Dominique Redding

THE GAME

The number one-seeded and #2-nationally ranked Tennessee Lady Vols (28-2, 14-0 SEC) continues play in the 2007 SEC Tournament facing #4-seeded and #11/10-ranked LSU (25-6, 10-4 SEC) on Mar. 3 in the semifinals at The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga. The winner advances to the 2007 SEC Championship game on Mar. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

LADY VOLS AT A GLANCE

This is the Lady Vols' 33rd season under Head Coach Pat Summitt...She has compiled a staggering 941-179 overall record... Is just 59 wins away from a remarkable 1,000 career victories...Collected her 900th coaching win with a 80-68 decision over #19-ranked Vanderbilt on Jan. 19, 2006... She passed Dean Smith (879 wins) for most NCAA collegiate basketball wins of all-time with a 75-54 victory over Purdue on Mar. 22, 2005 ...Her 2005-06 squad advanced to the NCAA Elite 8...Finished with a 31-5 overall record and were the SEC Tournament Champions...

14 SEC TITLES - LOOKING FOR SEC TOURNEY TITLE #13

Tennessee's win over LSU on Feb. 19 clinched the 2007 SEC Championship. It marked the 14th time that the Lady Vols have won the SEC regular season title and the first time since 2004. In the regular season SEC finale victory over Vanderbilt, the Lady Vols kept their SEC record at a perfect 14-0. UT has now turned in eight all-time undefeated league seasons in SEC play. The last time UT ran the table during the SEC regular season with a perfect record and won the SEC Tournament was in 1997-98 when the Lady Vols finished 39-0. There have been five other times when UT won the regular season SEC title and went on to win the tournament championship: 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

2007 SEC TOURNAMENT IN DULUTH, GEORGIA

The 2007 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament has been a big hit at The Arena at Gwinnett Center, in Duluth, Ga., Mar. 1-4. The winner of the 11-game tournament will receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The 2007 SEC Tournament has been covered by FOX Sports Net South, televising all first/second rounds, as well as both semifinal games. The championship game will be televised on ESPN2.

2007 SEC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

FIRST ROUND
Thursday, March 1
#8 South Carolina def. #9 Auburn, 65-63
#7 Kentucky def. #10 Arkansas, 72-59
#5 Ole Miss def. #12 Alabama, 78-49
#11 Florida def. #6 Mississippi St., 69-63
SECOND ROUND
Friday, March 2
#1 Tennessee def. South Carolina, 81-63
#2 Georgia def. Kentucky, 72-40
#4 LSU def. Ole Miss, 52-46
#3 Vanderbilt def. Florida, 105-77
SEMIFINALS
Saturday, March 3
Tennessee vs. LSU, 6:45 pm RSN
Georgia vs. Vanderbilt [RSN] 9:15 pm
FINALS
Sunday, March 4
Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner [ESPN2] 7:30 p.m.

REMEMBER THE SEC MEDIA DAY PREDICTION?

The Tennessee Lady Vols were predicted to win the Southeastern Conference Basketball Regular Season Championship, according to a preseason vote of media attending the Tip-off 2007, the SEC Basketball Media Day on Oct. 26, 2006.

IN OUR HALF OF THE SEC BRACKET

In Tennessee's half of the 2007 SEC Tournament bracket are #4 seed LSU, #5 seed Ole Miss, #8 seed South Carolina, #9 seed Auburn and #12 seed Alabama. The Lady Vols posted wins over each of these teams in 2006-07 turning in an 8-0 record.

LSU NOTEBOOK

LSU (25-6, 10-4 SEC) and Tennessee meet in the SEC Tournament for the 10th time overall ... the third consecutive year and the fifth time in the last six tournaments. The last two years, LSU defeated UT during the regular season but Tennessee came back to defeat LSU and win the 2005 and 2006 SEC Tournament titles. This season, UT defeated LSU in Baton Rouge, 56-51 on Feb. 19.

