No. 3 Lady Vols Topple No. 2 Huskies, 92-88
2/1/2001
Game Story
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By ELIZABETH A. DAVIS
AP Sports Writer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Gwen Jackson scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and Kara Lawson scored
23 points Thursday as No. 3 Tennessee outlasted second-ranked Connecticut 92-88.
Tennessee (22-1), which has won 11 straight since losing to the Huskies 81-76 on Dec. 30, led by seven with 1:02 remaining, but
Connecticut (17-2) refused to back down.
Jackson and Lawson each made two free throws down the stretch after the Huskies pulled within four on Sue Bird's basket to
keep the Lady Vols in front.
Connecticut's Tamika Williams, who finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds, scored with 4.3 seconds left, cutting the lead to
88-90, but Tennessee's Ashley Robinson made two free throws after she was intentionally fouled on the next possession to ice
the victory.
The Lady Vols rushed to center court as orange and white confetti fell to the floor after time expired.
Connecticut had beaten the Lady Vols in their last two games since Tennessee won 72-71 a year ago in Storrs, Conn., but the
Lady Vols looked inspired even with leading scorer and rebounder Tamika Catchings on the bench with a torn ACL.
Tennessee went up by seven with 1:02 left after Michelle Snow was fouled hard by Diana Taurasi. The call enraged
Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma and he was called for a technical. Lawson made both technical free throws and Snow
added a free throw for an 86-79 lead.
Bird hit a 3, missed two more 3s, then finally drove the lane for a basket to cut the lead to 88-84.
The Lady Vols built an eight-point lead to start the second half before the Huskies scored for the first time on Ralph's basket
that cut the margin to 52-46 with 18:12 left.
Tennessee went ahead 61-52 on Jackson's jumper with 14:12 left before the Huskies went on a 15-2 run over the next 5 1/2
minutes to take the lead. Svetlana Abrosimova's 3-pointer gave Connecticut its first lead of the second half before Taurasi hit
another for a 67-63 lead with 8:47 to go.
The Lady Vols tied the score at 67 on Jackson's basket and Snow's two free throws with 7:28 left. The teams traded baskets
until Kristen Clement was fouled twice and made three free throws to put Tennessee in front 79-74 with 3:25 remaining.
Ashja Jones fouled out, sending Snow to the line for two free throws to boost Tennessee's lead to 81-74 with 3:03 to go, setting
up the furious ending.
Taurasi led the Huskies with 24 points, including six 3-pointers, and Bird had 14 points.
Clement finished with 10 points for Tennessee, which scored 11 points off Connecticut's 20 turnovers.
Abrosimova, the Huskies' main scoring threat, finished with 18 points.
Connecticut's other All-America, Shea Ralph, had just four points.
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