Parker powers UT to Elite Eight slot

OKLAHOMA CITY — Producing unforgettable moments in this part of the country is becoming routine for Candace Parker.

She beat the boys in a high school slam-dunk contest and, Sunday, rescued Tennessee from elimination in a 74-64 win over Notre Dame in front of 10,032 at the Ford Center. The Lady Vols will play No. 2 seed Texas A&M, which beat Duke earlier in the evening, in the Oklahoma City Regional final Tuesday at 7.

“In the postseason, you’ve got to come through,” Parker said. “That’s what great players do.”

The fifth-seeded Fighting Irish said they were much better than last January’s 24-point loss to Tennessee at home.

They were right, but that wasn’t enough to counter Parker’s performance.

The junior tied a career-high with 34 points on 11-of-18 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds, almost single-handedly keeping the top-seeded Lady Vols in the game during a sluggish first half at the Ford Center.

Parker scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting in the first half. The rest of the team shot 5-of-22 from the field and made just one 3-pointer as Tennessee trailed 33-31 at the break.

“At halftime, we really managed to get some important news to them about what they have to do,” Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said with a smile. “I don’t think they went out there with the type of defensive intensity they should have. Maybe it’s because the first time we played Notre Dame, we played very well. We opened up that game in a big way early. But this was a different game. The postseason is entirely different.”

Tennessee (33-2) took control quickly in the second half thanks to — of course — Parker.

Her rebound and putback cut Notre Dame’s lead to 37-35 and triggered a 14-0 run by Tennessee. Parker’s three-point play on the Lady Vols’ next possession put them ahead. Her blocked shot, turnaround jumper and assist to Alberta Auguste while falling out-of-bounds during the run ensured it was a lead Tennessee would never lose.

Notre Dame (25-9) never got closer than eight points following Tennessee’s 14-0 spurt and Shannon Bobbitt drilled two 3-pointers to keep the lead in double figures.

“I thought Bobbitt’s 3-pointers were like daggers,” Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said.

In the first meeting between these two teams, Tennessee bolted to a 30-10 lead and cruised behind seven Angie Bjorklund 3-pointers. But the Lady Vols struggled with their shooting early in Sunday’s contest and Bjorklund didn’t make a 3-pointer until 11:10 remained in the game.

“We felt like we could play with them from the tip,” Notre Dame senior Charel Allen said.

Nicky Anosike helped keep Tennessee in the game by making several open jump shots from the high post, showing some rare range. She finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Notre Dame’s offensive standout, Allen, couldn’t replicate her 35-point outburst in the second round against Oklahoma. She made just 2 of 9 shots in the first half and finished with 16 points as the message on McGraw’s forehead will remain for at least another year.

McGraw said Saturday that she felt Notre Dame’s winless mark against Tennessee — now 0-20 — was stamped on her forehead because she heard about the dubious distinction so much.

But Notre Dame is gone now, and McGraw can avoid the conversation during the offseason. Tennessee, meanwhile, is now three wins away from repeating as national champions.