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'No tomorrow' for Lady Vols, A&M
Aggies' Gant drained by flu; UT must get back on track
Tennessee's Candace Parker steals the ball from Notre Dame's Ashley Barlow on Sunday during the Lady Vols' 74-64 win in Oklahoma City.
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OKLAHOMA CITY - Before meeting in the Midwest Regional final, Tennessee and Texas A&M want to get back to normal.
The Aggies' recovery centers around All-Big 12 forward Danielle Gant, who sat out the second half of Sunday's semifinal victory over Duke and still is recovering from the flu.
The Lady Vols, meanwhile, are trying to get their heads on straight after a bewildering effort in their victory over Notre Dame.
These two undertakings couldn't be much different in nature. One solution is sought in the trainer's room while the other is the stuff of team meetings and such. Yet they're both of vital importance to the teams' NCAA women's basketball tournament fortunes when they square off at 7 tonight at the Ford Center (TV: ESPN).
The winner earns a spot in the Women's Final Four, which begins Sunday in Tampa, Fla.
Gant is the Aggies' second-leading scorer at 14.8 points per game and their top rebounder (7.2 per game). The 5-foot-11 junior played the entire first half of A&M's 77-63 victory over the Blue Devils before becoming dizzy and needing nearly four I Vs to stabilize her condition.
"She had stomach problems again this morning after breakfast, but if I'm going to be there, she's going to be there,'' Texas A&M coach Gary Blair said.
"There's no tomorrow, OK? If you have the flu, you play. If you have stomach problems or something, you play. And she will find a way. Our trainer will make sure she's ready to go. If not, I'll be looking for a new trainer. But other than that, she will find a way."
If so, she will rejoin forces with the rest of the second-seeded Aggies (29-7), who have won 12 consecutive games and are vying for the school's first Final Four berth.
They have built their magical season upon a foundation of aggressive defense, impressive team play and, as Blair said, "Effort, effort, effort."
"They're names are out there,'' said A&M point guard A'Quonesia Franklin, referring to Tennessee, "and we're making names for ourselves."
The Aggies, who were the worst team in the Big 12 just five seasons ago, aren't flying under the Lady Vols' radar. Several of them have watched their opponent on TV this season and are familiar with the challenge they face.
"We definitely have to match their energy,'' UT's Candace Parker said. "I feel like they're a great team. They're athletic. They play hard. And they all seem like they're on the same page. I feel like we have to match that."
Judging by Sunday's effort, the latter A&M attribute might be the most difficult for top-seed Tennessee (33-2) to duplicate. Against the Fighting Irish, the Lady Vols played as if they had barely glanced through their scouting report.
"For whatever reason, we did not go with the game plan, the scouting report,'' senior guard Alexis Hornbuckle said in reference to UT's struggles in a 74-64 comeback victory. "It's very critical in the postseason that you play scouting report defense. For whatever reason, we weren't committed to that."
By UT coach Pat Summitt's count, the Fighting Irish set at least 13 ball screens in the first half. The plan was to trap those screens but that happened just twice.
"That's a glaring lack of discipline to your system,'' she said, "and we pointed that out because that can't happen against Texas A&M, no matter what our scheme is."
So along with defense and rebounding, Hornbuckle said the defending national champion's quest for the program's 18th trip to the Final Four will be dependent upon the Lady Vols' ability to "tune in."
"The coaches do a great job of giving us all the information,'' she said. "It's a matter of how you take it in. How you remember it and how you apply it on the court."
After matching her career high with 34 points and grabbing 13 rebounds against Notre Dame, Parker took in Summitt's criticism of her defensive lapses. On Monday, Summitt said Parker is the best player in the women's game and the relevant question is: Who's the best player in the world? Parker or Australia's Lauren Jackson?
In another room at the Ford Center, Parker responded by saying, "The way I look at it, great players do something with their criticism. Everyone can take praise. But it's being able to take constructive criticism. I think that's what I take more so."
After Sunday night, the Lady Vols should consider themselves criticized. They've had a day to recover. It's up to them to do something with it.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Posted by SCVolsFan on March 31, 2008 at 11:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good luck ladies tomorrow against TX A&M.
Looks like the winner will play LSU which looked
( hate to say this ) great tonight.
Play well ladies and keep thinking #8!
Posted by 98reax on April 1, 2008 at 1:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why do you hate to say LSU looked great, SCVol? They've looked great all season long. They looked great when they kicked our orange behinds off our own Summitt Court. They looked great when they lost to UConn. They looked great when we beat them in Nashville to win the SEC Tournament. They will look great tomorrow night and they WILL NOT go down without a mighty fight. If we can go at Big Syl hard and with authority early and get her in early foul trouble, we just may have a shot to beat them again, IF we bring some fierce defense for 40. IF we allow her to stay in the game, we go home. IF we can knock down our shots and keep our turnovers in single digits, we just might be able to stay on the court long enough to get a victory, IF we have more than one player carrying the rest of the team on her back. IF we can get some help from our bench, IF our freshmen can play more than 2 minutes without sending everyone in our zip code to the foul line, we just might make it to the Final 4. I don't mind saying it. It's true.
