At a midcourt ceremony before Friday night’s game in Alumni Hall, associate athletic director Jean Lenti and coach Doug Bruno of DePaul presented Pat Summitt with a dozen long’stemmed red roses to commemorate Summitt’s recent 700th coaching victory at Tennessee.
If the gift was an offering to quench Summitt’s desire for a quick KO for victory No. 702, it didn’t work.
Summitt’s three junior stars–Tamika Catchings, Semeka Randall and Kristen “Ace” Clement–played in almost perfect sync as the No. 2-ranked Vols roared to leads of 15-2 after six minutes, 30-6 after nine minutes and 61-35 at the half before winning 100-66.
Catchings, a 6-foot 2-inch star from Stevenson High, ran the floor under control. She finished fastbreaks, hitting 9 of 13 shots and scored 21 points.
Randall ran the break, sliced to the hole for layups, went 7 for 10 and scored 18 points. Point guard Clement hit 7 of 9, scored 17 and obviously had her most fun dishing off a game-high nine assists.
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“It was important that we got off to such a good start,” said Summitt. “We ran the floor. We finished. We passed very well. Tamika played under control. She played smart.”
Summitt said that her team’s offense in the first half was its best since it upset the U.S. National team by one point in the only loss the Olympic-bound team of pro stars suffered in 12 games against college teams.
Summitt, always the perfectionist, pointed out areas where she expects improvement.
“Our post play has to be more consistent,” said Summitt. “When we have it, we’re All World. When we don’t have it, we’re a top 15 team. And the younger players have to play better defense.”
Using this criteria, Tennessee was a “top 15 team” Friday night. That’s because 6-5 Michelle Snow was limited to seven points and three rebounds and 6-3 Shalon Pillow had four points and two rebounds in the post.
But the majority of the 3,806 fans seemed to sense Summitt is coaching a team that could earn her a seventh NCAA title. Bruno also praised the Lady Vols, although he thought his players helped the visitors by their awestruck reaction in the first half.
“I hope that was the last half we play with the `deer in the headlight fright,’ ” said Bruno. “That was the subject of our halftime talk. We competed much better in the second half. That’s the way we have to play if we’re to get back into the NCAA tournament.”
Sophomore Lenae Williams and freshman Laura Sobieszyzyk helped the Demons come back with their three-point shooting. Williams went 4 for 8 from behind the arc and totaled a game-high 24 points. Sobie went 4 for 6 in three-pointers and scored 14.
Tennessee’s top player Friday night was Clement, who has taken over the point played so splendidly the last four years by Kellie Jolly.
“I worked hard, and Kellie helped me,” said Clement. “I know I have to play smart and see the floor. I like running the offense on the ope4n court, but I have to get better in our half court offense.
De Paul dropped to 5-3 and Tennessee improved to 7-1. Its only loss was to Louisiana Tech. How could her Vols beat the U.S. team and then lose at home to Tech?
“I think we caught the National team a little fatigued,” said Summitt. “And we played lour most inspired game of the year. We were All World. Then against La Tech, we had a letdown, and they were All World. Their guards did what they wanted to against us.”
De Paul’s loss Friday was an improvement in one respect. Last year, the Demons lost to the Vols by 42 points, 89-47. Two years ago, it was a 79-point spread, 125-46 in Alumni Hall.