeting with undefeated Connecticut. Geno Auriemma's Huskies have won an NCAA record 72 straight games, but none of them have come against the Lady Vols since Summitt ended their annual matchup in 2007.
"A lot of this (bracket arrangement) has to do with what they want to see," Summitt said. "I think a lot of people feel this is a matchup that we've got to have for the NCAA tournament and women's basketball. I'm not looking down the road at all though."
The Lady Vols graduated only one player last year and the three juniors, seven sophomores and three freshmen who returned worked harder in the offseason than any Tennessee team had for the better part of a decade to improve.
It paid off with Tennessee's first regular-season SEC title in three seasons and a 70-62 win over Kentucky in the SEC tournament championship. It's the first time the Lady Vols have taken both crowns since 2000, when they lost to Connecticut in the NCAA championship game.
"We've worked hard, and we've proven a lot," Stricklen said. "I feel like we've really earned that No. 1 spot."
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Double Up: Lady Vols Win SEC Tournament
DULUTH, Ga. -- Pat Summitt encouraged her team to reach for a No. 1 NCAA seed during the SEC tournament championship game.
Then the Tennessee coach reached for the high notes in a surprise postgame song.
Shekinna Stricklen scored 20 points and No. 4 Tennessee beat Kentucky (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today, No. 19 AP) 70-62 on Sunday night to win the Southeastern Conference tournament and possibly wrap up that No. 1 seed.
Summitt was so pleased she brought down the house by grabbing the microphone and singing "Rocky Top" in front of the scorer's table to the Tennessee fans who dominated the Gwinnett Arena crowd, while her players cut down the nets.
"I thought she was just going to say, 'Thank you fans, for coming out,'" said guard Angie Bjorklund. "When she started singing, I just looked at our team and I started laughing. We all started laughing. It was great."
Most players left the net-cutting ceremony to stand in front of Summitt. After the short song, she said "You are the best fans! We love you!"
Said Summitt after leaving the court: "I did that for the fans. I know I don't have a great voice, but our fans love 'Rocky Top.'"
Tennessee (30-2) completed its first sweep of the SEC's regular-season and tournament championships in 10 years. In each case, the decisive win came against Kentucky, which improved from a .500 finish a year ago to play in its first tournament final in 28 years.
Tennessee's 14th straight victory gave Summitt her 19th 30-win season.
The Lady Vols were focused on more than the conference title. Summitt said she talked to her players during the game about needing to win to claim a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
"I told them we needed this tonight to make sure we get a No. 1 seed," Summitt said. "We talked about that even during the game. I said, 'We're not losing a No. 1 seed. If we do, that's not going to be good for us.'"
Kentucky (25-7) played tough in its first championship game appearance since winning its only title in 1982. The Wildcats, led by Victoria Dunlap's 21 points, played even with the Lady Vols until midway through the second half.
"We came here to win and came up a little short," said Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell, a former graduate assistant for Summitt at Tennessee. "But I thought our players battled against a really fine basketball team today, and I thought we found out a lot about our team."
Tennessee set a school record with 15 blocks when it clinched the SEC regular-season title with its 81-65 win over Kentucky on Feb. 25. The Wildcats showed no sign of intimidation in the rematch, even after Tennessee took an early 19-9 lead.
Kentucky answered to take its first lead with 5 minutes remaining in the half.
A layup by A'dia Mathies cut the Tennessee lead to 23-22. Amber Smith then stole the ball, drove toward the basket and made a behind-the-back pass to Dunlap, who was fouled as she scored. Dunlap's free throw gave Kentucky a 25-23 lead.
Freshman Kamiko Williams, who didn't score in Tennessee's first two tournament games, answered Dunlap's three-point play by scoring Tennessee's next four baskets, helping the Lady Vols lead 35-29 at halftime.
Tennessee center Kelley Cain picked up two quick fouls and played only three minutes in the first half. The Lady Vols' depth showed as they held a 31-14 advantage in rebounds even playing most of the half without the 6-foot-6 Cain. They finished with a 51-32 advantage.
Cain had 11 points, all in the second half.
Kentucky opened the second half with an 13-3 run for a 42-38 lead. Stricklen's three-point play and 3-point shot helped Tennessee pull even at 46-46.
Following the last tie at 50-all, Tennessee took the lead for good with an 11-3 run, which included another 3-pointer from Stricklen.
Tennessee's Alyssia Brewer, who had eight points, was the tournament MVP.
Then the Tennessee coach reached for the high notes in a surprise postgame song.
Shekinna Stricklen scored 20 points and No. 4 Tennessee beat Kentucky (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today, No. 19 AP) 70-62 on Sunday night to win the Southeastern Conference tournament and possibly wrap up that No. 1 seed.
Summitt was so pleased she brought down the house by grabbing the microphone and singing "Rocky Top" in front of the scorer's table to the Tennessee fans who dominated the Gwinnett Arena crowd, while her players cut down the nets.
"I thought she was just going to say, 'Thank you fans, for coming out,'" said guard Angie Bjorklund. "When she started singing, I just looked at our team and I started laughing. We all started laughing. It was great."
Most players left the net-cutting ceremony to stand in front of Summitt. After the short song, she said "You are the best fans! We love you!"
Said Summitt after leaving the court: "I did that for the fans. I know I don't have a great voice, but our fans love 'Rocky Top.'"
Tennessee (30-2) completed its first sweep of the SEC's regular-season and tournament championships in 10 years. In each case, the decisive win came against Kentucky, which improved from a .500 finish a year ago to play in its first tournament final in 28 years.
Tennessee's 14th straight victory gave Summitt her 19th 30-win season.
The Lady Vols were focused on more than the conference title. Summitt said she talked to her players during the game about needing to win to claim a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
"I told them we needed this tonight to make sure we get a No. 1 seed," Summitt said. "We talked about that even during the game. I said, 'We're not losing a No. 1 seed. If we do, that's not going to be good for us.'"
Kentucky (25-7) played tough in its first championship game appearance since winning its only title in 1982. The Wildcats, led by Victoria Dunlap's 21 points, played even with the Lady Vols until midway through the second half.
"We came here to win and came up a little short," said Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell, a former graduate assistant for Summitt at Tennessee. "But I thought our players battled against a really fine basketball team today, and I thought we found out a lot about our team."
Tennessee set a school record with 15 blocks when it clinched the SEC regular-season title with its 81-65 win over Kentucky on Feb. 25. The Wildcats showed no sign of intimidation in the rematch, even after Tennessee took an early 19-9 lead.
Kentucky answered to take its first lead with 5 minutes remaining in the half.
A layup by A'dia Mathies cut the Tennessee lead to 23-22. Amber Smith then stole the ball, drove toward the basket and made a behind-the-back pass to Dunlap, who was fouled as she scored. Dunlap's free throw gave Kentucky a 25-23 lead.
Freshman Kamiko Williams, who didn't score in Tennessee's first two tournament games, answered Dunlap's three-point play by scoring Tennessee's next four baskets, helping the Lady Vols lead 35-29 at halftime.
