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 The No.1-seeded and No.3-nationally ranked University of Tennessee Lady Vols (35-2 overall, 13-1 SEC) have advanced to the Final Four Championship game for an unprecedented 13th time in the NCAA Tournament and will take on the number two-seeded and No.4-ranked Stanford Cardinal (35-3, 16-2 PAC 10) on Tues., April 8, at the 2008 Final Four in Tampa, Fla., at the St. Pete Times Forum.
Oddsmakers at online sportsbook SportsBetting.com have installed Tennessee as the favorite by a 2-point chalk with a 136 total. The Vols are favored -135 on the money line (ML). Tennessee, the top seed in the Oklahoma City Region defeated second-seeded LSU, 47-46, in the NCAA National Semifinal on April 6. The Cardinal defeated No. 1-overall seed Connecticut, 82-73, in the national semifinal. The Lady Vols will be aiming to repeat as national champions Tuesday night, and will be making their fourth national title game appearance in the last six seasons. Tennessee took second in the SEC this season, falling only to LSU, which went undefeated in conference play, but then avenged that loss twice over with victories over the Tigers in the SEC Tournament title game as well as Sunday's national semifinal. Coached by Pat Summitt , the all-time winning head coach in NCAA basketball history with 982 career victories through Sunday, the Lady Vols are led on the court by the play of consensus All-American Candace Parker (21.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.41 bpg), as well as guard Alexis Hornbuckle (10.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.64 apg) and post Nicky Anosike (8.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg). Stanford has beaten Tennessee once this season, an accomplishment few teams can attest too. In that Dec. 22 meeting at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto, Stanford overcame an 11-point first-half deficit in a contest that featured five lead chances over the second half and overtime, to come away with the 73-69 win. While Candice Wiggins scored 22 points and Jayne Appel posted a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds, the clutch effort was turned in by Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, who scored nine of Stanford's 10 points in the extra session, including drilling a pair of key three-pointers, as well as making the game-icing free throws with five seconds left. My Pick: Lady Vols -2.
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