Tennessee gets to play their sibling rivalry in the SEC...
 |
February 26, 2009 |
 |
|
19-8 (8-4)
18(AP) 23(USA Today) |
15-9 (8-4)
NR(AP) NR(USA Today) |
| Tennessee |
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Yr.
|
PPG
|
RPG
|
APG
|
|
| G | 5 Angie Bjorklund |
6-0
|
-
|
So.
|
11.4
|
3.0
|
2.8
|
| F/G | 25 Glory Johnson |
6-3
|
-
|
Fr.
|
11.0
|
7.3
|
0.7
|
| F |
40 Shekinna Stricklen |
6-2
|
-
|
Fr.
|
12.7
|
5.9
|
2.8
|
| F/C | 2/44 Alex Fuller |
6-3
|
-
|
Sr.
|
8.0
|
6.0
|
1.4
|
| C |
52 Kelley Cain |
6-6
|
-
|
Fr.
|
7.7
|
5.0
|
0.5
|
| LSU |
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Yr.
|
PPG
|
RPG
|
APG
|
|
| F |
44 Kristen Morris |
6-2
|
-
|
Sr.
|
5.5
|
3.9
|
0.5
|
| F | 55 LaSondra Barrett |
6-2
|
-
|
Fr.
|
11.0
|
5.8
|
1.2
|
| G |
1 Katherine Graham |
5-11
|
-
|
So.
|
5.3
|
5.0
|
2.8
|
| G | 3 Latear Eason |
5-8
|
-
|
So.
|
3.4
|
2.1
|
2.1
|
| G |
23 Allison Hightower |
5-10
|
-
|
Jr.
|
14.4
|
4.5
|
2.8
|
The Lady Vols and the Lady Tigers share more in common than either would probably care to admit right now. Both teams turned over their entire starting roster to graduation after last year. (Hightower averaged about 20 minutes a game last year but was not a starter; the rest of LSU's starting lineup averaged 23 minutes per game combined.) LSU has also had some struggles with consistency, though they have gone largely unreported due to the Lady Vols' far more spectacular roller coaster ride.
LSU is always a tough place to play, and they need this one worse than Tennessee does. A win here may make the difference between the NCAA tourney or the NIT for the Lady Tigers; a UT win carries more importance for the SEC tourney than the NCAA's. Whoever wins will get a bye in the first round of the SEC tournament, so it's not exactly a slouch game at that.
Note: LSU's starting lineup is short. I would expect them to press the tempo and try to outrun the Lady Vols. In turn, the Lady Vols must press the interior game where Cain has been unstoppable recently - even against much larger competition. This is a battle of wills between two very young squads.
GO LADY VOLS!