TENN +1.5 (-110)
220/200
Blue Devils stand in the way of the Lady Vols' push for their first title since that run ended.
Tennessee and coach Pat Summitt look to exact revenge against Duke and Gail Goestenkors, the Naismith Award winner as women's coach of the year, in the national semifinals at the Georgia Dome.
The Blue Devils stunned Chamique Holdsclaw and the Lady Vols 69-63 in the East Regional final in 1999, ending Tennessee's shot at a four-peat. Summitt recognizes that the victory has done wonders for Duke's program, and may have quite a bit to do with the Blue Devils making it to a rematch with the Lady Vols this year.
``There is no question that was a game that took Duke to another level in terms of national exposure and in terms of recruiting,'' Summitt said. ``You can just look at what they've been doing since and understand the impact of a win like that over a Tennessee team that was competing for a fourth straight national championship. Gail (Goestenkors) and her staff capitalized on that.''
One of the players that Goestenkors successfully recruited following that 1999 victory was junior guard Alana Beard, who earned All-American honors this season after leading the Blue Devils with 21.8 points per game.
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Beard has already paid dividends against Tennessee this season. She powered Duke to a 76-55 victory Nov. 24 at the inaugural women's Jimmy V Classic in a meeting of the country's two top-ranked teams at the time. The Lady Vols had no answer for Beard, as she piled up 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and five steals.
Summitt knows Tennessee can't expect to win if they don't find a better way to stop Beard.
``We did struggle in the first game. We did a very poor job,'' Summitt said. ``First of all, I would say our defense is better, but I would feel it would be necessary for us to not rely on just one player to defend her. We might have to rotate some players. We would like to think that we are better prepared to guard her.''
Hopefully for the Lady Vols, they'll be better prepared than Texas Tech. Beard had 28 points, eight rebounds, four blocks and three steals as Duke rallied to beat No. 2-seeded Texas Tech 57-51 in the Midwest Regional final Monday night.
``That's her game. It's not even a matter of stepping up,'' said Duke center Iciss Tillis, the team leader with 7.4 rebounds per game. ``We expect that from her day-in and day-out because that's what she's been doing since she's been at Duke.''
The Blue Devils, whose only loss this season came against Connecticut, will carry a 15-game winning streak into Atlanta.
Unlike the Lady Vols, Duke won't be able to key on one Tennessee star player defensively. Tennessee relies on a balanced attack, led by senior center Gwen Jackson and senior guard Kara Lawson.
Those two players -- and the entire Lady Vols' team -- are coming off an overpowering performance in the Mideast Regional final Monday night. Jackson scored 20 points and Kara Lawson added 15 as Tennessee routed Villanova 73-49.
Shyra Ely added 14 and nine rebounds for Tennessee, which improved to 44-0 on its home floor in the NCAA tournament.
``Our defensive intensity, recognition on defense, when to help (on defense) have improved. We are more physical,'' Summitt said. ``Today's game was terrific.''
Duke, which lost 62-45 to Purdue in the 1999 national title game, is seeking its first championship. To give itself a chance, it will have to defeat the powerful Lady Vols for the second time this season.
``I have so much respect for Pat and all that she has done,'' Goestenkors said. ``I think it is always a tremendous test as a coach because you know you are going up against the very best.''
The winner will face either Connecticut or Texas for the national championship Tuesday.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Tennessee - F Tasha Butts, F Shyra Ely, C Jackson, G Loree Moore, G Lawson. Duke - F Beard, F Tillis, C Michele Matyasovsky, G Vicki Krapohl, G Lindsey Harding.
TEAM LEADERS: Tennessee - Jackson, 15.9 ppg; Ely, 6.7 rpg; Moore, 4.0 apg. Duke - Beard, 21.8 ppg; Tillis, 7.4 rpg; Harding, 3.3 apg.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Tennessee - At-large bid, Southeastern Conference; beat No. 16 Alabama State 95-43, first round; beat No. 8 Virginia 81-51, second round; beat No. 4 Penn State 86-58, regional semifinals; beat No. 2 Villanova 73-49, regional final. Duke - Automatic bid, Atlantic Coast Conference tournament champion; beat No. 16 Georgia State 66-48, first round; beat No. 9 Utah 65-54, second round; beat No. 5 Georgia 66-63, regional semifinals; beat No. 2 Texas Tech 57-51, regional final.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Tennessee - 79-15, 22 years. Duke - 24-9, 10 years.