LSU SERIES

This marks the 45th meeting between the two schools dating back to the 1977-78 season with UT holding a 35-9 advantage. The two teams began the series at the 1977 Miss. Univ. for Women Xmas Tournament and have played every year since that time. The nine LSU wins have occurred in the following fashion: Win 1- in 1978, the Lady Tigers took a 72-62 win in Baton Rouge; Win 2-in 1979, LSU claimed an 85-80 OT win at home in a shortened, Dale Brown-inspired running clock overtime; Win 3-in 1991, LSU won the SEC Tourney with an 80-75 win over UT; Win 4-in the final 1997 regular season game in Baton Rouge, Sue Gunter grabbed her second win (ever) over UT, 83-78; Win 5-in 1999, LSU upset #1 UT 72-69 in the final game of the regular season, Win 6- in 2002, unranked LSU bounces #3 UT out of the SECs, 81-80, win 7-LSU outlasts UT in the 2003 SEC Final, 78-62, win 8- In 2005, LSU beats UT in Baton Rouge, 68-58, in front of the largest women's crowd ever at the PMAC and wins the SEC regular season title, and win 9-LSU finally defeats the Lady Vols in Knoxville for the first time ever, 72-69. For quite a few years, Tennessee dominated the LSU Lady Tigers, winning 29 of 34 games between 1977 and 2002. But over the past few seasons, the LSU-Tennessee series has grown into the SEC's most anticipated match-up. The Lady Vols went 1-1 against LSU in 2004-05 and 2005-06 losing the regular season and winning the SEC Tournament title.

OUR LAST MEETING

The #2-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols claimed the program's 14th SEC regular season title with a 56-51 victory at LSU on Feb. 19, 2007. With the win the Lady Vols improved to 25-2 overall and a perfect 12-0 in the SEC. UT All-American sophomore Candace Parker had 27 points and 13 rebounds for her 14th double-double of the season. Parker, who came in averaging 20 points a game, took control early, scoring 17 points in the opening 12 minutes as Tennessee surged to a 22-14 lead. Tennessee desperately needed Parker's output on a night when they were held to 31.3 percent shooting as a team and when senior sharpshooter Sidney Spencer managed only two points on 1-of-12 shooting. Parker was 11-of-20 from the field and the other four starters were a combined seven of 38. Spencer grabbed a career high nine boards and Alexis Hornbuckle had five steals, four assists, four rebounds and a driving left handed hook late in the second half to propel the Lady Vols to their first regular season win over LSU in the last three seasons. UT senior Dominique Redding had a key eight points in the second half when the rest of the Tennessee squad was flat. UT's 26 second-half points were the fewest of the season, but the Big Orange forced 15 Tiger turnovers and held them to 40 percent shooting. Tennessee never trailed, but LSU tied the game at 51 on Sylvia Fowles' free throws with 1:21 to go. Parker, who also had three blocks, two steals and two assists, put Tennessee back ahead with a free throw after she was fouled on an offensive rebound. Junior point guard Shannon Bobbitt made two key free throws to give UT a three-point cushion with 11.3 second left. LSU had a chance to tie it, but Quianna Chaney's 3-pointer rimmed out. Bobbitt finished with 13 points, including three 3-pointers, for Tennessee. The game was a defensive battle most of the way, and the Lady Vols controlled the boards outrebounding the Lady Tigers 44-36. Tennessee's 20 offensive rebounds helped produce 13 second-chance points.

FACING THE RANKED

Tennessee faced their 13th ranked opponent of the 2006-07 season in the win over #12-ranked Vanderbilt on Feb. 27. UT is 11-2 in games versus ranked teams out of 30 total contests. Meanwhile Louisiana State will be taking on their ninth ranked opponent in 32 games when they face #3 Tennessee. LSU is 3-5 vs. ranked teams: LSU defeated (then) #5 Ohio State75-51, #18 Michigan State,65-50, and #15 Georgia, 57-55. The Lady Tigers lost to #15 Baylor, 64-60, #14 Georgia, 53-51 #5 Connecticut, 72-71, #2/3 Tennessee, 56-51 and #12 Vanderbilt, 68-58. Once again, Tennessee will be the highest ranked team the Lady Tigers have played this season.

