Lady Vols Cruise Past Auburn, Tune-Up for Tourney; Summitt Comments on Pearl
By John Mark Hancock
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Copyrighted - All Rights Reserved
TriCitiesSports.Com
KNOXVILLE - The Tennessee Lady Vols cruised past Auburn tonight at Thompson-Boling Arena, 81-56. The workmanlike performance, which was shown on Fox Sports Net television, provided a good tuneup for Pat Summitt's team as they prepare for the SEC Women's Tournament in Little Rock next weekend. Only one more regular season game remains for them, the home finale against Florida on Sunday afternoon.
Listless in the beginning of the game and falling behind 18-12 at one point, the Lady Vols went on a 10-0 run and then stretched that to a 25-3 run during the latter part of the first half to finish with a 39-29 halftime lead. Summitt's 907th career win was her 13th straight over Auburn, moving the Lady Vols to 25-3 overall and 11-2 in the SEC, enough to clinch at least second place in the league. The Lady Tigers have only won twice in Knoxville in the history of their program.
Californian Tye'sha Fluker had a career high 22 points as the Lady Vols flexed their muscles against a very physical Lady Tigers team, coached by Summitt's friend and colleague, Nell Fortner. Fluker was 7-of-9 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free throw line. She also played a big part in boxing out and holding Auburn to only 9 rebounds in the entire second half.
Freshman Candace Parker, who had her seventh double-double of the season, missed the first-ever dunk attempt by a woman in UT's arena, but said afterwards it was pretty anyway. It was also Parker's first dunk attempt of her collegiate career. Coach Summitt was happy with Parker's attempt, saying she just started her motion a little early. Parker, in her post-game comments to the media, revealed that the 6'5" senior Fluker has a new nickname the team gave her that goes along with her bruising style of play, "The Thunder From Down Under." Parker grabbed 13 rebounds, leading the team in that department for the 20th game this year.
Junior Forward Sidney Spencer got the Lady Vols started in fine fashion, scoring two 3-pointers to begin the game and going 3-for-4 from behind the arc in the first half. Taking up the slack from the injured Alexis Hornbuckle, who is out for the season, she said in response to a question after the game about whether the team is developing a new style and personality now that tournament time is rolling around, that, "getting the ball inside was a key to our victory down the stretch and that physical style of play is what we need in being more aggressive in the post-season." Spencer finished with 18 points herself, 14 of which she achieved in the first half.
Fortner, who played a very young lineup, starting three freshmen along with two seniors, had a big team on the floor, including 6'7" KeKe Carrier, 6'4" DeWanna Bonner, and 6'5" Marita Payne, all of whom played most of the game. Additionally, 6'4" Juanitta Wallace, another freshman, 6'2" Aileen Rossouw and 6'2" Alexis Ogubie got in some playing time.
Nell said, "Tennessee broke our spirit tonight down the stretch. They demoralized us and broke our back. They do such a good job of so many things. We tend to bring out the best in people. The Lady Vols got themselves in position to get plenty of offensive rebounds." UT out-rebounded Auburn on the offensive glass, 15-2.
Summitt was pleased with the play of her team. "We did a lot of good things with the exception of how we started the game. We played efficiently overall and have successfully challenged our bench to be more productive. I liked the fact that Shanna Zolman had 6 assists and only one turnover. She is making the most of her opportunity to lead this team."
Pat again commented on, "the energy coming off our bench, out-rebounding a very tall team 40-25. Fluker has become our anchor on the floor and makes everyone out there better. She is the one post player we can go to early, with her size, strength, and aggressiveness." The Lady Vols scored over twice as many points as Auburn in the paint, leading to their 25-point margin of victory at the end of the game.
Asked to comment on her experience in being in Gainesville last night while on a recruiting trip to see the Tennessee Vols sweep the Florida Gators for the first time since Coach Jerry Green's team won the SEC East in 2000 and went on to the NCAA Sweet 16, Summitt said, "The atmosphere there was unbelievable. Coach Bruce Pearl didn't score any points, but he sure had a lot to do with how many points were scored on the floor. I haven't seen a more close-knit team of young men since I've been here at Tennessee."
