University of Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Takes on Western Carolina Tuesday Night
November 24, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 24, 2008
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| November. 25, 2008 - 7:00 p.m. ET Thompson-Boling Arena (21,678) - Knoxville, Tenn. | |||
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The Game The #9/13-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols, 3-1 overall, continues to enjoy the friendly confi nes of Thompson-Boling Arena taking on Western Carolina, 2-1 overall, on Tues., Nov. 25 at 7:00 p.m. The Catamounts are coached by former Lady Vol standout Kellie Jolly Harper (1995-99) who helped to lead UT to three consecutive NCAA titles (1996, 1997 and 1998)... LADY VOLS AT A GLANCE This is the Lady Vols' 35th season under Head Coach Pat Summitt...She has compiled a staggering 986-183 overall record... Is just 14 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 After a crazy busy start, four games in eight days, the Lady Vols slow down a little and have two games scheduled this week. Former Lady Vol coach Kellie Jolly Harper's Western Carolina Lady Catamounts (2-1) visit Thompson-Boling Arena on Nov. 25. Tennessee will enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday in Knoxville and then entertains DePaul (4-1) in the Arena on Nov. 30 at 3:00 p.m.ON THIS DAY IN LADY VOL BASKETBALL HISTORY UT is 7-1 all-time on November 25th featuring a 3-0 record at home, a 1-1 slate on the road and a 3-0 mark on neutral courts. The last time the Lady Vols were in action on this date, Tennessee came away with a 79-65 victory over Gonzaga in the Paradise Jam Invitational in the U.S. Virgin Islands.LOOKING BACK Last year at this time, the #1-ranked Lady Vols were 4-0 on the campaign having defeated UT-Chattanooga in the season-opener, 76-56, #9-ranked Oklahoma 70-67, #21 Texas, 92-67, and #15 West Virginia, 67-49.LADY VOLS ON TV Currently, 20 Lady Vol regular season games are slated for television this season. Upcoming TV games include: MTSU (FSN South) and at Texas (FSN). Last season, UT had a school record 36 television appearances. UT is 2-1 in TV games this year.Vicki Baugh NAMED LADY VOL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Tennessee sophomore basketball player Vicki Baugh has been named Lady Vol Athlete of the Week in helping UT to a 2-0 record on the hardwood Nov. 18-24. In Friday night's contest at Chattanooga, Baugh saw her fi rst action of the season after recovering from a torn ACL on April 8, 2008, and made her fi rst career start. She fi nished with four points, four rebounds and two blocks in 22 minutes. Her two blocks came in the last 1:38 of the game as she made two key defensive stops and she added a free throw with 56.7 seconds left to give the Lady Vols a 64-63 lead. On Sunday, she scored seven of the Lady Vols' fi rst nine points and fi nished with her fi rst career double-double. In 17 minutes of action, she scored 13 points and grabbed 12 boards. She added four blocks, an assist and a steal for good measure in leading UT to a 94-59 win over Louisiana Tech.4-1-1 ON WCU The Lady Catamounts started off the new campaign with a match-up at No. 6/4 North Carolina in the fi rst round of the preseason WNIT...The Tar Heels downed Western Carolina, 90-56, as WCU juniors Brooke Johnson and Lauren Powell fi nished with 13 and 12 points, respectively...WCU rebounded with a 68-51 win over Lafayette at home, with a different pair of student-athletes fi nishing in double digits...Junior Kendra Eaton tallied 16 points, and freshman Emily Clarke added 10...In their second win of the season, the Catamounts found yet another player who could score... Clarke led WCU to a 20-point win over Liberty with 18 points, but Coach Harper got 10 points off the bench from sophomore Heather Swayne...Leading the Catamounts this season is sophomore Emily Clarke with 11.3 points per game.LAST TIME VS. WESTERN CAROLINA Tennessee Head Coach Pat Summitt earned the 879th victory of her career and tied Dean Smith as the NCAA's all-time winningest coach as the No. 1-seeded Lady Vols defeated 16th-seeded Western Carolina, 94-43, in the fi rst round of the NCAA Tournament at Thompson-Boling Arena on March 20, 2005. Early in the contest, the underdog Lady Catamounts seemed up to the challenge as they