Posted by dopedawg on April 1, 2008 at 7:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Play like you want it ladies!!! Get the lazy streak out of ya!! CP had better not be lazy and play her top game. Keeping the faith!! Go big orange!! You can do this, you know!!
Posted by riverosa on April 1, 2008 at 7:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Everybody better watch out for Stanford
Posted by utfpmd on April 1, 2008 at 8:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope Gant doesn't infect our team by playing with that stomach bug.
Posted by 98reax on April 1, 2008 at 9:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What about that other Candice? She's just crazy going OFF...2 40+ games! Can she not be guarded?
Posted by LadyVolFanForever on April 1, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good point 98reax, Wiggins is a great player.
But right now, our focus is on our CandACE. We have to get past Texas A & M first.....one game at a time and each one will get harder. Everyone will have to step up and bring a dish to this potluck supper !!
Posted by RTB on April 1, 2008 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It is clear that all the remaining teams are really tough, especially on defense. The Lady Vols are going to have to show something extra in order to avoid going home early this year. No one can take the evening off from here on out. They will need to get the ball down the hole every time they have the chance. They need to keep the defense from triple teaming CP, proably best by having at least two other shooters hot and also by rebounding. They will need to execute the defensive plan and stay alert. They will need to make every free throw. They need to stay out of contrived attempts to get them into foul troubles. That's not asking too much, is it? Gosh, this is the fun time of the year, I hope they can do it. Lace 'em up tight ladies!
Posted by SCVolsFan on April 1, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
From what I saw watching the teams last night
they can hit the 3 points easy. We do have to play a great game tonight and stay out of foul trouble. 98reax, I didn't want to come on a TN
message board and say how great LSU played and I will admit they played like they were in it to win! Both # 1 teams got beat last night. Go Lady Vols and show everyone WHY you are # 1! Step up as a team so Candace won't have to carry the game all on her own.
Posted by wewhite on April 1, 2008 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Girls, I hope Pat serves up her fear-of-god speech BEFORE tonight's game. There can't be any more lackluster "stay with 'em" halves. There can't be anymore, "Okay, now we're going to play like we mean it." There can't be any more "If I toss it in the direction of our basket, maybe someone will catch it before it goes out of bounds." Pat brought aggressive men's-type play to what had formerly been a rather dainty sport. Now, other teams have caught on to that style of play, so you gotta step it up a notch! I would really like for you to have to make up homework from this coming week, too.
Posted by johnlg00 on April 1, 2008 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm with you, 98reax. If LSU was not in the same conference with the Lady Vols, everybody would have been talking about them as one of the two or three top programs in the country--which they are! Lest we forget, this year marks their FIFTH STRAIGHT appearance in the Final Four. That is an almost unbelievable achievement. In fact, for all of our championships, I would be surprised if the Lady Vols have ever had a streak of five straight Final Fours, certainly not more than one. They will give us all we want in this one. FIRST, however, we have to get by a determined bunch of Aggies! GO LADY VOLS!!! BRING HOME THE EIGHTH!!!
Posted by GoVol on April 1, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Candace -why do you say we have to match Texas A&M energy? That is the wrong mindset and it has showed the last several games! We should be establishing the intensity and energy level, not the other team. We are the defending National Champs and we are the ones being hunted. So, get mean and aggressive and quick being so lackadaisical!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by rockytopron on April 1, 2008 at 12:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Its funny how people are writing stuff on here like the players are signing on to read it.
GO Lady Vols!
UT 78
Tx A&M 59
I smell blow out!
Posted by 98reax on April 1, 2008 at 1:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I love this chatter. LVFF, I agree, we don't need to worry about the OTHER Candy, that's C Viv's and Geno's worry. I don't see Stanford beating either of those teams because their D is too good to let any one player go off for 40.
And SCVols, you gotta call 'em like you sees 'em. LSU was super tough last night to handle NC the way they did. Big Syl was a force to go up against Larkins, who I believe to be one of the best post players coming out of college this season. Fowles does have a weakness, however. She is prone to foul if a player has the aggressiveness to take it hard and strong at her. Therein lies the problem. Taking the ball strong into the paint with intent on finishing requires skills lacking in many 3s and 4s.
We have a 2 guard, Hornbuckle, and a point guard, Bobbitt who can take it to the hole with authority. They have to be smart, avoid lowering the shoulder, be aware of opponent's positioning and be ready to pull up and take the jumper. That's one way we can support each other as in the 'covered dish theory' Pat is preaching. We don't have to wait on Parker to get open on every play because she will be tripled and doubled all night long. Anosiki will have to set and come off some smart screens to get herself and Candace open. I thought Anosiki did a great job of getting the ball to Candace Sunday night.
Complete team effort and focus will get us to Tampa. I'm stoked about this game tonight, but I'm nervous too.
Posted by volboy81 on April 1, 2008 at 1:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Play like you can and we'll not only be in the Final Four, we'll win it!!!!
Posted by threehundredbowler on April 1, 2008 at 3:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We may make it to the final 4 but we will not make it to the Championship game playing like we did last outing.If we do get to the championship game,I'm afraid UCON will lay one heck of a whooping on us.Hate to say it but UCON looks like a championship team.Lady Vols do not.Stranger things have happened though.
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