GAME 2 - VIRGINIA
The #7/6-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols, 1-0 overall, welcome the #15-ranked Virginia
Cavaliers, also 1-0, to Knoxville for both teams' second game of the season on
Mon., Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. (Fox SportSouth) in Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee, with
just nine dressed players, opened the 2008-09 season with a 68-39 victory over the San
Francisco Dons on Saturday afternoon. In their season opener, 15th-ranked Virginia
trounced High Point 78-48 on Friday night in Charlottesville.
OUTSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Virginia will be Tennessee's fi rst ranked opponent of the 2008-09 season...The Lady Vols'
2008-09 slate includes 11 contests against currently ranked opposition...Last season,
Tennessee faced a total of 20 ranked opponents in 38 games and produced a 18-2 record...
Lots of Women's Basketball Hall of Famers will be crowding the sidelines at the UTUVA
game...Virginia's Debbie Ryan was inducted this summer as a member of the Class
of 2008 to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame located in downtown Knoxville...On the
UT side of the fl oor, head coach Pat Summitt was a charter inductee in the Class of 1999,
associate head coach Holly Warlick was inducted in 2001 and assistant coach Daedra
Charles-Furlow was a member of the Class of 2007. Ryan and Summitt were inducted as
players while Warlick and Charles-Furlow earned their way in as players.
LADY VOLS AT A GLANCE
This is the Lady Vols' 35th season under Head Coach Pat Summitt...She has compiled
a staggering 984-182 overall record... Is just 16 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 2006-07 and 2007-08 squads were crowned as the NCAA Champions producing the
program's seventh and eighth titles...Last season, UT fi nished with a 36-2 overall record
and were also the SEC Tournament Champions...
This season, UT returned fi ve letterwinners, a redshirt freshman and welcomed a talented
six-pack rookie class...The 2008-09 season marked the Lady Vol debut for freshmen:
#1 Briana Bass, a 5-2 guard from Indianapolis, Ind., #10 Amber Gray, a 6-1 forward/
center from West Chester, Ohio, #15 Alicia Manning, a 6-1 guard/forward from Woodstock,
Ga., #25 Glory Johnson, a 6-3 forward from Knoxville, Tenn., #33 Alyssia Brewer,
a 6-3 forward from Sapulpa, Okla. and #40 Shekinna Stricklen, a 6-2 guard/forward from
Morrilton, Ark. -- all saw their fi rst action in the Orange and White this season. A redshirt
freshman, #52 Kelley Cain, a 6-6 center from Atlanta, Ga., will be restarting her rookie
season after undergoing surgery last December.
OUR SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
The Lady Vols host No. 15 Virginia on Nov. 17 before making the short drive down I-75
to face Chattanooga on Nov. 21. Tennessee returns home to host rival Louisiana Tech
on Nov. 23.
ON THIS DAY IN LADY VOL BASKETBALL HISTORY
UT is 2-0 all-time on November 17th, with both wins coming at home. The last time the
Lady Vols were in action on this date, Tennessee came away with a 79-60 win over the
Kansas Jayhawks in 1996.
LOOKING BACK
Last year at this time, the #1-ranked Lady Vols were 2-0 on the campaign having defeated
UT-Chattanooga in the season-opener, 76-56 and #9-ranked Oklahoma 70-67.
LADY VOLS ON TV
Currently, 20 Lady Vol regular season games are slated for television this season. Upcoming
TV games include: Virginia (SportSouth) and UT-Chattanooga (CSS). Last season,
UT had a school record 36 television appearances.
VIRGINIA TIDBITS
Junior guard Monica Wright leads the list
of returning starters for the 15th-ranked
Cavaliers...An honorable mention Associated
Press All-American last season, Wright
averaged a team-best 17.6 ppg and led
Virginia in steals (2.4 per game) and blocks
(19) in 2007-08...She was also named a
preseason Wooden Award and Wade Trophy
candidate and preseason All-ACC...Seniors
Lyndra Littles and Aisha Mohammed return
at the frontcourt positions...Little averaged
16.8 ppg and 7.3 rpg while earning thirdteam
All-ACC accolades...Mohammed led
the team in rebounding (9.2 per game) and
scored 13.1 ppg last season...She notched
14 double-doubles for the season...The
Cavaliers lost Paulisha Kellum, who would've
been the fourth returning starter, for the year
to an ACL injury...Sophomore Kelly Hartig
and junior Enongé Stovall also saw extensive
action off the bench in the post last season...