2006 SEC TOURNEY MEETING VERSUS LSU

Lady Vol rookie Candace Parker made a driving one-hander from the left side of the lane with 17 seconds left, and #8-ranked Tennessee held on to beat #3-ranked Louisiana State, 63-62, in the SEC tournament championship on Mar. 5, 2006 in N. Little Rock, Ark. The Lady Vols (28-4) won their 12th SEC tournament title and second in a row. They beat a top-seeded LSU team in the 2005 finals as well, 67-65. During the 2005-06 regular season, LSU became the first SEC team to win at Tennessee in 10 years, edging the Lady Vols 72-69 on Feb. 9, 2006. In the first meeting, LSU superstar Seimone Augustus scored 32 points in the win. In the SEC finals, UT limited her to 24 points. The Lady Tigers (27-3) led 62-58 with less than a minute remaining, but UT senior Shanna Zolman's 3-pointer with 35.5 seconds to play cut Tennessee's deficit to one. LSU's Erica White missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 33 seconds left, giving the Lady Vols a chance to take the lead. Tennessee chose not to call time out or hold for the last shot. Instead, the 6-4 Parker, the SEC freshman of the year, took the ball near the top of the key on an isolation play and drove to the left against the Tigers' best defender - Scholanda Hoston - to toss in the game winner. UT junior Sidney Spencer scored 21 points and Parker, the tournament's most valuable player, finished with 20 for the Lady Vols. Zolman added 14. Sylvia Fowles added 16 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks for LSU. Fowles made her first four shots and had 12 points, six rebounds and six blocks in the first half. But Tennessee went on an 11-0 run late in the half and led 36-33 at the break. Spencer made all four of her 3-point attempts before the break. Fowles and Augustus combined to score LSU's first 16 points but went scoreless for the last 8:12 before halftime. LSU led 55-48 with 8:23 remaining, but Tennessee called time and went on a 10-0 run capped by Zolman's 3-pointer. Tennessee went 10-of-19 from 3- point range - Spencer made five and Zolman four. UT held a 40-31 rebounding advantage in the game and finished with a 122-80 advantage on the boards for the three-game weekend.

HOW COACH POKEY FARED AS A PLAYER VS. TENNESSEE

Everyone knows how feisty and intense LSU Coach Pokey Chatman is on the sidelines which begged the question - how did she do as a player against the Lady Vols? Going into her final game against UT as a senior in 1991, then "Dana" Pokey Chatman was 0-4 against the Lady Vols during her LSU career. Chatman exacted her revenge in her final game against UT pouring in 30 points in the 1991 SEC Championship game as LSU won 80-75. Current Lady Vol assistant coach Nikki Caldwell was a rookie for UT on the 1991 team and went 0-6 from behind the arc in 20 minutes of action in the SEC title game. Caldwell would enjoy the final gotcha of the 1991 campaign - the rookie went on to help Tennessee win the 1991 NCAA Final Four in New Orleans, La., just 15 miles from Chatman's hometown of Ama, La.

TENNESSEE AND LSU SEC TOURNEY MEETINGS

Tennessee and LSU will meet for the 10th time in the SEC Tournament when they face-off in the 2007 semifinals. The Big Orange leads the Purple and Gold, 6-3 in the SEC Tourney. The Lady Vols and Lady Tigers have met in the semifinals just one other time - LSU took an 81-80 decision in 2002. Tennessee has won four second round meetings with LSU: 1985 UT 85-78, 1987 UT 64-63, 1992 UT 70-65 and 1997 UT 100-99 OT. The two teams have split title tilts with the Lady Vols winning in 2005 (67-65) and 2006 (67-65) and the Lady Tigers in 1991 (80-75) and 2003 (78-62).

LSU SERIES TIDBITS

Since 2000, UT has won 11 of the last 15 meetings with LSU. Tennessee's four losses during that time? In the 2005 regular season meeting in Baton Rouge, 68-58, the 2006 regular season meeting in Knoxville, 72-69, and twice in the SEC Tournament - Mar. 2, 2002, LSU 81-80 and Mar. 9, 2003, LSU 78-62.

KEEP RUNNING INTO LSU IN THE POSTSEASON

Since 2002, Tennessee and LSU have faced each other every year in post-season action. In 2002 and 2003, a lower ranked LSU team defeated the Lady Vols in the SEC Tournament. UT was ranked #3 in 2002 when an unranked LSU team upset the Lady Vols, 81-80. In 2003, UT was once again ranked #3 when #6-ranked LSU won convincingly, 78-62. UT and LSU dodged each other in the 2004 SEC Tournament but met in the Final Four semifinals in Atlanta. The #2-ranked Lady Vols defeated the #19-ranked Lady Tigers, 52-50. Tennessee has won the last two SEC Tournament title meetings with LSU. In 2005, #5-ranked Tennessee upset #1 LSU, 67-65. In 2006, #8-ranked UT's Candace Parker hit the game winner over #3-ranked LSU, 63-62. And now, in 2007, we meet again.

UT-LSU, CLOSENESS COUNTS

Twenty-six of the 44 all-time meetings between the two schools have been decided by 10 or less points. No other team has recorded that stat against the Lady Vols.

HOW 'BOUT THIS?

Going into tonight's game, UT and LSU have met 28 times while both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25 poll. Tennessee has been the higher ranked team 22 times.

UT'S FIRST HOME GAME WITH 10,000 IN THE STANDS WAS VS. LSU

On a bitter cold night on Feb. 6, 1978, 10,000 fans braved the frigid weather to heat-up Stokely Athletics Center in Knoxville, Tenn., when #1 LSU and #3 Tennessee faced off in an SEC women's basketball game. The Lady Vols prevailed 86-68 as the throng of 10,000 chanted "We're Number One." It marked the first time that 10,000 fans had ever attended a Lady Vol game.

