Women's Hoops Blog

Inane commentary on a game that deserves far better


Monday, April 07, 2003

After a back-and-forth game with 16 lead changes, Tennessee finally pulled away. For the last couple games, Duke had played "survive and advance" ball; last night, Tennessee did. At times, both teams' offenses looked stagnant, with little ball movement and no cutting. But Tennessee got a little more motion and a little better push from its bench. Gwen Jackson was Vols' go-to player and the key to victory. At halftime, Jackson and Lawson, the seniors, realized that if they didn't do something, the next 20 minutes would be the last. So they came out with more urgency, and surged past the Devils.

It was a devastating loss for the Devils. The team is left wondering what happened to the intensity that drove it all season. It was especially disappointing for Mosch and Matyasovsky, who ended their careers on a sour note. "You can’t win a basketball game with one person scoring all the points," said Mosch. Duke needed someone to step up and help Alana -- no one did.

The turning-point moment came with four minutes left. Gwen Jackson hit a surprising three-pointer to break a 49-49 tie. Coach Summitt switched to a 2-3 zone for the final minutes. After that, no one other than Beard scored for Duke, and Tennessee never lost the lead.