University of Tennessee Athletics
Summitt, Lady Vols Renew Rivalry with Virginia Monday Evening
November 16, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 16, 2008
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| November. 17, 2008 - 7:00 p.m. ET Thompson-Boling Arena (21,678) - Knoxville, Tenn. | |||
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| GAME NOTES | |
GAME 2 - VIRGINIA The #7/6-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols, 1-0 overall, welcome the #15-ranked Virginia Cavaliers, also 1-0, to Knoxville for both teams' second game of the season on Mon., Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. (Fox SportSouth) in Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee, with just nine dressed players, opened the 2008-09 season with a 68-39 victory over the San Francisco Dons on Saturday afternoon. In their season opener, 15th-ranked Virginia trounced High Point 78-48 on Friday night in Charlottesville. OUTSIDE THE BOXSCORE Virginia will be Tennessee's fi rst ranked opponent of the 2008-09 season...The Lady Vols' 2008-09 slate includes 11 contests against currently ranked opposition...Last season, Tennessee faced a total of 20 ranked opponents in 38 games and produced a 18-2 record... Lots of Women's Basketball Hall of Famers will be crowding the sidelines at the UTUVA game...Virginia's Debbie Ryan was inducted this summer as a member of the Class of 2008 to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame located in downtown Knoxville...On the UT side of the fl oor, head coach Pat Summitt was a charter inductee in the Class of 1999, associate head coach Holly Warlick was inducted in 2001 and assistant coach Daedra Charles-Furlow was a member of the Class of 2007. Ryan and Summitt were inducted as players while Warlick and Charles-Furlow earned their way in as players.LADY VOLS AT A GLANCE This is the Lady Vols' 35th season under Head Coach Pat Summitt...She has compiled a staggering 984-182 overall record... Is just 16 wins away from a remarkable 1,000 career victories...Collected her 900th coaching win with a 80-68 decision over #19-ranked Vanderbilt on Jan. 19, 2006... She passed Dean Smith (879 wins) for most NCAA collegiate basketball wins of all-time with a 75-54 victory over Purdue on Mar. 22, 2005 ... Her 2006-07 and 2007-08 squads were crowned as the NCAA Champions producing the program's seventh and eighth titles...Last season, UT fi nished with a 36-2 overall record and were also the SEC Tournament Champions...This season, UT returned fi ve letterwinners, a redshirt freshman and welcomed a talented six-pack rookie class...The 2008-09 season marked the Lady Vol debut for freshmen: #1 Briana Bass, a 5-2 guard from Indianapolis, Ind., #10 Amber Gray, a 6-1 forward/ center from West Chester, Ohio, #15 Alicia Manning, a 6-1 guard/forward from Woodstock, Ga., #25 Glory Johnson, a 6-3 forward from Knoxville, Tenn., #33 Alyssia Brewer, a 6-3 forward from Sapulpa, Okla. and #40 Shekinna Stricklen, a 6-2 guard/forward from Morrilton, Ark. -- all saw their fi rst action in the Orange and White this season. A redshirt freshman, #52 Kelley Cain, a 6-6 center from Atlanta, Ga., will be restarting her rookie season after undergoing surgery last December. OUR SCHEDULE THIS WEEK The Lady Vols host No. 15 Virginia on Nov. 17 before making the short drive down I-75 to face Chattanooga on Nov. 21. Tennessee returns home to host rival Louisiana Tech on Nov. 23.ON THIS DAY IN LADY VOL BASKETBALL HISTORY UT is 2-0 all-time on November 17th, with both wins coming at home. The last time the Lady Vols were in action on this date, Tennessee came away with a 79-60 win over the Kansas Jayhawks in 1996.LOOKING BACK Last year at this time, the #1-ranked Lady Vols were 2-0 on the campaign having defeated UT-Chattanooga in the season-opener, 76-56 and #9-ranked Oklahoma 70-67.LADY VOLS ON TV Currently, 20 Lady Vol regular season games are slated for television