SPOKANE, Wash. - The progress Tennessee made before Christmas apparently wasn't lost over the holiday break.
In beating Gonzaga 77-58 Tuesday night, the Lady Vols picked up where they left off with women's basketball victories over Old Dominion (Dec. 18) and then-No. 3 Stanford (Dec. 21).
No. 8 Tennessee (10-2) is back on the right path in heading back across the country for a key road game Saturday at No. 15 Rutgers. It will be the Lady Vols' toughest road test since a 73-59 loss at then-No. 6 Texas on Dec. 14.
"I believe since the Stanford game we've been an entirely new team,'' said Lady Vols forward Vicki Baugh, referring to the 79-69 overtime victory over the Cardinal at Thompson-Boling Arena, "learning how to play with each other, we've built that chemistry."
Baugh might have been overly optimistic in basing such a strong conclusion on a victory over Gonzaga (11-4). Despite a decent showing, the Bulldogs don't have Rutgers' talent or athleticism.
Nor was the environment at the McCarthey Athletic Center as hostile and raucous as it will be Saturday at the Louis Brown Athletics Center. The Scarlet Knights fans will be revved not only by the game-clock controversy that helped UT prevail 59-58 in Knoxville last season but also Tennessee's victory over Rutgers in the 2007 national championship game in Cleveland, Ohio.
At the same time, Baugh was being practical in saying, "We need help from both ends position-wise, the guards and the post."
That's what happened against Gonzaga. Tennessee's top scorers were spread evenly between both camps. Guards Angie Bjorklund and Shekinna Stricklen combined for 26 points, as did post players Baugh and Alyssia Brewer.
After starting slowly, Baugh scored 10 of her points in the second half. She performed a pretty behind-the-back dribble drive and finished the play with a floating jumper.
"She played aggressive, competed,'' UT coach Pat Summitt said. "She wanted the ball and worked hard for it."
The post players were a big factor in Tennessee outscoring Gonzaga 38-20 on points from close range as well as having a 20-11 edge in second-chance points.
"I thought our post game got a little bit better tonight,'' Summitt said.
Gonzaga coach Kelly Graves said that the impact of UT's size was hard to gauge from watching game video. It was even harder to simulate in preparations.
"I was Kelley Cain and Vicki Baugh in practice this week,'' he said, referring to Tennessee's biggest players.
Along with her 14 points, Brewer came off the bench to record five rebounds, three steals and two assists. Her no-look, over-the-shoulder pass to Baugh for a second-half basket was the best example of UT adjusting to Gonzaga double-teaming down low. Brewer's overall productivity, meanwhile, reflected the solid play of Tennessee's reserves, who amassed a 29-6 edge in bench scoring.
"Our bench really contributed,'' Summitt said. "Our bench didn't hurt us."
Summitt commended the contributions of reserves Amber Gray and Alicia Manning. Gray needed just four playing minutes to make a favorable impression.
"I told them keep doing that and you're going to get more minutes,'' Summitt said. "And that would help us."
And it would be a sure sign of improvement.
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Comments » 18
dwa7#337691 writes:
1st................so what..........
BigOrangeVol writes:
Nice game Brew!
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
OK, Dan, Rutgers will go in thinking that this IS their game! Period. For a number of reasons. Home, revenge, righteous indignation, shot clock(which was a crock), and losing to us too too much. It's just their turn, gosh darnitt, and that's all their is to it. Their role however is to lose to us, and to beat UConn. Let's repeat that, believe that and go up there and let it happen. Go lady vols! Nice job, very nice job so far.
BigOrangeVol writes:
"All the back and forth bickering will last forever when it comes to Lady Vols and UConn Women.
We are partial to Pat Summitt and the UT Lady Vols on this site and we love the Vols...
The truth is: Most could probably agree that we both have good teams and good coaches. Both have produced excellent players...Both have multiple Championships....Both have Coach of the year awards....I think this is all we are going to agree on. Go Vols!"
Correct and I agree with you NC - but we have decades more tradition, more wins and more National Championships as well as the greatest basketball coach that has ever lived who exudes class, humility and dignity.
They have a johnny-come-lately program that Pat helped bring out of obscurity to prop-up and bring to national prominence along with a disrespectful, unappreciative, classless, narcissistic and egotistical whiner of a coach with a Napoleonic Complex at the helm.
UT has been playing women’s basketball since 1903 and UConn has been playing since 1974. UT has played hundreds more games than UConn and we don’t have records for 9 seasons of ball from 1960-1968 so there are between 70-120 games that aren’t even on the books. So in all likelihood the Lady Vols have played in excess of 300 more games than UConn.
UConn was 284-243 (54%) all-time before Pat put them on the schedule to lend credence to their legitimacy in 1994-1995 when they won their FIRST National Championship. Before UT, Geno was 192-81 (70%). Since then he is 465-41 (92%). Before UT, UConn had only been to the NCAA Tournament SIX times in 12 years with a tourney record of 7-6; since then they have been every year and are 58-9 with five titles.
Players and fans normally reflect their coaches attitude and demeanor. Our program and coach are legendary; theirs to this moment in time are merely an anecdotal footnote. It's not bickering or trash talking as much as it is just a simple fact. Therein lies the difference.
ladivolfan writes:
BoV, that's the best post I've read here in a long time.
ladivolfan writes:
That is absolutely nothing against all the other good posts. I just particularly like this one.
