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OKLAHOMA CITY - Until now, Vicki Baugh has never been one of those fly-under-the-radar kind of basketball players.

She's 6-foot-4 with surprising speed, a graceful agility and a deadly accuracy when she gets the ball in the low post.

Some call her the "future" as far as Tennessee Lady Vols basketball goes - post-Candace Parker, Nicky Anosike, Alexis Hornbuckle and Shannon Bobbitt.

Future?

Baugh's mentor - Anosike - wants the freshman from Sacramento, Calif., to prove the future is now as the Lady Vols continue their quest to defend a national championship.

"I think Vicki is really our secret weapon," Anosike said with UT (32-2) getting ready to meet Notre Dame (25-8) in a Sweet Sixteen matchup 9:30 tonight.

"A lot of people don't give her the credit for what she does. We're going to need her down the stretch to provide a spark off the bench."

A spark is what Baugh gave the Lady Vols when she scored 12 points, with five rebounds, a block and a steal in 12 minutes against Purdue in UT's 78-52 second-round victory.

"If she continues to play like that," Anosike said, "I don't think there are many teams out there that can stop us."

And that means now, not next year.

The once quiet, shy freshman is loudly taking her place among a plethora of threats opposing coaches have to worry about.

It's all right on schedule as far as Tennessee coach Pat Summitt is concerned. She has said for months the Lady Vols need a strong, consistent effort from Baugh to make a deep run in the tournament.

"I don't take it as pressure," Baugh said. "She (Summitt) has been hinting to me all season we're really going to need you in postseason, but I had no clue what it would be like.

"Just being here now, I realize it's go hard or go home."

And Baugh is going hard.

She walked out to practice at the Ford Center on Saturday to a scattering of applause while the big ovation from fans was saved for Summitt and Parker.

"Candace is the go-to player and I think for the future (Summitt's) looking for that same aspect from me," Baugh said. "Every game counts and my team is going to need my help.

"I'm versatile and I need to be looking to score. I'm 6-4, can run the court fast and that's something I need to take advantage of here. This is when it all matters."

It's time for the "secret weapon" to be shown on the big stage of tournament expectations.

Anosike has been there to help Baugh adjust to playing the post with her back to the basket.

Parker has been there to show Baugh what it takes to be a scoring machine from anywhere on the court.

"Her (Baugh's) talent and her ability dictate that we need her," UT assistant Dean Lockwood said. "She is simply too good a player to not be utilized in some fashion.

"This kid has got to help us and we've got to find a way for her to help us."

Lockwood knew that from day one. He works with UT's post players and was going through a preseason running workout with the team when Baugh first blew him away.

"I was so impressed with how she ran the floor and got up and down the court," he said. "I thought, 'Whoa.' She was consistently beating all of us, beating Candace, beating Nicky, beating Alex (Fuller)."

Then she made a low-post move against the U.S. Olympic team in an exhibition game and wowed Lockwood again.

"She made one bounce, one step, covered about seven feet and made a running left hander," he said. "Right then and there, I knew this kid had the ability to be really special down the line."

It's now down the line and the weapon isn't so secret anymore.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.