Photo by Chris O'Meara, Associated Press
Tennessessee’s Candace Parker, left, shoots over Oklahoma’s Ashley Paris during the first half of Thursday night’s game at Tampa, Fla. Parker had 28 points and 15 rebounds in the Lady Vols’ victory.
TAMPA, Fla. - Candace Parker and Shannon Bobbitt were an unbeatable combination for Tennessee on Thursday night.
But just barely.
Parker scored 28 points and Bobbitt added a career-high 27 against Oklahoma in the ESPNU Invitational at the St. Pete Times Forum.
Parker grabbed 15 rebounds. Bobbitt dished out four assists.
And still they needed to collaborate on a key defensive stop for the top-ranked Lady Vols to pull out a 70-67 women's basketball victory before a crowd of 6,331 at the St. Pete Times Forum.
No. 9 Oklahoma erased an eight-point deficit in the final 3:53. The Sooners (0-2) took a 67-66 lead with 31 seconds left on a putback basket by Courtney Paris, who scored a team-high 19 points and had 16 rebounds.
"Courtney and Candace both lived up to their billing,'' Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said.
After all of those points by Parker and Bobbitt, two free throws by Alexis Hornbuckle were equally important, giving Tennessee (2-0) the lead for good with 26.7 seconds left.
Then came the defensive stand, which began with Parker tipping loose an entry pass for Paris and Bobbitt tying up Jenna Plumley with the possession arrow favoring UT.
"Our whole team, all five committed on defense,'' Bobbitt said.
Bobbitt was fouled on the ensuing inbounds play and capped the victory with two free throws with 3.2 seconds left.
Tennessee struggled with turnovers at the outset and a rebounding deficit that eventually finished at 44-33. The Lady Vols also missed Hornbuckle, who played just nine first-half minutes after picking up two quick fouls.
The Lady Vols needed a lot from Parker to stay the shaky first half course and she delivered with 18 of her points. The All-America forward did the heavy lifting as UT turned a seven-point deficit into a 32-29 halftime advantage.
Along with making her share of pretty shots, Parker supplied a lot of hustle. There was a little too much on one occasion when she accidentally tipped in a missed Sooners free throw. But there were other more productive moments.
She raced back up the floor after being stripped by Danielle Robinson to alter the Oklahoma guard's shot, causing a miss.
Right before the break, she rushed up to steal an outlet pass and get off a shot before the buzzer, resulting in two free throws and the halftime margin.
No. 9 Oklahoma (0-2) managed to hang close despite Paris picking up three fouls and sitting for the final 4:52 of the half.
The teams traded baskets and the lead early in the second half. The Lady Vols were desperate for some scoring help for Parker. Bobbitt was the answer, scoring 22 of her points after the break.
Five of Bobbitt's six 3-pointers came in the second half. One gave UT a 50-47 lead. Another pushed the lead to 55-49.
"I just took what the defense gave me," Bobbitt said. "They definitely were crowding Candace and Candace found me.
"… I just was in a zone. I was hot."
Coale gave Bobbitt a nod of admiration.
"She made some tough threes," she said. "Some of them were really deep."
UT coach Pat Summitt returned the respect to Oklahoma and its determined effort.
"They kept the pressure on our defense," she said.
Summitt also gave her team its proper credit.
"I saw what I'd call strong character," she said. "We had to go with our veterans. Our freshmen played like freshmen."
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Comments » 14
iowavol writes:
Nice win, away from home against good competition. You da womans!
pete.broockman#629092 writes:
Great win. Sad that only 6K people show up to such a match up.
alfrizzle097 writes:
Its womens basketball. Thats just the state of the game. Six thousand unless your at home.
Look at the mens tournaments going on right now, many of them have no more than that.
k0605#241765 writes:
I was at the game last night. The lob passes to C. Paris couldn't be defended. Her 15 fg attempts all came within 2 feet of the basket it seemed. Without her, OK is an average team. Bobbitt was the mvp for her shooting and intensity. Parker was her regular phenomenal self. Anosike and Hornbuckle have got to shoot better, but both played great defense. Baugh was the most impressive freshman.
Oenoboy writes:
hiresanders is an jerk who throws snide insults towards those who have actually done something in their lives just because he's miserable with his own.
Way to go ladies!
arkyvol writes:
i remember when chamika was a senior (after a run of three titles). it seemed that the team had gotten spoiled in that the other four (who would have made up a legitimate title contender with any other player) were content to let her win for them. it ultimately didn't work and the last title got away. i hope this team doesn't suffer the same kind of attitude. candace is one of the all time greats, but she needs help.
xd9x19 writes:
#8 would be great in 2008!!!
msdyb writes:
Hire-SLanders: Coach Summitt is probably more of a "Man" than you are considering your on-going snide remarks with every article. And, by the way, her last name is spelled SUMMITT with 2 T's.
PureOrange writes:
I am thankful for a Lady Vol win, but after watching their first two games, I am very nervous. Although we have much superior individual players, the other teams have been better prepared and more intense.
With our talent, we should NEVER have to depend upon one player to carry us. Last night we had two, but most of the others seemed to be lost, except for Hornbuckle playing defense.
This team needs to decide they are champions and want to repeat. They should hit the floor wide open and take the fight out of the other teams instead of sleep-walking; giving the other team confidence; and then having to fight for their lives.
Maybe last night will serve as a wake-up call.
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
hire sanders is so in the past...
volfan73120#211815 writes:
hire sanders is a first class jerk.
mungie314 writes:
We need to get the offense going from the outside. Smallbone and Angie need to get it together. Anybody know when Cain will be ready? Her size would have been nice last night.
vww#225040 writes:
LADY VOLS === WOW!!!Great game and proud of the team --you're growing and getting stronger --so hang together!!!!
bmaples writes:
Glad to get any and all wins. Good point about being "more than Parker," though. Here's hoping they get the point.
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