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Parker shoulders load for Tennessee

Tennessee's Candace Parker snares a rebound in traffic. Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Jeff Latzke Associated Press
Tennessee's Candace Parker snares a rebound in traffic. Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

OKLAHOMA CITY – Even with an injured shoulder, Candace Parker was still able to lift Tennessee into another Final Four.

Parker scored 26 points and returned after dislocating her left shoulder to lead the Lady Vols out of a second-half deficit for a 53-45 win over Texas A&M in the Oklahoma City Regional final Tuesday night.

She twice left the game in the first half with the injury and she didn’t return until about halfway through the second half. She scored six of the Lady Vols’ points in an 8-0 run as they overcame a 42-37 deficit, all while wearing a brace to stabilize her left shoulder.

She scored only eight points in the second half, but it was enough to push the Lady Vols (34-2) ahead when combined with a sturdy defensive effort that kept Texas A&M (29-8) scoreless for a five-minute stretch.

Even after returning from the locker room with the shoulder wrapped, she shot an airball on her first jumper from the foul line and then couldn’t convert a layup off a lob at the right block.

She turned a second alley-oop attempt into a successful layup, and that got the Lady Vols’ run going. Shannon Bobbitt followed with two free throws, and Parker hit two of her own to put Tennessee ahead 43-42 with 3:44 to play. She went 1 for 2 on two successive trips to the foul line to stretch the lead to three.

After a free throw by the Aggies’ Takia Starks, Parker lost the ball in the lane but was able to recover and pass to Alexis Hornbuckle for a deep 3-pointer that gave the Lady Vols a 48-43 edge with 48.8 seconds left.

“That was an interesting 3-ball,” Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said. “The thing about Alexis is she wants it so much.”

Hornbuckle and Bobbitt each hit two free throws in the final minute to seal the win.

Top-seeded Tennessee advances to the Final Four for the sixth time in the past seven seasons, where it will face Southeastern Conference rival LSU. The teams split their two meetings this season. The Lady Tigers beat Tennessee during the regular season, but lost in the SEC tournament championship game.

The Lady Vols are seeking their eighth national championship, and their second straight.

Starks scored 12 to lead the Aggies.

Former University High star Angie Bjorklund hit 1 of 2 shots and finished with two points in 15 minutes of play for Tennessee.