Tennessee races past San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO - Kamiko Williams had a watershed meeting with Pat Summitt the day before Tuesday’s game with San Francisco, and the result was a player who understood what the coach expected and a coach who understood what the player needed. The freshman tallied 14 points, eight rebounds and four steals - all career highs - and Glory Johnson and Angie Bjorklund hit double figures in the 89-34 win.   Full Story

SAN FRANCISCO - Tanya Haave was happy to see her former coach Monday afternoon, but the Tennessee staff member she especially wanted to have a conversation with was Heather Mason. After watching film of the Lady Vols this fall and comparing it to games last season, Haave, whose San Francisco team plays Tennessee tonight, sees a team that is mentally tougher.   Full Story

PALO ALTO, Calif. - The Lady Vols used Stanford’s weight room and basketball facility Sunday morning for a prescheduled workout and an unplanned practice session the day after Tennessee lost to the Cardinal in a game vexing for the coaches because of the team’s failure to bring sufficient energy or execute its game plan.   Full Story

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Tennessee hit its first three shots against Stanford, seemed ready to settle in before a crowd poised to let loose and then let the game unravel in a combination of misses, passive defense and a somnambulant pace that little resembled the Lady Vols first nine games this season. The result for the players was a 67-52 loss and an evening spent in a film session with Pat Summitt.   Full Story

PALO ALTO, Calif. - When Stanford and Pac 10 sister school Cal play, it’s called the Battle of the Bay. When the Cardinal and Lady Vols square off Saturday it should be called the Battle of the Bigs. From a 6’2 point guard for Tennessee to the towering frontline of Stanford there will be size all over the floor when the two longtime rivals meet for the 27th time.   Full Story

No. 7 Duke. No. 3 Tennessee. No. 1 UConn. In the midst of one of the toughest regular-season stretches in program history, women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer talked with the press about her team’s upcoming battle with the Lady Vols, and their triumphant performance against the Blue Devils. Plus, injury updates, position switches and a look at scouting.   Full Story

When Pat Summitt walked onto the court ahead of her team and grabbed a microphone, a buzz went through the crowd of 11,084. The head coach said she had been overwhelmed with fans wanting the names back on the jerseys, so with that she said, “Merry Christmas,” and the players ran onto the court with their monikers on their backs. The Lady Vols then went on to run over Louisville, 86-56.   Full Story

Angie Bjorklund saw a defense in Tennessee’s last game that she hadn’t seen in awhile as Rutgers did what a lot of teams did last season – face guard the Lady Vols’ best shooter and make someone else score. The strategy backfired as other players stepped up and with another Big East team on tap tonight, Bjorklund said it was a valuable learning experience.   Full Story

NEW YORK - Pat Summitt held what she called a “prayer meeting” at halftime, but in the what-a-difference-a-year-makes category, Tennessee was ahead, in stark contrast to last season against Rutgers. The Lady Vols used defense, rebounding and an inside attack to stay undefeated and secure a 68-54 win.   Full Story

NEW YORK - At halftime of last season’s game against Rutgers, Pat Summitt was so mad she could not even speak. That’s when Glory Johnson knew exactly how upset her coach was after the Lady Vols managed to score just 13 points in the first half and were down by 20. They somehow came back to win the game and on Sunday they again face off against the Scarlet Knights.   Full Story

The Lady Vols spent the bulk of their court time Thursday working with the ball in their hands after two previous days of defensive sessions and will fly Friday to New York to eat, shop, take in a play and take on Rutgers on Sunday in Madison Square Garden. Exams ended Thursday – Taber Spani is hopeful she got a 4.0 for the fall semester – and the players were downright giddy before practice.   Full Story

Shekinna Stricklen returned to practice Tuesday after hyper-extending her knee in the win over Texas and is full go for this weekend’s trip to New York and matchup with Rutgers in Madison Square Garden. The Lady Vols got two solid days of defensive preparation this week and will take off Wednesday to focus on finals.    Full Story

Shekinna Stricklen was held out of practice Monday after hyper-extending her left knee in the win over Texas on Sunday night. It’s not the same injury as the sophomore sustained a year ago – that was a patellar subluxation to the right knee – and she was listed as day to day and will undergo treatment.   Full Story

Kelley Cain was perfect from the floor and guards Angie Bjorklund and Shekinna Stricklen combined to hit 50 percent from the field as Tennessee shot past Texas, 78-58, on Sunday evening in a game in which the head coaches came out arm in arm and wearing pink cowboy hats to call attention to the ongoing battle against breast cancer.   Full Story

Tennessee has played a team with size in Baylor, one that could put the ball on the floor in Virginia and another that liked to shoot behind the arc in Middle Tennessee, but tonight the Lady Vols will face a Texas team that combines all three. The Longhorns have size, will play off the bounce and can shoot from long range in a game that Holly Warlick sees as a complete test for Tennessee.   Full Story

The No. 24 University of Tennessee volleyball team was unable to overcome a strong effort by 11th-ranked Minnesota (26-8), as it dropped a 3-0 decision, 25-15, 25-16, 25-18, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at Thompson-Boling Arena.    Full Story

After two information-filled practice sessions Pat Summitt opted to give the team the day off Saturday – except for mandatory preventive treatment sessions – and save their legs for Sunday’s matchup with Texas. Kelley Cain will be a game day decision as far as her court status, as she must be examined by the team physician before being cleared to play.   Full Story

With a 3-1 triumph over Duke (27-6), the No. 24 Tennessee volleyball team (24-7) advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in school history.   Full Story

For the fifth time in the past six seasons, the 24th-ranked University of Tennessee volleyball team (23-7) will take part in the NCAA Tournament as it is set to host the first and second rounds this weekend at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville.   Full Story

Kelley Cain was held out of practice Thursday as she continues to follow the school’s concussion protocol, but she could be allowed to return today for non-contact drills. Tennessee spent most of the session at Pratt Pavilion working on guarding sets run by Texas – the opponent on Sunday – and will focus today on what should happen when the ball is in the hands of the Lady Vols.   Full Story

Alyssia Brewer was busy Tuesday – a career-high 23 points in the 93-53 win over George Washington, a TV interview, a radio spot as player of the game, a press conference and then the featured signer at the autograph table.   Full Story

Dean Lockwood held the scouting report for the George Washington game in his hands and said it holds the answers to the game, but it doesn’t have any impact on a player’s desire.   Full Story

Kelley Cain will miss the upcoming game against George Washington because of a concussion she suffered in Saturday’s game against UCLA. Cain, a redshirt sophomore, will be monitored under the school’s concussion protocol, and the absence of the 6’6 center means the 5’2 Briana Bass shifts to the starting lineup at point guard.   Full Story

Some of the best energy on display Saturday came at halftime from two sources – the Frisbee dogs and the fans’ evaluation of the officials as they left the floor. Unfortunately for Tennessee fans, the Lady Vols spent most of the first half sputtering on offense and slipping on defense, though they did enough in the second half to secure the win over UCLA, 61-47.   Full Story

The voices of Nikki Caldwell and Tasha Butts filled Thompson-Boling Arena on Friday in what seemed like an incongruent setting – two former Lady Vol players standing on the orange checkerboard part of “The Summitt” court but wearing the blue of UCLA and preparing their team to take on Tennessee in a matchup of mentor and students.   Full Story