this season. Upcoming TV games include: Virginia (SportSouth) and UT-Chattanooga (CSS). Last season, UT had a school record 36 television appearances.VIRGINIA TIDBITS Junior guard Monica Wright leads the list of returning starters for the 15th-ranked Cavaliers...An honorable mention Associated Press All-American last season, Wright averaged a team-best 17.6 ppg and led Virginia in steals (2.4 per game) and blocks (19) in 2007-08...She was also named a preseason Wooden Award and Wade Trophy candidate and preseason All-ACC...Seniors Lyndra Littles and Aisha Mohammed return at the frontcourt positions...Little averaged 16.8 ppg and 7.3 rpg while earning thirdteam All-ACC accolades...Mohammed led the team in rebounding (9.2 per game) and scored 13.1 ppg last season...She notched 14 double-doubles for the season...The Cavaliers lost Paulisha Kellum, who would've been the fourth returning starter, for the year to an ACL injury...Sophomore Kelly Hartig and junior Enongé Stovall also saw extensive action off the bench in the post last season... Senior Brittney Millner is the other returner in the UVa backcourt as she appeared in 29 games at guard last season and averaged 3.1 ppg and 1.6 rpg...Freshman point guard Ariana Moorer averaged 21.8 ppg at C.D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge, Va...The Cavaliers were picked to finish fourth in the ACC behind North Carolina, Maryland and Duke.IN OUR LAST MEETING WITH UVA Top-seeded Tennessee advanced to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Tournament for the 22nd season with a convincing 81-51 rout of the eighth-seeded Virginia Cavaliers in second round action at Thompson- Boling Arena on Mar. 24, 2003. With the win, UT (30-4 overall) posted 30 wins in a single season for the 13th time in Lady Vol history and advanced to play fourth-seeded Penn State in the NCAA Mideast Regional semifi nals. Against Virginia, UT was led in scoring for the second straight contest by sophomore Shyra Ely who had a team-high 17 points and nine rebounds. Gwen Jackson and Loree Moore each totaled 13 points, while Kara Lawson hit for 11 tallies and freshman Shanna Zolman rang up 10. In both NCAA Tournament games, UT held its opponent under 28% shooting as the Lady Vols forced the Cavaliers to hit at a 27.4% clip on 17-of-62 shooting from the fl oor. UT forced 23 UVA turnovers and grabbed 11 steals. The Cavs did own the boards, 42-41. For the second straight contest, UT came out with energy as the Lady Vols roared out to a 14-3 start. UT led 19-9 at the 10:02 mark but UVA had a 14-6 spurt to close the defi cit to 25-22. Buckets by UT's Brittany Jackson and Tasha Butts gave the Lady Vols a 33-24 lead going into the locker room at the half. Virginia stayed within shouting distance at 50-38 before a 22-5 Lady Vol run put the game out of reach. Virginia had one player in double fi gures as Cherrise Graham tossed in 14 points.COACHING FLIP-FLOPS The last time the two teams met it marked the fi - nal weeks of UT assistant coach Mickie DeMoss' tenure on the Lady Vol bench and the fi rst full season back at Tennessee for former Lady Vol Nikki Caldwell. At the conclusion of the 2002-03 season, DeMoss left to become the head coach at Kentucky. Caldwell took over DeMoss' recruiting coordinator duties and served as assistant coach until the conclusion of last season when she left UT to become the head coach at UCLA.MEETINGS WITH UVA Tonight's game marks the 13th meeting between the Lady Vols and the Cavaliers, but only the third regular season match-up...UT holds an 11-1 lead in the series...Tennessee handily won its last meeting with Virginia 81-51 in the NCAA second round on March 24, 2003, in Knoxville...UT and UVa have met nine times in the postseason dating back to 1981, including four times in the NCAA Tournament during Lady Vol national title runs...UT and UVa met in the Sweet 16 during the Lady Vols' fi rst title run 1987, and again in the Sweet 16 