Experience factor is much different in UT-Stanford title-game rematch

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee coach Pat Summitt knows the value of experience on a women’s basketball team.

Her team capitalized on its veteran leadership and handily dispatched Stanford to win its eighth national championship last April.

But after losing the nucleus of that team, Summitt can no longer rely on experienced players when the 11th-ranked Lady Vols (8-2) host Stanford (8-2) tonight at 7 at Thompson-Boling Arena.

With nine players returning from last season’s team, though, Stanford coach Tara Tara VanDerveer can.

“I think that there is no doubt that experience matters,” said Summitt, whose team includes six true freshmen, three of whom — Briana Bass, Glory Johnson and Shekinna Stricklen — are likely starters today. “It was a real key for us in that game. Now that we don’t have experience, it shows you how much it can affect a team.”

Still, Stanford lost a key offensive player in standout Candice Wiggins. Wiggins, who beat out UT star Candace Parker for the Wade Trophy last season, finished her career as the Pacific 10’s all-time leading scorer.

But the Cardinal have other weapons. Six-foot-4 standouts Jayne Appel and Kayla Pederson provide a dominant presence in the frontcourt. Appel leads the team in scoring (13.6 points per game) and rebounding (9.4 per game).

But that size advantage didn’t pay off in Stanford’s 56-52 loss at Duke on Dec. 16 at Durham, N.C. Despite having six players who are at least 6-3 or taller, the Cardinal were outrebounded 40-39 by an undersized Duke team.

Summitt isn’t underestimating Stanford’s posts, though, particularly with memories of UT’s overtime loss at Palo Alto last season.

“Last year, when we lost at Stanford, their high-low game just wore us out,” Summitt said. “They got so many good looks in the paint.”

But Duke seemed to aggravate Stanford’s rhythm with a full-court press that forced Stanford into a season-high 23 turnovers.

Summitt took notice.

“I think that with Duke’s pressure really did bother them, but you’re talking about a Duke team that has some experience,” she said. “We don’t have that kind of experience, but ... you have to give it every game. I don’t think we’ve played a game in years that we haven’t pressed at some point in time.”

Stanford will be without junior point guard J.J. Hones, who will miss the rest of the season after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee on Nov. 23 against Rutgers.

Despite the differences in both team’s compositions, Summitt doubts Stanford’s desire to avenge its national-final loss has subsided.

“I know they don’t just forget what happened, and I’m sure they are coming here very fired up with a score to settle,” Summitt said.