Lady Vols schedule brutal as always : govolsxtra.com

While the players come and go, Tennessee’s women’s basketball schedule stays the same — brutal.

That’s true even when a lot of players go.

The Lady Vols return only one starter from the 2008 national champion team, but coach Pat Summitt didn’t lighten the load on the road to the 2009 NCAA tournament.

Stanford, Texas, Duke, Virginia, Oklahoma, DePaul, Old Dominion, LSU and Rutgers headline the familiar marquee names on the two-time defending national champion’s 2008-09 schedule released Tuesday.

Fourteen opponents come from last year’s NCAA tournament bracket.

Anjie Bjorklund is the only returning starter and even she was coming off the bench behind Alberta Auguste during the NCAA tournament run.

The roster includes seven freshmen, four sophomores and senior Alex Fuller.

“We’re getting our players ready for conference play and that’s what it’s all about,’’ Associate Head Coach Holly Warlick said Tuesday on the News Sentinel’s Sports Page radio show.

“It’s been a great formula for us in the past and I think it’s something we’ll always continue to do.’’

Besides the usual Who’s Who list, UT’s schedule includes two former Lady Vols bringing teams to Thompson-Boling Arena, where they well be welcomed warmly — until tip-off.

That explains why first-time opponent San Francisco pops up on opening night (Nov. 15). Tanya Haave, a 1980s star and member of the Lady Vols Hall of Fame, is making her head-coaching debut.

Kellie Jolly Harper, point guard during the 1996-98 NCAA three-peat, brings her fifth Western Carolina team to Thompson-Boling Arena on Nov. 25.

Seven of the first eight games (counting two exhibitions) are in Thompson-Boling Arena and the one that’s not is at UT-Chattanooga.

“We want to give ‘em a little confidence before they go out on the road,’’ Warlick said.

One of the home games will be Stanford on Dec. 21, a rematch of UT’s 64-48 victory in the 2008 NCAA tournament title game. The Cardinal was one of two teams to beat Tennessee last season, a 73-69 overtime decision in December.

Duke, DePaul, Louisiana Tech, Virginia and MTSU also come to Knoxville.

Key non-conference road games are at George Washington, Texas, Old Dominion and Rutgers.

The Lady Vols also play Oklahoma in Oklahoma City on ESPN2’s Feb. 2 “Big Monday” package. The other “Big Monday” game is Duke on Feb. 16.

A Dec. 30 road trip to Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash., is a first for the program.

The 14-game SEC slate includes two games each against Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Mississippi State. Tennessee plays the other eight league teams once apiece.

The SEC opener is Jan. 8 at home against Kentucky. The Lady Vols travel to LSU — which beat them 78-62 in Knoxville last year — on Feb. 26.

“Once again this year, the SEC, from top to bottom, will be as strong as it has ever been,’’ Summitt said.

“We’ve had an infusion of some new coaches making a tough league even tougher.’’

Dawn Staley is the new coach at South Carolina. Wendell Hudson takes over at Alabama.

The SEC Tournament moves to North Little Rock, Ark., March 5-8.

NCAA tournament games begin March 21. McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga is among the first-round sites.

The four regionals are: Raleigh, N.C.; Berkeley, Calif.; Oklahoma City; Trenton, N.J.

The Final Four is April 5-7 in St. Louis.

2008-09 TENNESSEE LADY VOL BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

as of July 29, 2008

DATE OPPONENT SITE TV TIME

THURS., NOV. 6 CARSON-NEWMAN (EXH) KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

SUN., NOV. 9 LOVE & BASKETBALL (EXH) KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.

SAT., NOV. 15 SAN FRANCISCO KNOXVILLE 2 p.m.

MON., NOV. 17 VIRGINIA KNOXVILLE 7:00 p.m.

FRI., NOV. 21 at Chattanooga Chattanooga 7 p.m.

SUN., NOV. 23 LOUISIANA TECH KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.

TUES., NOV. 25 WESTERN CAROLINA KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

SUN., NOV. 30 DEPAUL KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.

TUES., DEC. 2 at George Washington Washington, D.C. 7 p.m.

THURS., DEC. 11 MIDDLE TENNESSEE KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

SUN., DEC. 14 at Texas Austin, Texas FSN TBA p.m. CT

THURS., DEC. 18 at Old Dominion Norfolk, VA 7 p.m.

SUN., DEC. 21 STANFORD KNOXVILLE ESPN2 7 p.m.

TUES., DEC. 30 at Gonzaga Spokane, WA 7 p.m. PT

SAT., JAN. 3 at Rutgers Piscataway, NJ CBS Noon

THURS., JAN. 8 KENTUCKY KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

SUN., JAN. 11 at Vanderbilt Nashville 2 p.m. CT

THURS., JAN. 15 at Mississippi State Starkville, MS 7 p.m. CT

SUN., JAN. 18 SOUTH CAROLINA KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.

THURS., JAN. 22 at Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 7 p.m. CT

SUN., JAN. 25 at Auburn Auburn, AL 2 p.m. CT

THURS., JAN. 29 MISSISSIPPI KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

MON. FEB. 2 vs. Oklahoma (“Big Monday”) Oklahoma City, OK ESPN2 6:30 p.m. CT

THURS., FEB. 5 GEORGIA KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

SUN., FEB. 8 at Florida Gainesville, FL 2 p.m.

THURS., FEB. 12 ALABAMA KNOXVILLE 7 p.m.

MON. FEB. 16 DUKE (“Big Monday”) KNOXVILLE ESPN2 7:30 p.m.

THURS., FEB. 19 at Kentucky Lexington, KY 7 p.m.

SUN., FEB. 22 MISSISSIPPI STATE KNOXVILLE 3 p.m.

THURS., FEB. 26 at LSU Baton Rouge, LA 7 p.m. CT

SUN., MAR. 1 VANDERBILT KNOXVILLE ESPN2 7 p.m.

Thurs.-Sun., Mar. 5-8 SEC Tournament N. Little Rock. AR

Thurs., Mar. 5 SEC Tournament N. Little Rock, AR FOX

Fri., Mar. 6 SEC Tournament N. Little Rock, AR FOX

Sun., Mar. 8 SEC Championship Game N. Little Rock, AR ESPN2

Sat.-Tues., Mar. 21-24 NCAA Tournament (1st & 2nd Rounds) Campus sites* ESPN/ESPN2

*(Eight pre-determined sites: First- and Second-Rounds: The Pit/Bob King Court, Albuquerque, N.M. Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, La.; E.A. Diddle Arena, Bowling Green, Ky.; McKenzie Arena, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Comcast Center, College Park, Md.; Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio; Arena at Gwinnett, Duluth, Ga.; Jack Breslin Student Events Center, East Lansing, Mich.; Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, Iowa; United Spirit Arena, Lubbock, Texas; Joyce Center, Notre Dame, Ind.; Galen Center, Los Angeles, Calif.; Louis Brown Athletic Center, Piscataway, N.J.; Cox Arena, San Diego, Calif.; Bank of America Arena, Seattle, Wash.; Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, Conn.)

Sat.-Tues., Mar. 28-31 NCAA Tournament (Regional) ESPN/ESPN2

Raleigh Regional (3/28 & 3/30): RBC Center, Raleigh, N.C.; Berkeley Regional (3/28 & 3/30): Haas Pavilion Berkeley, Calif.; Oklahoma City Regional (3/29 & 3/31): Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Trenton Regional (3/29 & 3/31): Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, N.J.

Sun. & Tues., Apr. 5 & 7 NCAA Final Four (Scottrade Center) St. Louis, Mo. ESPN

ALL TIMES, DATES AND TELEVISION SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE