University of Tennessee Athletics
NO. 3 LADY VOLS UPSET BY LSU, 81-80
March 02, 2002 | Women's Basketball
March 2, 2002
By AMBER McDOWELL
Associated Press Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee coach Pat Summitt wouldn't change a thing about the way her Lady Vols played Saturday night. Unfortunately, she didn't have a say in the officiating.
Fourth-seeded LSU went 25-of-29 from the free-throw line and upset the third-ranked Lady Vols 81-80 in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament. It was Tennessee's first loss to an unranked team since losing to Auburn in the semifinals of the SEC tournament on March 2, 1997 - exactly five years ago.
Tennessee went 17-of-18 at the foul line, and Summitt wasn't very happy with the discrepancy.
"We just didn't get the calls," Summitt said. "From a coach's standpoint, watching was very disappointing."
It's the second straight loss in the semifinals for Tennessee - the first time that's happened since 1986-87. The Lady Vols (25-4) had been trying to add an 11th tournament title to their 11th regular season title.
Summitt served up notice that Tennessee's season isn't over, not with the NCAA tournament coming up.
"Don't underestimate what you can learn from a loss. We're going to go back to Knoxville and we're going to go to work," she said.
"Y'all have a great championship here in Nashville. We'll be watching."
Making the upset more shocking was that LSU played only six players and had only seven dressed. Coach Sue Gunter had lost three players to torn ACLs during the season, while a fourth player sat out the season to heal from injuries.
"We had to make up our minds just about the time the conference started, 'Are we going to chunk this year in because we've got an All-SEC center down and we've got two other starters down? Or are we going to suck it up and be competitors?"' Gunter said.
"It's been a very unique experience for someone who has been doing this for 35 years."
Temeka Johnson hit a free throw with 4.5 seconds left to secure the upset for the Lady Tigers. LSU will play either No. 6 Vanderbilt or Arkansas in Sunday's final, its third appearance in the title game overall with their only title coming in 1991.
Kara Lawson tried to rally Tennessee by scoring the last 13 points for Tennessee, but her jumper hit off the rim as time ran out.
She tied it at 80 with 51.1 seconds left with three free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer. But she committed a turnover when Tennessee regained possession, and Johnson went to the line on the resulting foul.
"I was just trying to help out team win the ballgame," Lawson said. "Those are the situations I like to be in. When our team needs the basket, I want the ball. That's the chance you take."
Tennessee had a cozy home court at Gaylord Entertainment Center, thanks to its fans.
The support didn't help as the Lady Vols led 35-34 at halftime, but LSU immediately took the lead back on a layup by Doneeka Hodges. After swapping the lead five times, LSU went up 57-55 on a bucket by Roneeka Hodges with 9:34 to go that started a 9-2 run and never trailed again.
LSU went 25-of-29 at the free-throw line, compared to 17-of-18 for Tennessee.
Johnson finished 12-of-15 at the line with 18 points, Hodges led the Tigers with 23, Smith added 14 and Tardy 10.
"She was 3-of-7 from the field," Summitt said of Johnson. "She scored 12 points from the free-throw line. That was huge."
Lawson finished with 27 to lead the Lady Vols, Michelle Snow added 17 and Shyra Ely 12.
Tennessee's last lead was on Snow's bucket with 9:49 to go.
Tennessee led early, getting eight points from Gwen Jackson to build a 10-6 lead. But LSU stayed out of foul trouble and was 10-for-10 at the line in the first half to stay close.