Senior Brittney Millner is the other returner
in the UVa backcourt as she appeared in 29
games at guard last season and averaged
3.1 ppg and 1.6 rpg...Freshman point guard
Ariana Moorer averaged 21.8 ppg at C.D.
Hylton High School in Woodbridge, Va...The
Cavaliers were picked to finish fourth in the
ACC behind North Carolina, Maryland and
Duke.
IN OUR LAST MEETING WITH UVA
Top-seeded Tennessee advanced to the "Sweet 16"
of the NCAA Tournament for the 22nd season with a
convincing 81-51 rout of the eighth-seeded Virginia
Cavaliers in second round action at Thompson-
Boling Arena on Mar. 24, 2003. With the win, UT
(30-4 overall) posted 30 wins in a single season for
the 13th time in Lady Vol history and advanced to
play fourth-seeded Penn State in the NCAA Mideast
Regional semifi nals. Against Virginia, UT was led
in scoring for the second straight contest by sophomore
Shyra Ely who had a team-high 17 points and
nine rebounds. Gwen Jackson and Loree Moore
each totaled 13 points, while Kara Lawson hit for 11
tallies and freshman Shanna Zolman rang up 10. In
both NCAA Tournament games, UT held its opponent
under 28% shooting as the Lady Vols forced the
Cavaliers to hit at a 27.4% clip on 17-of-62 shooting
from the fl oor. UT forced 23 UVA turnovers and
grabbed 11 steals. The Cavs did own the boards,
42-41. For the second straight contest, UT came
out with energy as the Lady Vols roared out to a 14-3
start. UT led 19-9 at the 10:02 mark but UVA had
a 14-6 spurt to close the defi cit to 25-22. Buckets
by UT's Brittany Jackson and Tasha Butts gave the
Lady Vols a 33-24 lead going into the locker room at
the half. Virginia stayed within shouting distance at
50-38 before a 22-5 Lady Vol run put the game out
of reach. Virginia had one player in double fi gures as
Cherrise Graham tossed in 14 points.
COACHING FLIP-FLOPS
The last time the two teams met it marked the fi -
nal weeks of UT assistant coach Mickie DeMoss'
tenure on the Lady Vol bench and the fi rst full season
back at Tennessee for former Lady Vol Nikki
Caldwell. At the conclusion of the 2002-03 season,
DeMoss left to become the head coach at
Kentucky. Caldwell took over DeMoss' recruiting
coordinator duties and served as assistant coach
until the conclusion of last season when she left
UT to become the head coach at UCLA.
MEETINGS WITH UVA
Tonight's game marks the 13th meeting between
the Lady Vols and the Cavaliers, but only the third
regular season match-up...UT holds an 11-1 lead in
the series...Tennessee handily won its last meeting
with Virginia 81-51 in the NCAA second round on
March 24, 2003, in Knoxville...UT and UVa have met
nine times in the postseason dating back to 1981,
including four times in the NCAA Tournament during
Lady Vol national title runs...UT and UVa met in the
Sweet 16 during the Lady Vols' fi rst title run 1987,
and again in the Sweet 16 in 1989....The Lady Vols
defeated the Cavaliers in the NCAA Championship
game in 1991-- in the fi rst-ever overtime in the
title game -- and in the Elite 8 in 1996....The only
Big Orange loss to Virginia came in 1990, as the
Cavaliers defeated the Lady Vols 79-75 in overtime
of the East Regional championship game...That loss
was unquestionably the toughest in Summitt's career
as it prevented the Lady Vols from playing in the Final
Four on their home court at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Former Lady Vol staffer Nikki Caldwell got her fi rst
assistant job on the Cavalier's bench in 1999 and
coached at UVa for three seasons...
2008-09 UT LINE-UP COMBINATIONS
During the 2008-09 season, Tennessee has used
one starting lineup --
Games Record Line-up (F-F-C-G-G)
1 1-0 Johnson, Stricklen, Fuller, McMahan, Smallbone
UT'S OFFENSIVE OPPORTUNITIES
In all games, this is how Tennessee has shot from
the fi eld: 60% FG: none; 50%FG: none; 40%FG: San
Francisco (.400); 30%FG: none; 20%FG: none.
