March 12, 2012

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee Lady Vol basketball team (24-8 overall) learned on Monday night it was awarded a No. 2 seed in the Des Moines Region in the 2012 NCAA Championships and would be facing sister school Tennessee-Martin in first round action in Chicago, Ill., at 4:10 p.m. ET (ESPN2) on Sat., Mar. 17.

"We are excited to be playing UT Martin," said Lady Vol head coach Pat Summitt. "I know they were happy to be playing in the tournament again after winning their conference championship. We look forward to our match-up."

Tennessee, an automatic qualifier by virtue of winning the 2012 SEC Tournament Championship, earned a spot in a record 31st NCAA tournament. UT is the only school to be invited to every NCAA Championship since 1982.

No.15 seeded UT Martin, Summitt's alma mater (Class of 1974), earned its second consecutive appearance in the "Big Dance" as the automatic qualifier from the Ohio Valley Conference.

Also joining the UT's in Chicago at the Allstate Arena are host and No. 7 seed at-large selection DePaul (22-10) and No. 10 seed and West Coast Conference Champion BYU (26-6).

The Lady Vols have been awarded four previous No. 2 seeds - 2006 (Cleveland Region), 2002 (Midwest Region), 1987 (Mideast Region) and 1982 (Mideast Region).

LADY VOL NCAA TOURNAMENT FACTOIDS

• Tennessee is the only school to have attended every NCAA Tournament (31)

• The Lady Vols have won 8 NCAA titles -- 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2008

• Tennessee has played in more NCAA Tournament games than any other school -- 131

• Under Coach Pat Summitt's direction, the Lady Vols have a 109-22 record (.832) in the NCAAs

• Tennessee has advanced to a record-setting 18 NCAA Final Fours

• Including the old AIAW days with four Final Four trips between 1977-81, the Lady Vols have attended a total of 22 Final Four Championships

• UT's NCAA Final Four overall record is 21-10; 13-5 in semifinals and 8-5 in title games

• Tennessee has advanced to the NCAA Championship game 13 times and won 8 titles

• UT has been granted 21 number one seeds in 31 NCAA Tournaments since 1982

• From 1988-96, the Lady Vols received nine consecutive number one seeds

• The Lady Vols have never lost an NCAA Second Round game, 22-0

• UT advanced to 27 consecutive Sweet 16 games before missing in 2009

• 2011 marked the Lady Vols 29th trip to the Sweet 16... all-time UT is 24-5

• UT has advanced to 24 Elite 8 games since 1982...Overall record is 18-6

• In Elite 8 games, Tennessee has faced SEC opponents seven times trying to advance to the Final Four and produced a 6-1 record... The next most often-faced conference in this round is the ACC in six meetings and a 3-3 record... UT is 3-0 vs. the Big 12 in the Elite 8

• In 2011, Marquette became the 73rd different opponent for UT in the NCAA Tournament

• The Mid-America Conference was the 26th different conference UT has faced in the NCAAs

• Tennessee's average score in an NCAA First Round game is 89.1-51.7 or +37.4 margin

• UT's largest margin of victory in an NCAA First Round, +74, 111-37 over N.C. A&T in 1994

• UT's largest margin of defeat in an NCAA First Round, -16, lost 55-71 to Ball St. 2009

• Most points UT has scored in the NCAA First Round, 113 vs. Appalachian State, 1999

• Fewest points UT has scored in the NCAA First Round, 55 vs. Ball State, 2009

• Summitt has faced two former Lady Vol players, who are now in the coaching ranks, in NCAA First Round games: Lea Henry, Georgia State, 2002, and Kellie Jolly Harper, Western Carolina, 2005. Henry lost 98-68 on Mar. 15 and Jolly Harper dropped a 94-43 game on Mar. 20.

• Tennessee's average score in an NCAA Second Round game is 81.5-58.9 or +22.6 margin

• UT's smallest margin of victory in the NCAA Second Round, +8, 55-47 over SW Mo St., 1991

• UT's largest margin of victory in the NCAA Second Round, +41, 97-56 over Rutgers in 1992