OKLAHOMA CITY — Alexis Hornbuckle couldn’t make a layup, not once but twice for Tennessee on Tuesday night.
No problem, said Lady Vols teammate Alberta Auguste.
During a subsequent timeout in a tense NCAA women’s basketball tournament struggle, she told Hornbuckle: “Don’t worry, the next shot is going to be good.”
Actually, it was great.
UT’s senior guard drilled a 24-footer with 50 seconds left, giving the Lady Vols the precious breathing room they needed to finish a 53-45 victory over Texas A&M.
“Sometimes you feel it, I didn’t even go to rebound,’’ said UT center Nicky Anosike of the shot that supplied a 48-43 advantage. “Lex is known for making those kinds of shots.”
The Midwest Regional final victory, which played out in dramatic fashion before a crowd of 9,341 at the Ford Center, punched UT’s ticket to the Women’s Final Four for the 18th time in program history. The Lady Vols will face SEC rival LSU in the national semifinals at approximately 9:30 p.m. Sunday (TV: ESPN) in Tampa, Fla.
Top-seed Tennessee (34-2) did it the hard way against second-seeded Texas A&M (29-8). First, UT star Candace Parker, who was named to the Associated Press All-America team, suffered a first-half shoulder injury. She didn’t return to stay until midway through the second half, after Auguste’s spare shoulder sleeve was found in a dirty laundry bag in the undercarriage of the VIP bus.
Without her, Tennessee went without a point for a 9:16 stretch that spanned both halves.
Hornbuckle’s second-half misses at the rim were an unlikely prelude to her heroics. Her clutch basket was more desperation than inspiration. Parker saved a possible turnover in the foul lane and shoveled the basketball out to her with the shot clock running out.
“Couldn’t make a layup, but hit a 40-footer,’’ said UT coach Pat Summitt, shaking her head and smiling.
Parker finished with a game-high 26 points. Hornbuckle scored 14.
“I don’t think we lost it; I think Tennessee won it down the stretch,’’ Texas A&M coach Gary Blair said.
Prevention swung the outcome in UT’s favor. While the Lady Vols were scoring just five second-half field goals and shooting 25 percent from the floor, they held Texas A&M to six baskets and 22.2 percent shooting. The Aggies scored just three points after Danielle Gant’s layup gave them a 42-37 lead with 6:19 left.
“If our defense doesn’t go to a different level when we were struggling offensively in the second half, we don’t go to Tampa,’’ Summitt said.
The game began as a first-rate shootout. The Lady Vols were real dead-eyes as their field-goal shooting percentage never dipped below 60 percent in the first half.
After a relatively quiet start, Parker erupted for 16 consecutive points.
Her scoring run started with a layup and featured a full repertoire of her skills. One possession, she started at the high post and then snuck around to the baseline, where Hornbuckle hit her with a pass cutting to the hoop for a layup. Later, she hit a pair of jumpers, including a pretty step-back, fall-away shot over A&M center La Toya Micheaux.
Parker also scored a rebound basket and finished her run with another layup.
A few possessions later, Parker’s shoulder saga began when she pried the ball loose from A&M’s Patrice Reado. She doubled over in pain while dribbling away and had to be escorted to the locker room by Lady Vols athletic trainer Jenny Moshak.
Parker walked back to the court a few minutes later and returned to the game, missing just 1 minute, 14 seconds of action. On UT’s bench, Moshak was receiving pats on the back along with high-fives from the student trainers.
The celebration turned out to be premature. Parker ended up hunched over in front of the bench before the half’s conclusion, her left arm dangling like a purse. Once again, she departed for the locker room.
While the medical drama was unfolding, the Lady Vols were unraveling. They committed three turnovers in the span of four possessions. An eight-point lead shrank to 29-27 at the break.
Parker did not return for the second half’s start as the search ensued for the shoulder sleeve. Although the Lady Vols couldn’t pull away with Parker they didn’t get lost without her.
“We couldn’t score for a good amount of time but we never gave up,’’ Anosike said.
When Parker returned for good with 10:39 left, the game was tied at 36.
While she was back, Parker wasn’t the same Parker. It was evident on her first jumper. Then she winced while trying to snag a lob pass. Still, she managed to score on another lob. Her two free throws with 3:44 left gave UT the lead for good at 43-42.
“I thought we were much more comfortable at that point,’’ Summitt said. “But I think our defense had a lot to do with it.”