Tennessee center Kelley Cain picked up two quick fouls and played only three minutes in the first half. The Lady Vols' depth showed as they held a 31-14 advantage in rebounds even playing most of the half without the 6-foot-6 Cain. They finished with a 51-32 advantage.
Cain had 11 points, all in the second half.
Kentucky opened the second half with an 13-3 run for a 42-38 lead. Stricklen's three-point play and 3-point shot helped Tennessee pull even at 46-46.
Following the last tie at 50-all, Tennessee took the lead for good with an 11-3 run, which included another 3-pointer from Stricklen.
Tennessee's Alyssia Brewer, who had eight points, was the tournament MVP.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Lady Vols Down Vandy to Earn Spot in SEC Final
DULUTH, Ga. -- The rest of the Southeastern Conference has only one more chance to disprove a conclusion stated by Tennessee coach Pat Summitt after her team's 13th straight win.
"I think we have the best team," Summitt said following No. 4 Tennessee's 68-49 victory over Vanderbilt in Saturday's SEC tournament semifinal.
Added Summitt: "I wouldn't have known that when the year started."
Tennessee's argument for SEC supremacy is looking as strong in the postseason as in the regular season.
The Lady Vols (29-2) moved within one victory of a sweep of the SEC regular-season and tournament championships, something they've accomplished six times. They'll play Kentucky or Mississippi State for the title on Sunday night.
Tennessee won 15 of 16 conference games in the regular season before opening the tournament with a 76-51 rout of Mississippi. The Lady Vols' third win of the season over Vanderbilt (22-10) was just as lopsided.
Summitt said her players are motivated by sweeping the regular-season and tournament championships for the first time in 10 years.
"I think our team is very motivated," she said. "The regular season, I think, gave them a lot of confidence and also inspired them. I think they want more. They want to win here.
"It's their idea and it works a whole lot better when it's their idea."
Vanderbilt trailed 45-36 following a 3-pointer by Marsh with 9:17 remaining, but Tennessee pulled away with 11 straight points.
Angie Bjorklund finished with 12 points for Tennessee, while Hannah Tuomi had 12 points before fouling out and Merideth Marsh added 11 for Vanderbilt.
The challenge facing the smaller Vanderbilt team was obvious from the minute starting lineups were announced. Tennessee's shortest starter, 6-foot Bjorklund, was as tall as Vanderbilt's tallest starters, Tuomi and Tiffany Clarke.
Vanderbilt's top scoring threat, the 5-foot-6 Marsh, was guarded by 6-foot-2 Shekinna Stricklen and 6-foot-1 Alicia Manning. Tuomi was looking up at 6-6 Kelley Cain and 6-3 Alyssia Brewer.
Vanderbilt, playing its third game in three days, couldn't overcome the mismatches.
"It's tough because we know each other so well, and they played like Tennessee and we didn't take their strengths away," Vanderbilt coach Melanie Balcomb said. "They did a better job taking our strengths away."
Tennessee's superior size showed in the first half when its 12 offensive rebounds equaled Vanderbilt's total rebounds. The Lady Vols claimed a 9-0 advantage in second-chance points in the opening 20 minutes, providing the cushion for a 31-22 halftime lead.
Tennessee finished with a 42-27 advantage in rebounds.
Vanderbilt's best chance was the 3-point shot, but Tennessee's defense was ready. The Commodores made only 3 of 17 3-pointers, including 3 of 11 by Marsh.
"I just thought we really bought into our scouting report defense," Bjorklund said. "We knew who were the shooters, who were the drivers. ... I just thought our team did a great job having that sense of urgency to not let them get the open looks that they got the last couple games we played them."
"I think we have the best team," Summitt said following No. 4 Tennessee's 68-49 victory over Vanderbilt in Saturday's SEC tournament semifinal.
Added Summitt: "I wouldn't have known that when the year started."
Tennessee's argument for SEC supremacy is looking as strong in the postseason as in the regular season.
The Lady Vols (29-2) moved within one victory of a sweep of the SEC regular-season and tournament championships, something they've accomplished six times. They'll play Kentucky or Mississippi State for the title on Sunday night.
Tennessee won 15 of 16 conference games in the regular season before opening the tournament with a 76-51 rout of Mississippi. The Lady Vols' third win of the season over Vanderbilt (22-10) was just as lopsided.
Summitt said her players are motivated by sweeping the regular-season and tournament championships for the first time in 10 years.
"I think our team is very motivated," she said. "The regular season, I think, gave them a lot of confidence and also inspired them. I think they want more. They want to win here.
"It's their idea and it works a whole lot better when it's their idea."
Vanderbilt trailed 45-36 following a 3-pointer by Marsh with 9:17 remaining, but Tennessee pulled away with 11 straight points.
Angie Bjorklund finished with 12 points for Tennessee, while Hannah Tuomi had 12 points before fouling out and Merideth Marsh added 11 for Vanderbilt.
The challenge facing the smaller Vanderbilt team was obvious from the minute starting lineups were announced. Tennessee's shortest starter, 6-foot Bjorklund, was as tall as Vanderbilt's tallest starters, Tuomi and Tiffany Clarke.
Vanderbilt's top scoring threat, the 5-foot-6 Marsh, was guarded by 6-foot-2 Shekinna Stricklen and 6-foot-1 Alicia Manning. Tuomi was looking up at 6-6 Kelley Cain and 6-3 Alyssia Brewer.
Vanderbilt, playing its third game in three days, couldn't overcome the mismatches.
"It's tough because we know each other so well, and they played like Tennessee and we didn't take their strengths away," Vanderbilt coach Melanie Balcomb said. "They did a better job taking our strengths away."
Tennessee's superior size showed in the first half when its 12 offensive rebounds equaled Vanderbilt's total rebounds. The Lady Vols claimed a 9-0 advantage in second-chance points in the opening 20 minutes, providing the cushion for a 31-22 halftime lead.
Tennessee finished with a 42-27 advantage in rebounds.
Vanderbilt's best chance was the 3-point shot, but Tennessee's defense was ready. The Commodores made only 3 of 17 3-pointers, including 3 of 11 by Marsh.
"I just thought we really bought into our scouting report defense," Bjorklund said. "We knew who were the shooters, who were the drivers. ... I just thought our team did a great job having that sense of urgency to not let them get the open looks that they got the last couple games we played them."
Friday, March 05, 2010
Lady Vols Start SEC Tournament with Rout of Ole Miss
DULUTH, Ga. -- Mississippi coach Renee Ladner has yet to find a good way to defend Tennessee's Alicia Manning.
"Alicia Manning has kicked our butt [three] times we played them," Ladner said. "She's outmanned us, outhustled us and beat us on the boards."
Alyssia Brewer scored 21 points, Manning had 14 points with a career-high 14 rebounds, and No. 4 Tennessee beat Mississippi 76-51 in the second round of the Southeastern Conference tournament on Friday.
The Lady Volunteers (28-2) have won 12 straight overall and 17 consecutive in the SEC second round.
Bianca Thomas scored 15 points for Ole Miss (17-14), which has dropped two of three and nine of 12 overall. The Rebels have lost 20 straight and 28 of 30 to Tennessee.