STUFF THE RIVALRY IS MADE OF...

On Jan. 29, 1979, the Tennessee Vols and the Lady Vols were in Baton Rouge at the PMAC, for a double-header with LSU. The women played first and the game ended in a 74-74 tie. Then-LSU men's coach Dale Brown suggested that the women's teams finish their overtime in the auxiliary gym so the men could get their game started on time. After much bantering back and forth with then-LSU BenGals skipper Jinks Coleman and UT's Pat Head, Brown allowed the women's teams to finish the overtime with a shortened running clock. The Lady Vols managed just six points in the three-minute overtime while LSU scored 11 to win, 85-80. Five days later in Stokely Athletics Center in Knoxville, on Jan. 29, #7 UT thumped #17 LSU, 92-48. Current Lady Vol Assistant Coach Holly Warlick was UT's junior point guard that night in Baton Rouge - Warlick tallied seven points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished four assists and had nine steals in a weird 43 minutes.

I'M AN LSU GRAD BUT MY PAYCHECK HAS ORANGE INK

UT Women's Athletics Director Joan Cowart Cronan was a 1966 graduate of Louisiana State University and a native of Opelousas, La. Cronan has been onboard as the Women's Athletics Director at the University of Tennessee since 1983 and was a 1995 inductee into the LSU's Alumni Hall of Distinction.

TENNESSEE OR LSU WILL BE AWAITING THE WINNING TEAM...

The winner of the Tennessee vs. LSU game will take on the winner of the Georgia and Vanderbilt semifinal contest. This season, the Lady Vols played both Georgia and Vanderbilt twice winning both contests. UT defeated #15 Georgia, 52-41, on Jan. 14 in Athens, and #9/14 Georgia in Knoxville, 73-57 on Feb. 5. Tennessee defeated #15/14 Vanderbilt, 67-57, in Nashville on Jan. 25 and 73-53 over #12 Vandy on Feb. 25 in Knoxville. LSU played Georgia twice --- they defeated #15 Georgia at home, 57-55, on Jan. 7 and lost to #14 Georgia, 53-51, in Athens on Feb. 1. LSU lost at #12 Vanderbilt on Feb. 22 in their only meeting, 68-58.

SUMMITT GETS 200TH WIN ON A NEUTRAL FLOOR

UT coach Pat Summitt picked up her 200th win all-time on a neutral floor (against just 58 losses) when the Lady Vols defeated South Carolina in the second round of the SEC Tournament. Summitt has won 77.5 percent of her all-time games (1120 total) on neutral courts. Summitt's overall record is 941-179.

2007 SEC TOURNAMENT NOTEBOOK

2007 SEC HONORS

University of Tennessee sophomore forward Candace Parker was named the 2007 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, and Lady Vol head coach Pat Summitt picked up SEC Coach of the Year honors for the seventh time in her career in an announcement made by the SEC on Feb. 27, 2007. Last season, Parker was the SEC Rookie of the Year was named First Team All-SEC. Joining Parker on the 2007 All-SEC Coaches First Team was junior Alexis Hornbuckle who earned Second Team honors last season and was named to the All-SEC Rookie Team in 2005.

In her 33rd season at the helm of the UT program, Summitt has accumulated 941 wins - more than any other Division I coach in the history of men's or women's college basketball. In addition to her six NCAA Titles, seven SEC Coach of the Year Awards, seven NCAA Coach of the Year Awards and 16 NCAA Final Four appearances, the Henrietta, Tenn., native has coached 19 Kodak All-Americans, has a 100% graduation rate for student-athletes who exhaust their eligibility in Lady Vol uniforms and boasts two basketball courts and a gymnasium that bear her name.

A sophomore for the Big Orange, entering the SEC Tournament, Parker leads her 2007 team in scoring (20.6 ppg), rebounding (9.8 rpg) and blocks (2.89 bpg). The 2006 SEC Freshman of the Year, first team All-SEC selection and SEC Tournament MVP, Parker becomes the first Lady Vol in program history to nab top-rookie and top-player honors in back-to-back years. Parker, Bridgette Gordon (1989), Dena Head (1992), Nikki McCray (1994, 1995) and Chamique Holdsclaw (1998, 1999) account for seven of the 21 Player of the Year Awards since the awards inception in 1987. Parker is the first Lady Vol to garner the award since Holdsclaw in 1999. Parker, a native of Naperville, Ill., became the fastest player in UT history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. She edged Chamique Holdsclaw (57 games) by reaching the millennium mark in 56 career contests and with her 17th double-double of her sophomore campaign, surpassed the four-time Kodak All-American for most double-doubles by a second-year student-athlete in program history.

