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Bjorklund shoots Lady Vols past Notre Dame, 87-63

By Mike Strange (Contact)
Originally published 03:56 p.m., January 5, 2008
Updated 06:54 p.m., January 5, 2008

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Good thing for Tennessee that Angie Bjorklund didn’t miss curfew and get suspended for the first half Saturday.

Bjorklund’s dead-eye shooting got the No. 3 Lady Vols off to a fast start and they never looked back in blasting No. 14 Notre Dame 87-63 before a capacity Joyce Center crowd of 11,418 and CBS-TV national audience.

“I guess Angie liked this gym,’’ said coach Pat Summitt, “at least on the offensive end.’’

Bjorklund hit all four of her 3-point tries in the first half and finished with seven to tie the school single-game record she shares with former guard Shanna Zolman.

The freshman set an early pace her teammates eagerly followed as Tennessee (12-1) hit seven of its first eight 3-point tries. The Lady Vols finished the first half 8-of-11 when Alexis Hornbuckle’s 3-pointer from the corner bounced in to make it 41-22 at intermission.

“If I was that wide open I’d probably make ’em too,’’ said Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw. “Our inability to guard the 3-point line is killing us.’’

One reason it’s hard to guard the 3-point line against Tennessee relates to who is posted inside it calling for the ball — All-American Candace Parker.

Parker, who was suspended the first half of Wednesday’s victory at DePaul because of a curfew violation, was punctual Saturday. She smoothly assembled 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocked shots.

Bjorklund finished with 21 points, all on 7-of-9 3-point shooting. She hit her seventh trey with 7:46 to play but never got to launch another one, being replaced by local favorite Sydney Smallbone with UT up 81-51.

Bjorklund, who also hit seven 3-pointers at home against Gonzaga last month, confirmed McGraw’s appraisal.

“I was a little surprised to be that open,’’ she said.

“I remember the first play. They had three people on (Parker) and left me wide open. I just got in a rhythm.’’

Tennessee is 19-0 all-time against Notre Dame.

Nicky Anosike was a rebound short of a double-double with 13 points and nine boards. Hornbuckle added 10 points.

“Definitely, we were intimidated today,’’ said McGraw.

“We tried man, a 2-3, a 1-2-2, we tried pressing. We tried pretty much everything we had and didn’t shut ’em down.’’

Bjorklund swished two treys in the opening minutes but Notre Dame (12-2) was hanging tough at 8-7 until Hornbuckle’s first 3-pointer ignited a 22-3 run that included two more Bjorklund bombs and concluded on another from Shannon Bobbitt.

The Irish staged a mild rally but never got closer than 12 points before Tennessee caught a second wind and re-established its domination.

All told, the northern road swing got a thumbs-up from Summitt, especially contrasted to the overtime loss at Stanford that preceded it.

“At DePaul,’’ she said, “we played 40 minutes with intensity and we had it again today.

“We learned a lot from the loss at Stanford. And, obviously, without Candace (for a half at DePaul) some of our team had to get a sense of urgency. They had to step up and play.

“I’m pleased with how Candace handled it and I’m pleased with how our starters handled it.’’

Notebook: Parker and her family left the arena to rock-star-like squeals from a throng of mostly teenaged girls. Her grandmother, Joan Potter, got to see her play this week for the first time in her UT career. … Summitt took the opportunity Friday to scout 2009 prospect Skylar Diggins at Washington High School. … Smallbone, from nearby Granger, Ind., didn’t have a field goal Saturday but made both her free throws in 14 minutes. … Alberta Auguste had a season highs rebounds (7) and matched her high for points (9).

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.

       37 Comments

Posted by tngeoff on January 5, 2008 at 4 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Way to go Lady Vols! Way to beat...Notre Daem (see healine for story)!!

Bjorklund shoots Lady Vols past Notre Daem, 87-63

Keep it rollin'!

Posted by huntined on January 5, 2008 at 4:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

WOW!! That freshman can fill it up
GO VOLS..

Posted by murrayvol on January 5, 2008 at 4:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

tngeoff: I guess Daem is the Latin translation.

