Final Four Semifinal Showdown For the SEC’s Two Best Teams
April 6th 2008
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.