University of Tennessee Athletics
LADY VOLS LOOK FOR REVENGE AGAINST UCONN SATURDAY
January 06, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2005
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| LADY VOLS LOOK FOR REVENGE AGAINST UCONN SATURDAY
THE GAME The #10-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols (9-3) are on the road for the seventh time this season and travel to defending NCAA Champion and #15/14-ranked Connecticut (8-3) for the annual heavyweight showdown. The Lady Vols will be looking for their first-ever win in the Hartford Civic Center. Why is it when the calendar reads January 8 it feels like March or April Madness when Tennessee and Connecticut meet? Today will be no different as the #10-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols (9-3) take on the #15/14-ranked Connecticut Huskies (8-3) in Hartford. Both teams come into the game with a rare three losses. LADY VOLS AT A GLANCE This is the Lady Vols' 31st season under Head Coach Pat Summitt...She has compiled a staggering 861-170 overall record...Needs just 19 wins to become the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history...Her 2003-04 squad finished as the NCAA runner-up with a 31-4 record...UT also is the seven-time-consecutive defending SEC regular season champion, and has been picked by both the media and the coaches to finish first in this year's SEC race as well. Tennessee returns seven letterwinners and welcomes eight newcomers to the lineup...Rookie Alex Fuller (Shelbyville, Tenn.) will redshirt this season after undergoing knee surgery in October...On Mon., Jan. 3, for the first 10 minutes of practice, coach Pat Summitt welcomed her entire squad to the practice floor for the first time in the 2004-05 season... Senior point guard Loree Moore had just been cleared for practice and play after missing almost four weeks after having a tonsillectomy on Dec. 10. Rookie Candace Parker was on the floor as well when starting junior center Tye'sha Fluker caught a finger to the eye and had to leave the floor. Fluker was back on the practice floor on Jan. 5 but Parker was missing due to swelling of her left knee. Moore, who started the first six games, was back running the point at practice this week. During her absence, rookie Alexis Hornbuckle started in Moore's place and played well but is looking forward to returning to the two guard slot. HUSKIES AT A GLANCE Junior Rashidat Sadiq and rookie Ketia Swanier both recorded career highs to lead three Huskies in double figures as #15/14-UConn improved to 8-3 with an 83-33 win over Providence (1-12) at home on Jan. 4. Sadiq led the Huskies with 16 points and Charde Houston added 14 while Swanier chipped in with 10. A 22-4 run to open the first half saw the Huskies jump ahead early as a deep bench produced the program's seventh different starting lineup in 11 games. A 12-7 run towards the end of the first half narrowed the gap to 39-18 with 34 seconds left but would be the only offensive spurt the Friars would see in the first 20 minutes, as the Huskies connected on 56 percent in the opening half. Senior Jessica Moore provided a spark to the Huskies strong all-around game, adding six points and seven rebounds in just 14 minutes. UConn committed a season low five turnovers and season-high 10 blocks. The Huskies played without junior Barbara Turner who sat out the game with a sore foot. OUR SCHEDULE THIS WEEK This week, the #10-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols travel to #15 Connecticut on Jan. 8 for the final game of "East Coast Week" - the Lady Vols visited #24 Rutgers and Old Dominion in the last 10 days. LADY VOLS ON TV Seventeen Lady Vol regular season games are slated for television this season. Upcoming games on TV: UConn (CBS) and Arkansas (CSS). ON THIS DAY Tennessee is 7-2 in their history when playing on Jan. 8. The Lady Vols are 5-1 at home, 2-1 on the road, and 0-0 on neutral courts. The last time out on the 8th, the Lady Vols defeated Arkansas, 83-44, in Knoxville in 2004. LOOKING BACK Last year at this time, the Lady Vols (11-1) had just defeated Arkansas, 83-44, in Knoxville. THE COUNTDOWN - 19 TO GO Lady Vol coach Pat Summitt is just 19 wins away from passing Dean Smith (879) as the winningest coach in NCAA basketball. Summitt now has 861 wins. SUMMITT 'S TELECONFERENCE -- Coach Pat Summitt's regularly scheduled weekly teleconference will be on Jan. 12, 2005, at 11:00 a.m. Media will be notified of the dial-in number via fax and email. 