| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Even though they were tired, Tamika
Catchings and Ashley Robinson had a happy homecoming.
Catchings had 11 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, and
Robinson scored a career-best 13 points as No. 2 Tennessee beat
Texas Christian 83-61 Monday night.
April McDivitt scored 14 points, including two 3-pointers and
two free throws in a game-turning 16-0 run in the first half, for
the Lady Vols (4-0).
"When April went in, we went to our motion offense and told her
to look for a 3. You only say that once to her," Tennessee coach
Pat Summitt said. "She started looking for it, and it was a big
factor that allows us to open up going into the locker room."
Tennessee had a 16-hour flight delay after winning the Maui
Women's Tournament and didn't get to Fort Worth until early Monday
morning.
Catchings started the game-deciding spurt with a layup that tied
the game 25-25 with 4:56 left in the first half. McDivitt followed
with five points in less than a minute.
McDivitt made two free throws, and after TCU (1-1) missed a
shot, she made one of her four 3-pointers. She also had another
3-pointer later as Tennessee went up 39-25.
The Lady Vols led 43-32 at halftime, and then Catchings hit a
3-pointer to start the second half.
Summitt scheduled the game to allow Texas native Catchings to
play in front of her family during her senior season. Robinson, a
freshman, is also from Texas.
"I wasn't nervous. I was just ready to get back," Robinson
said. "I was pumped up for this game."
After the Lady Frogs cut their deficit to 56-48 on Kim Walter's
strong inside move with 12:35 left, they went scoreless for five
minutes. Robinson had a couple of inside baskets and McDivitt
another 3-pointer as the Lady Vols scored 12 straight points to
lead 68-48 with just over 7½ minutes left.
"We knew they were going to come out fired up. It took us a
while to get in the groove," Catchings said. "We picked it up in
the second half and ended the game with high intensity."
Tricia Payne led TCU with 13 points, while Kati Safaritova and
Amy Porter had 10 each.
The game was played before a crowd of 7,262, the largest ever to
watch a basketball game -- men's or women's -- on the TCU campus.
About one-third of those were wearing Tennessee orange.
"It was a great atmosphere, what we envisioned when we
scheduled the game," TCU coach Jeff Mittie said.
"I didn't really get caught up in the homecoming of Catchings
and Robinson," Mittie joked. "I told them welcome back, see you
later ... glad you're gone unless you want to stay and play here."
Tennessee won the first Maui Women's Tournament by beating
Illinois 111-62 Saturday. When their flight was canceled, the Lady
Vols slept in the airport and finally checked into their hotel
about 1 a.m. Monday.
| |
ALSO SEE
Womens College Basketball Scoreboard
Tennessee Clubhouse
TCU Clubhouse
|
