Tennessee once again denies Stringer's bid of a championship

by user Leslie Monteiro

The Tennessee Volunteers did it again. They ended the Rutgers Scarlet Knight season last night by defeating them 59-46. It is the third straight year that Pat Summit's team beat C. Vivian Stringer's team in the tournament.

This one stings the most for three reasons. For one thing, Stringer is denied again of winning a national championship. Second, this team looked like they had what it took to beat them. Finally, they just looked horrible in a game that they really needed to do well.

This loss has to hurt for the Rutgers coach. This was her best work as coach of Rutgers of all the years that she coached the team.

No one expected much out of that team this year especially in a rebuilding year with many freshmen and sophomores. Still, she got everything out of that team with Epiphanny Prince and Myla McCuddy being valuable contributors as freshmen and Kia Vaughn developing as the best center in women's college basketball.

She got them to the championship game with a team that has lot to learn as we saw in last night's game. Unfortunately, she is denied again of a championship.

Maybe next year will be her year, but there are no guarantees in life especially with Pat Summitt and Geno Auriemma still being around for years to come. Those two coaches have tormented her in recent years.

Until her players find a way to overcome Auriemma's and Summitt's teams, this will be a void in her great resume.

Stringer's feisty young group was supposed to be the team that finally defeated their playoff nemesis. They had everything going for them.

They had toughness and grit. They played the best defense off all the teams in the tournament. They had the ability to make big shots whenever they wanted.

They had youth with Prince evolving into a big-time player and Vaughn being the center that they lacked when they played the Vols.

It just did not happen for whatever reason last night. They played tight and nervous for whatever reason again in the biggest game of their lives.

This was not a very good performance at all. This is the best way to put it.

The red team was outhustled at times by the orange and white team.

They gave up wide-open shots to Candance Parker's supporting cast.

Worst of all, they let the Vols have 24 offensive rebounds which resulted to second points.

This is the reason why they are a bridesmaid not a champion.

The game was tied at 12 with 9:31 remaining of the first half. With that said, the Scarlet Red faithful could not have felt good about their team's chances in this game.

They did not match the energy that the other team had. They had hard time holding on to the ball every time it looked they were going to get the rebound, which had to be a sign this was not going to end well for them

The Vols went on 13-4 run to finish the first half and ended the first half with a 29-18 lead after being ahead 16-14.

By then, the pin deflated the balloon for the Scarlet Knights. The team tried to make the game of it in the second half, but when the Vols made couple of threes, it was all over.

They just ran out of gas.

This ends an exciting run for Rutgers. It was a fun ride. The kids learned a lot about themselves. They learned that they can play with the best if they work hard and play tough defense.

There is a lot to look forward next year. Vaughn will be even better. Prince will be a reliable scorer and even better at defense. Matee Avajon and Essence Carson will be there as seniors.

Heather Zurich, Brittany Ray, and McCuddy should improve.

They have the pieces to contend for the national championship.

It is just that there will be many good teams in college basketball, who will also get better.

This is why as good of a run this team had, this is a bitter pill to swallow.