2004-05 WON-LOSS DIFFERENTIAL Wins: +34, +30, +27, +15, +11, +10 (2), +4, +3 Losses: -15, -14, -2 UT'S OFFENSIVE ACCURACY In all games, this is how Tennessee has shot from the field: 60%: none 50%FG: none 40%FG: .481 (UTC), .468 (GWU), .456 (LaTech), .441 (TCU), .435 (DePaul), 30%FG: .373 (Stanford, N.C. State), .370 (ODU), .323 Temple, .329 (Texas); 20%FG: .280 (Duke), .278 (Rutgers). DEEE ----- FENSE In all games, this is how the opposition has shot from the field: 60% FG: .604 (Texas), 50%FG: none 40%FG: .473 (Stanford), .426 (LaTech), 30%FG: .393 (Rutgers), .390 (Duke), .373 (N.C. State), .333 (Temple), .321 (GWU), TCU (.300), 20%FG: .299 (ODU), .265 (DePaul), 10%: .135 (UTC) JUMP SHOTS The number to remember when watching the Lady Vols is 60... Eight times this year, the Big Orange has scored at least 60 points in a game...Their record in those games is 8-0... When tallying less than 60, the Orange and White are just 1-3, with their only victory coming against Temple (54-52)...This squad is one of UT's deepest in recent history, as at least 10 players are averaging double-digits minutes...Additionally, eight different players have started games this year for the Lady Vols...Only two players are currently averaging more than 10 points a game...Perhaps that bodes well for the Big Orange, as in program history only five teams have had just two players in double-digit scoring... Four of those teams advanced to the national championship game, with three of them, the 1986-87, 1988-89 and 1990-91 squads winning it all...Shyra Ely is UT's leading scorer at 13.7 points per game...Should that figure not climb above 14.0 ppg, it would mark the lowest average for Tennessee's top scorer in program history...Thus far, opponents have attempted 23 more three-point shots on the season than the Orange and White but have made six fewer. UCONN SERIES Although the first meeting between Tennessee and Connecticut took place just a decade ago, the match-up has evolved into a national display unlike any other in women's college basketball. Tennessee and Connecticut meet today for the 20th time since 1995, yet it seems like one of the oldest rivalries in collegiate basketball. UConn holds a seven-game edge over the Lady Vols with a 13-6 lead in the overall count and has won six of the last seven meetings. The series has become so storied, in part, because the titans have squared off in four national title games (1995, 2000, 2003 and 2004), two national semifinal contests (1996 & 2002) and a regional final (1997). UT AVERAGES VS. UCONN Junior Shanna Zolman leads the Lady Vols versus UConn with 10.3 ppg and 4.8 rpg. Next best is Shyra Ely with 8.0 ppg and 6.2 rpg. ALL TOP 10 GAMES - Til NOW During the 19-game all-time series between Tennessee and Connecticut, neither team has been ranked outside of the top 10 (in either the AP or coaches poll) when the two squads have played - until now. The lowest Tennessee has ever been ranked when playing UConn is 10th, which came on March 24, 1997 in the NCAA Midwest Final, when the Lady Vols beat the #1 Huskies en route to winning the NCAA title. UConn, meanwhile, has never been ranked below sixth during a match-up with UT. On Jan. 3, 1998, the No. 1 Lady Vols downed No. 3 Connecticut in Knoxville during their perfect 39-0 season. For this meeting, UConn has a split ranking of 15 and 14. AVERAGE SCORE The average score in the last six meetings of a UT-UConn game is a double-figure differential margin for the Huskies (11.1) - 64.2 for UT and 75.3 for UConn. OUR LAST MEETING WITH UCONN Playing in the program's record-setting 11th NCAA Championship Game, the top-seeded and #2/3-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols fell to #6-ranked Connecticut, 70-61, at the New Orleans Arena on April 6, 2004. The contest marked the second consecutive year in which UT reached the NCAA championship but fell to the Huskies. Neither team was