Posted by TommyJack on January 5, 2008 at 4:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Has His Holiness issued a name change bull?

Posted by tngeoff on January 5, 2008 at 4:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

murrayvol,

Excellent point! :)

Posted by pdhuff on January 5, 2008 at 4:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

tngeoff- Daem is taken from the 12th century latin writ of peoplus typus wrongus. Also means doldrums.

Posted by TommyJack on January 5, 2008 at 4:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

PD: You are STILL da man! lol

Posted by Plasticman on January 5, 2008 at 4:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Bjorklund was phenomenal from behind the arc. If she can shoot like that consistently, I take back what I said after the Stanford loss about LV's not repeating this year. Sure opens up the middle when she hits the 3.

Posted by TommyJack on January 5, 2008 at 4:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Fastimus Correctamus

Posted by ATLVOLFAN on January 5, 2008 at 4:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Great Job!!! The Lady Vols are looking good.

Posted by jh43 on January 5, 2008 at 4:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Thanks LV's for giving ND another attitude adjustment.

Looking very good! The team is now playing as a team.

Posted by tngeoff on January 5, 2008 at 4:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

pdhuff.

You are on FIRE today! Keep it rollin'!

Posted by TommyJack on January 5, 2008 at 4:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Geoff: I think Martha White did some "special bakin" today for ole PD.

Posted by martinvolfan on January 5, 2008 at 5:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Angie is the bomb, way to whoop the Irish!

Posted by DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu on January 5, 2008 at 5:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Note to Coach Pearl: Candace Parker is averaging 9.2 rebounds per game. Wayne Chism is averaging 4.9 rebounds per game.

Posted by Homermoosevols on January 5, 2008 at 5:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Off the subject but why oh why is Candace Parker engaged to Sheldon Williams? He looks like a dinosaur. Sorry. Great win ladies. Keep it going.

Posted by pendav on January 5, 2008 at 6:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey TN fans-Don't get too excited. There are only 2 teams that can win it all. UT & Uconn. See you in the finals. You know what the results will be when Pat meets Geno in April.

Posted by lempga on January 5, 2008 at 7:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yes, pendav--We know what the outcome will be. LV cut down the nets. Geno is a midget and a foul mouthed donkey. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Posted by BleedsOrangeinMO on January 5, 2008 at 8:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Candace has repeated stated that she wants to be remembered at UT as one of the best. The only way she can do that is to win another national championship in April and then COME back to play for a third national championship in a row. Back to Back to Back the truly GREAT ONES did it and if Catchings had not been hurt I believe that we would have won a fourth title in a row. Meeting UConn in Apr is not necessarily a good thing.
Apr 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 lost to UConn usually defeated by the largest point differnce of any loss that year. I love the Lady Vols but we have GOT to stop losing to UCONN!!!

Posted by pdhuff on January 5, 2008 at 8:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TommyJack - is Outh Bend close to daem? Gotta go for a while. Beagles brought in someone's huge (was) white Christmas bear and Earnhardt the lab helped them stretch it around a three car garage. I was just handed a Glad yard bag, #$#$@&, see you after a while.

Posted by TommyJack on January 5, 2008 at 9:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

PD: One of the hazards of being part of the landed gentry. lol

Posted by ATLVOLFAN on January 5, 2008 at 9:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think Parker and the ladies have already left their legacy in basketball this is one the best team I have seen since UCONN went undefeated. Yes we lost to Stanford, but the competition is more intense in the game now. If the ladies play UCONN in April they will be ready. Besides Stanford and Duke, UCONN have not played any team that have a shot of making to the tourament. I think this help the Lady Vols in the post- season playing rank teams early on. Go Lady Vols !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by pdhuff on January 5, 2008 at 9:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Congrats again, Pat. I never get tired of stating that. Now if she gets rolled by Bama or Fla or UConn, maybe.

TJ, speaking of landed gentry (more like hill and dale), I got up the other AM to the sound of Lock's bayful mourning. He was considering how to tree a neighbor's horse who was ignoring him while muching the front yard. It's never dull, just like the Lady Vols.

