Jan. 15, 2009

Recap |  Box Score |  Quotes

Game Notes: Mississippi State vs. Tennessee

Notes...

• Today's starters: Briana Bass, Shekinna Stricklen, Angie Bjorklund, Alex Fuller, Glory Johnson
• Sophomore Vicki Baugh did not play after spraining her left knee in practice on Jan. 1.
• Redshirt-sophomore Cait McMahan has decided to not play the rest of the season, accepting a role as a student assistant coach and will remain on the sidelines.
• Three Lady Vols finished in double figures: Stricklen (15), Bjorklund (14) and Alyssia Brewer (10).
• Tennessee started the game 0-of-8 from the field before Johnson made the first basket of the game at the 16:34 mark of the first half. Kelley Cain's layup at the 10:41 mark ended the nearly six minute scoreless drought for UT.
• At the second media timeout (11:46), UT was 1-of-14 from the field.
• The Lady Vols opened the game with a 3-0 lead, but the Lady Bulldogs went on a 10-0 run to the 10:41 mark, grabbing a 10-3 lead.
• UT went on a 10-2 run from the 8:24 mark of the first half to the 4:20 mark, grabbing a 23-19 lead.
• The Lady Vols were held without a field goal from the 16:41 mark of the second half to the 9:07 point - going from a 39-35 lead to trailing 46-45.
• The last time Tennessee lost back-to-back Southeastern Conference games was on Feb. 5, 1986, when Ole Miss downed UT, 68-54, in Oxford and on Feb. 8, 1986, when Auburn claimed a 66-60 win in Knoxville.
• Tennessee's last loss to an unranked team was on Feb. 26, 2006, when the Florida Gators claimed a 95-93 overtime win at Thompson-Boling Arena. UT was ranked No. 5/5 in that game.
• The Lady Vols last dropped back-to-back games when they lost 75-53 at No. 2 Duke on Jan. 23, 2006, and 66-63 at Kentucky on Jan. 26, 2006.
• The Lady Vols made a three-pointer for the 356th consecutive game.
• The Lady Vols have shot an average of 25.1 free throws per game, making 68.1 percent. Tonight they shot 26, making 18.

The win tonight...

• Gives Pat Summitt a 596-32 record in games against unranked teams.
• Improves the Lady Vols record to 29-0 against Mississippi State and 13-0 in Starkville.
• Moves UT to 400-60 all-time against the Southeastern Conference and 267-35 in league play.
• The Lady Vols are now 6-2 on the road in 2008-09.
• Gives UT an 8-3 record in TV games in 2008-09.
• Head Coach Pat Summitt's career record now stands at 996-185 (.843) all time, just four wins from 1,000.

Up next...

• The Lady Vols return home to face the South Carolina Gamecocks in a 3 p.m. game to be aired on FSN-South on Sunday, Jan. 18.

Freshman Glory Johnson:

• Had the first basket of the game, a putback layup with 16:34 left in the first half

Freshman Alyssia Brewer:

• With a free throw at the 10:46 point of the second half, she moved past the 100-point mark for the season and her career - she currently has 107 points

Freshman Shekinna Stricklen:

• With a free throw with 41 seconds left in the game, she scored her 200th point of the season and her career - she now has 203 points
• Suffered a rib contusion on her left side at the 17:18 mark of the second half, but returned to the game
• Her three-pointer with 1:45 left gave the Lady Vols the lead 59-56, which they would not surrender down the stretch
• Was a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line
• Named Lady Vol Player of the Game

Redshirt Freshman Kelley Cain:

• Suffered an irritation of her surgically-repaired right knee and left the game with 30.4 seconds left in the first half

Sophomore Angie Bjorklund:

• Had Tennessee's first point on a free throw at the 18:27 mark of the first half
• Three-pointer at 5:01 remaining in the first half gave UT a 21-19 lead, its first since being up 3-2 at 16:28 in the first half
• Needs just 12 three-pointers to move into a tie for No. 10 on Tennessee's career three-pointers made list. Tasha Butts and Jody Adams are currently number 10 with 103 three-pointers.

Senior Alex Fuller:

• Her nine rebounds are the most she has grabbed in a Southeastern Conference game