The third-ranked Lady Vols earned their 13th Southeastern Conference Tournament title Sunday, defeating the No. 7 LSU Lady Tigers 61-55. Candace Parker led the Vols with 28 points and six rebounds and Shannon Bobbitt added 12.
Parker's 18-foot jumper with 1:57 left put the Lady Vols (30-2) up for good, and secured UT's third tournament title in four years. Each time the Lady Vols have defeated LSU (27-5) in the finals.
Tennessee led at the half 25-22, but LSU battled back and took a four-point lead in the second half before Parker put UT ahead again with a fast break layup and free throw.
Parker came out hot scoring 13 points in the first 12 minutes of the game.
One of the storylines coming into the game was LSU’s Sylvia Fowles winning the SEC Player of the Year over Parker. Parker may have used it as motivation to finish her SEC career on top, as she was named the Tournament MVP.
Fowles had a hard-earned double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds despite constant hounding from Nicky Anosike. Anosike finished with eleven rebounds of her own.
Tennessee avenged its 78-62 Valentine’s Day loss to LSU. It was the Lady Vols’ worst league loss since 1985. The victory also gave the Lady Vols six straight 30-win seasons and their 18th in coach Pat Summitt’s 34-year career.
The win puts Tennessee in position to get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament which starts March 22.
Comments
Lady vol #1 fan commented, on March 9, 2008 at 10:40 p.m.:
WE DA BEST BABAY
Raven Simon#23 commented, on March 10, 2008 at 2:58 p.m.:
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ammmmmm a huge fannnnn of Candace Parker and the rest of the team !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tennessee da beast 4 sho. Candace Parker goin Pro
Comebackkid commented, on March 12, 2008 at 1:41 p.m.:
In my opinion, CP was robbed of the title, SEC Player of the Year; that is a bunch of BULL>>>>
LSU's Sylvia who??????????? This is a joke right?????????
Duh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!