Dec. 21, 2004
By Elizabeth A. Davis
Knoxville, Tenn. (AP) - Shanna Zolman hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give ninth-ranked Tennessee a 70-67 victory over second-ranked Stanford on Tuesday night.
The Lady Vols handed Stanford its first loss of the season and beat the Cardinal for the ninth straight time. Shyra Ely led the Lady Vols (8-2) with 16 points. Kelley Suminski had 21 for Stanford (8-1).
Stanford hasn't beaten Tennessee since 1996, and each of the last three years the Lady Vols have handed the Cardinal their first loss.
Tennessee looked in control after a 15-2 run that gave it a 59-48 lead with 6:51 remaining, but Stanford didn't give up and got back in it with a 9-2 run.
Candice Wiggins got a steal and layup that cut the lead to four points with 4:38 left, and the Cardinal kept the score close. Tennessee couldn't pull away, and Wiggins sank a free throw to cut it to three with 42.6 seconds left.
Wiggins then missed a free throw, and Ely made a pair that appeared to seal it for the Lady Vols with 29.8 seconds left.
But Wiggins scored again to cut the deficit to 67-64, and Tennessee's Brittany Jackson missed two free throws that gave Stanford another chance.
Suminski hit a 3 with 5.6 seconds to go to tie it at 67. The Lady Vols got the rebound, and Zolman drove down the middle of the court and threw up the ball from about 25 feet away as the buzzer sounded.
The Lady Vols ran onto the court to celebrate while officials reviewed the play to make sure it counted. They ruled it did, and orange and white streamers fell from the ceiling as Tennessee resumed celebrating.
Tye'sha Fluker added 13 points, and Jackson and Alexis Hornbuckle had 11 apiece for Tennessee. Zolman finished with 5.
Jackson scored all of her points in the second half, including nine during Tennessee's big run after the break.
Wiggins added finished with 15 points, T'Nae Thiel 11 and Brooke Smith 10 for Stanford.
Tennessee shot only 37 percent (22-of-59) but was 23-of-27 from the free throw line.
Stanford overcame its 13 turnovers in the first half and outscored the Lady Vols 9-0 in the remaining 1:39 to take a 31-29 lead at the break.
The Cardinal finished with 21 turnovers and were 47 percent from the field (26-of-55).