DEEE ----- FENSE
In all games, this is how the opposition has shot
from the fi eld: 50%FG: none, 40%FG: none; 30%FG:
none; 20%FG: none; 10%FG: San Francisco (.186)
2008-09 WON-LOSS DIFFERENTIAL
Wins: +29 (1)
UT VS. THE ACC
UT has an 80-16 record all-time against the ACC,
and an 11-1 record against Virginia. Series records
against current ACC teams are: Boston
College (3-0), Clemson (11-1), Duke (5-5), Florida
State (2-0), Georgia Tech (3-0), Maryland (10-3),
North Carolina (14-3), N.C. State (12-3), Virginia
Tech (7-0) and Wake Forest (2-0)
SO THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS
The much anticipated countdown to Coach Pat
Summitt's 1,000 career victories has begun.
Summitt needs just 16 wins to hit the magic mark
and with such a young team, it will be awfully hard
to predict when that could be in 2008-09. Last
year, UT grabbed win number 17 on Jan. 24 vs.
Arkansas (98-55) and in 2006-07, win number
17 occurred on Jan. 18 with a victory over Miss.
State.
SUMMITT TO RECEIVE AWARD
Coach Pat Summitt has been selected as an
inaugural recipient of the Joe Lapchick Character
Award. Also being honored at the Nov. 20
ceremony at Madison Square Garden in New
York City will be Hall of Fame coaches Lou Carnesecca
of St. John's and Dean Smith of North
Carolina. "It is an honor to have been selected as
the fi rst recipient of the Joe Lapchick Character
Award. He was a legendary fi gure on both the collegiate
and professional level of our game," said
Summitt. "I am humbled to accept an award which
bears his name."
UPCOMING OPPONENTS
The Lady Vols hit the road for the fi rst time this
season and will travel to Chattanooga on Nov. 21.
The Lady Mocs open the season tonight taking
on East Tennessee State in Chattanooga. UT
returns home next Sunday, Nov. 23 and will play
Louisiana Tech at 3 p.m.
BUMPS AND BRUISES
Several Lady Vols have been nicked up already
this season and qualify for "Moshak's Medical
Moments." Last week, Vicki Baugh, Angie Bjorklund
and Kelley Cain observed.
Vicki Baugh-Continuing to rehab from torn ACL
suffered in the 2008 NCAA title game.
Angie Bjorklund- Dealing with back spasms.
MRI revealed a bulging disc in her back. Conservative
treatment underway and she is listed
day-to-day.
Kelley Cain- Suffered a concussion in practice
and is listed as day-to-day. Will be re-tested on
Monday at shoot-around before game with Virginia.
Cait McMahan-occasionally resting knees as
needed.
BETTER BUY A PROGRAM
Six Lady Vols made their rookie debut on Saturday
against San Francisco. About the newbies...
Shekinna Stricklen and Alyssia Brewer are fi rsttime
Lady Vols from their home states, Arkansas
and Oklahoma, respectively. Briana Bass, from
Indianapolis, Ind., grew up watching Tamika
Catchings play for the WNBA's Indiana Fever from
a bird-eye view. Bass was a ball girl for the Fever.
Glory Johnson is the sixth player from Knoxville
to don a Lady Vol jersey. She joins Liza Graves
(1975-78), Holly Warlick (1976-80), Pat Hatmaker
(1980-84), walk-on Kristie Snyder (1983-84) and
Tanika Smith (1993-95) as local products who
wore the orange and white. Alicia Manning, from
Woodstock, Ga., is sure happy that video streaming
and Lady Vol radio broadcasts are available
on the internet. Her parents (Virginia and Jeff)
currently live in Hawaii where her dad has a job.
Amber Gray lives in a long shadow. Her father,
Carlton had a seven-year playing career as an
NFL defensive back. Her great grandfather,
Benjamin Hooks, was a colleague of Martin Luther
King and once headed the NAACP. He was
awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
KEEP AN EYE ON REBOUNDING
For two of the past three seasons, the Lady Vols
have reset all-time low rebounding marks. The
2007 NCAA Champs hold the distinction as the
worst UT rebounding team of all-time with just
38.4 rpg. The 2008 NCAA Champs collected 40.9
rpg and fi nished as the sixth worst in Lady Vol
history last year. In UT's opener, the Lady Vols
grabbed a 64.0 to 41.0 rebounding advantage
over San Francisco. The two 2008-09 exhibition
tilts found the Lady Vols averaging 63.0 rpg and
allowing just 31.5 rpg.