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Comments » 45
Einstein writes:
A courgeaous performance by Candice. I hope she is OK for the next game.
vol_in_lsu_land writes:
Let me be the first to congratulate the lady Vols for making their 17th Final 4 appearance!
These girls proved something tonight, they proved they are A TEAM. You can never take away the contribution that Candace Parker makes. Her presence is a key ingredient. But in her absence these ladies proved that they can get it done. Fantastic clutch 3 pointer by Alexis Hornbuckle! Heads up play by Shannon Bobbit! And Anasike, Bjourkland and the rest, way to go girls, you all deserve this opportunity!
Go Lady Vols!
Brutus writes:
Way to go Pat and the Lady Vols!!!!!
thegoat0248 writes:
All I can say is WOW!!! That was a great game!! Those ladies really showed some heart tonight!! Candace Parker is hands down the best player in the game!!!
samjrr writes:
good job ladys.
tigervol9802 writes:
Credit where credit is due to Parker. She was in a lot of pain in the second half. I can't imagine having to play basketball AND carry a team on my back with a separated shoulder.
huntined#565710 writes:
Anyone have any info on where to get tickets for finals? thanks
ggriggs939#223122 writes:
I wonder what sevivian stringer would have to say if they'd had to play uconn in the final four.
Over the past several years The Lady VOLS have had to play another team from the sec in regional play. The ncaa has always set up that scenario to prevent the championship game from being an all-sec affair. They have always set up at least one region that didn't have a strong sec team in the line-up. This year was the same
and now the two best teams will meet in the semi-final game, playing for the third time this season.
The ncaa is doing its best to prevent the LADY VOLS from getting their 8th banner.
ODA751 writes:
Nice job ladies. Let's go out on top!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
That three from Hornbuckle drove the dagger deep.
Congrat, Pat and co. Eat up the Lady Bengals.
garyfmtn writes:
What an effort by Candace and the rest of the Lady Vols.......Don't lose hope, the LVs are just TWO wins away from another National Championship.....Interesting comment by Kara Lawson at halftime, when she said that she (Lawson) injured her shoulder earlier in her career and it took a week to get back on the court.....I will give Candace five days.....You have got to KNOW that she will be on the floor at or near 100% Sunday against the Tigerettes........
Gary
Knoxville
faithfulvol writes:
Parker is amazing!!!! She is the DIFFERENCE! I hope she is well for the Final Four, we need her to lead the Lady Vols to the 8th National Championship. If any team can do it is this team!
GO LADY VOLS!
MillisaAnn writes:
Congrats to the Lady Vols on making it to the Final Four!!! Go Lady Vols!!!
Canadace has my prayers, Get Better Soon!!!
faithfulvol writes:
Ofcourse it is tough losing a team like this group, but I don't think Summitt is having nightmares about next year. I think the recruiting class and the girls we already have are going to bring a pretty awesome game. Our recruits are incredible!!!! It is really exciting! Let's just sit back and see what Summitt can do!
LadyVolFanForever writes:
WOW...almosted turned blue from holding my breath on this game !
Congrats to the Lady Vols. Candace is not only the best player but also the toughest & most deterimed ! Great time to step up Lex ! WOW
Final Four once again....savor it and don't take it for granted. You earned it.
VolMama writes:
Way to go Lady Vols. Two more to go. If CP3 doesn't get Player of the Year then I don't know who else would. How many times tonight did they say she was the Best. I know she is great, but is she the best TN has ever had, someone please respond. Get well very soon CP3. Eight in '08.
Need_2_Know writes:
Hmmm. 52-45 or, alternatively, 53-45.
Either way, its a hard-fought win for the LadyVols. Despite all the bad press generated from the misdeeds of a handful of UT's student-athletes, many more do well in the classroom, in athletics, and, ultimately, in the big world beyond. Candace Parker is a shining example of how to play with strength, grace, pride, perserverance, honor, dignity, and gritty toughness. She represents all the best that Tennessee has to offer, on par with Saint Peyton.
Keep it going, LadyVols!
MrBamSeydu writes:
Hopefully her shoulder will be good to go by the Final Four, because LSU is no slouch on defense either and will be banging her arm as much as they can, I guarantee that much.
leedsvol2007 writes:
I have had both of my shoulders operated on for the same problem.
