Lady Vols Basketball
Nobody waved a starter’s flag Monday night.
It just looked that way. And it certainly felt that way during Tennessee’s 92-64 NCAA women’s basketball tournament victory over Dayton.
“The first five that were out there, we were like ‘whew’ when there was a dead ball,’’ forward Alyssia Brewer said.
Those moments didn’t occur often. Tennessee set a withering pace before a crowd of 10,022 at Thompson-Boling Arena that included UT legend Chamique Holdsclaw. The Memphis regional’s top seed hit 50 points by halftime and led by as many as 34 points before throttling down their pace.
By then, the Lady Vols were well on their way to the regional semifinals. They’ll be there Saturday to face the winner of Monday’s late game between No. 4 seed Baylor and No. 5 Georgetown.
Among the instructions written on the dry erase board in Tennessee’s locker room beforehand, the operative word was “attack.”
“We wanted a high-octane game,’’ assistant coach Dean Lockwood said.
As it turned out, Tennessee (32-2) had sufficient scoring fuel to sustain its intentions. Five players hit for double figures with Alicia Manning and Taber Spani getting 17 points apiece.
Manning’s scoring amounted to a new career high. Spani, meanwhile, shot a sizzling 7 for 8 from the floor.
Brewer added 14 points. Kelley Cain had 12 and Angie Bjorklund had 11.
Justine Raterman scored 17 for No. 8 seed Dayton (25-8) but no other Flyer scored more than eight points.
“I could feel the energy in the locker room,’’ UT coach Pat Summitt said, “and they were just wanting to get out on the court ASAP with all that energy.”
Manning got Tennessee off to a fast start, scoring seven points inside the first seven minutes. After an ineffective performance in UT’s tournament opener against Austin Peay on Saturday, the sophomore forward reprised the role she played in earning All-SEC tournament team honors earlier this month, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out seven assists.
“She’s just so aggressive,’’ UT’s Glory Johnson said of Manning. “If everyone had (her) energy, this would be a crazy athletic team.”
Freshman Spani came off the bench to follow Manning’s scoring lead. She began by swishing a 3-pointer from the wing. She hadn’t made two treys in a game in more than two months, but she had her second within two minutes against the Flyers.
“I was just trying to be aggressive and I think that I can add shooting ability to this team,’’ Spani said. “I was just trying to play to my strengths.”
After Spani’s second 3-pointer, Tennessee was shooting 64 percent from the floor and leading 37-14. The onslaught reminded Dayton coach Jim Jabir of his coaching stint at Providence.
“We’d play UConn,’’ he said. “You could hang with them for awhile but then at some point they were going to have a spurt.”
At that point, the Flyers’ solitary salvation was 12 second-chance points. They also took advantage of UT’s defense enough to pull within 39-25, prompting Summitt to call a time out.
If only the Flyers could’ve done likewise to Tennessee’s attack. The Lady Vols had one more scoring sprint in them before the break. After a Bjorklund 3-pointer, they went to the locker room with a 50-30 lead.
And they weren’t finished.
The Lady Vols tightened their shoelaces, gulped down a second wind and resumed the race in the second half. They pushed the ball up the floor seemingly on every possession, producing their version of a hoops relay.
The fast pace produced more and more points as the Lady Vols’ lead grew to 69-35 with 14:59 left. They were off and running toward Memphis.
Rocky Top League opening night
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Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 34
tnsportsman writes:
YOU GO LADY VOLS! Bring home Number 9!
GO LADY VOLS!
USNVOL writes:
Nice win Lady Vols
PINK_CHAMPAGNE writes:
Good Game Lady Vols! So impressed with Manning and Spani! Not your usual suspects, but I love it! Good job stepping up from all the players! The desire to win is showing! That short jumper in the lane, I am glad to see you guys taking it! And guess what, you are making it! Keep shooting it! Manning was awesome on the boards and when they played off of her, she made them pay! Driving and Shooting, Good job Manning! Spani's stroke seems to be back! She could hardly miss! Great game and welcome to the Sweet Sixteen! Go there with the same intensity, and you will win! One thing! Glory and kamiko, settle down! Once they settled down, you could see what they are capable of!
PINK_CHAMPAGNE writes:
There have been some good games today!
ACWLY writes:
Manning gets better every game and seems to bring the whole team up a notch. To me, this was one of their best wins this year.
tonyvick#213307 writes:
Ok we know they lost 1st round last year, geez!
Go Lady Vols!
UTVOLSRROCKN writes:
WoooooHooooo! What a great game to watch! Peyton will not be the only "Manning" now! Agree with ACWLY above. Its fantastic to have Two great Mannings from UT. Spani played like a "future hall of fami"...sorry, couldn't resist that one!
Looking great girls and CPS. See ya in Texas!
LV......TCB.......Keep on keeping on...GBO!!!!!
pomp_and_circumstance writes:
Manning is the most all round reliable player on the team.
Cldvols1 writes:
Way to go LV's!!!
nola_vol writes:
Congratulations, Alicia. You are now officially "a factor to be accounted for" in the next opponent's scouting report.
Glory looks like all her intensity and determination is getting channeled into her leg muscles--understandable for a runner, but certainly a barrier for achieving grace, coordination, and control.
