With 22 seconds to play and Tennessee looking to snap a three-game losing streak against No. 10 Duke, Lady Vols’ coach Pat Summitt wanted the ball in junior forward Candace Parker’s hands. The reigning Wooden Award winner delivered with a jump shot in the paint to break a tie at 64 and eventually giving the Lady Vols a 67-64 win. “She is establishing herself as a go-to player,” Summitt said. “She didn’t settle for a face-up shot, and that’s important because people have a hard time defending her in the paint.” Parker finished the game with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Tennessee plays on the road for the eighth time in 11 games Thursday when the team takes on Ole Miss. In Norman, Okla., No. 11 Oklahoma defeated No. 17 Georgia, 65-57, thanks a 38-28 first-half advantage. Junior center Courtney Paris dominated the interior for Oklahoma, scoring 18 points and grabbing 14 rebounds as the Sooners defeated their third Southeastern Conference opponent of the season.
GATOR TIME Throughout the season many experts have wondered whether Florida was a legitimate contender despite holding a 3-2 SEC record. The Gators will have a chance to prove themselves this week when they host Vanderbilt on Thursday and No. 8 LSU on Sunday. Florida has played a relatively light schedule through the first half of the season, losing to both ranked opponents it has faced. But the Gators have been stingy in SEC play, scoring road victories at South Carolina and Arkansas while defeating Alabama in Gainesville, Fla. ESPN.com bracketologist Charlie Creme currently projects the Gators as the last team in the NCAA Tournament, noting the Gators will need a signature win down the stretch to get into the Big Dance. “If nothing else, the Gators have been consistent,” Creme said. “But at some point they will need to beat someone they aren’t supposed to.” Florida coach Amanda Butler said the Gators need to play with confidence in pressure situations down the stretch, despite not having a player on the roster who has won an NCAA Tournament game. “In the SEC, you’re playing against some of the best teams and players in the nation,” Butler said. “If you don’t come out and throw the first punch, you’ll find yourself laying flat on your back.”