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Lady Vols rout Arkansas with team record of 3s

By Dan Fleser (Contact)
Originally published 09:05 p.m., January 24, 2008
Updated 11:35 p.m., January 24, 2008

Angie Bjorklund got the hint about taking more shots.

Did she ever.

Four days after firing off three attempts against Vanderbilt, Tennessee's freshman forward turned into a human machine gun, squeezing the trigger 20 times and scoring a season-high 29 points in the Lady Vols' 98-55 SEC women's basketball victory over Arkansas Thursday night.

UT coach Pat Summitt certainly was pleased. She had threatened Bjorklund's starting spot if she continued to be a reluctant shooter.

"I don't think she's going to get off 20 shots every night,'' Summitt said, "but she has to hunt shots."

Teammate Candace Parker sounded relieved. She provided capable backup with 24 points. Yet she noted how much difference the Bjorklund swish makes for her.

"I tell Angie all the time, 'When you're hitting, that makes my life a whole lot easier,' '' Parker said.

About the only ones disappointed were those in the announced crowd of 13,270 at Thompson-Boling Arena who were standing and cheering for Bjorklund to finally set the school record for 3-pointers in a game. She hit seven for the third time this season, then missed her final five attempts from behind the arc.

"We've got a lot more games left,'' Bjorklund said. "We'll see if the record comes."

No. 2 Tennessee (17-1, 5-0 SEC) got a lot out of its final game before Monday's showdown with No. 10 Duke in Durham, N.C. Despite missing senior guard Alexis Hornbuckle, who is undergoing a diagnostic test for an undisclosed health issue, and having freshman forward Vicki Baugh sit out the second half because of illness, the Lady Vols had four double-figure scorers and matched the school record for 3-pointers in a game with 13.

Sydney Smallbone scored a season-high 12 points (all on 3-pointers) and Nicky Anosike had 12.

UT amassed a 48-31 rebounding advantage with Anosike grabbing 11 and Alberta Auguste eight.

Auguste, Hornbuckle's replacement, shot 1 for 14 from the floor. Still, the Lady Vols managed 50 percent field goal accuracy on 78 attempts. They roared to an 18-0 start and never broke stride thereafter.

"I was proud that we held them scoreless through the first (media) timeout,'' Parker said.

The feeling, of course, was much different for Arkansas (16-4, 1-4). Senior forward Sarah Pfeifer, who scored a team-high 16 points, described it as "been there, done that."

About all the Lady Razorbacks accomplished was preventing Bjorklund from setting the 3-point record. Interestingly, they were only trying to keep Tennessee from scoring 100 points.

UT-Arkansas box score

Whatever the case, first-year coach Tom Collen commended guard Kendra Roberts for her ball denial on defense at the end.

"That might have been the 30 most focused seconds of any player on our team all night,'' Collen said. "And I didn't coach her into that, she did it."

With the Lady Razorbacks undersized and outmanned, they went with the odds and a zone defense alignment at the outset. Bjorklund shot down the strategy, nailing five of her treys in the first six minutes.

"I don't think it was an error to play zone,'' Collen said. "But we obviously needed to do a better job of tracking shooters in it."

Bjorklund was implored to be more active. Therefore she was more difficult to track, moving around the perimeter and hitting off the dribble as well.

"Coach was telling me about changing my speeds and making hard cuts,'' Bjorklund said. "Especially when the ball goes inside, get to a spot where the posts can see you."

Bjorklund's shooting ignited a scoring show that featured 24 assists, which tied the single-game season high, and a season-low nine turnovers. The first play set the tone with Auguste taking a high-post feed from Anosike, driving into the foul lane and slipping a nifty pass to Parker for a layup.

Parker described the pace, the ball movement and the scoring from all points on the floor as "Tennessee basketball.''

She dared to say that, at times, "It's beautiful basketball."

It was more than good enough for a Thursday night against Arkansas. But will Tennessee's play be good enough against Duke?

"I'm really excited about how our team is playing," Parker said. "Obviously we'll have a huge test against Duke."

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.

       23 Comments

Posted by Hacksaw57 on January 24, 2008 at 9:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Listened to the internet broadcast of the Lady Vols game - TERRIFIC GAME, LADIES!
Sounded like the girls were playing like the Championship teams of the past. Don't know how much of a challenge they got from the "Hog-ettes" but anytime you can win by a 40+ margin is pretty darn good. Bjorkland showed off tonight and is becoming a great player for our Lady Vols. Congrats, Angie! Hope this will be a good tune up for our upcoming game with the Lady Blue devils. Way To Go Pat! Keep 'Um Rollin'!
GO LADY VOLS!

