Concussion will sideline Cain against George Washington

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Tennessee center Kelly Cain looks towards Baylor center Brittney Griner after Cain made her fifth personal foul against Baylor.

Tennessee's Kelley Cain will be a spectator for Tuesday night's game against George Washington after suffering a concussion in Saturday's 61-47 women's basketball victory over UCLA.

Jenny Moshak, the Lady Vols associate athletic director for sports medicine, said that concussion protocol was being followed with the 6-foot-6 redshirt sophomore center, who sat out Sunday's practice. Cain had suffered a concussion earlier this fall in a non-basketball-related incident.

A starter in all five games for No. 6 Tennessee (5-0), Cain is averaging 8.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Against UCLA, she scored eight points and grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds.

With Cain out, the Lady Vols will rearrange the other four starters - Glory Johnson, Taber Spani, Angie Bjorklund and Shekinna Stricklen - and deploy 5-2 sophomore Briana Bass as the starting point guard.

Coach Pat Summitt said the lineup change probably wouldn't have occurred if Cain was available. But Summitt also added, "I like Stricklen (at the point) but I think there's times when Bri does a better job of pushing tempo."

Sticklen struggled against UCLA on Saturday, starting with low energy and finishing with 1-for-9 shooting from the floor.

UT reserve Alicia Manning, who suffered a right knee contusion Saturday, practiced Sunday and will play Tuesday.

Villanova Visitor: One person was happy the Lady Vols changed their schedule and practiced Sunday: Villanova coach Harry Perretta. Summitt's coaching buddy visited after his team won at Chattanooga, 64-59, Saturday night in the final of the Double Tree Classic. Perretta will be recruiting in North Carolina this week.

"We were going to be off so when he called me I said: Well, guess what we're practicing today and he goes 'Oh great,' " Summitt said.

Summitt said that she was going to cook for Perretta last night.

"The man can eat,'' Summitt said. "I know he's going to want a big steak."

Rocking Intro: Summitt will be introducing the Rockettes tonight before they perform at Thompson-Boling Arena.

"They called and asked if I would introduce them,'' Summitt said. "I'm excited. I have a good intro coming up."

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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