Hornbuckle, a Charleston, W. Va., native, leads the team in assists (4.14 apg) and steals (3.34 spg) and ranks third in scoring (9.9 ppg) and rebounding (5.0 ppg).

Sidney Spencer, a senior from Hoover, Ala., earned a spot on the All-SEC Coaches second team. Spencer led the nation in three-point field goal percentage the majority of the season. She currently ranks second in the league in beyond-the-arc accuracy (.435) and stands in seventh place for most treys made by a Lady Vol in a single-season. The 6-foot-3 sharpshooter boasts an 83.8 percent free throw percentage, which ranks her fourth on the UT career list. She was a third-team Academic All-Region IV selection by ESPN the Magazine earlier this season and finds time to volunteer in the greater Knoxville community, a feat which earned her a spot on the 2007 SEC Community Service Team.

Lady Vols have earned 66 spots on the All-SEC first and second teams since 1982, including 47 first-team accolades.

First Team All-SEC
DeWanna Bonner, Auburn, Tasha Humphrey, Georgia*, Sylvia Fowles, LSU*,
Armintie Price, Ole Miss*, Alexis Hornbuckle, Tennessee, Candace Parker, Tennessee*, Dee Davis, Vanderbilt, Carla Thomas, Vanderbilt*
Second Team All-SEC
Lauren Ervin, Arkansas, Marshae Dotson, Florida, Cori Chambers, Georgia, Sarah Elliott, Kentucky, Samantha Mahoney, Kentucky, Quianna Chaney, LSU, Sidney Spencer, Tennessee, Caroline Williams, Vanderbilt
All-Freshman Team
Donica Cosby, Arkansas*, Jordan Greenleaf, Auburn, Ashley Houts, Georgia, Christy Marshall, Georgia, Angel Robinson, Georgia, Allison Hightower, LSU, Alliesha Easley, Ole Miss, Alexis Rack, Mississippi State*
Coach of the Year
Pat Summitt, Tennessee
Player of the Year
Candace Parker, Tennessee
Freshman of the Year
Ashley Houts, Georgia
Defensive Player of the Year
Armintie Price, Ole Miss
6th Woman of the Year
Christy Marshall, Georgia and Liz Sherwood, Vanderbilt
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Sarah Pfeifer, Arkansas

*indicates unanimous

TOURNAMENT UT ROUND-BY-ROUND

UT IN SEC FIRST ROUND GAMES
1997: UT def. South Carolina, 75-48

UT IN SEC SECOND ROUND GAMES
2006: UT def. Auburn, 77-45
2005: UT def. Auburn, 64-54
2004: UT def. Mississippi St., 67-57
2003: UT def. Auburn, 66-51
2002: UT def. Georgia, 81-67
2001: UT def. Alabama, 82-52
2000: UT def. Florida, 91-79
1999: UT def. Florida, 92-80
1998: UT def. Mississippi St., 88-60
1997: UT def. LSU, 100-99 (OT)
1996: UT def. Mississippi, 73-51
1995: UT def. Kentucky, 74-62
1994: UT def. Georgia, 86-72
1993: Georgia def. UT, 73-72
1992: UT def. LSU, 70-65
1991: UT def. Vanderbilt, 62-60
1990: UT def. Florida, 81-56
1989: UT def. Alabama, 89-61
1988: UT def. Kentucky, 100-66
1987: UT def. LSU, 64-63
1986: Mississippi def. UT, 83-78
1985: UT def. LSU, 85-78
1984: Alabama def. UT, 85-66
1983: UT def. Alabama, 91-73
1982: UT def. Vanderbilt, 80-75
1981: Alabama def. UT, 77-71
1980: UT def. Florida, 118-44

UT IN SEC SEMIFINAL GAMES
2006: UT def. Georgia, 89-79
2005: UT def. Vanderbilt, 76-73
2004: Georgia def. UT, 68-66 (OT)
2003: UT def. Mississippi St. 76-75
2002: LSU def. UT, 81-80
2001: Vanderbilt def. UT, 77-74
2000: UT def. Vanderbilt, 61-53
1999: UT def. Alabama, 80-69
1998: UT def. Vanderbilt, 106-45
1997: Auburn def. UT, 61-59
1996: UT def. Florida, 74-63
1995: UT def. Alabama, 84-70
1994: UT def. Alabama, 72-56
1992: UT def. Kentucky, 90-84
1991: UT def. Auburn, 70-62
1990: UT def. Georgia, 73-54
1989: UT def. Mississippi, 82-60
1988: UT def. Georgia, 82-76
1987: Auburn def. UT, 102-96
1985: UT def. Ole Miss, 79-71
1983: Georgia def. UT, 71-65
1982: UT def. Georgia, 55-44
1980: UT def. Auburn, 72-61