able to take control of the game early, as UConn maintained a narrow advantage, 7-6, at the first media timeout. However, Connecticut caught fire from long range and capitalized on the Lady Vols' poor shooting (began contest 4-of-14 from the field) to go on a 23-7 run over the next nine minutes to lead by 17 points, 30-13 with 6:29 before halftime. Despite the cold start, the Big Orange battled back and responded with an 11-0 spurt to close the half. In the opening frame, Tennessee shot just 33 percent compared to UConn's 48 percent mark. Additionally, the opposition hit on 5-of-9 shots beyond the arc, while UT connected on just one shot from long range. However, the Orange and White owned a substantial advantage on the boards, 22-13, a total that included 11 rebounds at the offensive end. Following the break, the Lady Vols continued to cut into the lead and trailed by just three points, 36-33, after a 3-pointer by sophomore Shanna Zolman at the 16:54 mark. While Connecticut would pull ahead by as many as 10 points, Coach Pat Summitt's squad would not go away quietly and eventually drew within two, 50-48, following a 3-pointer by junior Brittany Jackson with 9:51 remaining. But as was the case early in the first half, Tennessee struggled to put the ball in the basket and totaled only three points during the next six minutes as the Huskies pulled away for the nine-point win. The Lady Vols were led by Zolman, who recorded a game-high 19 points and nine rebounds en route to earning NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team honors. Also scoring in double digits were senior Ashley Robinson and junior Shyra Ely, who totaled 13 and 10 points, respectively. Senior Tasha Butts also closed out her career with a solid performance with eight points, six rebounds and three steals, while classmate LaToya Davis totaled seven assists, four steals and six points before fouling out in the closing minutes. On the night, UT shot a dismal 36 percent (22-61) from the floor while UConn hit 47 percent (24-51) of its attempts. Despite the poor shooting, Tennessee controlled the rebounding battle, 39-31. 2004 REGULAR SEASON MEETING After winning 11 consecutive contests, the #1-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols' winning streak was snapped with an 81-67 loss to #4/3 Connecticut at Thompson-Boling Arena before a season-high crowd of 22,515 on Feb. 5, 2004. Tennessee's suffered its only other defeat this season at home as well, falling to then-#5 Texas on Dec. 28. The game opened with a flurry of 3-pointers, as UT junior Brittany Jackson's 20-footer was answered by two long-range shots by the Huskies. Following the first media timeout, sophomore Shanna Zolman connected on a pair of free throws to give UT a 9-8 advantage before UConn rattled off eight straight points to take a seven-point lead. After extending the margin to as many as eight, 21-13, with 10:18 remaining in the first half, the Big Orange scored eight unanswered points to even the score. With neither team taking control of the game and the score knotted at 28-28, the Huskies erupted on a pivotal 13-2 run to push the lead to 11 points. Despite a 3-pointer by Zolman in the closing seconds of the half, the Lady Vols trailed 41-33 at the break. In the opening stanza, Tennessee shot just 37 percent but managed to hit on 42.9 percent of its 3-point attempts. Connecticut shot 40 percent from the floor and was 6-of-13 from beyond the arc. Head Coach Pat Summitt's squad was strong from the free throw stripe, hitting on all 10 of its tries, but was out-rebounded, 26-19. Following the intermission, the Orange and White utilized six quick points from junior Shyra Ely to go on an 8-3 run, cutting the lead to three. UConn responded, however, and pushed the margin back into double digits, 64-54, after a 3-pointer by Maria Conlon with 10:52 to play. The Lady Vols answered the challenge, though, and seemed poised to make a run following a crowd-pleasing trifecta by Zolman at the 7:40 mark, narrowing the gap to four, 65-61. But as they had all night, the Huskies fended off the charge and closed the game on a 16-6 run, connecting on 12 of their last 14 free throws down the stretch, to seal