220/200
Blue Devils stand in the way of the Lady Vols' push for their first title since that run ended.
Tennessee and coach Pat Summitt look to exact revenge against Duke and Gail Goestenkors, the Naismith Award winner as women's coach of the year, in the national semifinals at the Georgia Dome.
The Blue Devils stunned Chamique Holdsclaw and the Lady Vols 69-63 in the East Regional final in 1999, ending Tennessee's shot at a four-peat. Summitt recognizes that the victory has done wonders for Duke's program, and may have quite a bit to do with the Blue Devils making it to a rematch with the Lady Vols this year.
``There is no question that was a game that took Duke to another level in terms of national exposure and in terms of recruiting,'' Summitt said. ``You can just look at what they've been doing since and understand the impact of a win like that over a Tennessee team that was competing for a fourth straight national championship. Gail (Goestenkors) and her staff capitalized on that.''
One of the players that Goestenkors successfully recruited following that 1999 victory was junior guard Alana Beard, who earned All-American honors this season after leading the Blue Devils with 21.8 points per game.
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Beard has already paid dividends against Tennessee this season. She powered Duke to a 76-55 victory Nov. 24 at the inaugural women's Jimmy V Classic in a meeting of the country's two top-ranked teams at the time. The Lady Vols had no answer for Beard, as she piled up 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and five steals.
Summitt knows Tennessee can't expect to win if they don't find a better way to stop Beard.
``We did struggle in the first game. We did a very poor job,'' Summitt said. ``First of all, I would say our defense is better, but I would feel it would be necessary for us to not rely on just one player to defend her. We might have to rotate some players. We would like to think that we are better prepared to guard her.''
Hopefully for the Lady Vols, they'll be better prepared than Texas Tech. Beard had 28 points, eight rebounds, four blocks and three steals as Duke rallied to beat No. 2-seeded Texas Tech 57-51 in the Midwest Regional final Monday night.
``That's her game. It's not even a matter of stepping up,'' said Duke center Iciss Tillis, the team leader with 7.4 rebounds per game. ``We expect that from her day-in and day-out because that's what she's been doing since she's been at Duke.''
The Blue Devils, whose only loss this season came against Connecticut, will carry a 15-game winning streak into Atlanta.
Unlike the Lady Vols, Duke won't be able to key on one Tennessee star player defensively. Tennessee relies on a balanced attack, led by senior center Gwen Jackson and senior guard Kara Lawson.
Those two players -- and the entire Lady Vols' team -- are coming off an overpowering performance in the Mideast Regional final Monday night. Jackson scored 20 points and Kara Lawson added 15 as Tennessee routed Villanova 73-49.
Shyra Ely added 14 and nine rebounds for Tennessee, which improved to 44-0 on its home floor in the NCAA tournament.
``Our defensive intensity, recognition on defense, when to help (on defense) have improved. We are more physical,'' Summitt said. ``Today's game was terrific.''
Duke, which lost 62-45 to Purdue in the 1999 national title game, is seeking its first championship. To give itself a chance, it will have to defeat the powerful Lady Vols for the second time this season.
``I have so much respect for Pat and all that she has done,'' Goestenkors said. ``I think it is always a tremendous test as a coach because you know you are going up against the very best.''
The winner will face either Connecticut or Texas for the national championship Tuesday.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Tennessee - F Tasha Butts, F Shyra Ely, C Jackson, G Loree Moore, G Lawson. Duke - F Beard, F Tillis, C Michele Matyasovsky, G Vicki Krapohl, G Lindsey Harding.
TEAM LEADERS: Tennessee - Jackson, 15.9 ppg; Ely, 6.7 rpg; Moore, 4.0 apg. Duke - Beard, 21.8 ppg; Tillis, 7.4 rpg; Harding, 3.3 apg.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Tennessee - At-large bid, Southeastern Conference; beat No. 16 Alabama State 95-43, first round; beat No. 8 Virginia 81-51, second round; beat No. 4 Penn State 86-58, regional semifinals; beat No. 2 Villanova 73-49, regional final. Duke - Automatic bid, Atlantic Coast Conference tournament champion; beat No. 16 Georgia State 66-48, first round; beat No. 9 Utah 65-54, second round; beat No. 5 Georgia 66-63, regional semifinals; beat No. 2 Texas Tech 57-51, regional final.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Tennessee - 79-15, 22 years. Duke - 24-9, 10 years.
or whatever they are playing for.
