Tennessee is just too good for Stanford

Athleticism erases skills. Experience trumps youth.

The numbers, of course, also tell the story of Tennessee’s methodical deconstruction of Stanford Tuesday night in Tampa. The final margin was 64-48, and though it had been closer most of the way, there was never any sense that the Cardinal were good enough to win the game.

So why did Tennessee look so awful Sunday? And how did Stanford look so good?

The Volunteers’ athletes, who forced Stanford into 24 turnovers and completely took the Cardinal out of their offense, were facing athletes of a similar caliber when they played LSU. In a sense, the two teams cancelled each other out, as the raw physical abilities of players on both teams were enough to erase their not inconsiderable skills. When Tennessee faced a team that lacked that same athleticism, the Volunteers were able to use their skills as well as their talent, and not surprisingly, won easily.

Stanford’s perimeter players had 15 turnovers against Tennessee, but had no such problems against UConn, a team many felt was as good or better than the Volunteers. But the Huskies had little depth after those two early injuries to starters Mel Thomas and Kalana Greene, and when Ketia Swanier got in foul trouble, and Renee Montgomery had a bad game, Connecticut simply didn’t have the weapons to make Stanford pay for its lack of quickness in the backcourt.

And Tennessee also had someone who could hang with Candice Wiggins in Alberta Augusté. Augusté made it hard for Wiggins all night, and since the rest of the young roster (except for Jayne Appel) was overwhelmed by Tennessee and the sense of occasion, it was easy for the Volunteers to help on Wiggins.

Which leads to experience. Tennessee started four seniors and Parker, who will graduate after her third year of eligibility, and with all the confidence that comes from winning a national title – and surviving two games in which the team did not play particularly well – the Volunteers were unfazed by the atmosphere.

Nicky Anosike, for example, played her best game of the tournament (12 points, eight rebounds, six steals), shaking off her poor performance against LSU.

Shannon Bobbitt hit a pair of early threes, and the second gave Tennessee the lead for good with 16:30 left in the first half. Though she and Alexis Hornbuckle were just three for 19 the rest of the way, the two veterans were steady with the ball in their hands, and solid defensively.

On the other side of the scorer’s table, Tara VanDerveer had five freshmen and sophomores in her rotation, and they simply weren’t up to the task. They were flustered by Tennessee’s pressure, and committed 14 fouls to go along with 15 turnovers. In short, they just weren’t quite ready to contend with a team such as Tennessee, a team with great athletes and lots of experience.

Oh, and there’s a rumor the Volunteers have a pretty good coach too – as Pat Summitt’s eight national titles might suggest. She naturally used the criticism of Tennessee after Sunday as emotional fuel for the Volunteers’ fire, and managed her short bench well. Vicki Baugh, a freshman, scored eight points in her 13 minutes before hurting a knee, and more important, Summitt didn’t overemphasize Parker.

Yes, she finished with 17 points, but she took only 10 shots, the third most on the team (behind Bobbitt and Anosike) and had nine rebounds and four steals. She didn’t dominate the game in any sense, but her very presence opens things up for her teammates – and Tuesday, with lesser athletes trying to help on Parker and then recover to their assignment, those teammates not only scored, but grabbed 10 offensive rebounds.

As for Tara VanDerveer and the Cardinal, it was a disappointing end to a great run (they certainly would have liked a better showing), but there’s lots of talent coming back and no shame in losing to a better team.

And, in the end, there’s no doubt that Tennessee was the better team. The Volunteers are just as skilled, much more athletic and much more experienced – and they simply never let Stanford get a sniff of a way to win the game.

Summitt and her seniors knew how, though, and they delivered a no-nonsense 40 minutes of basketball, claimed an eighth overall NCAA championship, and, more important for this group, became just the fourth team to win back-to-back titles.