The Lady Vols were determined to hold Thomas' production down following her 34-point performance in Tennessee's 12-point home win against Ole Miss last Sunday.
"We were really focusing on limiting her touches, keeping a hand in her face at all times, getting in her shooting rhythm so she couldn't get her shots off," Manning said. "I think we did a pretty good job of that."
Brewer hit nine of 11 shots from the field. Her layup with 6:10 remaining made it 72-40 and gave Tennessee its biggest lead.
After scoring 20 points in victories over Alabama and Florida earlier this season, Brewer had her SEC career high against Ole Miss.
"I think it's been some of the confidence factor, having confidence in my shot," said Brewer, a sophomore forward. "Also as a team, whenever we start moving, it opens different shots for each of us."
The Lady Vols are trying to win the SEC regular-season and league tournament titles in the same year for the seventh time overall and the first time since 2000.
Angie Bjorklund added 16 points and five assists for Tennessee, which stretched its SEC second-round winning streak to 17 games.
"We had some great possessions and we had some ugly possessions," Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt said. "We've got to be more efficient. I think our team understands that, but overall a great win."
Ole Miss' Kayla Melson, the SEC assists leader, was helped off the floor with 12:29 left in the game after injuring her right ankle. She finished with 14 points and three assists. The Rebels dropped to 1-10 when the junior guard has fewer than five assists.
Melson described the injury as a mild sprain.
"My ankles have been tweaked since I've been [at Ole Miss]," she said. "I've sprained both ankles numerous times. This time was kind of different because I felt something I usually don't feel."
The Rebels, who last made the SEC semifinals in 1993, lost their seventh straight second-round game.
Ladner gave Manning much of the credit.
"Once again she came in and got a double-double," Ladner said. "She is getting better every time I see her play, particularly against us."
Tennessee won the rebounding battle 48-22.
"Ole Miss is a really aggressive team," Manning said. "We just had to match that, try to be more aggressive than them."
"Alicia Manning has kicked our butt [three] times we played them," Ladner said. "She's outmanned us, outhustled us and beat us on the boards."
Alyssia Brewer scored 21 points, Manning had 14 points with a career-high 14 rebounds, and No. 4 Tennessee beat Mississippi 76-51 in the second round of the Southeastern Conference tournament on Friday.
The Lady Volunteers (28-2) have won 12 straight overall and 17 consecutive in the SEC second round.
Bianca Thomas scored 15 points for Ole Miss (17-14), which has dropped two of three and nine of 12 overall. The Rebels have lost 20 straight and 28 of 30 to Tennessee.
The Lady Vols were determined to hold Thomas' production down following her 34-point performance in Tennessee's 12-point home win against Ole Miss last Sunday.
"We were really focusing on limiting her touches, keeping a hand in her face at all times, getting in her shooting rhythm so she couldn't get her shots off," Manning said. "I think we did a pretty good job of that."
Brewer hit nine of 11 shots from the field. Her layup with 6:10 remaining made it 72-40 and gave Tennessee its biggest lead.
After scoring 20 points in victories over Alabama and Florida earlier this season, Brewer had her SEC career high against Ole Miss.
"I think it's been some of the confidence factor, having confidence in my shot," said Brewer, a sophomore forward. "Also as a team, whenever we start moving, it opens different shots for each of us."
The Lady Vols are trying to win the SEC regular-season and league tournament titles in the same year for the seventh time overall and the first time since 2000.
Angie Bjorklund added 16 points and five assists for Tennessee, which stretched its SEC second-round winning streak to 17 games.
"We had some great possessions and we had some ugly possessions," Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt said. "We've got to be more efficient. I think our team understands that, but overall a great win."
Ole Miss' Kayla Melson, the SEC assists leader, was helped off the floor with 12:29 left in the game after injuring her right ankle. She finished with 14 points and three assists. The Rebels dropped to 1-10 when the junior guard has fewer than five assists.
Melson described the injury as a mild sprain.
"My ankles have been tweaked since I've been [at Ole Miss]," she said. "I've sprained both ankles numerous times. This time was kind of different because I felt something I usually don't feel."
The Rebels, who last made the SEC semifinals in 1993, lost their seventh straight second-round game.
Ladner gave Manning much of the credit.
"Once again she came in and got a double-double," Ladner said. "She is getting better every time I see her play, particularly against us."
Tennessee won the rebounding battle 48-22.
"Ole Miss is a really aggressive team," Manning said. "We just had to match that, try to be more aggressive than them."
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Four Lady Vols Earn SEC Basketball Awards
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Southeastern Conference announced its 2010 women's basketball postseason awards Tuesday, highlighted by Kentucky's Victoria Dunlap being named Player of the Year and Matthew Mitchell being named Coach of the Year. Mississippi State's Armelie Lumanu was named Defensive Player of the Year, Alyssia Brewer was named 6th Woman of the Year, while Kentucky's A'dia Mathies was given Freshman of the Year honors. First-team and second-team All-SEC honorees, All-Freshman team, All-Defensive team, along with Player, Coach and Freshman, Defensive Player, 6th Woman and Scholar-Athlete of the Year were chosen by the league's 12 coaches.
The 2010 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament begins Thursday, March 4 and runs through Sunday, March 7 in Duluth, Ga.
The complete 2010 SEC Women's Basketball Postseason Awards follow.
First Team All-SEC
Ashley Houts, UG
*Victoria Dunlap, UK
*Allison Hightower, LSU
Bianca Thomas, UM
Alexis Rack, MSU
*Angie Bjorklund, UT
Kelley Cain, UT
Jence Rhoads, VU
Second Team All-SEC
Alli Smalley, AU
A'dia Mathies, UK
Shekinna Stricklen, UT
LaSondra Barrett, LSU
Armelie Lumanu, MSU
Kelsey Bone, SC
Valerie Nainima, SC
Merideth Marsh, VU
All-Freshman Team
Morgan Toles, AU
Jennifer George, UF
Jasmine Hassell, UG
*Jasmine James, UG
*A'dia Mathies, UK
*Kelsey Bone, SC
Elan Brown, VU
*Tiffany Clarke, VU
All-Defensive Team
Victoria Dunlap, UK
Allison Hightower, LSU
Armelie Lumanu, MSU
Chanel Mokango, MSU
Kelley Cain, UT
Coach of the Year
Matthew Mitchell, Kentucky
Player of the Year
Victoria Dunlap, Kentucky
Freshman of the Year
A'dia Mathies, Kentucky
Defensive Player of the Year
Armelie Lumanu, Mississippi State
6th Woman of the Year
Alyssia Brewer, Tennessee
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Angie Bjorklund, Tennessee
The 2010 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament begins Thursday, March 4 and runs through Sunday, March 7 in Duluth, Ga.
The complete 2010 SEC Women's Basketball Postseason Awards follow.
