Crystal Boyd showed a brief glimpse Thursday night why she helped Texas' 2005 recruiting class earn the nation's top ranking.

An athletic drive along the baseline produced a nice basket. Moments later she followed up a steal with a transition layup.

Then, Boyd dribbled the ball off her foot out of bounds, an uncontested turnover with no Tennessee defender within five feet of her.

That's what freshmen do.

Not that it mattered. The Lady Vols were leading by 39 points.

"There's times when there's some hard lessons to be learned in sports,'' Texas coach Jody Conradt said.

"There's some really good times and there's times that are not so much fun.''

Thursday night fell into the latter category for Texas.

A 102-61 loss at Thompson-Boling Arena was an experience none of Texas' seven star-studded freshmen is likely to forget.

"I don't want to say I have pity for them,'' said Tennessee's Alexis Hornbuckle, "but I definitely know where they're coming from.''

Does she ever.

Last winter about this time, Hornbuckle was a member of the nation's top freshman class.

Not that you could tell it from the way she played in Tennessee's 74-59 loss at Texas.

She was 1-of-10 from the field, 1-of-5 at the free-throw line. Nice box score.

"That was my first big game,'' Hornbuckle the sophomore recalled with a wry grin. "I was definitely a little bit, let's say, star-struck.

"It was a tough environment and I played into their hands, not making smart decisions.''

Rounding up not just the nation's top recruiting class, but a recruiting class for the ages, couldn't help Pat Summitt avoid a fourth consecutive loss to Texas last year.

Three of her six blue-chip signees didn't even play in that game because of knee ailments.

Two of the MIA freshmen were major contributors to the rout Thursday night. Candace Parker had 17 points and 14 rebounds. Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood scored 11 points on 3-of-4 3-point shooting.

And then there was Hornbuckle, easily taking the cake for most-improved box score: 11 points, five assists, three steals, zero turnovers.

"Last year,'' said Summitt, "we were in the position Texas was in tonight, relying heavily on young players in an environment at their place much like the environment was here tonight.

"That's tough. You've just got some growing pains.''

Asked how she had seen Tennessee's former freshman phenoms grow in a year's time, Conradt could hardly count the ways.

"They're so big and physical and aggressive on the boards, I felt like we were going to have to ask permission to get a rebound,'' she said.

"Remember that old ad where the bully kicks the sand in the face of the 90-pound weakling? That's what I felt like tonight.''

Thursday belonged to Tennessee, but Summitt and Conradt both know it will be a more-level playing field when the two UTs meet again next year in Austin.

Tennessee's fantastic 2004 signing class should be in peak form by then. Texas' top-ranked 2005 class won't be star-struck a year from now and some of its knee ailments should be history by then.

Summitt and Conradt are faces on the Mount Rushmore of women's basketball. In winning her 888th victory, Summitt denied Conradt her 873rd.

But based on recruiting, neither shows any sign of fading. The stage is set for a marquee rivalry to continue.

When the Class of '04 meets the Class of '05 in '06, there won't be any 90-pound weaklings on either side.

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com.