How To Stop Tennessee? Try The Abl Vols First 30-0 Women’s Team

Looking for a way to stop the No. 1 Tennessee Lady Vols? Auburn coach Joe Ciampi would start with Charles Barkley. LSU’s Sue Gunter suggests drafting Michael Jordan.

Arkansas coach Gary Blair has another idea.

“I think they ought to send Tennessee straight on and let them play Columbus in the ABL and see who can come out,” Blair said Monday.

Instead, Southeastern Conference coaches get another shot at the Vols (30-0) in the league tournament starting Thursday in Columbus, Ga.

Tennessee coach Pat Summitt isn’t about to give tips on how to beat the first women’s team to go 30-0 during the regular season.

“I’d be crazy to answer that, wouldn’t I?” she said.

Tennessee already has its seventh regular-season title and is trying to win its eighth tournament title.

“It’s not an easy thing to win either one of them,” said Georgia coach Andy Landers, whose Bulldogs won the regular-season title in 1996 and ‘97 but lost in the tournament each year.

“To win both of them back to back, I don’t know what the odds are in a league this tough.”

Tennessee, the No. 1 seed, has a first-round bye and won’t play until Friday, against No. 8 seed Kentucky or No. 9 Mississippi State.

A variety of strategies have been used against Tennessee this season. Alabama came the closest before losing 73-66, Tennessee’s only single-digit victory this season.

“Somebody’s going to have to play exceptionally well and play a certain way in order to have a chance to beat Tennessee,” said Alabama coach Rick Moody, whose team would face Tennessee only in Sunday’s championship.

To beat Tennessee, most SEC coaches agree on the need for a good ball handler. Limiting shots is crucial, especially the layups and short jumpers out of transition. Also, slow the tempo and keep Tennessee out of its fullcourt press. Going to a zone could help.

“Obviously, taking care of the basketball has to be a priority because we’ve been able to generate a lot of offense out of our defense,” Summitt said.

Tennessee has taken advantage of a schedule that kept the Vols at home for their toughest games. They haven’t faced an especially hostile crowd yet and probably won’t during the tournament.

“I have a feeling there’s going to be a lot of orange in Columbus, Ga., too,” Florida coach Carol Ross said.

With Summitt’s previous five NCAA championship teams, none survived a season without losing somewhere, sometime.

“She’s not going to take anybody lightly at any particular time,” Gunter said. “This league is too tough.”