Angie Bjorklund checked out a little early Sunday night.
She earned her time off.
When Bjorklund headed to the bench with 3:19 left, the Tennessee junior guard had seemingly worked overtime in scoring a team-high 25 points. She helped lead the Lady Vols’ stampede to a 96-75 women’s basketball victory over Oklahoma before a crowd of 13,332 at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Bjorklund converted 9 of 14 attempts, several of which saved wayward possessions, and set the tone for the team’s 51.3 percent accuracy (39-for-76). She also converted five of eight 3-point attempts, part of Tennessee’s 10-for-16 accuracy from long range.
“Anytime you get 10-for-16 from three, you’re hard to beat,’’ Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said.
Those numbers were just part of an unbeatable combination compiled by No. 4 Tennessee (12-1).
Lady Vols point guard Shekinna Stricklen recorded the second triple-double in team history with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists. She and Bjorklund were two of four double-figure scorers. Post players Alyssia Brewer and Kelley Cain added 13 and 10 points, respectively.
UT also amassed a 48-31 rebounding advantage against No. 14 Oklahoma (10-3), along with a 32-0 edge in bench scoring.
Coale actually thought the rebounding was the insurmountable difference.
“You can talk about how well they shot the ball; we didn’t shoot it too bad,’’ she said. “The difference was on the glass.”
As for the bench scoring, Coale chalked that up to more better players on UT’s part.
“They have a few more McDonald’s All-Americans than we do,’’ she said. “We gave it the old college try.”
After sorting through all of Tennessee’s damage, Coale got around to Bjorklund and her dead-eye shooting.
“They’re not wide-open, easy shots,’’ Coale said. “She might get one or two, but the rest are highly contested. I think their team has rallied around that.”
Fitting that Oklahoma’s coach finished with Bjorklund because she was the Lady Vols’ closer, scoring 16 of her points after halftime as part of a 51-point second half.
Oklahoma got this entertaining game started by setting a fast pace and rushing to an early 14-4 lead.
“I knew right off they wanted to make it an up-and-down game,’’ UT coach Pat Summitt said.
Led by Amanda Thompson’s game-high 26 points and three other double-figure scorers, the Sooners scored more than any UT opponent this season and became the first foe to top 40 percent field-goal accuracy for a game (29-for-65, 44.6 percent).
They had enough staying power to withstand UT’s first-half response and lurk within 62-54 with just over 12 minutes left.
At that point, Bjorklund was holding off the Sooners by scoring 10 of Tennessee’s first 17 points of the second half. On one possession, she saved a possible turnover by fielding a Stricklen pass and swishing a 3-pointer.
“It was lovely,’’ Brewer said of Bjorklund’s shooting. “This game, I knew every time the ball got into Angie’s hands it was going in and if it didn’t, it wouldn’t be a bad miss. All her shots were very selective and she was big for us.”
As far as Bjorklund was concerned, she was just doing her job.
“My role on this team is to be a scorer,” she said. “When we work the ball around as a team, it opens a lot of things up.”
With a little help from Stricklen in the form of a five-point scoring run, UT’s lead jumped back to double figures. Bjorklund then took aim again and swished her final two treys. The second started a 16-point scoring run that finally broke Oklahoma and pushed UT’s lead to as much as 27 points (88-61) with 2:59 left.
By then Bjorklund’s work was done.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 24
jakethevolguy writes:
Great job Shekinna. I thought this was one of the best games that the Lady Vols has played in a long time. Good shooting and really good defense.
newportvol writes:
Thank you for making the Vol Nation Proud!
movol53 writes:
Great Game and Great Effort!!!! Are we beginning to "put it together"? However, we still had several turnovers and missed some easy shots.
Go Lady Vols!!!!! Get better with each game.
UTVOLSRROCKN writes:
Way to go Lady Vols! Great team effort! We can really tell you have been working extra hard lately. Much impovement overall in past 3 games!Now, go tear it up in the SEC!!
LV...TCB....Keep on keeping on.....GBO!!!!!!!!!
LdyVolFaninKS writes:
With the exception of the first 5 minutes or so, we finally played a 40 minute game. This was a great game to see. Everything seems to be falling into place just in time for conference play. Looking good Lady Vols, keep up the hard work!!
CTOWNICON writes:
Congratulations to the team on a good win. Offense was a whole lot better. Kamiko kept those passes going in to the post, good job. She is coming along really well. Good team effort! Congratulations to Stricklen for her achievement tonight. Well earned and well deserved! Brewer should be proud, this is what the team needs from her when she is in the game.
camvols writes:
Kelley Cain has lost some weight! When I turned the game on I thought Vicky Baugh was out there playing. It shows how much she has gotten into the gym and has been trying to improve. I just wish she would get more aggressive and keep the ball above her head and not bring the ball down on offensive rebounds because she got stripped a lot this game.
xvolx writes:
The only weakness I saw was Spani's defense. Bjorkland and Strickland great guard play. Manning gives 100% every game, but outside shooting needs some work. Cain and Brewer both played good. Every time Cain goes down, one has to worry about her knee. Bass is now doing what she is suppose to do. Give Strickland a rest. Williams has all the tools. She gets tired easily. Very quick hands. Johnson played good off. and def.. Still doesn't know how to set a screen. Didn't take Summitt long to get out of the zone press. They just don't have speed for that defense. Right now they look like a top 5 team.
ladivolfan writes:
camvol, i didn't know what it was, but that's it, Kelly has lost weight. That's why I had difficulty spotting her. Contrats to Shekinna and she deserves every accolade the announcers gave her. Angie worked hard for her shots, which disproves the recent comment that she can only hit the shot when she's wide open.....pffffft! Taber was off, but everyone else stepped up and did a great job. Kamiko looked better than she ever has and Lissi is really stepping up, and just how did Glory get down there that fast and up there that high?! Alicia is sure and steady. I hate to say this because I have always been a big fan of Brianna, but she's got to step it up. Sidney should have seen more time simply for her faithfulness. I was surprised she only got a few seconds. Looking good girls. We need this type of play all season long.