She has instability in that shoulder and she could play the next two games and not have a problem of it the shoulder is stressed in just the right way it will pop out.
When she extended her arm to intercept the pass the stress of the ball on her hand caused the shoulder to pop out. If LSU bangs on it she will be OK because the stress has to be very specific.
Brent Vinson was having the same problem last year.
It is extremely painful but once reduced it bothers you more the next few days. She can protect it by keeping her arm close to her side.
She showed a lot of toughness coming back and playing. She needs to play cautiously when rebounding and passing.
GoVols!
DroopyDrawers writes:
Plasticman, don't sweat the small stuff. She will get the Lady Vols to the Sweet 16 and that will be great with with 5 soph and 6 frosh.
kceltic#232917 writes:
VolMama
Holdsclaw and Catchings were very good,but I think Parker is the best all around player.Older players such as Bridgette Gordon and Nikki McCray also deserve mention.Parker really changes the game on both ends of the court.
As far as LSU goes,we must get Bjorklund and Auguste involved from the outside to take pressure off Parker.If not, its going to be tough going at Fowles with her injury.Proud of all the girls fighting through A&M and making it back to the final four
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
Man, look at the 3 grudge teams left for UT:
Stanford, who beat up Candace in California
LSU, who we've split, but has been a battle both times
UConn, who if they make it will be like playing against an Alabama football front four.
Bobbitt and Hornbuckle did NOT have very good games. Too much dribbling, too many bad passes. Tell you one thing, if the LV's win out, they will be one tough team.
Hats off to Candace, she's the most exciting post player the women's game has seen, IMHO.
adimatteo#261830 writes:
These girls all deserved a better ending, especially CP, but theyhave been great, made us all feel great. Everyone did agreatjob last night, and CP, went above and beyond.
Whether we or I should say they win or lose in Tampa, nothing will take awaywhat this grouphas done, as many others over the year. Get better Candace, you deserve to finish on a high note, but if you cant, it doesnt change athing.
I think next year or two will be tough, but that cannot be helped, with more and more schools reaching for the top, etc. It may be a nightmare for coaches, may make alumni and students unhappy,but great for the game, just means more kids playing, and more schools building their programs.
Go lady Vols
VolJunkie writes:
Gutsiest performance on a basketball court I have ever seen.
Go VOLS!!!
wvuvolfan writes:
i gained a new level of respect for CP#. I've had a dislocated shoulder. worst pain i have ever felt. what she did last night was no less than phenominal.
manateemo writes:
Good thing the Game was against the weakest two seed (8 losses and didnt play Tenn this year). If it were rutgers, LSU or Stanford the season would be over. Thank you selection committee for keeping Rutgers out of this bracket and letting Uconn do the job
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Amazing what the combination of a great coach/teacher and great talent results in. The hardware.
Others would do well to take notice of this combination.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
well, maybe, but Rutgers was choke-city against Uconn last night.
during a critical stretch, left Moore open for a wide-open, straight-on 3.
On offense, Rutgers looked like a middle school team in the 2nd half.
Vivian Stringer got out-coached by the hanster.
tlc429#392720 writes:
Great Win Ladies! Talk about playing through adversity. Now, to address this board. First of all, it's disheartening that the women have carried our basketball program for EONS yet we have 27 posts. The men practice and 200 ppl post. That's just sad. Second, this is directly in response to manateemo. It was MY hope that Rutgers would win out and we could play them and beat them without any controversy beyond our control. A true Vol is never scared. I bet if you could ask CP who she wanted to play, it's not LSU nor UConn. I'd bet my bottom dollar she wanted another shot at Rutgers and crybaby Stringer. Congrats to Pat and team for another great win. Go Lady Vols!!!
vscebail#247785 writes:
Without Candace 100% healthy we are toast. Sylvia Fowles will pound her all night long, and she will probably have more rebounds than we have points. Congratulations ladies on reaching the Final Four, but it looks like this may be LSU's year. ---Anybody but UCONN!
adimatteo#261830 writes:
Candace- This is wishing you the best , and to thank you for all you have done.
We as fans owe you and each player for all you have done and do, for this program.
We thank you for coming here, and acting with the utmost integrity, along with your fellow Lady Vols. Thats what makes this program,whether we win a national championship or have a down year,this is a program with top notch people running it and top notch student/athletes, on and off court. Our players act more mature than most college students ever do, and our coaches act with integrity, they dont live to rant and rave, they dont live to make exciting sound bites. This program is where it is because of the level of professionalism it has maintained and continues to maintain.