GET THIS...
It's a fact that Tennessee has produced some of
the greatest players ever in women's collegiate
basketball. It's a little known fact that there has
only been one double-fi gure rebounder in the history
of the program -- Olympian and Kodak All-
American Patricia Roberts. Roberts hauled in
14.2 rpg (467 total) in her only season as a Lady
Vol in 1976-77. She also claimed scoring honors
with 29.9 ppg (987 points). In 2006-07, Candace
Parker came the closest to a double-fi gure rebounding
average but had to settle for 9.8 rpg.
TV ADDED AND TIP TIME CHANGED AT UT-C
CSS has opted to air the Tennessee at UT-Chattanooga
contest on Nov. 21 at the McKenzie Arena.
As a result, the game will be moved up a half-hour
with tip-off at 6:30 p.m. On the UTC campus, it's
"Pack the House Challenge" as the Lady Mocs
look to set a women's basketball attendance record
at the "Roundhouse."Gates open one hour
prior to tip off and tickets are on sale at the box
offi ce. To obtain tickets, fans can contact the
McKenzie Arena box offi ce at 423-266-MOCS or
go online at GoMocs.com and click on the ticket
button on the top left corner of the main page. As
of Nov. 6, a few courtside tickets were available
for $20 with a limit of eight per person. Upper level
reserved side court seats are $15 and upper level
general admission baseline seats are $10.
TENNESSEE'S SEASON-OPENERS
Over the last 35 years on opening day, the Lady
Vols have won 32 times and lost just three contests.
Coach Pat Summitt lost her very fi rst game
as a college head coach -- a heartbreaking onepoint
decision at home to Mercer, 84-83, on Dec.
7, 1974. The next time UT lost an opening game
was in Knoxville on Nov. 21, 1981, to Stephen F.
Austin, 80-74. Most recently, UT fell in their fi rst
contest of the 1999-2000 campaign dropping a
69-64 decision to La Tech on Nov. 14, 1999. Until
the loss to the Lady Techsters, the Lady Vols had
won 18 consecutive openers.
BANNER RAISING
For the second season in a row, the Lady Vols
hoisted a banner to the Thompson-Boling Arena
rafters to commemorate another NCAA title.
Championship number eight was celebrated on
Nov. 15 in pregame ceremonies before the Lady
Vols' game with San Francisco. NCAA MVP Candace
Parker and Alberta Auguste were on hand
representing two of the starting fi ve who completed
their eligibility after season's end last year.
Quan and Jerome Hornbuckle stood in for their
daughter Alexis who is currently playing in Turkey.
Also playing professionally overseas and unable
to attend were Shannon Bobbitt (playing in Turkey)
and Nicky Anosike (playing in Israel). Prior
to raising the 2007 Championship last Nov. 18 on
the day the Lady Vols defeated #21/22 Texas, 92-
67, nine years and fi ve days had passed since the
Tennessee Lady Vols last hung a NCAA Championship
banner in Thompson-Boling Arena. On
Nov. 13, 1998, UT celebrated the 1998 title with a
banner raising against another WCC school, the
Portland Pilots with a 94-57 win.
JUST AN EXHIBITION
The two exhibition games - versus Carson-Newman
and Love & Basketball did not count toward
UT head coach Pat Summitt's career wins.
TOP OF THE LADDER
In partnership with the National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA) and the Women's Basketball
Coaches Association (WBCA), Werner Ladder,
the Offi cial Ladder of the NCAA ®Basketball
Championships, presented Coach Pat Summitt
and her Tennessee Lady Volunteers with a pair of
ladders in honor of their 2008 NCAA® Women's
Basketball National Championship. One ladder,
used to cut down the championship nets,
was given to Coach Summitt while the second
was signed by the coach and auctioned off with
proceeds going to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer
FundTM. A presentation was made at the beginning
of the San Francisco at Tennessee game on
November 15.
