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by LeAnne Harrington, SECWB.com

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When the 2008 NCAA tournament brackets were drawn up just a few short weeks ago, I filled mine out all the way through, picking UT, Connecticut, LSU and Vanderbilt to make it to Tampa. Although I readily admit that last one was chosen more by my heart than my head, I realized if the other three came through their regionals then it would mean another SEC vs. SEC Final Four semifinal.  Which logically meant that the dreams of one SEC team would end on Sunday night in Tampa, while the other would continue on into the finals. Having seen LSU come up short in each of their four previous tries, I truly felt this senior-laden squad was the team of destiny this year. Sadly for them, those dreams were dashed yet again in the national semifinals, and this time around was the most bitter defeat yet as they fell to UT by a single point.

They say war is hell, but one can also add ugly to the description. Tonight’s semifinal matchup between the Tennessee Lady Vols and the LSU Lady Tigers was one of the ugliest battles in recent memory. Setting a new Final Four record for least combined points in a game, UT gutted out a 47-46 victory over LSU to advance to Tuesday night’s championship game against Stanford. Seven minutes into the game, the score was an astounding 3-2 UT lead. The anticipated battle by two of the biggest names in the game - UT’s Candace Parker and LSU’s Sylvia Fowles - took a long while to get on track, with the two All-Americans connecting on only 2 of their first combined 11 shots. Parker, with a long-sleeved white t-shirt under here #3 jersey hiding the brace on her left shoulder, was obviously hampered by the injury she suffered against Texas A&M in the regional final last Tuesday night. Despite near round-the-clock rehab after two dislocations in that game, Parker’s shot was still obviously affected. But great players find ways to win and there’s no denying Parker is one of the greats. She gutted out 13 points on an abysmal shooting night, connecting on only 6 of her 27 attempts from the field, but was somehow able to pull down 15 rebounds despite the injured shoulder.

Meanwhile, LSU’s Fowles wasn’t having her best night offensively either, missing an improbably high number of shots from right under the basket. Whether it was a case of being too tight or all the white jerseys surrounding her, Fowles eventually got on track and had her best showing yet in a Final Four, knocking down 24 points while pulling down 20 boards. But it wasn’t enough to get LSU past their perennial semifinal stopping point. The difference in this game was at the line, where LSU’s free throw woes came back to haunt them, as they connected on only 7 of 19 for an atrocious 36.8% free throw percentage. UT wasn’t any better, hitting only 2 of 7, but if LSU had come anywhere near their admittedly low season average of 66%, they would have had a winning margin of 6 or 7 points.

After pulling ahead by 9 in the second half, UT’s lead evaporated under an LSU onslaught. UT clung to a 45-44 lead with 7.1 seconds remaining in the game when LSU’s Erica White was fouled by UT’s Alexis Hornbuckle.  White calmly stepped to the line, draining the first, and then UT called a timeout in an attempt to ice her. White was the first one back to the line after the timeout, and nailed the second for a one point LSU lead. But Parker drove the length of the court, dishing to Nicky Anosike under the goal. Anosike’s layup attempt clanked off the iron, but Hornbuckle, who had gone scoreless the entire game, grabbed the rebound and put up the eventual game-winning putback. LSU’s last ditch effort at a full-court throw was intercepted by the Lady Vols to preserve the Big Orange victory.

LSU’s 31-6 season ends in yet another semifinal heartbreak, but UT’s dream is still alive as they move on to face the Stanford Cardinal in the championship game on Tuesday night in Tampa. UT will be vying for their eighth NCAA championship, and second in a row. Stanford is attempting to win their third title, and first since 1992.

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by LeAnne Harrington, SECWB.com

For both LSU and Tennessee, the journey to tonight’s National Championship semifinal began one year ago. For the Lady Vols, April of 2007 saw them bring their seventh NCAA trophy back to Rocky Top, and the team made a commitment to not allow another nine years to elapse before they were hoisting more hardware aloft. With the core of that championship team returning, the women in orange knew that with a lot of hard work and a continued commitment to excellence, they could duplicate the feats of USC, Connecticut and their own predecessors at UT by becoming back-to-back NCAA champions. Stumbling at times during a season they wish they could fast-forward through in order to get to their favorite time of the year – the post-season — the Lady Vols have put together a solid tournament run, both to an SEC Tournament championship and now into their 18th Final Four.

For LSU, April of 2007 brought its own brand of heartache. An immensely talented Lady Tiger team made their fourth consecutive trip to the Final Four, only to come up short for the fourth straight time, losing yet another semifinal game. With the cloud of controversy surrounding the abrupt departure of their charismatic coach in March 2007, and an unassuming assistant who would rather have not been thrust into the national media spotlight as he assumed the reins of the program, the pressure finally got to LSU, where they fell in the semifinals to Rutgers. But the nine juniors on that squad realized 2008 would be their final season together and their last chance to break through and win it all, so their commitment to make it to their fifth Final Four was solidified one year ago.

And now the moment is at hand: two teams with the same desire, on the same quest for greatness. For one team, their dream will end tonight. For the victor, their journey continues into the final game on Tuesday night. No matter who emerges the victor, an SEC team will be playing in the championship game for the 17th time in 37 years. This is the ninth time that two of the four teams in the Final Four have been from the SEC. By comparison, the Big East sent two teams in 2000 and 2001, and the ACC sent three teams in 2006.

Tonight’s game matches up the SEC’s two best teams. LSU is led by SEC Player of the Year and All-American Sylvia Fowles and is coached by SEC Coach of the Year Van Chancellor. UT is led by All-American and National Player of the Year Candace Parker and is coached by Pat Summitt, the all-time winningest coach in basketball, who brings a 981-182 record into tonight’s matchup, her 18th Final Four. Van Chancellor has amassed a 470-159 record in 20 years at the collegiate level, and has collected another 211 wins in the professional ranks as coach of the WNBA’s Houston Comets, but tonight marks his debut at the Final Four.

This game should be a close one, if statistics are any indicator. In the two prior meetings between LSU and UT during the NCAAs, UT has emerged a victor both times by the slimmest of margins, coming away with a two-point win each time. LSU and Tennessee split a pair in their two meetings this season, with LSU falling behind 21-2 at Thompson-Boling on Feb. 14 before storming back for a 78-62 win, handing the Lady Vols their worst home loss since 1985. Less than three weeks later, the Lady Vols exacted their revenge, beating LSU 61-55 on March 9 to win the SEC Tournament.

My prediction is this game is going to be decided by 5 points or less. UT is back in the Final Four, where every Big Orange player feels they should be each spring. Parker is the undisputed leader of this team, but must have solid support from her teammates in light of her recent shoulder injury. They cannot rely on her too heavily, because the shoulder, which was dislocated twice in their Regional final win over Texas A&M, may be suspect. LSU has a lot to prove, but have been a more well-rounded team all year. Fowles is not their only weapon; White at the point, Quianna Chaney on the wing and RaShonta LeBlanc in the middle are all capable of breakout performances in support of the solid numbers Big Syl puts up every game. It may come down to destiny, and my gut instinct is this LSU squad is a team of destiny. LSU by 3.

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