CHUCK SCHOFFNER
AP Sports Writer

AMES, Iowa (AP) -- Vanderbilt traveled 750 miles to play in the Midwest Regional of the NCAA women's basketball tournament - and still can't get away from Tennessee.

With six national championships and 12 Final Four appearances, Tennessee casts a shadow over the sport like no other. Now it's the Lady Vols who stand between Vanderbilt and its second Final Four trip.

They'll meet Monday night in the regional championship game. The winner moves on to San Antonio for the national semifinals.

And while Tennessee has a lot of tradition on its side, not to mention a 37-6 edge over Vanderbilt, the Commodores point out they're not playing tradition.

``I think we need to focus on the game and forget about the past,'' said Chantelle Anderson, Vanderbilt's All-American center. ``Because I haven't been here for 15 years. I've only been here for three. I'm not worried about what happened before I got here.

``I think that pretty much speaks for the rest of the team. We're worried about the Tennessee team we're playing, not the Tennessee team five years ago or 10 years ago.''

Vanderbilt (30-6) is the No. 1 seed in the region and advanced with a 70-61 victory over North Carolina on Saturday night. Second-seeded Tennessee (28-4) felt it should have been a No. 1 seed and was upset about being placed in Vanderbilt's region.

If there's any anger lingering from that, the Lady Vols have a place to channel it.

``I really felt in my head and my heart that Vanderbilt and Tennessee should not have been in the same region,'' Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said. ``But my job is to coach, and the committee's job is to place teams. We're here and I can tell you we're going to be a very inspired basketball team.''

The setting at Iowa State's Hilton Coliseum, smack dab in the middle of Iowa, certainly adds a unique twist to the rivalry. The two also have never met with so much at stake.

It's one thing to play for the Southeastern Conference championship. This is for one of the top goals in college basketball - the Final Four.

``Both teams have the opportunity to end one another's season,'' Tennessee junior Kara Lawson said. ``With the Final Four spot on the line, I expect this to be probably the most intense Tennessee-Vanderbilt game since I've been here, just because the stakes are so high.''

Vanderbilt coach Jim Foster finds the setting to be refreshing, if only because he won't have to look at so much orange. There have times that even in Vanderbilt's own Memorial Gym, Tennessee had more fans.

``I sort of look forward to this opportunity, because we have never played them in an environment like we're going to play them (Monday night),'' Foster said.

``Whether it's in Memphis last year, where there were 12,000 at the game and I think 10,000 were wearing orange, and obviously when we play them up there and 21,000 people are wearing orange. I expect to see a lot of red tomorrow night. And that ain't orange.''

Red is one of Iowa State's school colors. Iowa State fans will make up the majority of the crowd.

``Hopefully, we'll come out and someone will win over some fans,'' Summitt said.

Tennessee had to rely on its freshman to get past 11th-seeded Brigham Young 68-57 in the regional semifinals. Four freshmen combined for 41 points, including 21 by Shyra Ely.

Lawson, who leads the team with a 15.6 scoring average, was only 1-of-12 and scored just five points.

``I think it's kind of like a virus,'' Summitt said. ``I think she had a bad virus and it's over. She just could never get in rhythm. The harder she tried, it seemed like her game just continued to go south.

``I'm just glad she got it out. I'd much rather it be in the semifinal game than the final game.''

Tennessee will have to find a way to contain Anderson. North Carolina tried to rough her up - Hack-a-Telle, Foster called it - and she made 14 of 16 free throws in scoring 22 points.

Anderson is hoping the Commodores can show that they've got a pretty good program, too.

``The only way you can get respect is by earning it on the court,'' she said. ``I think we're going to come out and be prepared to earn the respect of everyone in the nation. We have to play our hearts out because that's the only way you get it.''