ALWAYS A HOT TICKET
Joe Arnone, UT Asst. AD for Tickets, says Lady
Vol season ticket sales have been impressive despite
the loss of fi ve starters from last year. Going
into tonight's exhibition game, 10,491 season
tickets have been sold. Last year, the Lady Vols
sold 11,484 season ticket packages.
POLLSTERS
The Tennessee Lady Vols start the season in
somewhat unfamiliar territory in the Top 25 Preseason
polls released in the last week. The Associated
Press has UT in the seventh position to
start the season, while the ESPN/USA TODAY
Coaches Poll has UT in the sixth spot receiving
one fi rst place vote. Tennessee's start in the AP
poll is the lowest since the 1985-86 season when
UT started in the number nine spot.
HEY! WE LOVE A HAPPY MEAL
The Tennessee Lady Vols lead the nation with the
number of McDonald's High School All-Americans
on their roster in 2008-09 with nine players. Rutgers
follows with eight "Mickey D" selections and
Duke has seven. Four schools have six McDonald's
honorees on their rosters - North Carolina,
Maryland, Stanford and Connecticut. Tennessee's
McDonald's All-Americans: Vicki Baugh,
Angie Bjorklund, Alyssia Brewer, Kelley Cain,
Alex Fuller, Amber Gray, Glory Johnson, Alicia Manning and Shekinna Stricklen.
GONZAGA GAME IS SOLD-OUT!
All of the tickets were snatched up just a couple of
hours after single game ducats for the Tennessee
Lady Vols' showdown at Gonzaga went on sale
on Monday, Oct. 28. Tennessee, the 2007 and
2008 defending NCAA Champions, are slated to
play the Bulldogs at the McCarthey Athletic Center
on Dec. 30. The game will be televised regionally
on FSN.
ELITE COMPANY
On opening day versus San Francisco, rookies
Glory Johnson and Shekinna Stricklen earned
starts. Only once before in Lady Vol history have
two rookies started on opening night - 23 years
ago Bridgette Gordon and Sheila Frost earn starts
in their very fi rst offi cial games as Lady Vols.
When Pat Summitt started freshman forward Angie
Bjorklund against the USA National Team on
Nov. 4, 2007, it marked only the 10th time in her
coaching career that a freshman started her very
fi rst game at Tennessee. The list of opening day
rookie starters: Angie Bjorklund 2007, Candace
Parker, 2005, Shyra Ely 2001, Ashley Robinson
2000, Gwen Jackson 1999, Kyra Elzy 1996,
Chamique Holdsclaw 1995, Tiffani Johnson 1994,
Bridgette Gordon and Sheila Frost 1985.
THE NOD
Last season, Angie Bjorklund became the 52nd alltime
Lady Vol to start during her freshman season
-she started in 30 of 38 games. Previously, Cait
McMahan earned a start at point guard versus Louisiana
Tech during her freshman season. Prior to
Cait's starting nod, then-redshirt freshman Candace
Parker played and started in all 36 games her rookie
season in 2005-06. A season earlier, Tennessee
coach Pat Summitt liked what she saw out of the
2004-05 rookie class as two players earned starting
nods during the season. Nicky Anosike played in all
35 games with 25 starting assignments and Alexis
Hornbuckle played in all 35 games with 21 starts.
This duo became the 48th and 49th rookies all-time
to earn starting assignments at UT as rookies. The
2001-02 rookie class found three players earn a
starting nod as Loree Moore, Shyra Ely and Brittany
Jackson all started at some point as rookies.
THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA •
WELCOME TO "THE SUMMITT"
The playing court in the Thompson-Boling Arena
on the University of Tennessee campus donned a
new look for the 2005-06 season. After Lady Vol
coach Pat Summitt passed Dean Smith for most
NCAA collegiate basketball wins of all-time with
a 75-54 win over Purdue on Mar. 22, 2005, UT
named the TBA court, "The Summitt." The fl oor
had a complete overhaul with permanent logos
of both the Lady Vols and Vols painted directly
in front of the scorer's table; the free throw lanes
were painted orange with "SEC" reversed out; the
giant jump circle/mid-court TENNESSEE was given
a new brighter color scheme, and "The Summitt,"
Coach Summitt's actual signature adorns
the sidelines opposite the team benches.
