UT recruits learn lessons of defense

TAMPA, Fla. - The Tennessee Lady Vols didn't just win their eighth national championship Tuesday night. They also might have laid the foundation for the next title.

UT's No. 1-ranked recruiting class made a name for itself in high school by scoring points. Those recruits were reminded Tuesday that the Lady Vols have made a name for themselves on defense.

UT won another national title by forcing 25 turnovers and holding Stanford to 37 points below its NCAA tournament average in a 64-48 victory. Coach Pat Summitt couldn't ask for a better instructional video for her six incoming freshmen.

"There's no doubt we will impress upon them the success we've had by making defense and rebounding a priority," Summitt said Wednesday. "They will get plenty of information about that.

"I'm sure they were all watching. Some of them were at the game."

They saw UT's defense at its best.

"If you don't play defense and rebound, you don't have a chance to win a national championship," Summitt said. "Look at the shooting percentages. They go down in tournament play."

No Baugh Update: Summitt said she still didn't know the extent of freshman Vicki Baugh's knee injury. Baugh was scheduled for a medical examination after the team arrived in Knoxville.

Baugh suffered a knee injury in the second half of the national championship game and had to be helped off the court.

Baugh, a 6-foot-4 post player, played well in a reserve role in the Final Four and figures prominently in next season's plans.

In a combined 27 minutes against LSU and Stanford in the Final Four, Baugh made four of five shots, scored 10 points and had seven rebounds.

Big Apple Power: "Rocky Top" wasn't the only appropriate song for UT's back-to-back national championships. "New York, New York" was almost as fitting.

New Yorkers Nicky Anosike and Shannon Bobbitt both excelled on college basketball's biggest stage.

In the four Final Four games, Bobbitt made 12 of 26 3-pointers, averaged 10.7 points and had seven steals.

Anosike averaged 8.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and had 12 steals and five blocked shots.

Ratings: Television ratings for the championship game and the entire tournament were up from last year.

Tuesday's game on ESPN earned a 3.0 rating, up 30 percent from the 2.3 for last season's Tennessee-Rutgers game.

For the entire tournament, games on ESPN averaged a 1.4 rating, compared with 1.0 in 2007. The average rating for games on ESPN2 increased from 0.5 to 0.6.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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