UT IN SEC CONSOLATION FINALS
1983: UT def. Auburn, 83-75

UT IN SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
2006: UT def. LSU, 63-62
2005: UT def. LSU, 67-65
2003: LSU def. UT, 78-62
2000: UT def. Mississippi St., 70-67
1999: UT def. Georgia, 85-69
1998: UT def. Alabama, 67-63
1996: UT def. Alabama, 64-60
1995: Vanderbilt def. UT, 67-61
1994: UT def. Vanderbilt, 82-57
1992: UT def. Georgia, 73-66
1991: LSU def. UT, 80-75
1990: Auburn def. UT, 78-77
1989: UT def. Auburn, 66-51
1988: UT def. Auburn, 73-70
1985: UT def. Auburn, 63-60
1982: Kentucky def. UT, 80-74
1980: UT def. Mississippi, 85-71

28 SEC APPEARANCES

The Tennessee Lady Vols' 2007 appearance in the SEC Tournament is the school's 28th time to the mini-Final Four. This season marks the 27th time with a first round bye. The only year that Tennessee had to play on opening day was in 1997 when the Lady Vols were suffering through a rare 10-loss season. UT suffered its final defeat of the year at the Round House in Chattanooga (a 61-59 loss to Auburn) and then ran the table in the NCAA's to finish the year 29-10 and the improbable 1997 NCAA Champions.

UT's SEC TOURNAMENT W-L

Since the tourney began in 1980, the Lady Vols sport the best overall record in the conference tournament. UT has produced a 55-15 (.762) record which breaks down this way: Alabama (8-2), Auburn (9-3), Florida (5-0), Georgia (8-3), Kentucky (3-1), LSU (6-3), Ole Miss (4-1), Miss St. (4-0), South Carolina (2-0), and Vanderbilt (6-2). The Lady Vols have never faced Arkansas. (The SEC Office record indicates that UT is 54-15 in SEC play. However, in the old format, there was a consolation game. In 1983, UT defeated Auburn, 83-75, in the consolation finals.)

BOWING OUT EARLY

There have been four trips to the SEC Tournament since 1980 when the Lady Vols didn't even get to unpack their bags, losing in second round action after receiving a bye. In 1981, Alabama sent UT packing after a 77-71 loss; in 1984, Alabama again provided the honors with a 85-66 drubbing; in 1986, Ole Miss dealt UT a 83-78 loss, and in 1993, Georgia provided UT with an early exit from Chattanooga, 73-72.

TENNESSEE AND AUBURN FIND A WAY TO MEET

In UT's 70 all-time SEC Tournament games, Tennessee and Auburn have battled in almost one-sixth of the contests or 12 games. The Lady Vols sport an 9-3 record in SEC Tournament action against the team from The Plains. Auburn was Tennessee's second round opponent in the SEC Tournament (happened in 2003, 2005 and 2006) three times in the last five years.

TWO SEC TOURNAMENT MEETINGS WITH CAROLINA

Whereas the Lady Vols have played Auburn more times than any other SEC school in the Tournament, Tennessee has faced South Carolina twice. Ironically, the first meeting was the ONLY time UT had to play on the Tournament's first day - in 1997. That year, UT defeated USC, 75-48, beat LSU in overtime, 100-99, and lost to Auburn in the semifinals. The Lady Vols would not lose again that season winning the 1997 NCAA title with a 29-10 overall record.

OUR SEC OVERTIME GAMES

In 28 years and 70 games in the SEC Tournament, the Tennessee Lady Vols have been involved in two overtime contests. In 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee and Georgia met in the semifinals on Mar.6. #20/16-ranked Georgia forced the overtime with the score knotted at 57-all. #1-ranked UT took a quick four-point lead but Georgia responded with a 7-0 run to take the 68-66 win and earned a trip to the title game. In Tennessee's only other SEC overtime, in 1997, Tennessee snuck by LSU with a narrow 100-99 victory in overtime in second round play. In the next game, a weary UT squad lost a heartbreaker to Auburn, 61-59, in semifinal action. The loss to Auburn was UT's 10th on the season. It would be the last loss for the 1996-97 "Cinderella Season" team as they ran the table in the NCAA Tournament to claim NCAA title number five.

