NORFOLK, Va. — Tennessee and Duke will spend an evening on the same basketball court tonight for the first time since late January.

They’re not playing each other, which is probably fine with both of them. But although they’re confined to different regionals in the NCAA tournament, they have something in common. They’re chasing North Carolina.

And that speaks volumes about women’s basketball.

UT was unbeaten, ranked No. 1 in the country and had already beaten nine nationally ranked teams when it rolled into Durham, N.C., on Jan. 23. There was no hint of the mishap to come.

Duke didn’t just beat the Lady Vols. It embarrassed them, 77-55.

"It was one of those nights when the wheels fell off and we couldn’t get them back on," said coach Pat Summitt, whose Lady Vols play George Washington in the second round this evening. "That team played the best of any team we’ve faced this year."

Duke coach Gail Goestenkors had a similar take.

"On that particular night (against UT), I think we were the best team in the country," said Goestenkors, whose Blue Devils will play Southern Cal in the second half of the doubleheader tonight at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. "It was one of those games where we were hitting on all cylinders."

There were no apparent flaws that evening. Duke had size inside, and quickness and athleticism on the perimeter. Its defensive pressure forced UT into repeated mistakes, and it executed its offense with precision.

Six days later, this seemingly infallible team lost to North Carolina. A month later, it lost to North Carolina again.

In other years, a team with UT’s talent would look like a cinch to make the Final Four. It starts four players 6-foot-3 or taller. Senior guard Shanna Zolman is a proven 3-point shooter under big-game pressure, and 6-5 Candace Parker is arguably the best all-around player in the game.

But the Lady Vols had to settle for a second seed in the NCAA tournament. Now, they might have to beat North Carolina just to make it to Boston for the Final Four.

In other years, this Duke team would be the odds-on favorite to win the national title. Now, it’s not even the best team in its state.

Duke’s biggest advantages against UT were its quickness and athleticism. But when you ask Goestenkors to pinpoint the reason for losing twice to North Carolina, she refers to the Tar Heels’ superior athleticism.

"We’re athletic on the perimeter," she said. (North Carolina) is athletic at every position."

UT’s undefeated national championship team in 1997-98 was generally regarded as the best women’s team in NCAA history. It had the game’s best player in Chamique Holdsclaw and two other outstanding players in Tamika Catchings and Semeka Randall.

As good as that team was, it was surpassed four years later by an unbeaten UConn team, which had a future WNBA draft pick at every starting position.

But neither team had as many athletic players as North Carolina. Nor did they have a single player with Parker’s diverse skills.

Parker received national acclaim Sunday when she became the first women’s player to dunk twice in the same game. But dunking won’t always be worthy of a headline, Goestenkors pointed out.

"You’re going to see more and more women dunking as the years roll on," she said. "Several of the players we’re recruiting right now have dunked already in high school."

The women’s players are going higher. And so are their teams.

So when you think you’re watching the best team in today’s game, be prepared to rethink your assessment — fast.

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