Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Lady Rebel Story Comes to an End

(AP)DAYTON, OHIO — To beat Tennessee, Ole Miss needed to play a nearly perfect game.
Instead, Candace Parker and the Lady Vols did.With Parker dominating at both ends and the talented Lady Vols getting contributions from almost everybody else on the roster, they rolled over the Rebels and into their 17th Final Four 98-62 tonight.By winning the Dayton Regional, top-seeded Tennessee (32-3) moves on to play either Purdue or North Carolina in the national semifinals in Cleveland on Sunday. LSU (30-7) and Rutgers (26-8) meet in the other game.Parker scored 24 points and had 14 rebounds, but she dictated the game in many ways. She hit 10 of 14 shots from the field and also had three assists, three steals and five blocked shots in a virtual highlight film of a game.She might have posted even gaudier numbers if coach Pat Summitt hadn’t rested her at the end of the first half and for the final 12:10 of the game.Sidney Spencer had 16 of her 22 points in the second half. Shannon Bobbitt had 14 points, including 10 of Tennessee’s first 24 in a fast start. Alberta Auguste added 12 points.Armintie Price dazzled for 30 points for seventh-seeded Ole Miss (24-11), which has been within a game of the Final Four five times and has lost every time. Ashley Awkward chipped in with 14 points.