First Team All-SEC
Ashley Houts, UG
*Victoria Dunlap, UK
*Allison Hightower, LSU
Bianca Thomas, UM
Alexis Rack, MSU
*Angie Bjorklund, UT
Kelley Cain, UT
Jence Rhoads, VU
Second Team All-SEC
Alli Smalley, AU
A'dia Mathies, UK
Shekinna Stricklen, UT
LaSondra Barrett, LSU
Armelie Lumanu, MSU
Kelsey Bone, SC
Valerie Nainima, SC
Merideth Marsh, VU
All-Freshman Team
Morgan Toles, AU
Jennifer George, UF
Jasmine Hassell, UG
*Jasmine James, UG
*A'dia Mathies, UK
*Kelsey Bone, SC
Elan Brown, VU
*Tiffany Clarke, VU
All-Defensive Team
Victoria Dunlap, UK
Allison Hightower, LSU
Armelie Lumanu, MSU
Chanel Mokango, MSU
Kelley Cain, UT
Coach of the Year
Matthew Mitchell, Kentucky
Player of the Year
Victoria Dunlap, Kentucky
Freshman of the Year
A'dia Mathies, Kentucky
Defensive Player of the Year
Armelie Lumanu, Mississippi State
6th Woman of the Year
Alyssia Brewer, Tennessee
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Angie Bjorklund, Tennessee
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Lady Vols Close Regular Season with 75-63 Win over Ole Miss
KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee coach Pat Summitt could tell a difference in her team in its first game since clinching the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship.
She was hardly happy about it.
Shekinna Stricklen scored 23 points to help the No. 4 Lady Volunteers fight off a second-half rally from Mississippi for a 75-63 victory Sunday night, but Summitt was in no mood to celebrate Tennessee's 11th consecutive win to close out the regular season.
"Do I look like I'm happy? Do I sound like I'm happy?" Summitt said. "I'm disappointed in our team not bringing it all the time. If you are a team on a mission, you can see it. You can feel it, you know, and it's just obvious. But no, in this game, we decided to pick and choose, and we had two players step up and play great."
Alicia Manning recorded her first double-double with a career-high 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Vols (27-2, 15-1 SEC), and Stricklen also had 10 rebounds.
"We won, and I know it's not one of our best games," Stricklen said. "But right now, we just have to let it go and just get ready for tournament time, and just go hard in every one of the games we play."
The Rebels (16-13, 6-8) got 34 points from Bianca Thomas and erased a double-digit deficit in the second half only to lose for the eighth time in 10 games and the second time this season against Tennessee.
Elizabeth Robertson's putback with 12:37 remaining completed Mississippi's comeback to tie the score at 50, but Tennessee put away the game by scoring 17 of the next 21 points.
Thomas, the SEC's leading scorer, hit 11 of 27 field goals and four of her 10 3-point attempts to post the second-highest point total of her senior season.
"I think she proved to everyone again tonight that she is one of the top players in the conference," Rebels coach Renee Ladner said. "She's still the leading scorer in the conference. I've said it all year. I think she's been a little disrespected, and she continues to prove people wrong. She was just outstanding for our team."
This one lacked some of the late drama of the last two meetings between the teams, both of which were won on last-second shots by Lady Vols guard Angie Bjorklund.
"It's happened two years straight," Thomas said. "Angie got a shot at the end in Oxford. It was very heartbreaking, not only to me but to the whole team."
The two teams could meet again in just a few days. The loss dropped Mississippi to the No. 9 seed for this week's SEC tournament in Duluth, Ga., where the Rebels will open Thursday against eighth-seeded South Carolina.
The winner will advance to play Tennessee for the third time this season on Friday.
"If we have to play Ole Miss again, that's a big challenge," Summitt said. "South Carolina is playing well."
The Lady Vols scored the game's first eight points in less than two minutes -- including two 3s by Stricklen -- and took a 40-32 advantage into halftime.
Stricklen finished with double-digit scoring for the sixth consecutive game for Tennessee, which shot 42.6 percent and scored 34 points in the paint.
"I think she's been in the gym and getting up just shot after shot after shot," Summitt said of Stricklen. "She's just committed to being a player that's going to have repetition offensively, and not just occasionally but often."
She was hardly happy about it.
Shekinna Stricklen scored 23 points to help the No. 4 Lady Volunteers fight off a second-half rally from Mississippi for a 75-63 victory Sunday night, but Summitt was in no mood to celebrate Tennessee's 11th consecutive win to close out the regular season.
"Do I look like I'm happy? Do I sound like I'm happy?" Summitt said. "I'm disappointed in our team not bringing it all the time. If you are a team on a mission, you can see it. You can feel it, you know, and it's just obvious. But no, in this game, we decided to pick and choose, and we had two players step up and play great."
Alicia Manning recorded her first double-double with a career-high 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Vols (27-2, 15-1 SEC), and Stricklen also had 10 rebounds.
"We won, and I know it's not one of our best games," Stricklen said. "But right now, we just have to let it go and just get ready for tournament time, and just go hard in every one of the games we play."
The Rebels (16-13, 6-8) got 34 points from Bianca Thomas and erased a double-digit deficit in the second half only to lose for the eighth time in 10 games and the second time this season against Tennessee.
Elizabeth Robertson's putback with 12:37 remaining completed Mississippi's comeback to tie the score at 50, but Tennessee put away the game by scoring 17 of the next 21 points.
Thomas, the SEC's leading scorer, hit 11 of 27 field goals and four of her 10 3-point attempts to post the second-highest point total of her senior season.
"I think she proved to everyone again tonight that she is one of the top players in the conference," Rebels coach Renee Ladner said. "She's still the leading scorer in the conference. I've said it all year. I think she's been a little disrespected, and she continues to prove people wrong. She was just outstanding for our team."
This one lacked some of the late drama of the last two meetings between the teams, both of which were won on last-second shots by Lady Vols guard Angie Bjorklund.
"It's happened two years straight," Thomas said. "Angie got a shot at the end in Oxford. It was very heartbreaking, not only to me but to the whole team."
The two teams could meet again in just a few days. The loss dropped Mississippi to the No. 9 seed for this week's SEC tournament in Duluth, Ga., where the Rebels will open Thursday against eighth-seeded South Carolina.
The winner will advance to play Tennessee for the third time this season on Friday.
"If we have to play Ole Miss again, that's a big challenge," Summitt said. "South Carolina is playing well."
The Lady Vols scored the game's first eight points in less than two minutes -- including two 3s by Stricklen -- and took a 40-32 advantage into halftime.
Stricklen finished with double-digit scoring for the sixth consecutive game for Tennessee, which shot 42.6 percent and scored 34 points in the paint.
"I think she's been in the gym and getting up just shot after shot after shot," Summitt said of Stricklen. "She's just committed to being a player that's going to have repetition offensively, and not just occasionally but often."
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Lady Vols Claim SEC Regular Season Title with 81-65 Win over Kentucky
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- When Kentucky upset Tennessee a year ago, Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt revoked her team's locker room privileges for nine months.
On Thursday night, the Lady Vols showed their demanding coach just how far they've come since that lowly day.
Fourth-ranked Tennessee celebrated another Southeastern Conference championship in that same locker room after an 81-65 win over Kentucky (No. 14 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP).
"We went crazy in the locker room," said Tennessee sophomore Shekinna Stricklen, who was one of five Lady Vols in double figures.