in 1989....The Lady Vols defeated the Cavaliers in the NCAA Championship game in 1991-- in the fi rst-ever overtime in the title game -- and in the Elite 8 in 1996....The only Big Orange loss to Virginia came in 1990, as the Cavaliers defeated the Lady Vols 79-75 in overtime of the East Regional championship game...That loss was unquestionably the toughest in Summitt's career as it prevented the Lady Vols from playing in the Final Four on their home court at Thompson-Boling Arena. Former Lady Vol staffer Nikki Caldwell got her fi rst assistant job on the Cavalier's bench in 1999 and coached at UVa for three seasons...2008-09 UT LINE-UP COMBINATIONS During the 2008-09 season, Tennessee has used one starting lineup --Games Record Line-up (F-F-C-G-G) 1 1-0 Johnson, Stricklen, Fuller, McMahan, Smallbone UT'S OFFENSIVE OPPORTUNITIES In all games, this is how Tennessee has shot from the fi eld: 60% FG: none; 50%FG: none; 40%FG: San Francisco (.400); 30%FG: none; 20%FG: none.DEEE ----- FENSE In all games, this is how the opposition has shot from the fi eld: 50%FG: none, 40%FG: none; 30%FG: none; 20%FG: none; 10%FG: San Francisco (.186)2008-09 WON-LOSS DIFFERENTIAL Wins: +29 (1)UT VS. THE ACC UT has an 80-16 record all-time against the ACC, and an 11-1 record against Virginia. Series records against current ACC teams are: Boston College (3-0), Clemson (11-1), Duke (5-5), Florida State (2-0), Georgia Tech (3-0), Maryland (10-3), North Carolina (14-3), N.C. State (12-3), Virginia Tech (7-0) and Wake Forest (2-0)SO THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS The much anticipated countdown to Coach Pat Summitt's 1,000 career victories has begun. Summitt needs just 16 wins to hit the magic mark and with such a young team, it will be awfully hard to predict when that could be in 2008-09. Last year, UT grabbed win number 17 on Jan. 24 vs. Arkansas (98-55) and in 2006-07, win number 17 occurred on Jan. 18 with a victory over Miss. State.SUMMITT TO RECEIVE AWARD Coach Pat Summitt has been selected as an inaugural recipient of the Joe Lapchick Character Award. Also being honored at the Nov. 20 ceremony at Madison Square Garden in New York City will be Hall of Fame coaches Lou Carnesecca of St. John's and Dean Smith of North Carolina. "It is an honor to have been selected as the fi rst recipient of the Joe Lapchick Character Award. He was a legendary fi gure on both the collegiate and professional level of our game," said Summitt. "I am humbled to accept an award which bears his name."UPCOMING OPPONENTS The Lady Vols hit the road for the fi rst time this season and will travel to Chattanooga on Nov. 21. The Lady Mocs open the season tonight taking on East Tennessee State in Chattanooga. UT returns home next Sunday, Nov. 23 and will play Louisiana Tech at 3 p.m.BUMPS AND BRUISES Several Lady Vols have been nicked up already this season and qualify for "Moshak's Medical Moments." Last week, Vicki Baugh, Angie Bjorklund and Kelley Cain observed. Vicki Baugh-Continuing to rehab from torn ACL suffered in the 2008 NCAA title game. Angie Bjorklund- Dealing with back spasms. MRI revealed a bulging disc in her back. Conservative treatment underway and she is listed day-to-day. Kelley Cain- Suffered a concussion in practice and is listed as day-to-day. Will be re-tested on Monday at shoot-around before game with Virginia. Cait McMahan-occasionally resting knees as needed.BETTER BUY A PROGRAM Six Lady Vols made their rookie debut on Saturday against San Francisco. About the newbies... Shekinna Stricklen and Alyssia Brewer are fi rsttime Lady Vols from their home states, Arkansas and Oklahoma, respectively. Briana Bass, from Indianapolis, Ind., grew up watching Tamika Catchings play for the WNBA's Indiana Fever from a bird-eye view. Bass was a ball girl for the Fever. Glory Johnson is the sixth player from Knoxville to don a Lady Vol jersey. She joins Liza Graves (1975-78), Holly Warlick (1976-80), Pat Hatmaker (1980-84), walk-on Kristie Snyder (1983-84) and Tanika Smith (1993-95) as local products who wore the orange and white. Alicia Manning, from Woodstock, Ga., is sure happy that video streaming and Lady Vol radio broadcasts are available on the internet. Her parents (Virginia and Jeff) currently live in Hawaii where her dad has a job. Amber Gray lives in a long shadow. Her father, Carlton had a seven-year playing career as an NFL defensive back. Her great grandfather, Benjamin Hooks, was a colleague of Martin Luther King and once headed the NAACP. