SEC Women's Basketball Tournament Semifinals

Saturday, March 2, 2002
 
  • SEC Women's Basketball Tournament Bracket and Information

    FIRST ROUND
    Thursday, February 28
    Game 1 - #8 Alabama 60, #9 Georgia 64
    Game 2 - #7 Arkansas 78, #10 Ole Miss 60
    Game 3 - #5 Mississippi State 72, #12 Kentucky 75
    Game 4 - #6 Florida 57, #11 Auburn 70

    SECOND ROUND
    Friday, March 1
    Game 5 - #1 Tennessee 81, #9 Georgia 67
    Game 6 - #2 South Carolina 61, #7 Arkansas 79
    Game 7 - #4 LSU 74, #12 Kentucky 62
    Game 8 - #3 Vanderbilt 55, #11 Auburn 39

    SEMINFINALS
    Saturday, March 2
    Game 9 - #1 Tennessee 80, #4 LSU 81 - Game Stats
    Game 10 - #7 Arkansas 78, #3 Vanderbilt 81 - Game Stats


    #1 Tennessee 80, #4 LSU 81

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Temeka Johnson hit a free throw with 4.5 seconds left as Louisiana State upset No. 3 Tennessee 81-80 on Saturday night in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament to reach the championship game for the first time since 1991.

    Kara Lawson scored the last 13 points for Tennessee, but her jumper hit off the rim as time ran out for the top-seeded Lady Vols (25-4).

    Lawson tied it at 80 with 51.1 seconds left with three free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer. But she committed a turnover when Tennessee regained possession, and Johnson went to the line on the resulting foul.

    The fourth-seeded Lady Tigers (16-10) will play either No. 6 Vanderbilt or Arkansas in Sunday's final, their third appearance in the title game since winning their only championship in 1991.

    Tennessee had been looking for an 11th tournament title to add to its 11th regular season championship trophy, and the Lady Vols had a cozy home court at Gaylord Entertainment Center, thanks to their fans.

    The Lady Vols led 35-34 at halftime, but LSU immediately took the lead back on a layup by Doneeka Hodges. After swapping the lead five times, LSU went up 57-55 on a bucket by Roneeka Hodges with 9:34 to go that started a 9-2 run and never trailed again.

    LSU went 25-of-29 at the free-throw line, compared to 17-of-18 for Tennessee.

    Johnson finished 12-of-15 at the line with 18 points, Hodges led the Tigers with 23, Smith added 14 and Tardy 10.

    Tennessee will miss the championship game for the second straight year despite winning the regular-season title each of the last five years.

    Lawson finished with 27 to lead the Lady Vols, Michelle Snow added 17 and Shyra Ely 12.

    Tennessee's last lead was on Snow's bucket with 9:49 to go.

    Tennessee led early, getting eight points by Gwen Jackson to build a 10-6 lead. But LSU stayed out of foul trouble and was 10-for-10 at the line in the first half to stay close.


    #7 Arkansas 78, #3 Vanderbilt 81

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Zuzi Klimesova hit two free throws with 6.2 seconds left as No. 6 Vanderbilt held off Arkansas 81-78 Saturday night in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament to give coach Jim Foster his 500th career victory.

    The win puts the Commodores (26-6) into the championship game for a second straight year. They will play Louisiana State, an upset winner over No. 3 Tennessee 81-80, in the finals Sunday night a mile away from their home gym in a bid for their first SEC tournament title since 1995 and third overall.

    Seventh-seeded Arkansas (19-11) came into the semifinals having won nine of its last 11. The Lady Razorbacks were playing their third game in as many days, but they didn't make it easy.

    Arkansas used a 23-9 run to rally from a 22-point deficit as Shameka Christon scored a career-high 40 points. She scored 11 of those in a span of 2:22, and Kiesha Beard hit two free throws with 22.1 left to make it 79-78.

    Christon tried to give Arkansas its first lead by driving to the basket, but she charged into Jenni Benningfield with 9.4 seconds left. Klimesova hit her free throws, and India Lewis' desperation 3-pointer bounced off the backboard and the front of the rim. Vanderbilt got the rebound and ran out the final seconds.

    Klimesova finished with 21 points for Vanderbilt. Ashley Earley added 15 off the bench, Chantelle Anderson had 14 and Jillian Danker 12.

    Vanderbilt avenged a 67-57 loss to Arkansas in Fayetteville on Jan. 31, the Commodores' only loss to an unranked team this season.

    The Lady Razorbacks did what they wanted in forcing 13 turnovers compared to four of their own. But the Commodores dominated the boards 38-20.

    Anderson, the SEC's player of the year, got Vandy started by scoring the first basket of the game. Amy Wright tied it at 2, but that was as close as the Lady Razorbacks would get as the Commodores led 44-26 at halftime.

    The Commodores looked like they were going to blow out Arkansas as they built a 22-point lead in the second half, going up 52-30 on a free throw by Ashley Earley. That's when Dana Cherry got the Lady Razorbacks' going on their run to get back into the game.

    Cherry finished with 11 points for Arkansas.