Posted by pendav on January 5, 2008 at 10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Uconn hasn't played anybody that is any good cuz there isn't anybody except UT. Parity does not exist. IT is UT & Uconn and everybody else playing for 3rd place. Most games are very boring.

Posted by dkerr on January 5, 2008 at 10:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Candi is sooo, hot.

Posted by threehundredbowler on January 6, 2008 at 12:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

looks as if the recent loss woke the lady Vols up.

Posted by mparker on January 6, 2008 at 2:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

glad bjorklund had a strong game. still like to see Baugh and Fuller get some starts. It isn't just for the competiton, it is also to prep the playres should they be needed as starters.

I think this is going to be a long, hard season, and the NCAAW palyoffs will be killer. There are some fantastic teams out there: UNC, Stanford, Uconn to name a few. I don't know yet how the SEC is going to fair, but I'd think Vandy and LSU would be strong, and maybe UGA.

Posted by volster on January 6, 2008 at 2:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This is beginning to look like a really, really good team.

Posted by mparker on January 6, 2008 at 2:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Okay, time for some blasphemy. I want to change one of the cardinal rules in Basketball.

The rule?? explulsion for fouls. Okay, I know you purists wish to return to the days of jump balls after each made basket, but hear me out.

The team is already punished on a foul: a defensive foul continues the offenses possession, and posiilby results in free throws. An offensvie foul results in cahnge of possession. Why the double-penaly? If a player fouls constantly, they'll be sending the other team to the line.

Something else I'd change: let any player on the floor take the FT's, as they do for free kicks in soccer. That would eliminate some of the hard fouls and rough play at the end of games.

I'll be holding my breath and turning blue as I wait for these rule changes, plus the D1 college football playoff....

'Night yall.

Posted by bmaples on January 6, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Another solid win. I agree with others -- apparently the Stanford loss helped the team focus. The question is going to be, can they keep their focus when the game is close, or they are behind?

Of course, this is basically the same ladies that played one of the best basketball games of any gender I have ever seen -- last year's semi against North Carolina. Talk about focused! Didn't allow UNC to score from the field for the last 8 minutes. Here's hoping they keep that mindset all the way this year. Go LV!

Posted by 78ladyvol on January 6, 2008 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Homermoosevols : you are too funny, I was thinking the same thing!! Candace is such a pretty girl.. but maybe she likes ugly men she used to date Stanley Asumnu as well..lol

BleedsOrangeinMO : all those years that you listed are in the past.. 2004 was 4 yrs ago!!..that is a graduating class.. We OWN them since CP3 stepped on campus.. All I can say is We have Candace and they don't.. haha

I am looking forward to April when the Lady Vols bring home another championsip!!

Posted by 78ladyvol on January 6, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I meant championship..

Posted by mparker on January 6, 2008 at 12:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

bmaples:
UNC plays some good ball, don't they??? Hatchell whies a bit too much for my taste, but she's just protecting her players. She's a VERY good coach.

Posted by DCSOvol on January 6, 2008 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Angie Bjorklund reminds me of a young Nancy Lieberman. Threepointus Maximus.

Posted by tnmantravel on January 6, 2008 at 6:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

if the lady vols are to repeat as national champions, Angie Bjorklund will have to take them their....

Posted by splinterdand on January 6, 2008 at 7:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Note to umbumburu (did I spell that right). Wayne Chism is no Candace Parker. "The number 3 Lady Vols". What a joke. I wish we were playing UConn this year. What patsy did they play this weekend? mparker12, I remember the days when basketball was considered a non-contact sport. If you take away the expulsion for five fouls rule, some games would be more physical than a South Central L.A. riot. What about extending it to 6 fouls? Keep it rolling Lady Vols!

Posted by pendav on January 7, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey splinterdand

Uconn easily beat Stanford and UT lost to Stanford. So who do you think should be #1? I too wish Uconn was playing UT this year but you can thank Pat for no game. PLEASE don't tell me how bad Geno is as that is getting stale. Get ready for another 5 yr Uconn run as they have the #1 high school player 3 yrs in a row.

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