KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tamika Catchings' career at Tennessee
ended Monday when she landed hard on her right knee and tore a
ligament.
|  | | Tennessee trainer Jenny Moshak attends to Tamika Catchings. |
"We lost our best player and leader by example," Lady Vols
coach Pat Summitt said after Tennessee's 66-59 win over No. 21
Mississippi State. "She was injured the way she played the game --
all out and hard on every play."
Catchings, the All-America senior forward who led second-ranked
Tennessee (16-1, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) in scoring and
rebounding, left with 5:43 to go after landing hard on her right
knee after driving to the basket.
Several hours later, the team orthopedist determined Catchings
tore the ACL, ending her season and career at Tennessee.
Catchings went down under the Tennessee basket driving down the
lane after she was fouled. She crashed to the floor on her right
knee and silenced the 11,643 people in the stands. Catchings was
taken off the court in a wheelchair.
"When she came down the floor, I watched her because she plays
so hard and really comes in and jump starts and shoots. I did not
see her knee give out," Summitt said.
Catchings finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds, while Gwen
Jackson added 12 points and Michelle Snow 10 for the Lady Vols, who
have won 29 straight conference home games.
Mississippi State (10-5, 1-3), the only school in the league
that has never beaten Tennessee, was led by LaToya Thomas with 16
points. Jennifer Fambrough added 15 and Cynthia hall had 13.
Mississippi State's Courtney Graham converted a three-point play
to tie it at 42 with 11:24 left, but the Lady Vols followed with an
11-1 run over the next five minutes to expand their lead to 10.
Before her injury, Catchings started the spurt with a
three-point play, drove down the lane for a basket and then grabbed
a loose ball and tossed it to Ashley Robinson for an easy basket.
Jackson's basket capped it and gave the Lady Vols a 53-43 lead with
six minutes to go.
The Lady Bulldogs got no closer than seven the rest of the way.
Tennessee officials had hoped that because Catchings didn't feel
or hear a pop, which usually indicates torn ligaments, that the
injury was not serious.
She was to undergo an MRI later Monday and begin rehabilitation
before surgery, which was to be scheduled this week.
Thomas, a sophomore who leads the league in scoring at 24.7
points per game and rebounding at 9.7 per game, said she is always
inspired when playing against Catchings. Thomas was held to just
one free throw in the first half and didn't have her first field
goal until 16:13 left in the game.
"Playing against Tamika Catchings always motivates me," she
said. "She and I had a great matchup in the SEC Tournament last
year and I look to play my best against her."
The Lady Vols were distraught and worried after seeing Catchings
leave but they continued to play.
"During the game, coach told us that we can't lose focus, that
we had to deal with this after the game," Tennessee point guard
Kara Lawson said. "We had to be strong for her."
"It's hard to focus right now because of our concern for
Tamika," Summitt said after the game.
Tennessee started the second half with a 7-0 run capped by
Catchings' one-handed layup that put the Lady Vols up 34-27 with
16:32 to go.
Mississippi State challenged the entire game and led by as many
as eight points in the first half. The Lady Vols tied the score at
27 with 8.9 left before halftime after Snow made two free throws.
"This is the most focused our team has played this season,"
Lady Bulldogs coach Sharon Fanning said. "We stuck to our game
plan, stayed focused and you can't ask for more than that."
Both teams struggled offensively shooting below 38 percent in
the first half.
The Lady Bulldogs took a 12-4 lead with 15:12 left after Hall
picked up her own rebound and tossed it into the basket.
Catchings' 3 pulled the Lady Vols to 15-13 with 11:12 left in
the first half, but Hall made a jumper and Keisha Stringfellow had
a layup to restore Mississippi State's lead to six.
After Robinson's jumper cut the lead to 19-15 with 9:43 left,
neither team scored until Snow's jumper four minutes later trimmed
the lead to two. Kara Lawson hit a jumper to tie the score at 19,
but Mississippi State saw its lead go back to five before the Lady
Vols trimmed it again.
Catchings had nine points and 10 rebounds in the first half.
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ALSO SEE
Women's College Basketball Scoreboard
Mississippi State Clubhouse
Tennessee Clubhouse
Catchings suffers torn ACL
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Tamika Catchings drives to the basket, but falls to the floor with an injured knee.
avi: 2873 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Tamika Catchings makes the underhanded pass to Ashley Robinson while falling to the floor.
avi: 1081 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Michelle Snow hits the turn-around jumper over two Mississippi State defenders.
avi: 1084 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Gwen Jackson takes the inside feed and goes glass for two points.
avi: 1072 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Mississippi State's Jennifer Fambourgh drains the 3-pointer.
avi: 886 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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