A year ago in the championship contest of the SEC tournament, LSU’s 5-foot-3 point guard Temeka Johnson exploded for 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the Lady Tigers defeated Tennessee for the title.
Sunday at Thompson-Boling Arena, a tandem of Lady Vol defenders made Johnson work for each of her 16 points and UT junior Shyra Ely put on a showcase of her own as Tennessee ran away with an 85-62 win.
Stealing the show on the day that her senior teammates were honored before their last home game, Ely hit 12-of-16 shots for a game-high 25 points.
With the victory, Tennessee (25-2, 14-0 SEC) completed its second consecutive undefeated run of the SEC season.
“I am very proud of our basketball team,” UT coach Pat Summitt said. “If you had said we were going to run the conference, particularly without Loree Moore, I think I would have bet against us. Now that I know the makeup of this team, I wouldn’t bet against us.”
After giving up an average of 18 points per contest to Johnson in her previous contests against UT, the Lady Vols placed a number of defenders on her early.
The strategy worked offensively, forcing Johnson into 2-of-8 shooting in the first half. Meanwhile, her teammates also struggled, hitting only 31.4 percent from the field in the first half while the Lady Vols knocked down 48.1 percent.
The senior class, honored before the game for its contribution to the program, lost a player with the announcement that forward Courtney McDaniel was ending her playing career.
At the advice of her physicians, McDaniel is departing the team due to “continuing medical issues,” said Lady Vol athletic trainer Jenny Moshak.
“Certainly you never want to lose a player,” Summitt said. “Unfortunately, at this point in the season, you have to move on. I want to do what’s best for Courtney. I had to listen to the medical staff and what they had to say.
“We wish her the very best.”
In her absence, her classmates finished out their UT careers at home with a decisive victory. Davis hit for 13 points, center Ashley Robinson collected nine points, 10 rebounds and four blocks and guard Tasha Butts added eight points and nine rebounds.
It was a junior, however, who stepped up. Ely hit jumpers from all over the court, exposing the lack of a dominant Lady Tiger inside game.
“Shyra Ely did basically whatever she wanted to do against us,” LSU acting head coach Dana Chatman said. “It was a brilliant performance on her part.”
Chatman, however, didn’t think that her team’s post play was the only problem.
“They brought energy, they brought excitement, and they brought execution,” Chatman said. “You can see that in the final score.”
LSU (62)
Jones 0-3 0-0 0, Biernacka 0-2 0-0 0, Johnson 6-15 3-4 16, Augustus 5-19 2-2 12, Hodges 7-16 1-2 18, Hoston 5-10 0-0 11, Clavelle 1-1 3-4 5, Willis 0-0 0-0 0, White 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-66 9-12 62.
TENNESSEE (85)
Davis 5-7 3-5 13, Ely 12-16 1-2 25, Robinson 4-8 1-2 9, Butts 2-5 2-2 8, Zolman 3-8 4-4 12, Spencer 2-7 2-2 6, Redding 1-1 0-0 3, Jackson 1-1 0-0 3, Fluker 2-4 2-2 6. Totals 32-57 15-19 85.
Halftime – Tennessee 35-27. Fouled out – None. Rebounds – LSU 28 (Johnson, Clavelle 5), Tennessee 44 (Robinson 10). Assists – LSU 17 (Johnson 11), Tennessee 20 (Butts 5). Total fouls – LSU 15, Tennessee 13.
A-15,127.
