Summitt: UCLA outcome acceptable, but intensity wasn't

Scouting reports were given to Tennessee's players in preparation for their women's basketball game against George Washington.

Cans of Red Bull presumably were not handed out.

The distinction was reinforced in advance of tonight's 7 o'clock tipoff at Thompson-Boling Arena (TV: SportSouth). Unlike a game plan, a player's incentive isn't standard issue. It's much more personal.

"This is my awareness,'' Lady Vols assistant coach Dean Lockwood said of the information he compiled about the Colonials (2-3). "It lets me know who I'm guarding and what they can do as a team, but it has nothing to do with the energy and the effort.

"How much intensity and how much focus, that's self-regulated and that's what we want them to have."

The first-half effort in Saturday's 61-47 victory over UCLA deviated from the Lady Vols' first four victories in terms of vigor and investment. The performance put No. 6 Tennessee (5-0) at the first crossroads of the season. What do we do? Where do we go from here?

"We could've done one of two things,'' Lockwood said. "We could've said, 'OK, we're not real happy. We could've played better. Have a good night. We'll see you on Monday.'

"Or we could've said, 'You know what, no, that first half was unacceptable, did not come out with energy.' "

The Lady Vols chose the latter route, postponing an off day and convening a practice for Sunday. The workout wasn't long, nor was it overly involved. The most significant part was the longer-than-normal team gathering beforehand, where the message was clear: Saturday's performance was unacceptable.

On the eve of the season opener, UT coach Pat Summitt indicated that she didn't intend to cut this team any slack. The practice-schedule change reinforced her thinking without belaboring the point. The players had Monday off.

"Last year when (the players) were freshmen I was trying to figure out: OK when can I be tough? ... No, I don't have anything to figure out now,'' Summitt said. "I've raised the bar. Our whole coaching staff has raised the bar.''

The Lady Vols' first response will come against George Washington. Center Kelley Cain will not play after suffering a concussion on Saturday. With low-energy the pressing issue, the starting lineup will be reconfigured to include speedy 5-foot-2 guard Briana Bass.

"I think she definitely brings us some energy,'' Summitt said.

Judging by Sunday's practice effort, the players seem to grasp the matter at hand. After Saturday's game, freshman Taber Spani was as good a spokesperson as any of the Lady Vols in saying, "As a team, we need to be more consistent with our energy, whether it is in practice or in a game."

Whether they understand the prevailing theme is for the long haul and any more crossroads that lie ahead.

"If you want to be at that elite level and compete for a championship, then you have to go about things a little differently, with a slightly different approach,'' Lockwood said. "You can't be normal."

Notebook: Fans bringing a toy tonight to contribute to the Mission of Hope toy drive will receive free admission.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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