[slipping on the ole' coach's cap] Sometimes, when a runner's legs get out-of-synch with the rest of his/her body, a coach will have them focus on the position of their hands. The runner's intensity doesn't get dialed-down, but the redirection of their mental focus onto smaller muscle groups usually creates enough mental free-space for the large muscle groups to regain their natural harmony with the rest of the body.
In basketball, there's too much going on with the hands for that to work, but maybe shifting Glory's focus to her toes or the balls of her feet would do the trick.
It hurts to watch such a good athlete unable to reap & enjoy the benefits of her obvious desire and determination.
ps11824 writes:
Gosh, who knew Lady Vols got "put out" in the first round last NCAA tourney? I had not read that more than, uh....347 times... this week on GVX
xvolx writes:
No critique from me. Best effort off. and def. from Cain, Brewer, Manning, Strickland, Spani and Bj. They could beat UConn with this type effort. I liked the get them down and stomp them attitude.
richvol writes:
This summer Pat needs to send Glory to work with a coach/mentor that can get her under control. I agree with the previous post that hints that some of what is wrong is mental...not that she is a head case but she just needs to relax and let the game come to her. Big men are sent to big men camps every year.Pat needs to find someone that can effectively work with Glory because she has the athletic ability to be the LadyVols best ever.
rocky_topper writes:
you girls looked impressive last night. keep it up. it will pay off for you!
Kasey writes:
Keep up the good work! So far the teams have not been much of a challenge. It will get a tougher this weekend, but the Lady Vols can do it. It's time for #9.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Roll on LV's.
Kudoes, Corch Summit for having them ready.
vol98champ writes:
That's what we have been waiting for---our front 7 were awesome.
kazoo writes:
Manning might be the key to these team's title hopes. She's got athleticism and skills--and she seems to be developing some confidence offensively, which would be HUGE for this team as it needs another offensive dimension. Cain is strong inside, Stricklin could be a big-time scorer but is stuck playing PG, Bjorklund can shoot but can also struggle against quicker teams and defenders. Manning gives opponents somebody else to think and worry about. I hopes she keeps coming on.
OrangeCrush writes:
Awesome game! It's great to see Manning and Spani step up and perform at a high level. I loved the no look pass from Manning to Brewer underneath the basket.
Three more assists and Manning would have had a triple-double.
Memphis Bound!!!
ladyvolsfan789 writes:
My favorite play was when she inbounded it off of the Dayton player's back for an easy layup. If Spani and Manning continue to play like this they will be a very tough team to beat and if Johnson and Williams are able to get it together they will be unbeatable.
johnlg00 writes:
The emergence of Manning and Spani may just be the remaining pieces of the puzzle necessary for a realistic run at the championship. It is no longer enough for an opponent to take away our posts and cover Angie to beat the LVs. Now if Glory and Kamiko can raise their games to the same level, the LVs can go toe-to-toe with anybody. Plenty more to accomplish this year, but NEXT year...! GLVs!!! TCB!!!
ladyvolfaithful62 writes:
Alicia Manning - the new "go to" player! What a fantastic effort. She was everywhere, making great plays. Congrats Ladies. On to Memphis and then to San Antonio.
Millisa writes:
Congrats to Coach Summitt and The Lady Vols!!! :) :) :)
patsvolsrgr8 writes:
what a fun game to watch; loved it. Great job Alicia Manning; you have improved so much and are fun to watch. Great passing last night, too. Glory needs to get in control; once that's done look out we'll really be unstoppable. Keep it up so we can do the same to UCONN; look out Geno!
VolunteerLifer writes:
ESPN decided to switch to the Ky game after the first few minutes of the UT game, so I didn't see much of the action. I've been waiting all year for Spani to show me she is a true wing player and not a power forward. Looks like I'll have to keep an open mind about that. I've been arguing that Johnson should go to the three and Spani the four, but looks like I should think again. If this team keeps hitting on all of these cylinders and gets Kamiko and Glory going, then look out.
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
Alicia Manning and Taber Spani=The Emergence Of Two Stars
Things will only get better from here!!!
richvol writes:
The high def channel switches to tighter games. The standard channel stays with the original broadcast...men and women.
orangecountyvols writes:
Way to go Lady Vols. Now, we have to be able to deal with a close game or even playing from behind,although I hope that doesn't happen.
Since my computer screwed up in the 2nd half, tell me if the Ohio band leader tried his antics last night.
ladivolfan writes:
Does anyone know what time (eastern) we play Baylor on Saturday?
UTVOLSRROCKN writes:
Great post John!
r2d2 writes:
I wish Glory Johnson could raise her game to the game of Nnemkadi Ogwumike of Stanford. Also, I wish Kamiko Williams could raise her game to the game of Alana Beard, a former Duke standout. Both women have this kind of potential. Then, the Lady Vols could beat anyone, including UCONN.
I wish this could happen during the current NCAA tournament. However, to be realistic, It will happen next season if ever.
martinvol34 writes:
Glory is so good. Her problem is not mental. It's viciousness. She can do everything perfectly if she would focus on the ball, the goal and scoring and not concentrate on contact. The girl loves contact. When she can figure out that there is a time and place for that, she will be awesome!
AtLeastMyTeamHasPerfectSeasons writes:
I still think that late season win over Kentucky that was a dogfight and these LV had to scrap and claw to get a win brought this team together a bit for the tourneys.
ladyvolsfan writes:
talk about coming together at the right time! wow! great preparation and execution! keep this up and i can't wait to meet UCONN in final 4!
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