An inside look at Alyssia Brewer

	Kelley Cain scored between three defenders

Cain perfectly able as career-high 19 points spark No. 5 Lady Vols

 NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Kelley Cain scored a career-high 19 points, and fifth-ranked Tennessee rallied and beat Vanderbilt (No. 22 ESPN/USA Today) 69-60 Monday night for the Lady Vols' fifth straight victory. The Lady Vols (21-2, 9-1 Southeastern Conference) looked like they might lose on consecutive visits to Memorial Gym for the first time since the 1985 and 1987 seasons, trailing by as much as eight in the first half and seven with 8:41 left. But Tennessee used its superior size to pound the Commodores inside and beat their instate rival for the 22nd time on their own floor.

Vanderbilt (17-7, 6-5) snapped a three-game winning streak. Angie Bjorklund, Alyssia Brewer and Glory Johnson all finished with 10 points for Tennessee. Merideth Marsh led Vanderbilt with 19 points. Jence Rhoads added 15, and Lauren Lueders 12. Tennessee beat Vanderbilt 64-57 in Knoxville on Jan. 17, a game in which the Lady Vols managed only a one-rebound difference on the boards.
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	Vanderbilt guard Jessica Mooney, left, goes for a layup past Tennessee guard Alexis Hornbuckle in 2008.

Vanderbilt women brace for Tennessee Lady Vols

Vanderbilt senior Jessica Mooney had a good idea what it meant when the Lady Vols visited Nashville before she ever put on a Commodores uniform. Mooney, the only active Vanderbilt player from the state, watched the rivalry before and during her Hillsboro career, then lived it in 2007. "It's definitely different from a lot of other teams that come in," Mooney said. "I think it's more of they are at the top of the SEC every year, and we want to beat every team that's at the top of the SEC because that's where we want to be."

When the Commodores (17-6, 6-4) host No. 5 Tennessee (20-2, 8-1) at 8 tonight on ESPN2, they will try to take a big step in what has long been a lopsided series. A win would give Vanderbilt wins over its rival at Memorial Gym in back-to-back seasons for the first time. "We beat them here last year and that was a great feeling," Vanderbilt senior Lauren Lueders said. "But to be a senior and to beat them here again, twice in a row, that would be great."
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	Vanderbilt ended a 16-game losing streak against UT in Knoxville last year. The Commodores rubbed it in with a 74-58 win on Tennessee doormat.

Summitt won't let players forget loss to Vanderbilt

  Tennessee could run out of post-it notes chronicling the timely reminders for Monday night's game against Vanderbilt. Communicate. Be efficient. Stick to the plan. Beware of the 3-point shot ... They all are worthy watchwords for the women's basketball game at Memorial Gymnasium (TV: ESPN2, 9 p.m.). So is the following thought: Remember last year. Vanderbilt ended a 16-game losing streak against UT in Knoxville last year. The Commodores rubbed it in with a 74-58 victory and by walking on a Tennessee doormat as part of their preparations.

"You know it might come (up),'' guard Angie Bjorklund said. Count on it, said UT coach Pat Summitt. "Oh, we'll remind them,'' she said. "We'll remind them." Tennessee's presence in Nashville on Sunday had more to do with present circumstances. The fifth-ranked Lady Vols (20-2, 8-1 SEC) practiced at Memorial, reacquainting themselves with its unique configuration. The team benches are along the baseline instead of the sideline.
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Cain nears triple-double as Lady Vols get season's 20th victory

 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee's Kelley Cain positioned herself on one post while Alyssia Brewer took the other one. Arkansas could handle one at times, rarely both. Cain scored 14 points, grabbed 17 rebounds and blocked eight shots, Brewer scored 20 and pulled in nine rebounds and No. 5 Tennessee beat Arkansas 74-57 on Thursday night.