ON OUR WAY TO 300 WINS
Tennessee recorded its 200th win in Thompson-
Boling Arena when the Lady Vols defeated the
University of Southern California on Nov. 18,
2001, 106-66. UT has now amassed a 295-18
(.942) record since the Orange and White moved
into the Thompson-Boling Arena to start the 1987-
88 season 20-years ago. Along the way, the Lady
Vols have produced nine fl awless home records in
1988-89 (15-0), 1991-92 (14-0), 1992-93 (13-0),
1993-94 (15-0), 1994-95 (15-0), 1997-98 (16-0),
1998-99 (14-0), 2000-01 (15-0) and 2002-03 (16-
0). UT also registered an NCAA record 69-game
home court-winning streak from Feb. 1, 1991 thru
Jan. 2, 1996.
JUST 18 LOSSES
The Tennessee Lady Vols rarely lose at home. In
fact, since moving to the Thompson-Boling Arena
for the 1987-88 campaign, UT has lost two games
in one season just six times. UT lost two games
in TBA during the inaugural 1987-88 campaign,
1996-97, 1999-00, 2001-02, 2003-04 and the
2005-06 seasons. The 18 all-time losses at TBA
have come at the hands of just nine teams: Florida
(2006), LSU (2006, 2008), Duke (2004, 2007),
Connecticut (2004, 2002, 2000, 1996), Louisiana
Tech (1999, 1989), Georgia (1996, 1991), Texas
(2003, 2002, 1987), Stanford (1996) and Auburn
(1988).
HOME SWEET HOME -- OVER 400 HOME WINS
The victory over Georgia on Jan. 31, 2005, was
the Lady Vols 400th home win since Pat Summitt
took over as head coach in 1974. Summitt has
won 91.4 percent of all home games in 34 years
producing a 444-43 overall record. Home losses
(in the Summitt era) include: six in Alumni Gym
from 1974-76; 18 in Stokely Athletics Center from
1976-87; and 18 in Thompson-Boling Arena since
1987.
A LOOK AT ATTENDANCE
The Tennessee Lady Vols staying power with the
home fans is evidenced by the huge numbers
who have turned out for games in Knoxville since
1990. Tennessee has won the attendance challenge
13 out of the last 19 years. From 2000-08,
the Lady Vols attracted 1,719,694 spectators per
game for an average of 14,451 at 119. Texas Tech
is second with 1,317,848 attending 108 games in
Lubbock for an average of 12,202. Connecticut
ranks third with 1,534,673 folks at 128 games for
an average of 11,989.
100 POINT GAMES
Since 1974, the Lady Vols have gone over the
century mark 69 times. Last season, DePaul allowed
102 Tennessee points on Jan. 2, 2008. The
1987-88 team hit triple digits in seven games to
lead the NCAA.
IN OVERTIME
The Lady Vols are 25-14 all-time in overtime games.
The most OT games in a year was tied in 2003-04
with four as the Lady Vols went 3-1 in overtime losing
to Georgia, 68-66, and defeating Auburn, 68-61,
DePaul, 96-89, and Stanford, 70-66. It tied the
mark set in 1996-97, when the Lady Vols were 3-1
in overtime contests losing to Georgia, 94-93, and
defeating Texas, 68-65, Vanderbilt, 92-79 and LSU,
100-99. UT's 22 points in the OT against Florida (2-
3-05), was the most ever scored by the Lady Vols in
a single overtime. UT's most recent OT affair was
a 73-69 loss to Stanford on Dec. 22, 2007, on the
road.
LADY VOL STREAKS
The Lady Vols last lost at home was against LSU,
78-62, on Feb. 14, 2008, since then UT has won
three home games. The last time UT lost on the
road was on Dec. 22, 2007 at Stanford, since then, UT is 11-0 in road games. The last time
the Lady Vols lost on a neutral court was against
LSU, 63-54, in the SEC semis game on Mar. 3,
2007. Since that time, UT is 16-0 on a neutral
court.
OVER 500 GAMES VS. RANKED
Tennessee's game versus #12 Georgia on Feb.
16, 2006 was the Lady Vols' 500th all-time versus
a ranked team since the inception of the polls in
1976. UT is an amazing 398-150 (.724) versus
ranked teams. The 2007-08 NCAA Champ Lady
Vols were 18-2 versus ranked teams.