By John Mark Hancock
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Copyrighted - All Rights Reserved
TriCitiesSports.Com
KNOXVILLE - The Tennessee Lady Vols cruised past Auburn tonight at Thompson-Boling Arena, 81-56. The workmanlike performance, which was shown on Fox Sports Net television, provided a good tuneup for Pat Summitt's team as they prepare for the SEC Women's Tournament in Little Rock next weekend. Only one more regular season game remains for them, the home finale against Florida on Sunday afternoon.
Listless in the beginning of the game and falling behind 18-12 at one point, the Lady Vols went on a 10-0 run and then stretched that to a 25-3 run during the latter part of the first half to finish with a 39-29 halftime lead. Summitt's 907th career win was her 13th straight over Auburn, moving the Lady Vols to 25-3 overall and 11-2 in the SEC, enough to clinch at least second place in the league. The Lady Tigers have only won twice in Knoxville in the history of their program.
Californian Tye'sha Fluker had a career high 22 points as the Lady Vols flexed their muscles against a very physical Lady Tigers team, coached by Summitt's friend and colleague, Nell Fortner. Fluker was 7-of-9 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free throw line. She also played a big part in boxing out and holding Auburn to only 9 rebounds in the entire second half.
Freshman Candace Parker, who had her seventh double-double of the season, missed the first-ever dunk attempt by a woman in UT's arena, but said afterwards it was pretty anyway. It was also Parker's first dunk attempt of her collegiate career. Coach Summitt was happy with Parker's attempt, saying she just started her motion a little early. Parker, in her post-game comments to the media, revealed that the 6'5" senior Fluker has a new nickname the team gave her that goes along with her bruising style of play, "The Thunder From Down Under." Parker grabbed 13 rebounds, leading the team in that department for the 20th game this year.
Junior Forward Sidney Spencer got the Lady Vols started in fine fashion, scoring two 3-pointers to begin the game and going 3-for-4 from behind the arc in the first half. Taking up the slack from the injured Alexis Hornbuckle, who is out for the season, she said in response to a question after the game about whether the team is developing a new style and personality now that tournament time is rolling around, that, "getting the ball inside was a key to our victory down the stretch and that physical style of play is what we need in being more aggressive in the post-season." Spencer finished with 18 points herself, 14 of which she achieved in the first half.
Fortner, who played a very young lineup, starting three freshmen along with two seniors, had a big team on the floor, including 6'7" KeKe Carrier, 6'4" DeWanna Bonner, and 6'5" Marita Payne, all of whom played most of the game. Additionally, 6'4" Juanitta Wallace, another freshman, 6'2" Aileen Rossouw and 6'2" Alexis Ogubie got in some playing time.
Nell said, "Tennessee broke our spirit tonight down the stretch. They demoralized us and broke our back. They do such a good job of so many things. We tend to bring out the best in people. The Lady Vols got themselves in position to get plenty of offensive rebounds." UT out-rebounded Auburn on the offensive glass, 15-2.
Summitt was pleased with the play of her team. "We did a lot of good things with the exception of how we started the game. We played efficiently overall and have successfully challenged our bench to be more productive. I liked the fact that Shanna Zolman had 6 assists and only one turnover. She is making the most of her opportunity to lead this team."
Pat again commented on, "the energy coming off our bench, out-rebounding a very tall team 40-25. Fluker has become our anchor on the floor and makes everyone out there better. She is the one post player we can go to early, with her size, strength, and aggressiveness." The Lady Vols scored over twice as many points as Auburn in the paint, leading to their 25-point margin of victory at the end of the game.
Asked to comment on her experience in being in Gainesville last night while on a recruiting trip to see the Tennessee Vols sweep the Florida Gators for the first time since Coach Jerry Green's team won the SEC East in 2000 and went on to the NCAA Sweet 16, Summitt said, "The atmosphere there was unbelievable. Coach Bruce Pearl didn't score any points, but he sure had a lot to do with how many points were scored on the floor. I haven't seen a more close-knit team of young men since I've been here at Tennessee."