"One of them shoots it on one block, the other one rebounds it on the other block," Razorbacks coach Tom Collen said. "They're a nightmare to defend." With eight games left in the regular season, Tennessee got its 20th win -- a feat that took the Lady Vols (20-2, 8-1 Southeastern Conference) until the final game of the season a year ago. It's the 34th consecutive season they've gotten at least 20 wins under coach Pat Summitt. And even though the win kept Tennessee on top of the SEC and gave the Lady Vols their 21st win over Arkansas in 22 tries, Summitt still wasn't completely pleased.
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Junior Angie Bjorklund Named to CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team

 Lady Vol junior basketball player Angie Bjorklund was named to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV First Team. The Spokane Valley, Wash., native boasts a 3.8 GPA in psychology and leads the Lady Vols with a 14.7 ppg average and has started 20 of 21 games for the fifth-ranked Lady Vols. To be eligible for the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District or All-America honors a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 3.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

The sharp-shooting Bjorklund has climbed up the UT record books in a pair of three-point shooting categories. This season, she has moved up to third place with 196 career three-pointers and is currently in eighth in the single-season record books with 66 triples made. This marks the second consecutive season Bjorklund has been honored by CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine. Last season as a sophomore, she was named to the All-District IV Second Team.
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Lady Vols Host Military Appreciation Night

 The University of Tennessee Lady Vols will be hosting a Military Appreciation Night, Thursday, Feb. 4th when the Arkansas Razorbacks visit Thompson-Boling Arena. The game will be highlighted by military events including a flag folding ceremony, veteran recognition and competition at halftime with the UT Air Force and Army ROTCs. All current and retired military personnel can receive up to two complimentary general admission tickets to this match-up. Military personnel who wish to take advantage of this opportunity will need to visit the main box office at Thompson-Boling Arena, located at street level on Phillip Fulmer Way, prior to the game Thursday and show their military identification cards to receive their two tickets. Additional tickets will be available for purchase.

The ticket office at Thompson-Boling Arena will open at 8:30 a.m. and remain open until halftime of the game. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. Free parking and shuttle is available on a first-come, first serve basis at the UT Agriculture Campus located off Neyland Drive.
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	Tennessee's Kamiko Williams, scored a season-high 17 points and a team-high four assists in the Lady Vols' 60-55 win over SC.

Lady Vols' Williams to start at point guard

  After Kamiko Williams’ strong supporting performance, the Tennessee freshman will be playing the lead role at point guard. UT coach Pat Summitt said Monday that Williams will start Thursday when the Lady Vols face Arkansas in an SEC women’s basketball game at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Sophomore Shekinna Stricklen, who had been the starting point guard, will line up for the opening tip against the Razorbacks at a wing position while continuing to help at the point. “I think she truly wants to help our team and she knows she can,’’ Summitt said of Williams. “I think she’s more serious now than at any point in time. Off the bounce, she’s the best we’ve got.” Williams relieved Stricklen at South Carolina and responded with a season-high 17 points and a team-high four assists in a 60-55 comeback victory.
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	Freshman Kamiko Williams (No. 4) led SEC-leading Tennessee with a career-high 17 points.

Tennessee trails most of the way, but rallies past South Carolina

 COLUMBIA, S.C. -- After the 40 minutes of sloppy basketball and the media interviews, Tennessee coach Pat Summitt could finally smile when she started signing autographs. Before that, it was scowls and icy stares as No. 5 Tennessee stumbled its way to a 60-55 win over South Carolina on Sunday, its 38th straight win over the Gamecocks.

The Lady Vols (19-1, 7-1 SEC) fell behind 13-0 and never led until 7:53 was left in the game. Their three best scorers -- Angie Bjorklund, Glory Johnson and Shekinna Stricklen -- combined for just 19 points, 22 below their combined average this season. "This team has to make up its mind if it's going to be a 40-minute team all the time," said Summitt, whose team finally kicked in during the last five minutes of the game.
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Bjorklund scores 20 to lead Lady Vols past Tigers

 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- A huge grin spread across Shekinna Stricklen's face as soon as her third 3-point basket of the night swished cleanly though the net. Fifth-ranked Tennessee already had enough points to beat Auburn, but the shot meant something else. The Lady Volunteer guards were back from a long slump.

"Aw, man it felt so good," Stricklen said after Tennessee beat Auburn 85-56 Thursday night. "When we hit shots, we were all just smiling. We felt like the guards haven't had a good game like this in a long time." Angie Bjorklund led the way with 20 points for Tennessee and Stricklen finished with 17. The Lady Vols' posts contributed to the offensive outpouring, too, with Glory Johnson scoring 15 and grabbing 13 rebounds, and Alyssia Brewer adding 11 points.
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	Freshman No. 13 Taber Spani

Lady Vols counter their scoring woes with defense

  KNOXVILLE - Taber Spani would love to see herself and her Tennessee teammates scoring a few more points. Of course, it's defense and rebounding that wins games as coach Pat Summitt likes to remind the fifth-ranked Lady Volunteers. "We have enough talent on this team that we can definitely get back into that 70-80 (points) range where we've been most of the season, but our defense has been clutch, so if that's got to be our security blanket, then that's what it's going to be," said Spani, a freshman guard.