LAST LOSS TO AN UNRANKED TEAM?
It was in the 2005-06 season. Florida became the
second unranked team in the 2005-06 season to
knock off the Lady Vols, when they won 95-93 OT
on Feb. 26, 2006. Exactly one month earlier, unranked
Kentucky turned the trick with a 66-63 win
over #1/3-ranked Tennessee on Jan. 26, 2006 at
Rupp Arena. Previously, it had been four years
since an unranked team upset the Lady Vols. So
before Florida and Kentucky had their way with
UT, when was the last time Tennessee lost to an
unranked team? That would have been to LSU
on Mar. 2, 2002 at the SEC Tournament in Nashville,
Tenn. LSU had been in and out of the Top 25
polls in late January and February. Prior to that,
UT's last loss to an unranked team was fi ve years
previous (to the day) losing to Auburn on Mar. 2,
1997 at the SEC Tournament.
TENNESSEE IN HOME EXHIBITIONS
Until the loss to the USA National Team on Nov.
4, 2007, Tennessee had scored 17-consecutive
victories against exhibition opponents...The
streak began with an 111-54 dismantling of the
U.S. Armed Forces on Nov. 4, 1997...UT has now
posted a 33-4 record in home exhibition tilts...
Losses were to USSR Olympic Team (102-59)
in 1979, Athletes in Action (70-68) in 1992 and
to the USA National Team (82-58) in 1995 and
(83-72) in 2007.
SEC COACHES SELECT LADY VOLS AS #2
The Southeastern Conference unveiled its fi fth
annual women's basketball preseason All-SEC
fi rst and second teams, Wed., Nov. 5, to tip off the
2008-09 season. In addition, the coaches voted
on a predicted order of fi nish, overall champion
and a preseason Player of the Year. Vanderbilt
was predicted to win the SEC women's basketball
regular season championship. The Commodores
were 25-9, 11-3 in the SEC last season. Vanderbilt
tops the order of fi nish with Tennessee, Auburn,
Georgia, LSU and Florida rounding out the top half
of the league. Kentucky comes in at seven while
Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Arkansas
and Alabama round out the bottom half of the
conference. Auburn senior guard DeWanna Bonner
was named SEC Women's Basketball Preseason
Player of the Year while three Lady Vols were selected
to either the fi rst or second teams.. Joining
Bonner, on the All-SEC First Team were Florida's
Marshae Dotson and Sha Brooks, Georgia's Ashley
Houts, LSU's Allison Hightower, Ole Miss' Shawn
Goff, Tennessee's Angie Bjorklund, and Vanderbilt's
Christina Wirth. Second team: Auburn's Whitney
Boddie and Sherell Hobbs, Georgia's Angel
Robinson, Kentucky's Victoria Dunlap, Mississippi
State's Marneshia Richard, South Carolina's Demetress
Adams, Tennessee's Vicki Baugh and Shekinna
Stricklen, and Vanderbilt's Jennifer Risper.
UT PICKED NUMBER TWO AT SEC MEDIA DAYS
Tennessee has been picked to fi nish second in
the SEC race with 261 points by a vote of conference
and national media members. UT sophomore
Angie Bjorklund and freshman Shekinna Stricklen
were each selected to the All-SEC Second Team.
Vanderbilt was picked to fi nish fi rst with 273 points,
followed by UT, Auburn with 246 points, Georgia
with 216 points and LSU rounded out the top-fi ve at
183 points. Auburn's DeWanna Bonner was tabbed
as Player of the Year. Joining her on the All-SEC
First Team was Vanderbilt's Christina Wirth, Florida's
Marshae Dotson, Georgia's Ashley Houts and
Ole Miss' Shawn Goff. Bjorklund, the 2007-08 SEC
Freshman of the Year and Stricklen, were joined
on the second team by Whitney Boddie of Auburn,
Sha Brooks of Florida, Angel Robinson of Georgia
and Allison Hightower of LSU.
Preseason Media Poll (First Place Votes)
Vanderbilt (12) 273 points
Tennessee (9) 261
Auburn 246
Georgia (4) 216
LSU 183
Florida 174
Kentucky 129
Ole Miss 126
Mississippi State 87
Arkansas 81
South Carolina 72
Alabama 25
|
Lady Vols vs. Rutgers Game Highlights - 1/3