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.KEEP AN EYE ON REBOUNDING For two of the past three seasons, the Lady Vols have reset all-time low rebounding marks. The 2007 NCAA Champs hold the distinction as the worst UT rebounding team of all-time with just 38.4 rpg. The 2008 NCAA Champs collected 40.9 rpg and fi nished as the sixth worst in Lady Vol history last year. In UT's opener, the Lady Vols grabbed a 64.0 to 41.0 rebounding advantage over San Francisco. The two 2008-09 exhibition tilts found the Lady Vols averaging 63.0 rpg and allowing just 31.5 rpg.GET THIS... It's a fact that Tennessee has produced some of the greatest players ever in women's collegiate basketball. It's a little known fact that there has only been one double-fi gure rebounder in the history of the program -- Olympian and Kodak All- American Patricia Roberts. Roberts hauled in 14.2 rpg (467 total) in her only season as a Lady Vol in 1976-77. She also claimed scoring honors with 29.9 ppg (987 points). In 2006-07, Candace Parker came the closest to a double-fi gure rebounding average but had to settle for 9.8 rpg.TV ADDED AND TIP TIME CHANGED AT UT-C CSS has opted to air the Tennessee at UT-Chattanooga contest on Nov. 21 at the McKenzie Arena. As a result, the game will be moved up a half-hour with tip-off at 6:30 p.m. On the UTC campus, it's "Pack the House Challenge" as the Lady Mocs look to set a women's basketball attendance record at the "Roundhouse."Gates open one hour prior to tip off and tickets are on sale at the box offi ce. To obtain tickets, fans can contact the McKenzie Arena box offi ce at 423-266-MOCS or go online at GoMocs.com and click on the ticket button on the top left corner of the main page. As of Nov. 6, a few courtside tickets were available for $20 with a limit of eight per person. Upper level reserved side court seats are $15 and upper level general admission baseline seats are $10.TENNESSEE'S SEASON-OPENERS Over the last 35 years on opening day, the Lady Vols have won 32 times and lost just three contests. Coach Pat Summitt lost her very fi rst game as a college head coach -- a heartbreaking onepoint decision at home to Mercer, 84-83, on Dec. 7, 1974. The next time UT lost an opening game was in Knoxville on Nov. 21, 1981, to Stephen F. Austin, 80-74. Most recently, UT fell in their fi rst contest of the 1999-2000 campaign dropping a 69-64 decision to La Tech on Nov. 14, 1999. Until the loss to the Lady Techsters, the Lady Vols had won 18 consecutive openers.BANNER RAISING For the second season in a row, the Lady Vols hoisted a banner to the Thompson-Boling Arena rafters to commemorate another NCAA title. Championship number eight was celebrated on Nov. 15 in pregame ceremonies before the Lady Vols' game with San Francisco. NCAA MVP Candace Parker and Alberta Auguste were on hand representing two of the starting fi ve who completed their eligibility after season's end last year. Quan and Jerome Hornbuckle stood in for their daughter Alexis who is currently playing in Turkey. Also playing professionally overseas and unable to attend were Shannon Bobbitt (playing in Turkey) and Nicky Anosike (playing in Israel). Prior to raising the 2007 Championship last Nov. 18 on the day the Lady Vols defeated #21/22 Texas, 92- 67, nine years and fi ve days had passed since the Tennessee Lady Vols last hung a NCAA Championship banner in Thompson-Boling