the victory. Offensively, the Lady Vols were paced by sophomores Tye'sha Fluker and Zolman, who poured in 14 points apiece. Ely also posted a solid performance, grabbing 14 rebounds and scoring 10 points for her sixth double-double of the season. On the night, Tennessee shot just 39.3 percent (22-56) but held the opposition to only 40.9 percent shooting (27-66). UConn, however, connected on 10-of-23 3-pointers, while UT hit 5-of-14 attempts from long range. Despite a good night at the free throw line (18-21), the Lady Vols were out rebounded, 42-39, and committed 16 turnovers, twice as many as Connecticut. SUMMITT'S WINS OVER UCONN BY THE NUMBERS #595--NCAA Semifinal in Charlotte, N.C. on 3/29/96 (88-83) OT OUR LAST MEETING IN HARTFORD On Jan. 4, 2003, with a national television audience watching and 16,294 hostile Husky fans in the Hartford Civic Center, the #5 Tennessee Lady Vol basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 63-62 overtime loss to the #3/2 Connecticut Huskies to fall to 9-3 overall. On the afternoon, two Lady Vols were in double figures as Ashley Robinson posted 15 points and Kara Lawson 13. UT forced 20 Husky turnovers and outrebounded UConn by a 42-39 margin, but could not keep Connecticut's Diana Taurasi in check as the junior tallied 25 points to lead all scorers. To begin the game, both teams struggled against inspired defense and the game's emotion as the squads managed a 3-3 tie at the first media timeout. UConn already had four turnovers while UT was shooting .143 from the floor. Tasha Butts scored four straight as the Lady Vols and UConn danced around a two-point UT advantage until 7:01 remained in the first half when a Willnett Crockett bucket gave the Huskies its first lead of the afternoon at 16-15. A steal and layup by Loree Moore and baskets by Robinson and Shanna Zolman pushed UT to its largest first half lead at 21-18 with 4:06 left before a UConn spurt gave the Huskies a 26-23 lead. A three-point play by Butts squared the game at 26 before a little luck came into play as a 60-foot heave by Taurasi found the bottom of the net as time expired to send the teams into the break with the Huskies up 29-26. Out of the locker room, Taurasi bombed in another three for a 32-26 advantage, and a lay-up by Ashley Battle gave UConn its largest lead at 36-29 before a 12-3 Lady Vol run keyed by eight tallies from Robinson moved UT back in front 41-39. After Taurasi got the Huskies back to within 45-44, another Lady Vol run, this time a 9-2 spurt, behind seven straight points from Lawson moved UT to its largest lead at 54-46 with 5:15 to play. UConn rallied with a 7-0 run of its own to get within 54-53 and after a Shyra Ely lay-up needed a big three-pointer from Taurasi to tie the game at 56 and send the match-up to an extra frame. In the penultimate session, Tennessee fell behind 61-58 but used buckets from Ely and Zolman to post a 62-61 lead. However, there was too much Diana Taurasi, as the junior scored four points in the final five minutes, including the deciding jumper. A last second shot by Tennessee's Kara Lawson with 1.9 seconds remaining drew iron but would not fall as UConn gained the victory, 63-62. THEY MATCHED 39-0 Connecticut matched Tennessee's perfect 39-0 season (from 1997-98) with a duplicate 39-0 finish in 2001-02. CAN WE PLAY IN STORRS? Tennessee would rather play the game against UConn in Storrs where the Lady Vols own a 2-1 record in Gampel. Since losing the very first meeting between the two teams in Storrs (Jan. 16, 1995, 66-77), the Lady Vols have been victorious on two other occasions. On Jan. 10, 1999, UT prevailed 92-81 and on Feb. 2, 2000, the Lady Vols escaped with a nail-biter, 72-71. UT has never fared well in Hartford with a 72-57 skunking on Jan. 5, 1997, and a near-losses of 81-76 on Dec. 30, 2000 and a heartbreaker on Jan. 4, 2003, a 63-62 OT loss. WINNING IT ALL In the last 18 years, more often than not, the NCAA title in women's basketball has gone to either Tennessee or Connecticut, as the two schools have combined for 11 during that period. The pair has been especially dominant during the past nine years, as the Lady Vols won the title three straight years from 1996-98, while