connected on their fi rst two shots from the fi eld and took a 4-3 advantage in the opening minutes of play. However, the Orange and White charged ahead with a 10-2 run, capped off by a Shanna Zolman layin, to take a 13-6 lead at the fi rst media timeout. Tennessee extended the margin to 15 points, 26-11, during the next three-and-a-half minutes, forcing WCU to take a timeout with 11:59 to play in the opening half. While Western Carolina cut the margin to just 12 points moments later, 28-16, the Lady Vols responded with a 19-2 run to take its biggest lead of the game, 47-18. Pushing ahead even further, UT closed the half on a 15-2 run to lead by 38 points, 62-24. In the opening session, the Lady Vols were paced by Shanna Zolman who connected on four three-pointers en route to scoring 22 points. Following the intermission, Tennessee showed no signs of letting up as they opened the frame with a 16-5 spurt, capped by a Brittany Jackson three pointer, to go ahead by 49. Western Carolina was unable to make a serious challenge the rest of the way as the Lady Vols earned the 41-point triumph. Individually, UT was led by Zolman, who equaled a career high with 28 points. She also connected on fi ve three-pointers, which set a Tennessee NCAA Tournament record. Also coming up big were Shyra Ely and Alexis Hornbuckle, who each posted double-doubles.FAMILIAR FACE For Tennessee fans, there will be a distinctly familiar face patrolling the sidelines for Western Carolina. Fifth-year Head Coach Kellie Harper was an integral member of the dominant Lady Vol squads which claimed three straight NCAA Championships from 1996-98. Known as Kellie Jolly during her playing career, the 1999 UT graduate was an honorable mention All- American her senior year after averaging 7.5 points and 4.1 assists. She was also chosen a second-team All-SEC selection. As a junior in 1998, she averaged 7.6 points and 3.8 assists in guiding the Lady Vols to a perfect 39-0 record. She scored a career-high 20 points and hit four of fi ve 3 pointers in the national championship game against Louisiana Tech. She did not miss a free throw during the NCAA Tournament, nailing 14 in a row and was selected to the 1998 All-Final Four team. She also set two records with 11 assists in the championship game and 20 for the Final Four. Additionally, her teammates voted her to receive the Gloria Ray Leadership Award and by the staff to receive the "Coaches Award." After an amazing recovery from an injury, she was named the "Strength and Conditioning Female Athlete of the Year" in 1997 by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The injury kept her out for 16 games, but she returned to help the Lady Vols win the second of their NCAA The most improbable of their three straight NCAA Titles. At the time of her graduation, she ranked in UT's top 10 list in assists, assists per game, three-point fi eld goals made, three-point fi eld goals attempted and three-point fi eld goal percentage.The UT-WCU Series Tennessee leads 9-7
THE SERIES Tonight's match-up with Western Carolina marks the 17th meeting between the two teams and the fi rst meeting since 2005. The Lady Volunteers hold a 9-7 record against the Lady Catamounts with UT coming away with a 94-43 win on Mar. 20, 2005 in the most recent contest. Previous to that NCAA First Round Tournament game in Knoxville, the last time the two teams squared off was in Pat Head's third season as coach at UT which resulted in a 85-48 win on Feb. 17, 1977. Running the point for the Lady Vols was current associate head coach Holly Warlick -- who was a rookie guard. The two squads squared off every season from 1969 through 1977, including six games in Knoxville with UT holding the 3-2 edge. The records for the Feb. 14, 1970, game are lost.VS. THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE Tennessee has fashioned a 40-20 record all-time against six schools in the Southern Conference. UT is 3-5 vs. Appalachian St. (last meeting 1999), 1-0 vs. the College of Charleston (last meeting 1977), 4-0 vs. Furman (last meeting 2000), 0-2 vs. UNC Greensboro (last meeting 1976), 23-6 vs. Chattanooga (last meeting Nov. 21, 2008) and 9-7 vs. Western Carolina (last meeting 2005). Overall, the Big Orange has posted 25 consecutive victories over members from the Southern Conference dating back to 1976.DEEE ----- FENSE In all