TENNESSEE 75, ARKANSAS 68 : Lady’Backs take No. 2 Tennessee into overtime before falling
Posted on Friday, February 23, 2007
A Lady Razorback team that at home couldn't beat some middle-of-the-pack SEC teams took No. 2 Tennessee to overtime Thursday night.
Tennessee took it from there, outscoring Susie Gardner's Lady'Backs 13-6 in the extra five minutes for a 75-68 SEC victory at Bud Walton Arena.
The victory boosts Pat Summitt's Lady Vols to 26-2 overall and 13-0 in the league, just one win away from completing an undefeated SEC regular season.
Thursday's victory was more difficult for the Lady Vols than they anticipated.
Sarah Pfeifer was one of four Lady Razorback seniors playing their final home game. Arkansas (18-11, 3-10 ) finishes the regular season Sunday at Georgia before next week's SEC Tournament. It's possible the injury-plagued Pfeifer might accept a medical hardship and return to the team for another season.
"I'm proud of our team," Pfeifer said. "We played so hard for 45 minutes and gave them more than they wanted, for sure. You ask every coach in the conference, nobody thought we would take them to overtime. We played up to the competition tonight."
Summitt said her team, fresh off a 56-51 win at No. 7 LSU on Monday night, learned a lesson about respect.
"Our players came out not respecting Arkansas," Summitt said. "But I'll tell you, if Arkansas played all year long the way they did tonight, they would not have the record they have. They played very inspired."
Senior Dominique Washington led Arkansas'inspiration with 21 points, including the 3-pointer with 5 seconds left that tied the game 62-62 and forced overtime.
Tennessee got plenty of second-half inspiration from Candace Parker. The 6-4 forward scored 21 of her 29 points in the second half and grabbed 11 of her 17 rebounds in the final 25 minutes.
Point guard Shannon Bobbitt scored 15 points and grabbed two key steals when Tennessee scored off three straight Arkansas turnovers to start catching up on a nine-point secondhalf deficit.
Arkansas played inspired from the jump. Other than 2-0 and 12-11 leads, Tennessee never led in the first half. Arkansas led 25-16 before a Tennessee run cut it to 25-23 at intermission.
Arkansas led by nine with 7: 34 left in regulation before the three steals, which Summitt called "huge," brought Tennessee back into the game.
Lauren Ervin's free throws and a bucket by Whitney Jones with: 59 left got Arkansas within three and set up Washington's game-tying trey after Bobbitt missed the front end of a one-and-one with 29 seconds left.
"The first shot she fouled me," Washington said. "I said if I get it back, it's going in."
However, two turnovers and an airball to start overtime dug Arkansas a hole.
"Our defense turned it up," Summitt said. "And during a timeout, Candace said, ' We are not going to lose this game !'"
Arkansas did claw back from down 67-62 to get within three on a Washington trey with 40 seconds left and down 71-68 on a layup by Tanisha Smith before Tennessee put it away.
"I am very pleased with our effort," Gardner said. "We played so hard and so well, but it stinks to continue to lose."
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