I have no doubt that will not change whether we win or lose, there is nothing wrong with hundreds of other programs trying to chase us and some being successful.
Watching you get hurt, we fans watching on TV cringe, feeling sorry for you and us! Yet you all are doing it, I cant predict what will happen, you all certainly deserve a better ending then this, but this program, the seniors on this team, will not change.
We all wish you the best, for being here, and acting like a Lady Vol throughout your tenure.I will be in Tampa, and Im thrilled you all got there again, but next year, if we have growing pains, I have no doubt our players will act with integrity, as our coaching staff, thats what other schools can never acheive or take away, thats what has and will always make the lady Vols program special.
LadyVolFanForever writes:
vscebail, "bail" is right name for you, no faith !
Whatever the outcome of the next game, the Lady Vols will make us proud and give it their all....that is all we can ask. Stay positive !
penfield writes:
Candace Parker is the best female college basketball player in the country. No doubt she will be the first player taken in the WNBA draft. But when she dislocated her shoulder she should not have been allowed to return to the game until her shoulder was fully stabilized. She did and dislocated her shoulder again. Allowing her to return to the game without a brace was a bad coaching decision and a worse trainer's decision. She was risking her whole professional basketbal career to win one college game, no matter how important.
tlc429#392720 writes:
Candace will be fine. I texted my brother at halftime and told him we need to break out the duct tape! My elbow pops out too. While it IS painful when it happens, I assure you all it looked a lot worse than it felt. Candace LIVES to play not watch. It was her choice to play again in the first half, as well as in the second half. I'm banking on her being raring to go against LSU! The ladies, unlike the men, won't fold though, even with 5 frosh in. GO LADY VOLS!!!
johnlg00 writes:
ggriggs, there is absolutely no end to the ways the NCAA Selection Committee screwed up this year's tourney! Not only did they send two #1 seeds to regionals virtually on #2 seeds' home courts--close, anyway--they reversed the order of last night's regional finals to ensure the smallest possible crowds. The Lady Vols game in OK City started at 6:00 PM local time, barely allowing anyone to get away from work, let alone have some dinner first, while the UConn-Rutgers game started after 9:00 PM local time, on a school/work day, no less. This game, featuring two Big East teams--great teams, no doubt--none closer than 500 miles from their home areas, drew about 4,000 fans in one of the finest basketball arenas, located in one of the main basketball hotbeds, in America! Flipping the start times of those games would have ensured that BOTH would have started at optimal times for those sites. ALL of the Selection Committee should issue a public apology to basketball fandom, saying, "We're sorry, we don't really know anything about basketball, and we are REALLY, REALLY sorry about the way we screwed up this post-season!" Yeah, like that'll happen!
tigervol9802 writes:
johnlg00-
Don't blame the selection committee for start times, blame ESPN. They are the ones who choose who starts when once brackets are set. Obviously they thought Rutgers/UConn would be a better late start game because it would have more interest in it. Can't say I disagree.
ps11824 writes:
Not so fast, my friend, vscebail, we have a capable team without Parker, IF ALL Lady Vols bring their best game. We've not seen Anosiki's best since this time last year. She went 1 for 4 last night in 38 minutes. Two points will not get it done. She had 8 rebounds and did not go to the foul line one time. Nicky is not imposing her will in the paint which is something she must do now to advance. She was such a force last year against NC and Rutgers. She absolutely has to be a factor defensively keeping Fowles from going off, and she has to put points on the board.
Hornbuckle made the game winning shot. I give her props for that but if she don't make that shot she's the goat for missing those easy, easy layups. Lex is and always has been the motivating factor for the entire team. Pat says "As Lex goes, so goes the team." A blowout game by Hornbuckle, I believe would ignite the entire team to really step up their performance. She can do that. We've all seen her do that.
The player who was on fire scoring in double digits consistently at the beginning of the season, Bjorkland MUST find her shot. She MUST disrupt whatever defense our opponent is bringing. She's been a nonfactor for too, too long which explains in part why we've had tough time closing out games. Her scoring from the perimeter allowed us to run so many effective offensive sets. Those sets are not putting points on the board now. It's a psychological thing, that's all. In theory, she's not a rookie any more. Angie must step up and help her team.