The victory gave Tennessee its 15th SEC regular-season title and first since 2007, when they won the school's seventh national championship.
"I think they understand what it takes now," Summitt said. "I think this game meant a lot to our team. They wanted to win something, something very important."
Tennessee (26-2, 13-1) used several runs to pull away in the first half and stayed firmly in control in the second half thanks to consistent play inside and near-perfect free-throw shooting (25-for-27).
Kelley Cain, who was coming off a school-record 12-block performance against LSU on Monday, led the Lady Vols with 14 points and seven blocks, even though she sat out the final 16:46 of the first half after picking up her second foul.
She scored 11 of her points, pulled down all six of her rebounds and had all but one of her blocks in the second half.
Victoria Dunlap scored 22 points for Kentucky (23-5, 11-4). But the fourth-leading scorer in the SEC shot just 6-of-19 from the field.
Trailing from the opening minutes, the Wildcats managed to get within 23-16 on a layup by Amani Franklin, but the Lady Vols followed that with a 14-0 run that included consecutive 3-pointers from Angie Bjorklund.
"I watched a lot of film on them, and I think tonight they showed you another gear that they had," Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell said.
Alyssia Brewer added 10 points, as Tennessee outscored Kentucky 36-26 in the paint.
"We're excited we finally won something," Bjorklund said. "We're all pretty excited after this game. That was our focus. If we take this team out, then we win SEC. That's our first goal, and we accomplished it."
The Wildcats did not have the size to match up against a Tennessee team with all five starters at 6-foot or taller.
"Sometimes it's tough to handle big people when you don't have somebody on your bench that has the same kind of body that they have, but that's not the mentality you have to take," Dunlap said. "If they're bigger or smaller, you just have to play hard the whole time and not worry about it."
Tennessee now has 29 blocks in its past two games.
"I think if teams watch film, they have to take that into account," Bjorklund said. "This team, they're tall, they get a lot of blocks inside, and that helps us keep people out of the middle."
But the Lady Vols got balanced scoring from their backcourt as well, with Bjorklund and Stricklen each adding 12 points.
"Obviously some nights guard play is going to be more open than post game," Summitt said. "I think having balance is important, but at the same time, you have to take what good looks you have."
On Thursday night, the Lady Vols showed their demanding coach just how far they've come since that lowly day.
Fourth-ranked Tennessee celebrated another Southeastern Conference championship in that same locker room after an 81-65 win over Kentucky (No. 14 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP).
"We went crazy in the locker room," said Tennessee sophomore Shekinna Stricklen, who was one of five Lady Vols in double figures.
The victory gave Tennessee its 15th SEC regular-season title and first since 2007, when they won the school's seventh national championship.
"I think they understand what it takes now," Summitt said. "I think this game meant a lot to our team. They wanted to win something, something very important."
Tennessee (26-2, 13-1) used several runs to pull away in the first half and stayed firmly in control in the second half thanks to consistent play inside and near-perfect free-throw shooting (25-for-27).
Kelley Cain, who was coming off a school-record 12-block performance against LSU on Monday, led the Lady Vols with 14 points and seven blocks, even though she sat out the final 16:46 of the first half after picking up her second foul.
She scored 11 of her points, pulled down all six of her rebounds and had all but one of her blocks in the second half.
Victoria Dunlap scored 22 points for Kentucky (23-5, 11-4). But the fourth-leading scorer in the SEC shot just 6-of-19 from the field.
Trailing from the opening minutes, the Wildcats managed to get within 23-16 on a layup by Amani Franklin, but the Lady Vols followed that with a 14-0 run that included consecutive 3-pointers from Angie Bjorklund.
"I watched a lot of film on them, and I think tonight they showed you another gear that they had," Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell said.
Alyssia Brewer added 10 points, as Tennessee outscored Kentucky 36-26 in the paint.
"We're excited we finally won something," Bjorklund said. "We're all pretty excited after this game. That was our focus. If we take this team out, then we win SEC. That's our first goal, and we accomplished it."
The Wildcats did not have the size to match up against a Tennessee team with all five starters at 6-foot or taller.
"Sometimes it's tough to handle big people when you don't have somebody on your bench that has the same kind of body that they have, but that's not the mentality you have to take," Dunlap said. "If they're bigger or smaller, you just have to play hard the whole time and not worry about it."
Tennessee now has 29 blocks in its past two games.
"I think if teams watch film, they have to take that into account," Bjorklund said. "This team, they're tall, they get a lot of blocks inside, and that helps us keep people out of the middle."
But the Lady Vols got balanced scoring from their backcourt as well, with Bjorklund and Stricklen each adding 12 points.
"Obviously some nights guard play is going to be more open than post game," Summitt said. "I think having balance is important, but at the same time, you have to take what good looks you have."
Monday, February 22, 2010
Lady Vols Earn Share of Regular-Season Title with Win Over LSU
KNOXVILLE -- Former Tennessee center Ashley Robinson phoned Pat Summitt recently to check on her old team and coach.
"Ashley called the other day and asked about our post game. I told her, 'Well, Kelley Cain is pretty good,'" Summitt said.
Good enough to break Robinson's single-game blocks record, it turns out.
Cain scored 16 points and blocked 12 shots to help Tennessee (No. 5 ESPN/USA Today, No. 4 AP) beat LSU (No. 20 AP) 70-61 on Monday night. Robinson had eight blocks against Rutgers on Dec. 11, 2003, a mark Cain tied against Arkansas on Feb. 4.
With the win, Tennessee (25-2, 13-1 Southeastern Conference) grabbed a share of the SEC regular-season title.
Cain, with Summitt's permission, skipped a trip to Alabama on Thursday to focus on a class that she had missed several times because of recent road trips. The Lady Vols barely pulled out a 74-67 win without her.
Midway through the first half against LSU (18-8, 7-7), it looked as if Cain again wouldn't be able to help her teammates much. After scoring six points and blocking two shots, she picked up her second foul with 10:27 before halftime and sat out the rest of the half.
While Cain was on the bench, the Lady Vols scored eight straight points in a three-minute span and grabbed a 32-21 lead with 57 seconds left before halftime. Four of those points came from Cain's fellow post player, Alyssia Brewer, who led Tennessee with 18 points.
LSU's Courtney Jones hit a 3-pointer as the first-half clock expired and Allison Hightower hit a jumper just after the break to cut Tennessee's lead to six points.
That's when the 6-foot-Cain and her 82-inch wingspan went to work on both ends of the court.
"She's a force. It's like their guards ran into a force field and got rejected," Brewer said.
Cain blocked a shot by Jasmine Nelson, and Alicia Manning's defensive rebound helped set up the first of back-to-back 3s by Shekinna Stricklen that gave Tennessee a 43-30 lead with 15:59 left.
Glory Johnson added 12 points for the Lady Vols, and Angie Bjorklund and Stricklen scored 10 each as Tennessee scored 44 points in the paint and committed just seven turnovers.
"They're big, athletic and strong. It was a problem for us, but who doesn't have a problem with a 6-6 player," LSU's Katherine Graham said.
Hightower led the Lady Tigers with 18 points. Graham and LaSondra Barrett both chipped in 13.
