Adams: Summitt gets past milestone

Tennessee's associate athletic director for media relations looked up what happened to Adolph Rupp and Dean Smith after they became the winningest coaches in Division I basketball. She didn't like what she saw.

After his record-setting victory, Rupp lost his next game in the NCAA tournament. So did Smith.

Was Tennessee coach Pat Summitt next?

Jennings didn't have to wait long for her answer. Tennessee struck hard and fast in a convincing 75-59 victory over Texas Tech on Sunday afternoon at the Liacouras Center at Temple University.

Five days after Summitt won her record-setting 880th game, she had win No. 881. She and her Lady Vols also had another good reason to believe there's more winning to come.

"When we have a mindset, we can get after anyone in the country," UT freshman guard Alexis Hornbuckle said.

The Lady Vols had that mindset Sunday. And Texas Tech had big trouble.

All-Big 12 point guard Erin Grant realized that sooner than anyone else.

Grant entered the game with 213 assists, compared to only 60 turnovers. Her efficiency got Summitt's attention. It also made her a target.

"I thought she was the key," Summitt said. "I don't know if there has been another point guard in the country who has been as efficient as she has."

Summitt passed her concern along to another point guard, UT senior Loree Moore, who was the primary defender against Grant.

"I was going to make her feel uncomfortable," Moore said.

Grant's discomfort was apparent in the first 10 minutes when UT pressured the Lady Raiders into one mistake after another while building a 23-8 lead. Texas Tech cut the lead to nine points a minute later but was never closer than 11 points the rest of the game.

Grant had five assists and a season-high six turnovers. As she struggled, so did the Texas Tech offense.

Late in the first half, Grant's frustration began to show. On one possession, she shouted at a teammate, then glanced at her bench and frowned before forcing an errant jump shot.

"I really picked up on (Grant's frustration) in the second half," Moore said. "I was in her shirt, and she didn't like that. She was pushing me off her."

Moore wasn't Grant's only problem. Twice in the first half, defensive switches left 6-foot-4 Nicky Anosike on the 5-8 Grant.

"When you're a guard with a post player on you, you're thinking 'heaven,' " Hornbuckle said. "But Nicky is a whole different animal."

Grant couldn't shake the bigger Anosike any easier than she could Moore. By then, it was obvious both Grant and the Lady Raiders were overmatched against the bigger, quicker Lady Vols.

Texas Tech, which led the Big 12 with a .461 shooting percentage, made only 32.8 percent of its field-goal attempts. Its offense wasn't the first to unravel against UT in this tournament.

None of UT's three tournament opponents has shot better than .333 from the field. The three of them have combined to make only 30.5 percent of their shots.

That's not the only reason UT has won its three games by an average of 29.3 points.

UT has controlled the tempo, wearing down opponents with fast-paced offense as well as defense. Moore had her hand on the offensive controls against Texas Tech.

Following Summitt's instructions, Moore dribbled down the court as far and fast as she could. Once, she went all the way to the basket before being checked by a Lady Raider.

Said UT assistant coach Dean Lockwood: "Loree's stat line might not jump out at you, but she did a great job."

Grant's stat line told you that.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.