games, this is how Tennessee has shot from the fi eld: 60% FG: none; 50%FG: none; 40%FG: LaTech (.429), Virginia (.413), San Francisco (.400); 30%FG: UT-Chattanooga (.344); 20%FG: none.DEEE ----- FENSE In all games, this is how the opposition has shot from the fi eld: 50%FG: Virginia (.500), 40%FG: none; 30%FG: UT-Chattanooga (.365), LaTech (.313), 20%FG: none; 10%FG: San Francisco (.186)2008-09 WON-LOSS DIFFERENTIAL Wins: +35 (1), +29 (1), +3 (1)Loss: -1 (1) STAFFERS HAVE -- NEVER A FORMER PLAYER The roll call goes like this: Sylvia Hatchell, Sharon Fanning, Jane Albright, Lea Henry, Nancy Darsch, Trish Roberts, Mickie DeMoss, Kellie Jolly Harper and Tanya Haave. UT coach Pat Summitt has faced many former players and assistant coaches in a variety of games thru the years but no former Lady Vol player has ever knocked off her mentor. Former assistant Carolyn Peck was the fi rst 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 NCAA all-time 54-game winning streak). Former assistants Mickie DeMoss turned the trick as a head coach at Kentucky, 66-63, on Jan. 26, 2006, and Sylvia Hatchell managed to pull off the feat twice at North Carolina (75-63 on Mar. 28, 2006 and 70-57, Dec. 3, 2006). Former Lady Vol players turned head coaches have been less successful. Former Lady Vol All-America Patricia Roberts tried while head coach at Maine (0-2, lost 77-64 on Dec. 13, 1990 and 86-71 on Nov. 24, 1991). Former Lady Vol Olympian and point guard Lea Henry faced Summitt in the NCAA Tournament with her Georgia State team and lost 98-68 on Mar. 15, 2002. Next to try to knock off Summitt was Kellie Jolly Harper with her Western Carolina team on Mar. 20, 2005. The Lady Catamounts lost 94-43. The most recent former Lady Vol hoopster to take on their former coach was UT All-American and San Francisco head coach Tanya Haave. "LaMachine's" Dons fell to UT on Nov. 15, 2008, 68-39.END OF A GRAND SERIES The Tennessee and Louisiana Tech series has come to a regular season close. UT defeated LTU, 94-59 on Sun., Nov. 23 in Knoxville, Tenn., in the last scheduled game between the two proud programs.OUTSIDE THE BOXSCORE Virginia was Tennessee's fi rst ranked opponent of the 2008-09 season...The Cavs were ranked #16/15 when they defeated the #5/6 Lady Vols... Tennessee's 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...JOHNSON WAS THE SEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK University of Tennessee rookie hoopster Glory Johnson (Knoxville, Tenn.) was named Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the Week (Nov. 10-16) for her performance in the Lady Vols' 68-39 season-opening win over San Francisco. Against the Dons, Johnson became only the 11th freshman to start her fi rst game in the Orange and White for Head Coach Pat Summitt. The Webb School product was 7-of-11, 63 percent, from the fi eld to fi nish with a team-high 17 points. She also hauled in a team-high 12 rebounds, eight of which came on the offensive end, for her fi rst career double-double.TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT The young Lady Vol team escaped a potentially huge upset at Chattanooga to grab a 66-63 victory on Nov. 21. UT saw its 10 point lead at 13:50 to go in the game evaporate quickly and the Lady Vols trailed UTC by eight points with 8:08 to play. The Lady Vols used a 7-0 run to cut the UTC lead to one at 61-60. UT rookie Alicia Manning tied the game with a three-pointer at 63- 63 and Vicki Baugh put the Lady Vols up one at 64-63 with a free throw with 53.7 to play. Rookie Shekinna Stricklen's free throw with 2.0 seconds to play gave UT a 66-63 fi nal advantage. The fi rst half saw six lead changes and two ties. The largest Lady Vol lead was eight, twice, the latest at 30-22, and the largest Lady Moc lead was three at 14-11. After UT regained the lead at 15-14, it did not trail the rest of the fi rst half. The Lady Vols opened the second half on an 8-2 run, opening up a 44-35 lead. The Lady Mocs used a 19-1 run to go from a 10 point defi cit at 49-39 to take a 58-50 lead.BAUGH IS ONBOARD Sophomore Vicki Baugh was cleared to play against UT-Chattanooga and found herself starting the fi rst game of her career. Jenny Moshak, University of Tennessee Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Medicine, indicated earlier in the week that the strength in Baugh's quad had increased signifi