Tennessee bumps, grinds its way to national title
Monday, March 31, 1997
W. HOOPS:
Old Dominion falters, commits errors in face of Lady Vols defenseBy Chuck Schoffner
The Associated Press
CINCINNATI -- Tennessee won yet another national championship, and this one might have been the toughest and most bruising of all.
Shackling Old Dominion with aggressive, physical defense, Tennessee weathered a second-half comeback and beat the Lady Monarchs 68-59 Sunday night to win its second straight national championship in women's basketball, its fifth overall.
Chamique Holdsclaw led the Lady Vols (29-10) with 24 points and made the key plays down the stretch after Tennessee temporarily lost the lead. In the final 6:48, she scored 10 points, assisted on two baskets and blocked a shot.
With 9.3 seconds left and the title secure, Holdsclaw slapped hands and bumped bodies with jubilant teammates. Indicative of the way the game went, Old Dominion All-American guard Ticha Penicheiro threw the ball away on the Lady Monarchs' last possession, then went to the bench in tears. It was her 11th turnover and Old Dominion's 26th.
Just as important as Holdsclaw's play was the Tennessee defense, which was allowed to bump and knock people around without fouls being called while the Lady Vols were building a 16-point lead in the first half.
The result was two and three bodies sprawled on the floor at times and a lot of frustration for Old Dominion players.
Old Dominion managed to overcome that frustration, though, and took the lead on three occasions in the second half, the last time at 49-47 on reserve Amber Eller's 3-pointer from the left corner with 7:05 left.
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