Arena. On Nov. 13, 1998, UT celebrated the 1998 title with a banner raising against another WCC school, the Portland Pilots with a 94-57 win.JUST AN EXHIBITION The two exhibition games - versus Carson-Newman and Love & Basketball did not count toward UT head coach Pat Summitt's career wins.TOP OF THE LADDER In partnership with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), Werner Ladder, the Offi cial Ladder of the NCAA ®Basketball Championships, presented Coach Pat Summitt and her Tennessee Lady Volunteers with a pair of ladders in honor of their 2008 NCAA® Women's Basketball National Championship. One ladder, used to cut down the championship nets, was given to Coach Summitt while the second was signed by the coach and auctioned off with proceeds going to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer FundTM. A presentation was made at the beginning of the San Francisco at Tennessee game on November 15.ALWAYS A HOT TICKET Joe Arnone, UT Asst. AD for Tickets, says Lady Vol season ticket sales have been impressive despite the loss of fi ve starters from last year. Going into tonight's exhibition game, 10,491 season tickets have been sold. Last year, the Lady Vols sold 11,484 season ticket packages.POLLSTERS The Tennessee Lady Vols start the season in somewhat unfamiliar territory in the Top 25 Preseason polls released in the last week. The Associated Press has UT in the seventh position to start the season, while the ESPN/USA TODAY Coaches Poll has UT in the sixth spot receiving one fi rst place vote. Tennessee's start in the AP poll is the lowest since the 1985-86 season when UT started in the number nine spot.HEY! WE LOVE A HAPPY MEAL The Tennessee Lady Vols lead the nation with the number of McDonald's High School All-Americans on their roster in 2008-09 with nine players. Rutgers follows with eight "Mickey D" selections and Duke has seven. Four schools have six McDonald's honorees on their rosters - North Carolina, Maryland, Stanford and Connecticut. Tennessee's McDonald's All-Americans: Vicki Baugh, Angie Bjorklund, Alyssia Brewer, Kelley Cain, Alex Fuller, Amber Gray, Glory Johnson, Alicia Manning and Shekinna Stricklen.GONZAGA GAME IS SOLD-OUT! All of the tickets were snatched up just a couple of hours after single game ducats for the Tennessee Lady Vols' showdown at Gonzaga went on sale on Monday, Oct. 28. Tennessee, the 2007 and 2008 defending NCAA Champions, are slated to play the Bulldogs at the McCarthey Athletic Center on Dec. 30. The game will be televised regionally on FSN.ELITE COMPANY On opening day versus San Francisco, rookies Glory Johnson and Shekinna Stricklen earned starts. Only once before in Lady Vol history have two rookies started on opening night - 23 years ago Bridgette Gordon and Sheila Frost earn starts in their very fi rst offi cial games as Lady Vols. When Pat Summitt started freshman forward Angie Bjorklund against the USA National Team on Nov. 4, 2007, it marked only the 10th time in her coaching career that a freshman started her very fi rst game at Tennessee. The list of opening day rookie starters: Angie Bjorklund 2007, Candace Parker, 2005, Shyra Ely 2001, Ashley Robinson 2000, Gwen Jackson 1999, Kyra Elzy 1996, Chamique Holdsclaw 1995, Tiffani Johnson 1994, Bridgette Gordon and Sheila Frost 1985.THE NOD Last season, Angie Bjorklund became the 52nd alltime Lady Vol to start during her freshman season -she started in 30 of 38 games. Previously, Cait McMahan earned a start at point guard versus Louisiana Tech during her freshman season. Prior to Cait's starting nod, then-redshirt freshman Candace Parker played and started in all 36 games her rookie season in 2005-06. A season earlier, Tennessee coach Pat Summitt liked what she saw out of the 2004-05 rookie class as two players earned starting nods during the season. Nicky Anosike played in all 35 games with 25 starting assignments and Alexis Hornbuckle played in all 35 games with 21 starts. This