2013 Women’s NCAA Tournament: Lady Vols VS Oklahoma Sooners Preview
By Zach Ragan
Mar 25, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Lady Volunteers guard/forward Taber Spani (13) moves the ball against Creighton Bluejays forward Sarah Nelson (42) in the second half during the second round of the 2013 NCAA womens basketball tournament at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
The Lady Vols will be playing in the Sweet 16 on Sunday, something they’re accustomed to doing.
The Lady Vols however, will be playing for a chance to go to the Elite 8 for the first time ever without legendary coach Pat Summitt.
Summitt took the Lady Vols to the Sweet 16 in every year she coached except one — 2009. Tennessee advanced to 18 Final Four’s under Summitt, and won 8 national championships during her time with the Lady Vols.
New head coach Holly Warlick is looking to pick up where Pat Summitt left off and continue the dominating legacy of Lady Vols basketball.
In Warlick’s first season as coach she has guided the Volunteers to a 26-7 record, which was good enough to earn a two seed in the Oklahoma region of the 2013 women’s NCAA tournament.
Warlick and the Lady Vols advanced easily in the first two rounds with wins over Oral Roberts and Creighton.
Next up for the Lady Vols is a match-up against the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners are led by head coach Sherri Coale, who’s taken the Sooners to the NCAA tournament in every season since 2000. Coale will be looking for her third Final Four appearance with Oklahoma.
Oklahoma advanced to the Sweet 16 with wins over Central Michigan and UCLA.
The Sooners are led in scoring by Aaryn Ellenberg at 18.9 points a game.
Meighan Simmons leads the Lady Vols in scoring with 17.3 points a game.
Tennessee and Oklahoma are scheduled to tip off at 4:30 pm est on Sunday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.