the Huskies captured championships in 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004. In total, UT has won six national titles including 1987, '89 and '91. Furthermore, UT and UConn have squared off in the NCAA Championship game on four occasions (1995, 2000, 2003 and 2004), with the Huskies claiming victory in each contest. BIG BUCKS Since the Tennessee versus Connecticut series started in 1995, a total of 348,601 fans have watched in Knoxville, Storrs & Hartford and at a variety of neutral sites. Figure that a ticket runs an average of $29.56 (includes the pricey Final Four ducat) - that means that the economic impact is about $1.1 million dollars in ticket sales. THIS WILL BE OUR 478th GAME VERSUS A RANKED TEAM Tennessee's game versus Connecticut will be the Lady Vols' 478th all-time versus a ranked team since the inception of the polls in 1976. UT is an amazing 337-140 (.707) versus ranked teams. Conversely, when UConn meets UT today, it will be their 133rd game all-time versus a ranked opponent all-time (97-35). UT and UConn have never met in a #10 vs. #15 match-up ... just the fifth time in the series that one of the teams is not top-ranked. Wow. The Lady Vols are 2-3 on the 2004-05 season vs. ranked teams, while the Huskies are 0-2. Tennessee is 10-5 all-time as the nation's 10th ranked team including an upset win over #2 Stanford, 70-67, this season. PLAYING DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Since the 1976 season, the Lady Vols have contested 36 games against current defending AIAW or NCAA Champions and produced a 20-16 record all-time. The last national championship team Tennessee took on was the 2003 NCAA Women's Basketball Champion - UConn. Tennessee is 9-4 in games played at home, 4-4 away and 7-8 at neutral sites. In all, UT has played 11 defending champions in 36 games in various title defense seasons. UT's record when playing defending champs: Connecticut (2-6), Delta State (1-0), Louisiana Tech (2-3), Notre Dame (1-0), Old Dominion (4-3), Purdue (1-0), Southern Cal (1-3), Stanford (5-0), Texas (1-1) and UCLA (2-0). UT has defended six NCAA titles and produced an overall record of 186-25 in the six seasons following a championship. This number reflects the 29-10 campaign of the 1996-97 season which skews the numbers due to the high number of losses. However, following the 1997 championship season, UT went 39-0 in winning the 1998 title. This season, the Lady Vols will face 2004 NCAA Champ UConn in Hartford on Jan. 8, 2005. DELIVERING AN "L" TO UCONN Tennessee has played Connecticut 11 times when the Huskies were undefeated at the time of the game. In three games (in successive seasons), the Lady Vols tagged UConn with their first loss of the season -- 1997, 1998 and 1999. Likewise, the Huskies have presented the Lady Vols with their first loss of the season three times, 1995, 2000 and 2002. UT VERSUS THE BIG EAST Tennessee has amassed an all-time record of 47-16 (.794) versus teams from the BIG EAST. The Lady Vols have a winning record against every team in the conference it has played, with the exception of Connecticut. The only other BIG EAST squad to defeat UT is Rutgers. UT SENIORS HAVE PLAYED A FEW RANKED The Tennessee senior class of Shyra Ely, Brittany Jackson and Loree Moore have faced 63 ranked teams out of 119 career games - 53% of their collegiate contests have been spent playing against the best in women's basketball. Following the game with #24 Rutgers, the senior class has compiled a 47-16 record against ranked teams winning 75% of the time. Overall, this senior class is 102-17 in all games (.857) for their Tennessee tenure including the current 9-3 mark. ONE-TWO PUNCH Tennessee and Connecticut have met six times as the #1 and #2 teams in the Associated Press Poll, with UConn being #1 on five of those occasions. The series' first ever meeting featured #1 UT against #2 UConn on Jan. 16, 1995, when the Huskies won by a count of 77-66. Since then, UConn has been #1 and UT #2 five times, with the Huskies claiming victory in four of those meetings. Tennessee's lone win in the 1 vs. 2 clashes came on Jan. 10, 1999, when the Lady Vols upended UConn, 92-81, in Storrs. WHAT A CRAZY SEASON SO