DePaul University Athletics
Blue Demons and Lady Vols Meet in Second Round
3/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
2004 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship
Midwest Region Second Round
Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center
Tallahassee, Fla.
No. 1 Tennessee (27-3) vs. No. 9 DePaul (23-6)
Monday, March 22 - 9:00 p.m. EST
TV: ESPN (ESPN coverage map)
Internet Audio
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - For the second time this season, the DePaul Blue Demons and Tennessee Lady Vols tangle. In December, the two clubs went to overtime at the DePaul Athletic Center. This time, a berth into the NCAA Midwest Regional is at stake. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. EST with the game being televised on ESPN. Sean McDonough and Mary Murphy call all of the action from Tallahassee.
The Blue Demons and Lady Vols went to overtime in December at the DePaul Athletic Center with the visitors taking a 96-89 victory. DePaul led by four points with 1:30 left in regulation before Tennessee stormed back to send the game into overtime. In the extra frame, the Lady Vols outscored the Blue Demons, 15-8, for the seven-point win. The two teams have played each other once in each of the last 14 seasons with the Lady Vols claiming wins each time. A Monday matchup is the first between the two programs on a neutral floor.
The winner of Monday's game moves on to the round of 16 for a game with the winner of the Florida-Baylor matchup. The Midwest Regional will be played next Sunday and Tuesday in Norman, Okla.
Noting the Blue Demons
On Saturday, DePaul scored at least 80 points for the first time since the 87-78 win over Memphis on Feb. 15... the 51-point second half against the COlonials marked the 15th time this season that DePaul has scored at least 50 in a half... DePaul's 23 wins are the most in a season since a 23-10 record in 1988-89... the 45 victories over the last two seasons are the third-highest total in back-to-back seasons in school history... Charlene Smith's 24 points against George Washington was her second straight game of at least 20 points... she is averaging 21.0 points per game over the last three games... Khara Smith registered her 21st double-double of the year against the Colonials with 16 points/12 rebounds... she needs two points against Tennessee to become the third player in DePaul history with at least 600 points and 300 rebounds in a season.
A Quick Look at the Lady Vols
Shyra Ely leads three players in double-figures with 15.0 points and a team-high 8.1 rebounds per game. Shanna Zolman is second in scoring with 12.2 points while Tasha Butts adds 10.1 points per contest. Head coach Pat Summitt is in her 30th season as head coach of the Lady Vols with a career record of 848-166.
The Tennessee Series
Monday is the 15th all-time meeting between the two teams with the Lady Vols holding a 14-0 advantage. Monday is first meeting between the two teams that hasn’t been in Knoxville or Chicago. Seven games have been played on each team’s home floor. December’s overtime game and 96-89 final was the closest margin of victory in the series for Tennessee.
NCAA Tournament Notes
- DePaul is in the second round for the fourth time in school history. The Blue Demons are 0-3 in the three previous trips.
- The program has never played a second-round game on a neutral court. They lost at Iowa in 1996 (72-71), at Penn State in 1992 (77-54) and at Washington in 1990 (77-68).
- DePaul is now 4-8 all-time in their nine NCAA Tournament appearances.
- The win over George Washington on Saturday gave DePaul a 3-2 all-time series lead.