LSU threatened once more after a traditional 3-point play by Graham and a free throw by Hightower cut the Lady Vols lead to nine points, but this time Brewer answered. Brewer hit a jump shot in the paint and blocked Jones' next shot.
"Brewer and Cain are just unbelievable," LSU coach Van Chancellor said. "I've never seen two players on the same team that could score, that could get the ball."
LSU, the only team in the nation to beat Tennessee at least once in each of the past five seasons, had entered the game with some momentum off a three-game winning streak in which it recorded blowouts against Florida, Auburn and Vanderbilt.
The Lady Tigers are one of only five SEC teams that have managed to win at least two games in Knoxville, with victories at Thompson-Boling Arena in 2006 and 2008.
During the preseason, the media had picked LSU to win the SEC regular season title with Tennessee finishing second. The loss dropped the Lady Tigers to a three-way tie with Florida and Georgia for fourth in the league.
Meanwhile, Tennessee can win the conference outright with a victory over Kentucky, who will visit the Lady Vols on Thursday.
"They've got a shot," Chancellor said. "They've got a legitimate shot."
"Ashley called the other day and asked about our post game. I told her, 'Well, Kelley Cain is pretty good,'" Summitt said.
Good enough to break Robinson's single-game blocks record, it turns out.
Cain scored 16 points and blocked 12 shots to help Tennessee (No. 5 ESPN/USA Today, No. 4 AP) beat LSU (No. 20 AP) 70-61 on Monday night. Robinson had eight blocks against Rutgers on Dec. 11, 2003, a mark Cain tied against Arkansas on Feb. 4.
With the win, Tennessee (25-2, 13-1 Southeastern Conference) grabbed a share of the SEC regular-season title.
Cain, with Summitt's permission, skipped a trip to Alabama on Thursday to focus on a class that she had missed several times because of recent road trips. The Lady Vols barely pulled out a 74-67 win without her.
Midway through the first half against LSU (18-8, 7-7), it looked as if Cain again wouldn't be able to help her teammates much. After scoring six points and blocking two shots, she picked up her second foul with 10:27 before halftime and sat out the rest of the half.
While Cain was on the bench, the Lady Vols scored eight straight points in a three-minute span and grabbed a 32-21 lead with 57 seconds left before halftime. Four of those points came from Cain's fellow post player, Alyssia Brewer, who led Tennessee with 18 points.
LSU's Courtney Jones hit a 3-pointer as the first-half clock expired and Allison Hightower hit a jumper just after the break to cut Tennessee's lead to six points.
That's when the 6-foot-Cain and her 82-inch wingspan went to work on both ends of the court.
"She's a force. It's like their guards ran into a force field and got rejected," Brewer said.
Cain blocked a shot by Jasmine Nelson, and Alicia Manning's defensive rebound helped set up the first of back-to-back 3s by Shekinna Stricklen that gave Tennessee a 43-30 lead with 15:59 left.
Glory Johnson added 12 points for the Lady Vols, and Angie Bjorklund and Stricklen scored 10 each as Tennessee scored 44 points in the paint and committed just seven turnovers.
"They're big, athletic and strong. It was a problem for us, but who doesn't have a problem with a 6-6 player," LSU's Katherine Graham said.
Hightower led the Lady Tigers with 18 points. Graham and LaSondra Barrett both chipped in 13.
LSU threatened once more after a traditional 3-point play by Graham and a free throw by Hightower cut the Lady Vols lead to nine points, but this time Brewer answered. Brewer hit a jump shot in the paint and blocked Jones' next shot.
"Brewer and Cain are just unbelievable," LSU coach Van Chancellor said. "I've never seen two players on the same team that could score, that could get the ball."
LSU, the only team in the nation to beat Tennessee at least once in each of the past five seasons, had entered the game with some momentum off a three-game winning streak in which it recorded blowouts against Florida, Auburn and Vanderbilt.
The Lady Tigers are one of only five SEC teams that have managed to win at least two games in Knoxville, with victories at Thompson-Boling Arena in 2006 and 2008.
During the preseason, the media had picked LSU to win the SEC regular season title with Tennessee finishing second. The loss dropped the Lady Tigers to a three-way tie with Florida and Georgia for fourth in the league.
Meanwhile, Tennessee can win the conference outright with a victory over Kentucky, who will visit the Lady Vols on Thursday.
"They've got a shot," Chancellor said. "They've got a legitimate shot."
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Lady Vols Win 74-67, But Summitt Not Pleased
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- This was one win that didn't come close to making Pat Summitt happy.
Tennessee was outrebounded and hard-pressed to put away the Southeastern Conference's last-place team Thursday night before holding on for a 74-67 victory. The performance left the fifth-ranked Lady Vols' coach fuming at her team late in the game and not much calmer afterward.
"I'm very disappointed in the way we came out and played this game," Summitt said. "It was a lack of awareness and defensive intensity. We had no sense of urgency. Rebounding is heart and competitive desire.
"We disrespected the game of basketball tonight."
Or maybe the Lady Vols (24-2, 12-1) just disrespected Alabama (10-16, 2-11), which hasn't beaten them since 1984.
Alyssia Brewer had 20 points and 10 rebounds to help league-leading Tennessee claim its eighth consecutive win, if not in coach-pleasing fashion.
Alabama, which opened with an entirely new starting five, closed to within 54-49 midway through the second half.
Then, Tennessee finally kicked into gear with 10 straight points en route to a 67-51 lead on Alicia Manning's basket with 6:13 left. The Lady Vols missed five straight free throws at that point and made just 11 of 24 attempts from the line to help keep it close.
"We were horrendous from the free-throw line," Summitt said. "They're going to have to invest in that. It wasn't as much what they did, it's what we didn't do. It was just a lack of commitment on defense."
Brewer's one offensive shortcoming in the game: 6-for-12 shooting on free throws.
Shekinna Stricklen had 14 points and Angie Bjorklund added 13 for Tennessee, which forced 24 turnovers.
Tide freshman Celiscia Farmer had a career-high 21 points in her first start on 10-of-15 shooting. She came in averaging just 4.9 points a game but wound up being the team's only double-figure scorer.
Forward Tierney Jenkins was held to two points -- 10 below her season average.
It was the closest meeting between these teams since Tennessee's 67-63 win in 1998. Some of the missteps late in the game left Summitt either glaring at her team, hands on hips, or screaming loud enough at one point that her voice resonated through Coleman Coliseum.
"Are you going to guard anybody?" she yelled at her players as they walked toward the bench for a timeout with the lead shrinking.
Lady Vols center Kelly Cain missed the game, staying in Knoxville because the marketing/logistics major didn't want to miss more classes.
Without her, Tennessee was outrebounded 45-33 after coming into the game leading the league in rebounding margin. Stanford is the only other team to outrebound the Lady Vols this season.
"When we're missing someone, everyone has to step up," Bjorklund said. "Yeah, Cain's a huge inside force and that's hard for us but that's not an excuse. We should have been ready to come and work a lot harder than we did."