Auguste contributed 0 points 0. She attempted 3 shots. I know she expends tremendous energy defending, but she absolutely MUST knock down some shots.
Bobbitt will need to be an offensive factor also. If she starts knocking down threes the way she can, we can beat anybody. She may have the most difficult assignment of guarding White who willed their win over NC Monday night. White took Bobbitt to school in TBA. Shannon played more under control in the SEC Tournament. Defense will not be enough this time. Our guards will need to knock down shots.
One rebound from Alex, zip from Baugh, 7 minutes of playing time committing one foul, that's an improvement from Sunday night, I guess. But it is not championship caliber. Yep, we have a capable team without Parker but the IF factor looms large. All Lady Vols will need to bring their full arsenal to the battle to get us #8.
jcvol writes:
What an outstanding exhibition of courage. Candace Parker is certainly a special person in a group of very special people. Thanks for the enjoyment of getting to see all of the Lady Vols play. Great job Pat (My daughter is your Vet.)
johnlg00 writes:
tigervol, I get your point about ESPN; hope they liked how all those empty seats looked on TV, especially in the regional semis, though the OK City gym did look fairly full. I get your point that Rutgers-UConn was probably a more appealing matchup nationally than UT-A&M, but surely most of the Rutgers-UConn fan base is in the east, where the late start time could have hurt the TV ratings as well as the attendance in Greensboro. I still fault the Selection Committee for sending Maryland and UNC--neither of whom I care for all that much--such enormous distances from home, not to mention Rutgers and UConn. If they are really trying to build support for the women's game, they went about it in exactly the wrong way, IMHO. They also violated what they said was a prime consideration in putting UConn and Rutgers in the same regional in the first place.
HotlantaVol writes:
jcvol - Does your daughter treat racoons?
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
tlc429:
I agree completely about Rutgers...I had that exact thought yesterday when they said Rutgers was ahead. IF we would've been forturnate to have played them, I think we'd have been the ones with the attitude. Deep down, I pretty much felt dissed as a UT fan, so I can only imagine what the players felt.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
Sylvia Fowles:
guys, I would quit harping on her. She is not a routh, tough, dirty player at all. If she were to hurt Candace, it would be a complete fluke. I can't say that about all the LSU players, as I honestly do not know.
I think we all expect the LSU game to be tough. I sure don't look for us to run out, and I hope LSU doesn't.
BigOrangeInCarolina writes:
Somewhere, at this very moment, John Adams is conspiring with that douche-bag legislator from New Jersey to draft a lengthy deposition for testimony in front of Congress, the US Supreme Court, the UN, and whoever else has an available appointment, regarding UT's blatant, covert conspiracy to knock Rutgers out of the NCAA tournament early. The bulk of the blame goes, of course, to Fulmer, and thereafter will be distributed evenly among UConn's coach, the clock man, and Al Quaeda. More information as it becomes available in tomorrow's news-packed edition of the KNS.
janchattn#610676 writes:
HotlantaVol, that was a good one!
Seriously, Candace Parker is a Warrior, she should get every available award in Women's basketball for her consistent outstanding play, especially after her fantastic display last night!!! So proud we can claim her as a Lady Vol, what an all round great competitor!!!
Alexis, that 3-pointer was breathtaking! Love you girl!!!
Let's beat LSU, I can't stand the thought of the season ending even one game too soon!!! Go Lady Vols!!
dcad writes:
Anyone who has any knowledge of women's basketball whatsoever knows what great coaches we have in the women's basketball program, there is no need to bad mouth any of them - in the end it's just going to hurt the girls who are trying to play and give it their all. This is the best time of their lives, playing and enjoying what they do - any of them I'm sure would stand up for their coaches. Even though accusations have proven false where UCONN is concerned, I read where 2 girls had to prove (papers from Russia) they weren't even in the US when they were accused of driving Maya Moore around - that alone should of been the end of it. It's nothing but trying to destroy relationships and enjoyment for other people. The truth will always come out so if Pat or Geno did something wrong - it will be proven - meanwhile the hateful words and throwing of accusations against anybody needs to stop. There are experts who need to take over and show what they have and everybody else needs to get over it. One thing that I am reminded of over past events that have taken place was where I read in the scripture that "when you dig a pit for someone to fall into - you will fall into it yourself," powerful - wouldn't you agree?
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