FAR... Okay, sports fans, see if you can follow along. #1 Tennessee goes to #4 Texas and gets donkey stomped, 74-59, on Thanksgiving Day. UT comes home and rebounds for a tightly-contested game against Temple, 52-48. Temple, knocks off Rutgers, 71-60. The #8 Lady Vols travel to #24 Rutgers a week ago and, once again, a donkey-stomp, 65-51. In fact, the Scarlet Knights limit UT to the second fewest first half points in history (16) and the second fewest points ever in a game (51). We're talking in 1,130 games, okay? The Lady Vols now travel to Old Dominion, who also defeated Rutgers, 69-61. UT beats ODU, 68-58, as Rutgers is defeating Texas in Austin, 51-47. In fact, the Longhorns lost a 16-point halftime lead and were limited to 11 second half points by Rutgers. Makes Tennessee's 16 first half implosion against RU look pretty good, eh?? THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING!! The Tennessee Lady Vols typically don't have three losses on the ledger sheets in the first week of January despite playing the toughest non-conference schedule year-in and year-out. In three years, 1982, 1984 and 1997, the Lady Vols advanced to the NCAA Final Four. And the 1996-97 "Cinderella Season" of 10 losses, produced the program's fifth NCAA title. Heading into January - the most losses. 2004-05: 8-3 lost to Texas, Duke, Rutgers STRANDED ON AN ISLAND FOR THE LAST DECADE?? It seems as though each game has been notable during what many call the greatest rivalry in women's basketball. The following are some key tidbits from each meeting between Tennessee and Connecticut. Jan. 16, 1995 - #2 Huskies beat #1 Lady Vols in battle of undefeated squads to begin the rivalry. LOOKING AHEAD TO ARKANSAS Ohio native and 5-7 sophomore guard Kristin Peoples led the Lady Razorbacks with 18 points as the University of Arkansas picked up its 10th win of the season with a 66-54 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats in their last outing on Jan. 2. The Lady'Backs, now 10-2, 0-1 SEC, returns to Southeastern Conference play with Florida on Jan. 6 at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville. Aside from Peoples' 18, Arkansas had only one other player in double digits with 10 from Rochelle Vaughn. Peoples' three-pointer early in the second half put Arkansas ahead for good, her seven straight free throws provided the offensive push down the stretch to keep them ahead after a seven-point halftime deficit. The Westerville, Ohio, point guard's steal and layup with six ticks left tied her season and career high for scoring at Arkansas. For all its second-half power outscoring UC 44-25, Arkansas struggled offensively in the first half, trailing by as many as nine, but turned to its defense to carry the day. A season-high nine blocked shots and a complete turnaround of the turnover situation were the keys for Arkansas. Another big turnaround was at the line where the Lady'Backs were 0-of-3 in the first half but 13-of-18 in the second, 11-of-16 belonging to Peoples. Her 11 made free throws is the most this year for any Lady'Back player. Changing the starting lineup for only the second time this year, Gardner kept Sheree Thompson on the bench and opted for April Seggebruch at the wing guard slot. The senior responded with a three-pointer on the opening possession of the game as the Lady'Backs jumped out to a 5-2 lead. Arkansas traveled to Cincinnati after dropping their SEC opener at #16-ranked Georgia. Sophomore Danielle Allen's 12 points led the Arkansas' second-half surge, but the 16th-ranked Georgia Lady Bulldogs' commanding halftime lead was too much to overcome as the Lady Razorbacks lost the Southeastern Conference opener, 78-57, at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga., on Dec. 30, 2004. MOVED UP TO #8 IN THE AP POLL: BACK DOWN TO 10th In the Jan. 3 polls, the Lady Vols dropped back to 10th after losing to then-#24 ranked Rutgers. UT had climbed back up to eighth (Dec. 27th polls), after upsetting #2 Stanford. Previously, in the Dec. 7, Associated Press and USA TODAY/ESPN/WBCA Top 25 polls, the Tennessee Lady Vols dropped to ninth and 10th, respectively. A week later, they held their position after defeating #15 DePaul. The