duo became the 48th and 49th rookies all-time to earn starting assignments at UT as rookies. The 2001-02 rookie class found three players earn a starting nod as Loree Moore, Shyra Ely and Brittany Jackson all started at some point as rookies.THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA • WELCOME TO "THE SUMMITT" The playing court in the Thompson-Boling Arena on the University of Tennessee campus donned a new look for the 2005-06 season. After Lady Vol coach Pat Summitt passed Dean Smith for most NCAA collegiate basketball wins of all-time with a 75-54 win over Purdue on Mar. 22, 2005, UT named the TBA court, "The Summitt." The fl oor had a complete overhaul with permanent logos of both the Lady Vols and Vols painted directly in front of the scorer's table; the free throw lanes were painted orange with "SEC" reversed out; the giant jump circle/mid-court TENNESSEE was given a new brighter color scheme, and "The Summitt," Coach Summitt's actual signature adorns the sidelines opposite the team benches.ON OUR WAY TO 300 WINS Tennessee recorded its 200th win in Thompson- Boling Arena when the Lady Vols defeated the University of Southern California on Nov. 18, 2001, 106-66. UT has now amassed a 295-18 (.942) record since the Orange and White moved into the Thompson-Boling Arena to start the 1987- 88 season 20-years ago. Along the way, the Lady Vols have produced nine fl awless home records in 1988-89 (15-0), 1991-92 (14-0), 1992-93 (13-0), 1993-94 (15-0), 1994-95 (15-0), 1997-98 (16-0), 1998-99 (14-0), 2000-01 (15-0) and 2002-03 (16- 0). UT also registered an NCAA record 69-game home court-winning streak from Feb. 1, 1991 thru Jan. 2, 1996.JUST 18 LOSSES The Tennessee Lady Vols rarely lose at home. In fact, since moving to the Thompson-Boling Arena for the 1987-88 campaign, UT has lost two games in one season just six times. UT lost two games in TBA during the inaugural 1987-88 campaign, 1996-97, 1999-00, 2001-02, 2003-04 and the 2005-06 seasons. The 18 all-time losses at TBA have come at the hands of just nine teams: Florida (2006), LSU (2006, 2008), Duke (2004, 2007), Connecticut (2004, 2002, 2000, 1996), Louisiana Tech (1999, 1989), Georgia (1996, 1991), Texas (2003, 2002, 1987), Stanford (1996) and Auburn (1988).HOME SWEET HOME -- OVER 400 HOME WINS The victory over Georgia on Jan. 31, 2005, was the Lady Vols 400th home win since Pat Summitt took over as head coach in 1974. Summitt has won 91.4 percent of all home games in 34 years producing a 444-43 overall record. Home losses (in the Summitt era) include: six in Alumni Gym from 1974-76; 18 in Stokely Athletics Center from 1976-87; and 18 in Thompson-Boling Arena since 1987.A LOOK AT ATTENDANCE The Tennessee Lady Vols staying power with the home fans is evidenced by the huge numbers who have turned out for games in Knoxville since 1990. Tennessee has won the attendance challenge 13 out of the last 19 years. From 2000-08, the Lady Vols attracted 1,719,694 spectators per game for an average of 14,451 at 119. Texas Tech is second with 1,317,848 attending 108 games in Lubbock for an average of 12,202. Connecticut ranks third with 1,534,673 folks at 128 games for an average of 11,989.100 POINT GAMES Since 1974, the Lady Vols have gone over the century mark 69 times. Last season, DePaul allowed 102 Tennessee points on Jan. 2, 2008. The 1987-88 team hit triple digits in seven games to lead the NCAA.IN OVERTIME The Lady Vols are 25-14 all-time in overtime games. The most OT games in a year was tied in 2003-04 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. UT's 22 points in the OT against Florida (2- 3-05), was the most ever scored by the Lady Vols in a single overtime. UT's most recent OT affair was a 73-69 loss to Stanford on Dec. 22, 2007, on the road.LADY VOL STREAKS The Lady Vols last lost at home was against LSU, 78-62, on Feb. 14, 2008, since then UT has won three home games. The last time UT lost on the road was on Dec. 22, 