Baugh's recovery from knee injury is multi-dimensional

Tennessee forward Vicki Baugh, shown elevating for a shot against Western Carolina, has returned from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee and had double-doubles for points and rebounds.

The phrase "range of motion" refers to the condition of Vicki Baugh's left knee and speaks to the clinical nature of her comeback.

There's another dimension to suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament and undergoing reconstructive surgery. This recovery within the recovery has centered around Baugh and her range of emotions.

The Tennessee women's basketball forward has run the gamut since going down in the national championship game last April. Even when the 6-foot-4 sophomore returned for her first game - Nov. 21 at Chattanooga - she realized how far she still had to go.

"It's just scary, plain and simple, landing on your left leg and doing stuff with your left leg, knowing what happened, know that it's not 100 percent,'' she said. "But I'm not thinking about that anymore."

The proof is in her productivity. Heading into today's 3 o'clock tipoff against DePaul (5-1) at Thompson-Boling Arena, Baugh has strung together consecutive double-double performances for points and rebounds for No. 9 Tennessee (4-1).

In the process, she's been a good competitive example for her younger teammates while showing others the way off the injury report.

Fellow sophomore Angie Bjorklund, who's been sidelined all season with a bulging disc in her lower back, went through her second practice Saturday and is expected back today. Kelley Cain and Alicia Manning, who have been out with concussions, also practiced and will be examined before today's game by Dr. Rebecca Morgan, the team physician.

Baugh had 11 points, 15 rebounds against Western Carolina on Tuesday night. She also played a season-high 32 minutes and is averaging nearly 24 for her three games.

"I know Western Carolina isn't North Carolina but producing 15 rebounds is very, very productive," said Lady Vols assistant coach Dean Lockwood, who works with the post players.

Jenny Moshak, the Lady Vols associate athletic director for sports medicine, was more aware of Baugh's movement.

"It was typical Vicki,'' she said. "She wasn't favoring (her right leg) or 'I'm not going to make that move.' or 'I'm not going after that rebound.' She was all over the floor."

Baugh is making strides. It's as if her loping gait, which eats up a basketball court, is carrying her away from feeling fearful in similar fashion.

She owes a lot to that first game back, which began with Baugh using her right leg like a crutch and ended with her literally rising to the occasion for a key block and offensive rebound in the final dicey moments of a 66-63 comeback victory.

"Like I said, I didn't have that good of a game in Chattanooga and maybe that's why,'' Baugh said, "because I was favoring my right leg and thinking about the wrong things.

"Like if you're out there, you can't think about your injury because that's how you get hurt."

Although Baugh is back, she isn't fully recovered. Moshak borrowed from the terminology of team orthopedist Dr. Greg Mathien, or any steakhouse chef, describing the state of Baugh's knee as being "medium well."

"Just because they're out there, the knee isn't fully cooked,'' Moshak said.

While Baugh isn't suffering any swelling, there is some lingering discomfort related to the hoofbeats of her sport.

Baugh remains on a daily rehabilitation schedule and lifts weights three times a week to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint.

This part of the process responds to the power of positive thinking, provided it's tempered by reason and grounded in diligence.

In this regard, Baugh has improved as well.

Even as former teammate Candace Parker was preaching patience in regular phone calls this fall, Baugh was thinking otherwise.

"I didn't care,'' she said, recounting her thoughts. "I'm going to practice. I'm going to fake Jenny out."

Neither her knee nor Moshak was fooled. Baugh's return at Chattanooga was preceded by 11 days devoted exclusively to weight training and rehab.

"The thing about recovering from an ACL injury is it's both physical and mental,'' said Western Carolina coach Kellie Harper, a former Lady Vol who made a Lourdes-like recovery from the injury, returning in less than three months during the 1996-97 season. "There's so much that goes into it.

"Sometimes you don't even realize how tentative you're playing until you watch it on film. Subconsciously there's a little concern there. There's no substitute for time."

Baugh figures it will be another three or four months before her knee feels well done. In the meantime, she's feeling better. At the very least she's relieved.

"I see 'hey maybe this team did need me,' " Baugh said. "Because when I saw that they were doing so well, you could start thinking, 'Oh, they're kind of fine without me. Where am I going to fit in?' and all that stuff."