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Home > SECWB News & More! > Our Staff & Contributors > LeAnne Harrington > UT Wins Their Eighth Straight Over LA Tech
UT Wins Their Eighth Straight Over LA Tech
by LeAnne Harrington, SECWB.com
Posted: November 27th, 2007 @ 4:13am
Source: View Box Score
The long-storied rivalry between two of the premiere teams in the history of women’s college basketball seems a thing of the past as the University of Tennessee Lady Vols won their eighth straight game over the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters in a rout, 81-60, to go 5-0 on the year. Despite the fact that LA Tech has more wins over UT than any other team in the nation, this is a rebuilding team that bears little resemblance to the LA Tech squads of old. The wheels feel off early for the Lady Techster youngsters (they have only two seniors on their team), as they were outscored 55-26 in the first half. But it is doubtful whether anyone could have beaten the Big Orange on a night like this: they connected on 9 of their first 10 from long range, with four different Lady Vols hitting two treys apiece in the first half.
With the game firmly in hand and the outcome never in doubt, UT coach Pat Summitt took the opportunity to rest her big guns and give her bench plenty of minutes. Candace Parker was one of three Lady Vols to score lucky 13, and she knocked down her baker’s dozen in only 16 minutes of play. The only UT player to be more productive was Nicky Anosike who scored her 13 in 15 minutes. Shannon Bobbitt was the third player to score 13, while freshman Angie Bjorklund added 12.
Coach Summitt was far from displeased at the Lady Vols’ long range bombs, but stated after the game that she was glad they went back to playing inside-outside ball in the second half. “Shooting the 3s let’s us stretch the defense out,” Summitt said, which in turn opened up the inside for Anosike and Parker and a host of other Vols. It was UT's smothering defense that made the biggest difference in this game, as they scored 28 points off of 24 LA Tech turnovers. UT held LA Tech to 27% from the field in the first half, and 32% for the game. LA Tech was led by Whitney Jones with 16 points, and JoKeirra Sneed had 15 points and a game-high 18 rebounds. Shanavia Dowdell was the only other Tech player in double figures with 11 points. LA Tech head coach Chris Long stated: “There's a reason Tennessee's number one. I don't know if I've ever seen a team shoot the ball as good as they did in the first half. As talented and as big as they are, if they are going to do that they are going to be ahead of a lot of people."
UT’s next game promises to be a little more challenging, as they face the University of North Carolina on Sunday in a rematch with their opponent from last season’s Final Four semifinal game.
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