After a belated start, Alex Fuller is jumping into her Tennessee women's basketball career with both feet.

Lady Vols assistant coach Dean Lockwood didn't know what to expect of the redshirt freshman. He didn't see Fuller play at Shelbyville High School.

From the start of preseason workouts in late August until now, Fuller has made a solid impression.

"The number one thing,'' Lockwood said, "is her footwork.

"Her scoring looks simple because she makes it look simple. She does so much before the ball arrives to get herself in good position.''

Fuller, who missed last season after undergoing knee surgery, is a 6-foot-3 power forward with solid post-up abilities and an efficient shooting touch. Lockwood refers to her as "a first-time finisher", meaning she doesn't often misfire around the basket.

While Fuller's shooting range extends to the 3-point line, close-range accuracy is what UT craves most.

Of Tennessee's four returning post players, Sybil Dosty's 56.5 percent field goal shooting was the best last season. And that was based on just 46 attempts.

The next-best inside accuracy from last season was Tye'sha Fluker's 46.1 percent.

"If your post game is 50 percent or better, it makes everyone else better, it keeps the defense more honest,'' UT coach Pat Summitt said. "You look at the percentages of our post game (last season), I thought that was costly for us."

If Fuller can convert a first impression into a lasting impact, she's in good position to leave her mark on the season.

"I don't think we can get to a Final Four and win a championship,'' Summitt said, "if we're not putting the ball inside consistently and in the basket.''

Head Start: Another player who benefited from the full-squad preseason workouts was freshman Lindsey Moss.

"It was like a miracle,'' she said. "Just think, I'd be starting now. I'd be the person out on the floor not knowing where to go.''

The 6-1 guard from Alpharetta, Ga., is the only true freshman on UT's roster, which makes her a program first.

To her credit, she's made an effort to minimize the distinction. She took 12 hours of summer school and took part in offseason conditioning.

There's one sure sign that Moss is fitting in: She's being teased.

"There's no coupon to get out of sprints because you're a freshman,'' UT assistant coach Nikki Caldwell said. "I know she probably wishes there was.''

It's good that Moss has thick skin. Better yet, she has a clearer mind on the court, thanks to the head start.

"I'm always thinking; sometimes it hurts me,'' Moss said. "Now I'm thinking, but I'm reading and reacting, too. I'm playing. I'm a lot more confident when I have the ball.''

Parker Time: Candace Parker is the subject of an article in Time magazine this week. In recounting her freshman year of multiple knee surgeries and general misery at UT, Parker recalled someone calling her the "N" word on campus.

Would the slur have made a greater impact if the incident had occurred during her recruiting visit?

"I've been called the "N" word in Naperville,'' Parker said on Thursday, referring to her hometown in suburban Chicago. "I don't think that defines a place.''

Regarding Parker's recruitment, UT volleyball coach Rob Patrick is overdue some credit. Parker said that the first letter she received from the school came from the volleyball program.

More Parker: Parker's brother, Anthony, plays for Euroleague champion Maccabi Tel-Aviv. He scored 24 points and hit the game-winning shot on Sunday in a 105-103 exhibition victory over the Toronto Raptors.

The victory was Maccabi's first over an NBA team since beating then-champion Washington 98-97 in 1978.

Injury Update: Guard Alexis Hornbuckle has suffered a torn ligament in her left thumb. The injury won't require surgery and Hornbuckle continues to practice with a cast on her hand.

In three weeks. Hornbuckle will trade the cast for a splint. After three more weeks, she'll be wearing tape.

Dosty, who had been sidelined by leg problems, is working her way back into practice.

Summitt, who suffered a broken left foot this summer, is back in a walking boot.

Tickets: The Coca-Cola six-pack tickets are on sale. The games are Connecticut, Old Dominion, LSU, Vanderbilt, Alabama and Florida. ... A new family season-ticket plan is available for section 113 on the east side of Thompson-Boling Arena. Tickets are $80 ($5 per game) with a minimum purchase of four.