lowest the Lady Vols were ranked last season was fifth in four different weeks. UT had not been ranked tenth in the polls since the 1996-97 Cinderella season when the Lady Vols went 29-10 and were the NCAA Champs. UT's lowest spot was 11th in the polls that season. LADY VOL STREAKS The last time the Lady Vols lost at home was against Duke, 59-57 on Dec. 2, 2004 -- since then, UT has won three home games. The last time UT lost on the road was on Dec. 29 at Rutgers, 65-51, since then, UT has won one road game. The last time the Lady Vols lost on a neutral court was against UConn, 61-70, in the NCAA title game on April 6, 2004. Since then, UT has not played on a neutral court. UT'S LAST LOSS TO AN UNRANKED TEAM? When is the last time Tennessee lost to an unranked team? That would have been to LSU on Mar. 2, 2002 at the SEC Tournament in Nashville, Tenn. LSU had been in and out of the Top 25 polls in late January and February. Prior to that, UT's last loss to an unranked team was five years previous (to the day) losing to Auburn on Mar. 2, 1997 at the SEC Tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn. Coaches-All Time AP Ranking Appearances
Today's opponent: 14. Geno Auriemma , Connecticut - 243 PECK'S THE ONLY ONE The roll call goes like this: Sylvia Hatchell, Sharon Fanning, Jane Albright, Lea Henry, Nancy Darsch, Trish Roberts, and now Mickie DeMoss. etc., UT coach Pat Summitt has faced many former players and assistant coaches in a variety of games thru the years but Carolyn Peck is the only one to record a victory over her former boss. While at Purdue, Peck handed Summitt a 78-68 loss on Nov.15, 1998 in the State Farm Tip-Off Classic in West Lafayette, Ind. The defeat snapped UT's 46-game consecutive winning streak (that was second only to Louisiana Tech's all-time 54-game winning streak). 100 POINT GAMES Since 1974, the Lady Vols have gone over the century mark 69 times. Noteworthy: Tennessee went over 100 points in an NCAA playoff game for the first time ever in 1993-94 with the win over North Carolina A&T, 111-37. The 1987-88 team hit triple digits in seven games leading the NCAA. IN OVERTIME The Lady Vols are 23-12 all-time in overtime games. The most OT games in a year was tied last season with four as the Lady Vols went 3-1 in overtime losing to Georgia, 68-66, and defeating Auburn, 68-61, DePaul, 96-89, and Stanford, 70-66. It tied the mark set in 1996-97, when the Lady Vols were 3-1 in overtime contests losing to Georgia, 94-93, and defeating Texas, 68-65, Vanderbilt, 92-79 and LSU, 100-99. Tennessee's 21 points in the extra stanza against Vanderbilt on Jan.19, 1997, was the most ever scored by the Lady Vols in a single overtime. AN OT STORY Before the Lady Vols piled up four overtime games in the 2003-04 season, OT contests were few and far-in-between. The Jan. 4, 2003, overtime contest with Connecticut, was the first time Tennessee was involved in an extra stanza game since the 1996-97 season when the Lady Vols played a then-record four overtime affairs. DOUBLE-DIGIT WINS Besides Louisiana Tech, with 17 wins over UT, only three other teams have recorded double-digit victories against the Lady Vols during the Pat Summitt era of Lady Vol basketball. Georgia has claimed 14 wins in 46 meetings, Connecticut has registered 13 wins in 19 meetings, and Texas 11 wins in 26 meetings 242 WINS IN OUR LAST 269 GAMES The Lady Vols have won 242 games in their last 269 basketball contests (.906) spanning nine seasons (starting with NCAA Tournament play in 1997). UT was 6-0 in the 1997 NCAA Tourney, ran the table with a 39-0 record in 1997-98, turned in a 31-3 worksheet in 1998-99, a 33-4 mark in 1999-2000, a 31-3 overall record in 2000-01, 29-5 in 2001-02, 33-5 in 2002-03, 31-4 in 2003-04 and 9-3 in 2004-05. LADY VOLS #1 IN THE NATION IN STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE/#2 RPI The Tennessee Lady Vols rank number one in Strength of Schedule and #2 in the Rating Percentage Index and released on Jan. 3. UT trails top-ranked LSU in the RPI. Collectively, Lady Vol opponents are 212-63 (.770) on the season and every team has a winning record except South Carolina (5-8). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