Alabama had lost five of its last six games and was coming off a 29-point defeat at Georgia. Tennessee had dominated Florida 83-44 but couldn't put together a similar performance.
Alabama coach Wendell Hudson shook up his lineup with a new starting five because of recent practice effort from his players, and it worked.
"We're going to play the people who play hard," Hudson said. "That was the group that was playing the hardest in practice."
As for his team's performance, he said, "We did not back up. We took the fight to them."
Tennessee finally scored 10 straight points to go up 33-23 late in the first half. But Alabama rallied, then the Lady Vols missed two shots in the final seconds for a 37-31 halftime edge.
They started out shooting just 4 for 13 before warming up.
"We just came out flat," Bjorklund said. "We didn't get off to a good start and let one thing lead to another and it kind of sucked the life out of us. It's just having more of a sense of urgency to start the game.
"If we could put together 40 minutes, everybody coming together, you'd be looking at an entirely different team."
Tennessee was outrebounded and hard-pressed to put away the Southeastern Conference's last-place team Thursday night before holding on for a 74-67 victory. The performance left the fifth-ranked Lady Vols' coach fuming at her team late in the game and not much calmer afterward.
"I'm very disappointed in the way we came out and played this game," Summitt said. "It was a lack of awareness and defensive intensity. We had no sense of urgency. Rebounding is heart and competitive desire.
"We disrespected the game of basketball tonight."
Or maybe the Lady Vols (24-2, 12-1) just disrespected Alabama (10-16, 2-11), which hasn't beaten them since 1984.
Alyssia Brewer had 20 points and 10 rebounds to help league-leading Tennessee claim its eighth consecutive win, if not in coach-pleasing fashion.
Alabama, which opened with an entirely new starting five, closed to within 54-49 midway through the second half.
Then, Tennessee finally kicked into gear with 10 straight points en route to a 67-51 lead on Alicia Manning's basket with 6:13 left. The Lady Vols missed five straight free throws at that point and made just 11 of 24 attempts from the line to help keep it close.
"We were horrendous from the free-throw line," Summitt said. "They're going to have to invest in that. It wasn't as much what they did, it's what we didn't do. It was just a lack of commitment on defense."
Brewer's one offensive shortcoming in the game: 6-for-12 shooting on free throws.
Shekinna Stricklen had 14 points and Angie Bjorklund added 13 for Tennessee, which forced 24 turnovers.
Tide freshman Celiscia Farmer had a career-high 21 points in her first start on 10-of-15 shooting. She came in averaging just 4.9 points a game but wound up being the team's only double-figure scorer.
Forward Tierney Jenkins was held to two points -- 10 below her season average.
It was the closest meeting between these teams since Tennessee's 67-63 win in 1998. Some of the missteps late in the game left Summitt either glaring at her team, hands on hips, or screaming loud enough at one point that her voice resonated through Coleman Coliseum.
"Are you going to guard anybody?" she yelled at her players as they walked toward the bench for a timeout with the lead shrinking.
Lady Vols center Kelly Cain missed the game, staying in Knoxville because the marketing/logistics major didn't want to miss more classes.
Without her, Tennessee was outrebounded 45-33 after coming into the game leading the league in rebounding margin. Stanford is the only other team to outrebound the Lady Vols this season.
"When we're missing someone, everyone has to step up," Bjorklund said. "Yeah, Cain's a huge inside force and that's hard for us but that's not an excuse. We should have been ready to come and work a lot harder than we did."
Alabama had lost five of its last six games and was coming off a 29-point defeat at Georgia. Tennessee had dominated Florida 83-44 but couldn't put together a similar performance.
Alabama coach Wendell Hudson shook up his lineup with a new starting five because of recent practice effort from his players, and it worked.
"We're going to play the people who play hard," Hudson said. "That was the group that was playing the hardest in practice."
As for his team's performance, he said, "We did not back up. We took the fight to them."
Tennessee finally scored 10 straight points to go up 33-23 late in the first half. But Alabama rallied, then the Lady Vols missed two shots in the final seconds for a 37-31 halftime edge.
They started out shooting just 4 for 13 before warming up.
"We just came out flat," Bjorklund said. "We didn't get off to a good start and let one thing lead to another and it kind of sucked the life out of us. It's just having more of a sense of urgency to start the game.
"If we could put together 40 minutes, everybody coming together, you'd be looking at an entirely different team."
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Bjorklund, Cain Lead Lady Vols Past Florida, 83-44
KNOXVILLE -- Up by just six points at halftime against Florida, Tennessee seemed bound for another one of the close calls that have become the norm in Southeastern Conference play.
Coach Pat Summitt preached once again to the fifth-ranked Lady Volunteers about the importance of playing with full effort for 40 minutes.
"I was not happy," Summitt said. "I told them, 'We're not going anywhere in the tournament unless we invest in being a 40-minute team.' There's a reason that we have eight championships. We have to change our level of commitment."
This time, the Lady Vols listened, shooting 64.5 percent and limiting the Gators to 21.2 percent as they beat Florida 83-44 on Sunday.
Nearly half of all SEC games played this season have been decided by single digits, and SEC-leading Tennessee (23-2, 11-1 SEC) has played its part.
The Lady Vols needed a reverse layup by Angie Bjorklund with 2.3 seconds left to pull out a 66-64 win over Florida in Gainesville on Jan. 14. Bjorklund also hit a game-winning 3 in a 61-58 win at Mississippi on Thursday.
Bjorklund still did her part in beating Florida (13-12, 6-6), but this time she helped by scoring 24 points, including six 3-pointers. Kelley Cain added 19 points, Shekinna Stricklen sank 12 and Alicia Manning added 11.
"It feels good," Bjorklund said. "I think once our team got together at halftime and everyone committed to defense and rebounding, that made a huge difference. We need to keep it like that more often and focus on playing a 40-minute game."
The teams traded the lead eight times and tied three times in the first half. Stricklen grabbed the ball from Tessah Holt and hit a layup to cap a 10-0 Tennessee run and give the Lady Vols a 31-21 lead with 2:06 in the first half.
Layups by Trumae Lucas and Jennifer George helped Florida trim the margin, and Tennessee led 34-28 at halftime.
"I thought we showed a lot of fight in the first half," Gators coach Amanda Butler said. "In the second half the fight wasn't there, the intensity wasn't there. The things that you have to do to compete with a team like Tennessee, especially on their home court, weren't there."
The Lady Vols stopped relying so much on their post game after halftime and found some perimeter shooting that had been missing recently, opening the half on a 12-3 run that included 3s by Bjorklund and Manning.
The Gators could only manage 16 points after the break, going long stretches between each basket, and never made it to the free-throw line. Steffi Sorensen led Florida with 12 points.
"This doesn't count, though," Summitt said. "It counts when we have 40 minutes of busting it up-and-down the court, defending and rebounding at both ends."
It was Florida's second blowout in as many games after the Gators 70-30 at home against LSU (No. 23 AP) on Thursday. Their road doesn't get any easier with games left to play against Kentucky (No. 16 ESPN/USA Today, No. 17 AP), Georgia (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today, No. 19 AP) and Vanderbilt before the end of February.
