Spani not cut out to be a spectator

As much as it hurts to be on the court, Taber Spani can't stand sitting and watching.

"I can barely stand to sit out practice,'' the Tennessee freshman said.

So there was some relief in rejoining her Lady Vols teammates for Saturday's workout, after missing two women's basketball games and a week's worth of practice to rest a case of turf toe in her left foot.

The 6-foot-1 forward, who has started 16 games and averages 6.1 points per game, is listed as day-to-day. Her condition is being evaluated with an eye toward her returning against Vanderbilt in Nashville on Monday. (TV: ESPN2, 9 p.m.).

Spani said she has been dealing with the turf toe condition since June. Her play, either in games or practice, has been restricted in some fashion for three weeks.

"It has kind of calmed down a little bit,'' she said. "Obviously the main symptoms aren't going to really heal until a major, major rest.

"It's a lot of pain. It's a lot of pain on the top and bottom of my foot. It's pain. It's stiffness. It's soreness."

Concerns over Spani's mobility resulted in her sitting out last week. The coaches and medical staff also were thinking long term, trying to buy Spani some time and comfort for the season's duration.

"It killed me emotionally and stuff,'' Spani said. "But physically it probably helped."

While Spani practiced, teammate Alicia Manning did cardio work instead after banging heads with Arkansas guard Lyndsay Harris in Thursday's 74-57 victory. As part of a concussion protocol, Manning will practice without contact today and will be re-evaluated on Monday.

UT coach Pat Summitt said that forward Glory Johnson will return to the starting lineup Monday in place of Alyssia Brewer. The decision is based on Johnson's defensive versatility in UT's man alignment. The switch will result in Tennessee's 11th different starting lineup of the season.

There won't be change at starting point guard, however. Summitt said she's sticking with freshman Kamiko Williams, who was underwhelming in her first start Thursday.

"I'm going to leave her in the starting lineup because she's just got to get better,'' Summitt said. "I told her: I want you to be our starting point guard."

Former starter Shekinna Stricklen, meanwhile, expressed relief to teammate Angie Bjorklund in being reassigned to a starting wing spot.

"Stricklen needs to understand that she is a player in this program and she can play all five positions if I ask her to,'' Summitt said. "It's amazing she's saying what she's saying. I would've loved to have the ball in my hands. When I was a player, I didn't ever get it until I got it in the paint. She gets it all the time. She'll get through this."

Bjorklund Honor: Bjorklund was named to the CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District IV first team. Bjorklund has a 3.8 grade point average in psychology.