YankeeVol writes:
I agree about Rutgers... but I also cannot wait for this game because for the first time since moving above the Mason-Dixon I have tickets to a Lady Vols game. I am ready for the 5 hour drive down to NJ wearing bright orange. Hope the Scarlett Knights don't turn on me...
MassVol writes:
Good luck ladies.
MassVol writes:
YankeeVol, don't feel like you're all alone in yankee land. There are a few of your Vol brothers suffering with you. Give you one guess where I'm living these days. Can't even get SportsSouth on the local cable. Damn Yankees!
98reax writes:
Nice post, BigOVol. I hope we are ready to kick some scarlet butt. New year, new attitude. Take no prisoners.
Happy New Year to all.
ncvol writes:
Thanks for the post BigOrangeVol...we are on the same mindset....Let's get it done@Rutgers....Go L.Vols!
mississippi writes:
go BIG ORANGE
ggriggs939#223122 writes:
The nicest thing is that the Lady VOLS start three freshmen and two sophomores who learn each game they play while the other teams' players are mostly upper classmen who are at the top of their game already and it is still three months until March.
I do not know if the ncaa will let the Lady VOLS win another national championship with such a young team and let some of the prima donnas like suhvivian sit on the sidelines again.
We have some girls now with size enough who can and will mix it up with goatstinker's longhorns and may get to play them again in March. Even though the experience in austin was a loss, it was still good for the team and shows what some coaches will do to win a game.
mississippi writes:
Now that is the truth. GO LADY VOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ncvol writes:
Enjoy the game and sing Rocky Top for all of us that can't attend the game...Go Vols!
BigOrangeVol writes:
Thanks ya'll but I thought I was posting on the "extra miles" column. DUH! Decent post - wrong article. I didn't realize that my Dyslexia was encroaching on reading separate articles! Getting old really sucks.
How does San Diego State beat Texas???
Rutgers only losses came on their west-coast road trip to Cal and Stanford. They only beat Temple by 4 but waxed UGA! A 10-point win over GW wasn't bad but other than those five teams...they haven't played anyone that a good high school team couldn't beat. St. Joes; Princeton; Prairie View A&M; Army and Lafayette??? Dang isn't that UConn's schedule? That's why Viv's RPI is 19 and SOS is 42! UT is the toughest test they will have had so far other than Stanford. We'll see what both teams are made of Saturday.
Rutgers is a one-woman team this year. If we shut down Epiphanny it won't be close enough for a clock malfunction or human error to make any difference. She takes 26.5% of their shots! If the Lady Vols can play decent defense on Ray and Vaughn while keeping Epiphanny under 35% this one should be a nice road victory.
tenn32rebel writes:
BigOrangeVol, I agree that it will be defense that wins the game. That is what you meant in the last paragraph, right?
My question is this: Who will be the lock-down defender??? No Baby Lady Vol has grabbed claim to that title, yet. Kinna is as close as we get and she is still a freshman.
Defense is an experience factor. The player will get better as she acquires more experience defending good opponents. Prince is a senior going against a freshman.
In my humble opinion, defense by committee may be Pat's choice in guarding Prince. Kinna, Angie, and Manning will probably take on Prince. If Manning could do nothing except limit Prince's touches, she would have a great game. Manning could be the defensive "sacrificial lamb" for Pat. That would be a huge accomplishment!!!
With Baugh hurt, Brewer may start at the post. Yes, she has gotten much better defensively, but Vaughn will want revenge and take it out on Lyssi. Plus, Baugh is a known shot-blocker on the guards driving the lane. Lyssi is untested in that area for a whole game.
Yes, it will be VERY INTERESTING to see how the Baby Lady Vols react to the hostile environment at Rutgers.
Will the freshman exhibit their new-found composure or will it rattle them? Will a line-up that starts four freshmen beat Rutgers on their home floor?
These and many other interesting questions will be answered by the end of Saturday's game.
CTOWNICON writes:
I WILL BE WITH YOU LADY VOLS IN SPIRIT. LETS GO OUT AN WIN THIS ONE. THE ONLY OBSTACLE YOU GIRLS WILL FACE IS A TOUGH ENVIRONMENT AN MAYBE THE REFS, LOL BUT HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE OFFICIATED FAIRLY. I DONT THINK THE RUTGERS TEAM CAN WIN IF YOU GUYS PLAY HARD DEFENSE AND DONT HAVE TO MANY LAPSES IN SCORING. IVE SEEN THIS RUTGERS TEAM IN ACTION THIS YEAR AN THEY ARE NOT THAT IMPRESSING TO ME AND I THINK YOU WILL PREVAIL IN THIS GAME AND WIN. SO LETS GO OUT AN PLAY HARD DEFENSE AN GOOD OFFENSE. STRICKLEN LIGHT IT UP FOR ME AGAIN LIKE YOU DID AGAINST STANFORD. THE WHOLE TEAM WAS GREAT THAT NIGHT AND IF YALL PLAY LIKE THAT AGAINST RUTGERS WE SHOULD'NT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. LETS TO GIRLS YOU CAN DO IT. PS, PLEASE TRY TO LIMIT THEM FOULS WE NEED ALL OF YOU ON THE FLOOR.
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