cantly. The super soph had anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery on May 13, 2008. Against UT-Chattanooga, Baugh logged 22 minutes and scored four points, grabbed four boards and rejected two shots. Her two blocks came in the fi nal 1:38 of the game as UT was fi ghting for the win. During her freshman season, Baugh played in all 38 games helping the Lady Vols to a 36-2 record. She averaged 5.3 ppg and 4.0 rpg in 13.1 minutes per contest. She shot a team best 55.2 percent from the fi eld (79-143) and knocked in 77.8 percent of her charity tosses. She recorded six games in double-digits scoring including a season high 12 point effort versus Purdue in the NCAA Tournament. Baugh had a monster game on the boards against Louisiana Tech hauling in 16 rebounds.FIRST LOSS IN SECOND GAME OF THE SEASON The last time Tennessee opened the season with a 1-1 record was during the 2002-03 campaign. The Lady Vols started the year with a win over #22-ranked Oklahoma, 94-68, and then fell to #1-ranked Duke, 76-55, in the Jimmy V Classic at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C. UT met Duke again later that season and handed the Blue Devils a 66-56 loss in the NCAA Final Four semifi nals.THE COUNTDOWN The much anticipated countdown to Coach Pat Summitt's 1,000 career victories has begun. Summitt (with 986 wins) now needs just 14 victories 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. Summitt started the year needing 17 victories. Last season, 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. Traditionally, Tennessee has reached 17 wins in 20.5 games each season (on average). 1,000 win milestone opportunities
SUMMITT RECEIVES AWARD Coach Pat Summitt was selected as an inaugural recipient of the Joe Lapchick Character Award. Also honored at the Nov. 20 ceremony at Madison Square Garden in New York City was 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 are home for two games in the next week -- on Tues., Nov. 25, former Lady Vol three-time NCAA Champ Kellie Jolly Harper returning to Rocky Top with her Western Carolina team for a 7 p.m. tip and a few days later, DePaul rolls into Knoxville for a Sun., Nov. 30 contest at 3 p.m. at the Arena.BUMPS AND BRUISES Several Lady Vols have been nicked up already this season and qualify for "Moshak's Medical Moments." 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 Nov. 10. Was cleared to play on Nov. 17. Is back listed as day-to-day. Alicia Manning- Suffered a knock to the head in the game with Louisiana Tech. Cait McMahan-occasionally resting knees as needed.WHO IS WHO Six Lady Vols made their rookie debut on Sat., Nov. 15 against San Francisco. About the newbies... Shekinna Stricklen and Alyssia Brewer are fi rst-time 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. 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.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 one-point 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 started the season in somewhat unfamiliar territory in the Top 25 Preseason polls. The Associated Press had UT in the seventh position to start the season, while the ESPN/USA TODAY Coaches Poll had 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 all-time 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 alltime 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 296- 19 (.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 19 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 19 alltime losses at TBA have come at the hands of just 10 teams: Virginia (2008), 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 35 years producing a 445-44 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 19 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 Virginia, 83-82, on Nov. 17, 2008, since then UT has won one home game. The last time UT lost on the road was on Dec. 22, 2007 at Stanford, since then, UT is 12-0 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 398-151 (.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. |
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/ Women's BasketballWBB | Kaiya Wynn Media Availability (10.2.25)
Thursday, October 02
WBB | Zee Spearman Media Availability (10.2.25)
Thursday, October 02
WBB | Kim Caldwell Media Availability (9.23.25)
Tuesday, September 23
WBB | Kim Caldwell Media Availability (8.28.25)
Thursday, August 28
