You could tell right away the Chattanooga Lady Mocs didn't grasp the significance of Sunday's basketball game at Thompson-Boling Arena.

This was a coming out party for the defending national champion Lady Vols. The roles are well defined.

The opponent provides the props. The Lady Vols put on a show.

You know how it goes. So should the Lady Mocs.

It's a simple drill. You show up, smile nervously and unravel at the first hint of adversity.

Chattanooga totally blew its part, although the 76-56 final score didn't reveal just how far out of line it was. The Lady Mocs committed 14 turnovers in the first half and trailed by four points. With 10:51 to play, they were only seven points down.

Never mind that their tallest player was 6-foot-1 or that their starting lineup was dwarfed by UT's 6-5 Candace Parker and 6-4 Nicky Anosike. The Lady Mocs spread the floor, hit eight 3-pointers and made a general nuisance of themselves for 30 minutes.

Is that any way to treat a defending national champion?

It didn't take the Lady Vols long to realize Chattanooga wasn't caught up in the spirit of the day. The crowd of 13,811 figured it out, too. Four minutes into the second half, UT fans - not the Lady Mocs - were the ones getting nervous.

"Those girls play hard for 40 minutes," UT guard Alexis Hornbuckle said. "They came out ready to beat us, not just play Tennessee. They wanted to beat us and make a statement.

"Their point guard did a great job of applying pressure on the defensive end and pushing the tempo. The rest of their players went with her."

Chattanooga senior guard Laura Hall, a native of Oliver Springs, had a team-high 15 points and four rebounds. She and her teammates weren't the least bit intimidated.

"I think familiarity helped us," Chattanooga coach Wes Moore said. "These seniors have been here (four times), and we were a little more prepared.

"We feel like we've been competitive with most people in the country but we really haven't been competitive with Tennessee. That was our goal, to come over here and try to hang around, keep it close and have a chance at the end."

The end came about 10 1/2 minutes before time ran out. All-American Parker and freshman Vicki Baugh sparked a 17-4 run that gave the Lady Vols a 68-48 lead with 4:47 to play.

But the game didn't follow the theme of the series. Chattanooga had lost its previous four games against UT by an average of 34.3 points and never come closer than 30 points.

The game didn't follow the theme of recent UT openers, either. The Lady Vols won their previous seven openers by an average of 36.1 points, and the closest game was a 26-point victory.

Chattanooga's steadfast opposition is an indicator of what UT is up against in defending its national title.

"Winning the national championship provides even more motivation for the other team," UT coach Pat Summitt said. "We will face that every game, because we are Tennessee and because they want the chance to beat the defending national champions."

Of course, no one should feel sorry for the team with a target on its back. The Lady Vols have the game's preeminent player in Parker, proven leadership, size and quickness. They even have more talent and depth than last year's national championship team.

But as Chattanooga proved Sunday, they also have a greater challenge.

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

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.