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Top 10 All Time Tennessee Lady Vols Basketball Teams

By Caleb Calhoun

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Jan 23, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Lady Volunteers head coach emeritus Pat Summitt (center) prior to the game against the Florida Gators at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 23, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Lady Volunteers head coach emeritus Pat Summitt (center) prior to the game against the Florida Gators at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

7. 1986-1987 Tennessee Lady Vols (28-6, National Championship)

In the 1980s, many Lady Vols fans would have been shocked to see this team become Pat Summitt’s first national championship team. Despite dominating throughout the decade, they kept falling short after knocking on the door.

This went back to the AIAW days, where they made five Final Fours and were three-time runner-ups. It didn’t change with the NCAA Tournament days, as her teams made three Final Fours, was a once a runner-up, and also advanced to the Sweet Sixteen each of the first five years in the league.

Then came the 1986-1987 team, and similar to the 1996-1997 team, they didn’t have many expectations after finishing fourth in the SEC and failing to win the SEC Tournament.

But given the program’s history, the tournament was all that mattered anyway.

And led by Bridgett Gordon, the Lady Vols did not blow it this time. Tonya Edwards, Sheila Frost, and Shelley Sexton all played huge roles as well.

Drawing a No. 2 seed the Lady Vols first took out Tennessee Tech with ease, 95-59. Then they went on to face the No. 3 seed Virginia Cavaliers in the Sweet Sixteen, where they oddly dominated again with a 77-58 victory.

After that, they had to face the No. 1 seed Auburn Tigers, clearly the best team in the SEC. But this team was on a mission to get the monkey off of Summitt’s back, and they dominated that team 77-61.

The Final Four was all Tennessee, as they beat Long Beach State, another No. 1 seed, by 10. Then, in the national championship game, they beat their third straight No. 1 seed, the powerhouse Lady Techsters, in dominant fashion, winning 67-44. Nobody came within 10 points of this team in the tournament.

And the mission was finally complete. It’s not the best Lady Vols team of all time, but it is the one that got the mental monkey off of Summitt’s back, allowing her to win seven more national titles.

Next: #6: 1990-1991 Tennessee Lady Vols

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