2007 at Stanford, since then, UT is 11-0 in road games. The last time the Lady Vols lost on a neutral court was against LSU, 63-54, in the SEC semis game on Mar. 3, 2007. Since that time, UT is 16-0 on a neutral court.OVER 500 GAMES VS. RANKED Tennessee's game versus #12 Georgia on Feb. 16, 2006 was the Lady Vols' 500th all-time versus a ranked team since the inception of the polls in 1976. UT is an amazing 398-150 (.724) versus ranked teams. The 2007-08 NCAA Champ Lady Vols were 18-2 versus ranked teams.LAST LOSS TO AN UNRANKED TEAM? It was in the 2005-06 season. Florida became the second unranked team in the 2005-06 season to knock off the Lady Vols, when they won 95-93 OT on Feb. 26, 2006. Exactly one month earlier, unranked Kentucky turned the trick with a 66-63 win over #1/3-ranked Tennessee on Jan. 26, 2006 at Rupp Arena. Previously, it had been four years since an unranked team upset the Lady Vols. So before Florida and Kentucky had their way with UT, when was 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 fi ve years previous (to the day) losing to Auburn on Mar. 2, 1997 at the SEC Tournament.TENNESSEE IN HOME EXHIBITIONS Until the loss to the USA National Team on Nov. 4, 2007, Tennessee had scored 17-consecutive victories against exhibition opponents...The streak began with an 111-54 dismantling of the U.S. Armed Forces on Nov. 4, 1997...UT has now posted a 33-4 record in home exhibition tilts... Losses were to USSR Olympic Team (102-59) in 1979, Athletes in Action (70-68) in 1992 and to the USA National Team (82-58) in 1995 and (83-72) in 2007.SEC COACHES SELECT LADY VOLS AS #2 The Southeastern Conference unveiled its fi fth annual women's basketball preseason All-SEC fi rst and second teams, Wed., Nov. 5, to tip off the 2008-09 season. In addition, the coaches voted on a predicted order of fi nish, overall champion and a preseason Player of the Year. Vanderbilt was predicted to win the SEC women's basketball regular season championship. The Commodores were 25-9, 11-3 in the SEC last season. Vanderbilt tops the order of fi nish with Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia, LSU and Florida rounding out the top half of the league. Kentucky comes in at seven while Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama round out the bottom half of the conference. Auburn senior guard DeWanna Bonner was named SEC Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year while three Lady Vols were selected to either the fi rst or second teams.. Joining Bonner, on the All-SEC First Team were Florida's Marshae Dotson and Sha Brooks, Georgia's Ashley Houts, LSU's Allison Hightower, Ole Miss' Shawn Goff, Tennessee's Angie Bjorklund, and Vanderbilt's Christina Wirth. Second team: Auburn's Whitney Boddie and Sherell Hobbs, Georgia's Angel Robinson, Kentucky's Victoria Dunlap, Mississippi State's Marneshia Richard, South Carolina's Demetress Adams, Tennessee's Vicki Baugh and Shekinna Stricklen, and Vanderbilt's Jennifer Risper.UT PICKED NUMBER TWO AT SEC MEDIA DAYS Tennessee has been picked to fi nish second in the SEC race with 261 points by a vote of conference and national media members. UT sophomore Angie Bjorklund and freshman Shekinna Stricklen were each selected to the All-SEC Second Team. Vanderbilt was picked to fi nish fi rst with 273 points, followed by UT, Auburn with 246 points, Georgia with 216 points and LSU rounded out the top-fi ve at 183 points. Auburn's DeWanna Bonner was tabbed as Player of the Year. Joining her on the All-SEC First Team was Vanderbilt's Christina Wirth, Florida's Marshae Dotson, Georgia's Ashley Houts and Ole Miss' Shawn Goff. Bjorklund, the 2007-08 SEC Freshman of the Year and Stricklen, were joined on the second team by Whitney Boddie of Auburn, Sha Brooks of Florida, Angel Robinson of Georgia and Allison Hightower of LSU.Preseason Media Poll (First Place Votes) |
Players Mentioned
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