Posted by BigOrangeVol on January 24, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Looks like Angie bounced out of that slump! Pat must have lit the fire under her and good.

Proops to Burce for a fantastic job; very informative and entertaining!

Let's hope that Lex is back 100% Monday.

Posted by pdhuff on January 24, 2008 at 9:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm not much of a sportsman, because I wanted 100. Got to work on that.

Posted by bmaples on January 24, 2008 at 10:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Congrats to the Lady Vols for an eye-popping win! Wish I could have been there; sounds like a fun night.

NOW -- time to get down to business for the Dookies. It's an ACC team, Ladies, so put some extra wrap on the ankles and get a little lower on defense, 'cause it should be a battle! Good luck -- do a good job -- get a good win!! Go Lady Vols!!

Posted by lempga on January 24, 2008 at 11:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What happened to Vicki Baugh? Was she ill or injured.? I was at the game but it was not mentioned on radio on the way home. Thanks! Go Lady Vols!

Posted by hcjournals on January 24, 2008 at 11:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Way to go Lady Vols!!!!!!

You are the Best!

Now go make good grades. Just kidding!

We love you.

Posted by jawbreaker on January 25, 2008 at 7:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I sure hope that Auguste filled in admirably for Hornbuckle on defense, because I have never seen anyone be less effective on offense than her in last night's game.

Posted by yemmusdarb on January 25, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Auguste sucks. period. how was she any good in JC? Anosike is clumsy and akward but at least she rebounds.

Posted by fortandrews on January 25, 2008 at 10:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Yemmusdarb where did you get ALL of the knowledge about playing BB. Do YOU ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD DAY - EVERY DAY. YOU are the one that "sucks" with your sory A-- remarks.

Posted by murrayvol on January 25, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Memo to Coach Summitt & Lady Vols: Please save a small handfull (6 or so) of these for March.

Posted by romevol on January 25, 2008 at 12:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The Lady Vols rock! Intensity and tempo were great the whole game. Bjorklund knows how to get it done, and the aggresive way that they attacked the basket will come in handy when we play in March. GO VOLS!!

Posted by ATLVOLFAN on January 25, 2008 at 1:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The Lady Vols played wonderful, and should continue to play that way. Angie was hitting from everywhere, and lets hope she plays like that from here on out. Great Win Ladies, and lets go BEAT DUKE!!!!!

Posted by hawkvol07 on January 25, 2008 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hummm,okay there's a UCONN fan, oh well. Much more importantly GO LADY VOLS. Great game!!

Posted by sgtvols on January 25, 2008 at 6:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

i have never tuned into the ucon web site. couldn't care less what ucon is doing. wonder why ucon people rather listen to us than their own? maybe they are just as boring to each other as they are to us. anyway, does anyone know what the record for 3's is for ut/ national/ season/ career?

Posted by sgtvols on January 25, 2008 at 6:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ps for ucon: don't remember seeing you in the final four/final 2/cutting down nets/ did you sneak into orange uniforms last year?

Posted by ATLVOLFAN on January 25, 2008 at 7:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

UconnFan, Its amazing how you are on the ladyvols website and you are not a fan. Tennesse will not only beat Uconn they will destroy them. If North Carolina point guard could of hit some of those wide open shots I think it would of being a different outcome. North Carolina is old news I'am happy they got the win the played the hardest. Tennesse has played a lot more rank teams than UConn. If the ladies play UConn they will be ready. GOOOOOOOOOOOO Lady Vols

Posted by ATLVOLFAN on January 25, 2008 at 8:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Diana was there, but we have had our share of good players too. I mean UCONN was good at that time, but Pat has better palyers now. Know one really knows why the serious was cancel, but Pat & Geno. Candace is the best player ever played the gane besides Holdsclaw, and anyone knows that. UT will be ready for any competetion comes March and April. GO VOLS!!!!

Posted by uconnsux on January 25, 2008 at 9:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

UconnFan1.....Mayo Moore???? Really??? Are you a true UConn fan??? If you were, wouldn't you know that your best players name was Maya????

Posted by sgtvols on January 26, 2008 at 5:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

you gona ware those white sox with your black suit to church sunday?

Posted by sgtvols on January 26, 2008 at 5:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

hey uconn you should be a phil fulmer fan in as much as you like to live in the past.

Posted by sgtvols on January 26, 2008 at 5:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

hey exconn, were you a exconn math major? i guess in exconn land 5 is greater than 7.

Posted by sgtvols on January 26, 2008 at 5:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

hey exconn, at at ut we have men coaching men and the ladies are coached by ladies. won't the men let oreo in the dressing room??????

Posted by pendav on January 26, 2008 at 7 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey Sgtvols

According to my math it is UCONN 7 & TN 7. Don't forget the men.

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