DOUBLED OUR PLEASURE

Since the SEC began crowning regular season champions and tournament champions back in 1980, the Tennessee Lady Vols have hit the double-dip of winning the regular season and the tournament on six occasions - 1980, 1985, 1994, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

WHAT A GREAT STAT

From 1980-1997, the Lady Vols claimed a total of six SEC regular season titles in 17 years. From 1998-2004, Tennessee captured seven consecutive SEC regular season crowns producing an amazing 95-3 record. UT's only league losses during that stretch were to Vandy, Georgia and LSU.

EIGHT SHUT-OUTS

Tennessee's 14-0 slate during the 2007 season marked the eighth time that the Lady Vols pitched a shut-out to win the regular season SEC title. Previously, the Lady Vols were undefeated in 2004 (14-0), 2003 (14-0), 2001 (14-0), 1998 (14-0), 1995 (11-0), 1994 (11-0) and 1993 (11-0).

TENNESSEE ALLOWING JUST 53.2 PPG IN SEC GAMES

The Tennessee Lady Vols have fashioned some pretty serious stats in SEC play this season. Defensively, the Lady Vols have been stingy...very stingy. Incredibly, when Auburn and Kentucky scored 62 points, Arkansas 68 points (in OT) and Ole Miss 69 points against Tennessee in the Lady Vols' more recent games, it marked the most points UT has allowed by SEC opponents this season. Currently, Tennessee is holding SEC opponents to just 53.2 ppg while scoring 72.2 or a +19.0 differential.

FIFTY IS NIFTY

The Tennessee Lady Vols recorded their 50th win all-time in the SEC Tournament with the victory over #18/17 Vanderbilt, 76-73, on Mar. 5, 2005. Georgia is a distant second in all-time SEC Tournament wins with 37. Vandy stands third with 34 wins all-time. UT is now 55-15 all-time.

17 TIMES IN THE FINALS

The Championship game against LSU in the 2006 SEC Tournament marked the Lady Vols 17th incredible trip to the final round of the nation's toughest conference tournament. UT is 12-5 in all-time SEC Championship game meetings. In the 1990s alone, the Lady Vols were in the title game eight times (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999) against five different SEC teams. In that decade, UT won titles in five of the years - 1999 vs. Georgia, 85-69, 1998 vs. Alabama, 67-63, 1996 vs. Alabama, 64-60 (without Chamique Holdsclaw due to a knee injury suffered in the opening minutes of play), 1994 vs. Vanderbilt, 82-57 and 1992 vs. Georgia, 73-66. The Lady Vols won titles in 2005, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1996, 1994, 1992, 1989, 1988, 1985, and 1980. The Lady Vols amassed a 16-3 record in SEC games played in Chattanooga and brought home four titles from that venue (1994, 1996, 1999 and 2000).

THE CENTURY MARK

The Lady Vols have reached the century scoring mark four times in the SEC Tournament. In 1998, the Lady Vols derailed Vandy, 106-45. In the previous year, the Lady Vols scored 100 on LSU in overtime. Nine years earlier, in 1988, Tennessee nailed Kentucky for 100 points. And in the very first SEC Tournament game in 1980, Tennessee crushed Florida, 118-44. That Florida team was then coached by current Kentucky head coach Mickie DeMoss.

2007 LADY VOL SENIORS

Over the past four years, Tennessee's seniors Elizabeth Curry, Sidney Spencer and Dominique Redding have accumulated an overall record of 120 wins and just 16 losses - an 88 percent winning percentage. Against SEC opponents, they have a phenomenal 52-4 record! The seniors have made two trips to the NCAA Final Four, captured two SEC regular season crowns and the 2005 and 2006 SEC Tournament Titles.

LADY VOLS ON TV

A record 22 Lady Vol regular season games were televised on national/regional television this season. Six non-televised games were available as streaming video with voice-over from Mickey Dearstone on utladyvols.com. All games in the SEC and NCAA Tournaments will be televised as well.

LOOKING BACK

Last year at this time, the Lady Vols were 26-4 and had just defeated Auburn, 77-45, in the second round of the SEC Tournament.

ON THIS DAY

UT is 11-5 in games played on Mar. 3. The Lady Vols are 1-2 at home, 2-0 on the road and 8-3 on neutral courts. The last time out on Mar. 3, the Lady Vols registered a 77-45 win over Auburn in the 2006 SEC Tourney.

2007 SEC TOURNAMENT NOTEBOOK

REPEAT VERSE OF THE TENNESSEE WALTZ?