Thank the physical nature of the Southeastern Conference for that, Summitt said. Teams have been targeting Tennessee's shooters, and it's shown. The Lady Vols (17-2, 5-1) have averaged 75 points per game this season but have only scored an average 64.8 points per game in Southeastern Conference play. But they're making it up on the defensive end.
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Lady Vols Host ''Second Harvest Food Night''

 Students and fans will have the opportunity to help those less fortunate by donating canned goods to Second Harvest Food Bank on Thursday, Jan. 28, at the Lady Vols v. Auburn game. Fans get in the game free when they bring two or more non-perishable goods to Thompson-Boling Arena. Last season, UT fans and student-athletes helped raise 4,300 pounds of food for the SEC's Together We "CAN" Food Drive. To encourage fan participation, the admission to Thursday's game will be based on donations.

Since the program started in 2007, student-athletes have helped raise more than 9,000 pounds of food for Second Harvest Food Bank. Second Harvest of East Tennessee serves 18 counties in East Tennessee, delivering food as far west as Crossville and as far east as Gatlinburg. Be on the lookout for more Second Harvest events to take place during the upcoming baseball and softball seasons. For information on upcoming events visit www.UTLadyVols.com or www.UTSports.com.
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Women's Hoops Lose on NFL Sundays

 There are things in life that are too much to hope for. Peace on earth. That everybody has enough to eat. That it doesn't rain on the teacher workday that the kids get off from school. And that women's basketball won't constantly be programmed directly against the NFL on winter Sundays. Too much to hope for. Tennessee and LSU. Colorado and Oklahoma State. Arizona and Arizona State. All on television Sunday, all up against NFL conference championships games.

There's no cure in sight for this problem. Sports cable networks need to counter-program NFL games, they have time slots to fill and they don't want to fill them with anything they think might draw an actual audience -- such as men's college basketball. Women's teams want TV timeslots, a chance to show their programs to recruits and poll voters and, so they say yes, please, put us on TV.
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Missing UConn-Tennessee Series More Than Ever

 Even Dick Vitale knows that Connecticut and Tennessee should be playing during the regular season. After watching Saturday night's Connecticut blowout of No. 3 Notre Dame; after watching ESPN set up camp with its GameDay crew to feature a non-competitive game that didn't reflect on the women's game in the most flattering way; after listening to Vitale pepper Doris Burke with questions about the state of the women's game, made it abundantly clear. We need Connecticut vs. Tennessee. We need the clash of the coaches, the hype. We need a great game.

Maybe the Lady Vols aren't ready quite yet to hold up their end. Not this year. But Tennessee has, what they like to say on draft day, "upside." There is already talent with Shekinna Stricklen, Glory Johnson and Angie Bjorklund. When a few more players, such as Vicki Baugh and Faith Dupree get healthy, there will be depth and there's potential. Everybody loves a winner -- until they win too much. We are just about there with Connecticut.
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	Tennessee's Kelley Cain (52), Shekinna Stricklen, (40) and Kamiko Williams (4) pressure LSU's Katherine Graham.

Lady Vols smother No. 19 Tigers with 18-2 run

 BATON ROUGE, La. -- No. 3 Tennessee's offense struggled in its 55-43 victory over No. 18 LSU on Sunday night, but coach Pat Summitt was still pleased -- with a tough zone defense. "I thought our coverage out of the zone was really good," Summitt said. "We extended it. We were aggressive, we got after it. Obviously we wanted to make sure we were not just giving them good open looks or a lot of chances to get in the paint."

The Lady Volunteers, who scored about 20 points below their average, held LSU to 26 percent shooting from the field. Alyssia Brewer made the most of her third Southeastern Conference start, scoring 14 points and grabbing seven rebounds for Tennessee. Kelly Cain added 11 points and Angie Bjorklund had 10 for the Lady Vols (17-2, 5-1). Allison Hightower led LSU (14-4, 3-3) with 17 points and LaSondra Barrett had 12. Jasmine Nelson had 10 rebounds for the Tigers.
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