"After you've had losses like we've had, especially back-to-back, you find out who is tough and who is willing to do the dirty work in games," Sorensen said. "Right now, we have to respond. We can't just roll over and die and accept these losses."
Coach Pat Summitt preached once again to the fifth-ranked Lady Volunteers about the importance of playing with full effort for 40 minutes.
"I was not happy," Summitt said. "I told them, 'We're not going anywhere in the tournament unless we invest in being a 40-minute team.' There's a reason that we have eight championships. We have to change our level of commitment."
This time, the Lady Vols listened, shooting 64.5 percent and limiting the Gators to 21.2 percent as they beat Florida 83-44 on Sunday.
Nearly half of all SEC games played this season have been decided by single digits, and SEC-leading Tennessee (23-2, 11-1 SEC) has played its part.
The Lady Vols needed a reverse layup by Angie Bjorklund with 2.3 seconds left to pull out a 66-64 win over Florida in Gainesville on Jan. 14. Bjorklund also hit a game-winning 3 in a 61-58 win at Mississippi on Thursday.
Bjorklund still did her part in beating Florida (13-12, 6-6), but this time she helped by scoring 24 points, including six 3-pointers. Kelley Cain added 19 points, Shekinna Stricklen sank 12 and Alicia Manning added 11.
"It feels good," Bjorklund said. "I think once our team got together at halftime and everyone committed to defense and rebounding, that made a huge difference. We need to keep it like that more often and focus on playing a 40-minute game."
The teams traded the lead eight times and tied three times in the first half. Stricklen grabbed the ball from Tessah Holt and hit a layup to cap a 10-0 Tennessee run and give the Lady Vols a 31-21 lead with 2:06 in the first half.
Layups by Trumae Lucas and Jennifer George helped Florida trim the margin, and Tennessee led 34-28 at halftime.
"I thought we showed a lot of fight in the first half," Gators coach Amanda Butler said. "In the second half the fight wasn't there, the intensity wasn't there. The things that you have to do to compete with a team like Tennessee, especially on their home court, weren't there."
The Lady Vols stopped relying so much on their post game after halftime and found some perimeter shooting that had been missing recently, opening the half on a 12-3 run that included 3s by Bjorklund and Manning.
The Gators could only manage 16 points after the break, going long stretches between each basket, and never made it to the free-throw line. Steffi Sorensen led Florida with 12 points.
"This doesn't count, though," Summitt said. "It counts when we have 40 minutes of busting it up-and-down the court, defending and rebounding at both ends."
It was Florida's second blowout in as many games after the Gators 70-30 at home against LSU (No. 23 AP) on Thursday. Their road doesn't get any easier with games left to play against Kentucky (No. 16 ESPN/USA Today, No. 17 AP), Georgia (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today, No. 19 AP) and Vanderbilt before the end of February.
"After you've had losses like we've had, especially back-to-back, you find out who is tough and who is willing to do the dirty work in games," Sorensen said. "Right now, we have to respond. We can't just roll over and die and accept these losses."
Thursday, February 11, 2010
No. 5 Tennessee defeated Mississippi 61-58
OXFORD, Miss. -- Angie Bjorklund is making a habit of beating Mississippi in the final second.
Bjorklund hit a 3-pointer with 1 second remaining as No. 5 Tennessee defeated Mississippi 61-58 Thursday night. It was the second consecutive game Bjorklund hit a game-winning 3 against the Lady Rebels.
Last season, Bjorklund hit a buzzer-beating shot from the corner for the 60-59 win over Ole Miss at home. This time, Bjorklund got free after stepping back from the right wing and nailed the jumper.
"We've got a couple of options on that play but I'm probably Plan B," Bjorklund said. "If we can roll Shekinna (Stricklen) free, it's her shot, but she wasn't open and I made the cut and was open, so it's my shot."
Tennessee (22-2, 10-1 Southeastern Conference) remained on top of the league standings with a one-game lead over Kentucky. Ole Miss (15-9, 6-5) lost for the fourth time in five games and is in a three-way tie for third place.
Stricklen led the Lady Vols with 13 points, while Alyssia Brewer and Bjorklund had 12 apiece. Bjorklund made four baskets, all 3s.
"She's been really big for us," Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said. "This was a very hard-fought game and you have to be happy when you find a way to win."
The decisive margin was inside as the Lady Vols dominated the boards, 47-24, including a game-high 16 from Kelley Cain. Ole Miss compensated by forcing 16 turnovers and hitting 10 3s.
Elizabeth Robertson and Bianca Thomas had 18 points apiece for the Lady Rebels. Thomas, the SEC's leading scorer, pulled Ole Miss into a 58-58 tie with 15 seconds left on a driving layup, setting up Bjorklund for the decisive shot.
"We knew exactly who was going to take that shot," Ole Miss coach Renee Ladner said. "Angie does a good job at making big shots for Tennessee. It's very disheartening because our players fought so valiantly."
The Lady Rebels led 30-25 at halftime and 54-40 with 5 minutes remaining. Ole Miss managed only two baskets the rest of the way and Tennessee's inside dominance set up the successful rally.
"Honestly, we're fortunate to get out of here with the win," Summitt said.
Bjorklund hit a 3-pointer with 1 second remaining as No. 5 Tennessee defeated Mississippi 61-58 Thursday night. It was the second consecutive game Bjorklund hit a game-winning 3 against the Lady Rebels.
Last season, Bjorklund hit a buzzer-beating shot from the corner for the 60-59 win over Ole Miss at home. This time, Bjorklund got free after stepping back from the right wing and nailed the jumper.
"We've got a couple of options on that play but I'm probably Plan B," Bjorklund said. "If we can roll Shekinna (Stricklen) free, it's her shot, but she wasn't open and I made the cut and was open, so it's my shot."
Tennessee (22-2, 10-1 Southeastern Conference) remained on top of the league standings with a one-game lead over Kentucky. Ole Miss (15-9, 6-5) lost for the fourth time in five games and is in a three-way tie for third place.
Stricklen led the Lady Vols with 13 points, while Alyssia Brewer and Bjorklund had 12 apiece. Bjorklund made four baskets, all 3s.
"She's been really big for us," Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said. "This was a very hard-fought game and you have to be happy when you find a way to win."
The decisive margin was inside as the Lady Vols dominated the boards, 47-24, including a game-high 16 from Kelley Cain. Ole Miss compensated by forcing 16 turnovers and hitting 10 3s.
Elizabeth Robertson and Bianca Thomas had 18 points apiece for the Lady Rebels. Thomas, the SEC's leading scorer, pulled Ole Miss into a 58-58 tie with 15 seconds left on a driving layup, setting up Bjorklund for the decisive shot.
"We knew exactly who was going to take that shot," Ole Miss coach Renee Ladner said. "Angie does a good job at making big shots for Tennessee. It's very disheartening because our players fought so valiantly."
The Lady Rebels led 30-25 at halftime and 54-40 with 5 minutes remaining. Ole Miss managed only two baskets the rest of the way and Tennessee's inside dominance set up the successful rally.
"Honestly, we're fortunate to get out of here with the win," Summitt said.
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