What the Tennessee Lady Vols hope to achieve on March 3 at the 2007 SEC Tournament:

• Win a semifinal game for the 18th time
• Win a third consecutive game over LSU in the SEC Tournament
• Advance to the SEC title game for the 18th time
• Maintain almost a +20 winning margin versus SEC foes (72.2-53.2)
• Up the current winning streak to 12 games

OUR SCHEDULE THIS WEEK...

This week the #1-seeded and #2-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols travels to the SEC Tournament in Duluth, Ga., Mar. 1-4 at The Arena at Gwinnett Center. Following the SEC's, UT will await their NCAA fate as the bracket will be announced on Selection Monday, Mar. 12.

SURPRISE! UT IS #1 IN SOS/RPI

I know it is a huge surprise but the Tennessee Lady Vols hold a large percentile advantage in both the Ratings Percentage Index and the Strength of Schedule ENTERING THE SEC Tournament (ratings by Jerry Palm). Listed are the Top 10 and UT's non-opponents this season (in italics).

2006 SEC TOURNAMENT REVIEW

TENNESSEE 2006 SEC CHAMPIONS

The Tennessee Lady Vols beat #3-ranked LSU, 63-62, on March 5, 2006 for their second consecutive title. UT freshman Candace Parker made a driving one-hander from the left side of the lane with 17 seconds left, and UT held on to beat LSU. The Lady Vols (28-4) won their 12th SEC tournament and second in a row (also defeating LSU in the 2005 Finals, 67-65). The Lady Tigers led 62-58 with less than a minute remaining, but senior Shanna Zolman's 3-pointer with 35.5 seconds to play cut Tennessee's deficit to one. LSU's Erica White missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 33 seconds left, giving the Lady Vols a chance to take the leadt. Parker, the SEC freshman of the year, had the ball near the top of the key, then drove to the left against the Tigers' best defender - Scholanda Hoston for the winning bucket. UT's Sidney Spencer scored 21 points and Parker, the tournament's most valuable player, finished with 20 for the Lady Vols.

2006 SEC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

The 2006 SEC All-Tournament Team featured Lady Vols Sidney Spencer and rookie Candace Parker, the 2006 Tournament MVP. Also selected to the team were: Seimone Augustus (LSU), Sylvia Fowles (LSU) and Sherrill Baker (Georgia).

2006 SEC TOURNAMENT RESULTS

FIRST ROUND, Thursday, March 2
#8 Ole Miss def. #9 Arkansas, 94-64
#10 Auburn def. #7 South Carolina, 64-48
#5 Florida def. #12 Mississippi State, 98-83
#6 Vanderbilt def. #11 Alabama, 84-62
SECOND ROUND, Friday, March 3
#1 LSU def. Ole Miss, 91-73
#2 Tennessee def. Auburn, 77-45
#4 Kentucky def. Florida, 88-70
#3 Georgia def. Vanderbilt, 69-47
SEMIFINALS, Saturday, March 4
LSU def. Kentucky, 79-52
Tennessee def. Georgia, 89-79
FINALS, Sunday, March 5
Tennessee def. LSU, 63-62

NUMBER TWO SEED

UT was the number two seed at the 2006 SEC Tournament in N. Little Rock, Ark. After a first round bye, the Lady Vols were in action on Fri., Mar. 2 and defeated #10-seeded Auburn, 77-45. The Lady Vols followed that by a win over #3-seeded and #12-ranked Georgia, 89-79 on Mar. 4. UT defeated #1 seeded and #3-ranked LSU in the finals, 63-62.

HEADING INTO THE TOURNAMENT

In 2006, the Lady Vols entered the SEC Tournament having lost four of their previous 11 games and two to unranked teams. Additionally, UT was without point guard Alexis Hornbuckle who had broken her wrist on Feb. 12, 2006. The Lady Vols started out 18-0 and were ranked #1 when they lost to #2-ranked Duke on Jan. 23. That loss started the rocky spiral and was compounded by the loss of Hornbuckle. Following the Duke loss, UT lost at unranked Kentucky, 66-63; lost to #3 LSU at home, 72-69 and lost to unranked Florida in overtime at home on Senior Day, 95-93.

2006 SEC TOURNAMENT MEETINGS AND RESULTS

The 2006 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament was held at the ALLTEL Arena in N. Little Rock, Ark., Mar. 2-5. Tennessee, the winner of the 11-game tournament, received the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

LADY VOLS BY DOUBLE DIGITS

TENNESSEE LADY VOLS IN NCAA STAT RANKINGS (2/25/07)