What other newspapers said about the Lady Vols championship:

Tennessee in as underdogs, then out as top dogs

Last time Tennessee checked, the Lady Vols were the team with the winningest coach of women's basketball in Pat Summitt, and the best player in Candace Parker, and the fancy title as defending national champions.

So what did they do with this surplus of hyperbole? What great championship teams do best at the first whiff of disrespect: They flashed the underdog card.

"I like that most people were picking Stanford to win this game," said Summitt, who apparently caught all those pro-Stanford picks on ESPN before tip-off. "It really motivated our team.

"I said we were going to go in as underdogs and come out as top dogs."

That the Lady Vols did, for a record eighth time, with a 64-48 victory over the second-seeded Cardinal.

David White

San Francisco Chronicle

Parker's title dream accomplished in duplicate

With the game in hand and a minute left, Candace Parker went to the Tennessee bench for the final time, holding up four fingers on each hand to signify the eight titles the Lady Vols have won.

Parker came to Tennessee four years ago with one goal in mind: Restore the Lady Vols back to the Rocky Top.

A bruised and braced Parker scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds to help Tennessee capture its eighth NCAA women's basketball title with a 64-48 victory over Stanford on Tuesday night. The Lady Vols also became the first repeat champs since Connecticut won three straight from 2002-04.

"One is disputable, but two, you can't stumble onto two national championships, so we're pretty good.

"We got two championships together," Parker said. "It's a remarkable feeling to walk off the court for the last time and hug your coach. I'm completely different than I was when I came in."

Doug Feinberg

The Associated Press

Two great players, but only one national title

Each came out last for pregame introductions, the order changed to have Tennessee's Candace Parker, a forward, meet at halfcourt with Stanford's Candice Wiggins, a guard, acknowledging two of the biggest stars ever to play in an NCAA women's title game.

Their greeting was more than the usual perfunctory handshake, with Parker saying a few words and wrapping an arm around the woman who succeeded her as Wade Trophy national player of the year.

"We just said congratulations and how great it was for us to meet here," Parker said.

But the final congratulations would go to Naperville's Parker, who got the trophy she wanted in her last game as a collegian, helping Tennessee succeed itself as national champion.

Philip Hersh

Chicago Tribune

Despite the pain, Parker wanted the ball

Where there's a will, there's a way. When it is Tennessee star Candace Parker's will, she usually has her way.

With Parker playing with a left shoulder tender from the two dislocations she suffered a week ago, the Lady Vols (36-2) knocked off Stanford 64-48 at St. Pete Times Forum on Tuesday night to win the women's NCAA title.

Parker added a second consecutive college title after winning back-to-back championships her last two years in high school at Naperville Central.

With 16:19 to play, Parker thought she was fouled on a drive to the basket, but didn't get a call. The Vols maintained possession and Parker stepped out to the free throw line, called for the ball and put on enough moves for a clinic with a three-point play that put Tennessee up 46-35.

"When the girl on my right (Nicky Anosike) whispers in my ear that it is time to take over, I listen,'' Parker said. "I just wanted to bring energy to the offense. If the defense wants to take me away, I know I can kick it and my teammates will make shots.''

"I won't tell you exactly what I said,'' Anosike said. "But I will tell you that it worked.

"I wasn't going home without a national championship. If we lost, I was going to be living here.''

Steve Tucker

Chicago Sun-Times

Support made difference against Stanford

"Ace" got the support that both she and "Ice" agreed would be the difference.

Tennessee All-America forward Candace "Ace" Parker and Stanford All-America guard Candice "Ice" Wiggins each had said last night's NCAA women's national championship game was going to about the best team, not the best player.

It was going to swing on which supporting players would make Tennessee or Stanford the better team.

With Parker struggling due to an injured shoulder, her teammates - Alberta Auguste, Nicky Anosike, Shannon Bobbitt and Alexis Hornbuckle - did what you would expect of four senior starters who already had won a national championship.

John Smallwood

Philadelphia Daily News

Defense obvious difference in whom takes crown

Offense attracts attention, defense wins championships.

The Tennessee women's basketball team demonstrated that Tuesday night in the NCAA championship game against Stanford, holding the high-scoring Cardinal to a season-low point total while forcing it into a season-high 25 turnovers.

Dan Arritt

Los Angeles Times

Getting back to what they do best - winning titles

Tennessee is back to doing what it does so well - winning national championships. With a 64-48 victory over Stanford in Tuesday night's final, the Lady Vols won back-to-back titles for the first time since they won three in a row from 1996 to '98.

Before a sea of bright orange-clad fans - St. Pete Times Forum looked more like Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville than a neutral court - Tennessee (36-2) used a smothering defense to stagnate Stanford's fluid offense and earn its eighth title in 13 championship appearances.

Kathy Orton

Washington Post

Dad's advice on recruiting sunk in with Summitt

Thirty-four seasons ago, after Pat Summitt had coached her first game at Tennessee, she phoned home.

"Did you win?" her father, Richard Head, asked.

"No sir, we got beat."

"By how much?"

"One point."

There was a long pause, and as Summitt feared that her father would blame her, he said: "Let me just tell you one thing, Trisha. Don't take donkeys to the Kentucky Derby."

The message was a valuable one: The best coaches had the best players. Tennessee (36-2) clearly did Tuesday night in winning its second consecutive national championship and eighth overall.

Jere Longman

New York Times

Lady Vols know their way up the ladder by heart

You'd think by now they'd bring their own ladders.

That was Tennessee at the Forum on Tuesday night, making its familiar climb, to the rocky top of women's college basketball. For the eighth time, Pat Summitt's Lady Vols ended their season by hitting nothing but nets, and cutting them down.

Remember two years ago, when some thought Tennessee's run was done? They'd gone eight seasons without adding to their six national championships. UConn had seized the high ground with title after title. UConn coach Geno Auriemma circled Summitt's throne like a shark. Everyone seemed to be gaining. Purdue, Notre Dame, Baylor and Maryland won titles, too.

Then a funny thing happened.

The world turned orange again.

They're back.

And now they're back to back.

Martin Fennelly

The Tampa Tribune

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.