CrankE writes:
Great win! I guess OU is missing the Paris twins?
Last year, they ended Courtney Paris' (I think) streak of 498,352 consecutive double doubles in a rout at OU. This year, Stricklen notches a triple double in a rout at Tennessee. Sweeeeet!
Kasey writes:
Kudos to Pat Summitt for haveing one highly visible UT team without significant issues (we hope). I love to watch these ladies.
ponkey writes:
Best performance yet this year...!!!!
VolunteerLifer writes:
I saw some issues that need to be addressed: These girls get the ball stripped out of their hands pretty easily. Perhpas some gym exercises to strengthen the hands and grip strength would help. Also, Johnson does not have a good shooting touch around the rim - she puts up alot of bricks. She needs to get under control a bit more.
That said, there were too many positives to mention, here's a few: Cain losing some weight is a real good development, Brewer looked more self confident and productive, better perimeter defense from the guards, but they were still outquicked for the most part, better ball handling on the perimeter, better passes and screens to free shooters, better outside shooting, Williams played more under control and with a better sense of purpose.
I think Williams development is a key to whether this team will advance in the tournament, because she is the only guard we have that can stay with the quickness of other team's guards and provide that on the perimeter. (Bass is quick, but too small to be anything other than a role player off the bench for short minutes)
ps11824 writes:
ditto, Kasey, I am SOOOOOO proud of the Lady Vol program, its coaches and especially Pat Summitt. They are first class operation at every part and parcel of the organization. That is something we, the fans can feel special about.
Whether they are winning or struggling to get wins, Pat Summitt is first and foremost in control and hold every member of her team and staff accountable for the integrity of the program.
The hubris, guys, why men's programs are excusably different, held to a lower standard because they cannot be expected to behave, is simply that. I am so disappointed. I just wish they would realize how blessed they are to wear The Orange and do everything to maintain the integrity of it.
My apologies for going only slightly off topic, but I felt strongly about the subject as I watched the LVs game progress last night.
ps11824 writes:
How could anyone like what you have to say? You are an intruder. Whatever you say is meaningless bovinepoop. Why bother, you have no credibility here? No one here cares about your bias. We have ours and we like it. Go chat with your own, IF you think anyone would qualify.
Caspian writes:
Hi M_I_C. UConn looks great this year. I'm sure you feel pretty good about that. Good luck this year. Maybe we'll see each other in the tournament.
ps11824 writes:
I guess my thinking is in err, but I did say "IF."
Caspian seems to qualify... mikey, it is OK to feel confident about your chosen team. That's what fans do. What is not OK is your imposed, uninvited arrogant attitude on the Lady Vols home court. Not OK, not appreciated. It is not unlike stomping on our terrible towel.
Your team could fall on hard times at any moment. You would have to eat your words. You barge in here with the temerity to hide behind the aegis of an awesome team of talented athletes. I would love to claim such an experienced, cohesive team of hoopsters.
Oftentimes the biggest fall hardest. Be aware, pride comes before the fall. "ignoramus et ignorabimus" We do not know and cannot predict when misfortune will come in triplicate. Your team could be wiped out in a split second. It would behoove you to use some discretion when smearing someone's face in what's on the soul of your shoes.
You could change your name again, come on here and be pleasant, couldn't you? It's a new year - never too late to turnover a nicer leaf.
BBALLchampsUCONN writes:
Hey Mike, I agree with you 100%. Hey 98, if you are real nice, maybe Geno will let a couple of your players sit on the olympic bench.
CTOWNICON writes:
Those horses Geno has up there in his stable are probably full of steroids. They should be able to run for 80 minutes non-stop. Their body doesn't know the difference anyway if it is operating regularly or enhanced. Geno has Oklahoma on his schedule as well as a host of terrible teams. You are so jealous of Pat and the lady vols and you should be. Lets do the math, how many times have Uconn been on national tv this year, two. You know why, because no one is interested in seeing them play all of those cupcake programs they play like seton hall and next cupcake south florida. The lady vols have been on national tv 9 times because of the quality programs they play. It's funny how Espn can give tours for Uconn and Geno but will not air his weak games. Then again, they know that anything to do with Pat Summitt will bring them ratings, thats why they were mad when she ended the series with that trashy school. The lady vols are successful this year and you can't stand it. Uconn is not that good either, its just the schools they play that make them look good. Keep eating cupcakes Geno, no one will respect you for it. Sorry Miss Mike, figure out what gender you are gonna use this year instead of coming here with your stupid comments.
CTOWNICON writes:
Agreeing with Mike makes you just as stupid as he is. He knows not what he speaks because the end he is speaking out of doesn't have a brain!
dbgray writes:
From my point of view, the Lady Vols are a lock for #1 seed. I would be careful of Vanderbuilt but Notre Dame will fall in rankings soon.
ladivolfan writes:
Agree about Notre Dame. I saw them play DePaul last night and was not impressed at all. Sloppy play, couldn't handle weak defense and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. I will be rooting for ND Saturday against UConn but they're going to have to play 10x better than last night if they want to stay in the game.
ladivolfan writes:
now that I have my coffee IV hooked up, let me correct myself - that was ND playing Perdue last night, not DePaul
CTOWNICON writes:
If this is the case, USA basketball will fail miserably!
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