KNOXVILLE - Playing for a women's basketball program the caliber of Tennessee means being inundated with facts about streaks and records, so you can't blame Jaime Nared if some aren't recorded in memory.
The senior guard wasn't aware the Lady Volunteers are 56-0 in NCAA tournament games in Knoxville.
"I did see something about this being our 37th NCAA tournament (appearance)," Nared said. "Obviously that is amazing just having the tradition, and being 56-0 at home is amazing. We are focused one game at a time from this point on."
Tennessee's Anastasia Hayes, right, and Jaime Nared practice Thursday in Knoxville in preparation for the Lady Vols' NCAA tournament opener today against Liberty.The next one comes at 2 p.m. today when the third-seeded Lady Vols (24-7) open against No. 14 seed Liberty (24-9) at Thompson-Boling Arena. No. 6 seed Oregon State (23-7) plays No. 11 seed Western Kentucky (24-8) in the other first-round game in Knoxville. That one is set for noon.
Nared, Tennessee's leading scorer this season, injured her hip in the Southeastern Conference tournament on March 1. She believes the time off from games since then has been beneficial.
"It's been good. Time heals a lot of things," Nared said. "Just taking time off and letting your body heal, getting good rest has been really good."
Liberty is making its first appearance here since losing an NCAA tournament game to Tennessee during the Lady Vols' 1998 national title run. The Lady Flames are 0-10 in the tournament when playing on an opponent's home court.
The trip is a bit of a homecoming for Liberty coach Carey Green, who grew up in the greater Knoxville area and received his master's degree in science education from Tennessee. Green's 83-year-old mother will be attending the game, along with several other relatives.
"My phone blew up with about 47 texts of people that I forgot were my friends," Green said. "Suddenly they are showing back up, clearly stating, 'Hey. I am so-and-so. You got an extra ticket?' At least they can remember me if I don't remember them."
Tennessee's Cheridene Green gets interviewed while surrounded by teammates, Evina Westbrook, left, and Kasiyahna Kushkituah, right, inside the Tennessee locker room in Knoxville, Tenn., on Thursday, March 15, 2018. Tennessee will host Liberty in the first round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament. (Saul Young/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP)Although Tennessee has a pronounced advantage at home, Western Kentucky coach Michelle Clark-Heard was thrilled her team was sent to Knoxville. She knows how much the venue means to the sport, especially when legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt was still walking the sideline.
Summitt's death at age 64 in June 2016 came four years after the end of a 38-year career leading the Lady Vols that included 1,098 wins and eight NCAA titles. Beyond that, she was recognized as a pioneer for women's basketball.
"For me, this is a surreal moment because I played here my senior year in college and was recruited by Pat," said Clark-Heard, who as a player in 1990 lost by 20 points to Tennessee. "Pat Summitt has done amazing things. When you think about what she has done, and what this program means to women's basketball, I'm really excited that my players will be able to play on their floor and experience it."
Oregon State is the only team from the Pacific Time Zone in Knoxville, and the Beavers will have to adjust to a tipoff time that would be at 9 a.m. back home.
"I think for us, it helps getting here a couple of days early," Oregon State guard Katie McWilliams said. "It helps us get used to the time difference and change our biological clocks."