The #3-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols (25-2, 11-1 SEC) will host the Florida Gators (16-11, 5-7 SEC) on Senior Night at Thompson-Boling Arena in a 7 p.m. tip-off. In pregame activities, UT will say good-bye to Lady Vol seniors Alberta Auguste, Shannon Bobbitt, Nicky Anosike, Alexis Hornbuckle and Candace Parker. Depree Bowden, a senior for Florida, will also be recognized.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES TO BE STREAMED

Since the Lady Vols have used up their SEC TV exemptions there is no way to stream the whole game but UTLadyVols.com will have the senior night ceremonies available for video streaming. You can view the video stream free of charge by visiting the front page of the web site and viewing the mulimedia player there or by visiting the Multimedia Player in the Multimedia menu at the top of the page.

LADY VOLS AT A GLANCE

This is the Lady Vols’ 34th season under Head Coach Pat Summitt…She has compiled a staggering 972-182 overall record… Is just 28 wins away from a remarkable 1,000 career victories…Achieved her 950th win with a 92-67 decision over #22/21-ranked Texas on Nov. 18, 2007... Collected her 900th coaching win with a 80-68 decision over #19-ranked Vanderbilt on Jan. 19, 2006… She passed Dean Smith (879 wins) for most NCAA collegiate basketball wins of all-time with a 75-54 victory over Purdue on Mar. 22, 2005 …Her 2006-07 squad was crowned as the NCAA Champions producing the program’s seventh title…UT fi nished with a 34-3 overall record and were also the SEC Champions…

This season, UT returned seven letterwinners and welcomed a talented quartet of rookies…The 2007- 08 season marks the Lady Vol debut for freshmen, #5 Angie Bjorklund, a 6-0 forward/guard from Spokane, Wash., #20 Sydney Smallbone, a 5-10 guard from Granger, Ind., and #21 Vicki Baugh, a 6-4 center from Sacramento, Calif. Kelley Cain, a 6-6 center from Atlanta, Ga., will redshirt after having surgery on Dec. 11.

OUR SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

This week, Tennessee will play the fi nal week of the regular SEC Thursday-Sunday format. On Thursday, UT concludes its home schedule for 2007-08 with a game versus Florida at 7 p.m. on Feb. 28. The Lady Vols will hit the road for the fi nal game of the regular season at #22/20 Georgia in Athens on Mar. 2 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. As of Feb. 28, less than 500 reserved tickets remained.

ON THIS DAY IN LADY VOL BASKETBALL HISTORY

UT is 9-2 in games played on Feb. 28. The Lady Vols are 0-0 at home, 1-1 on the road and 8-1 on neutral courts. The last time out on Feb. 28, #2-ranked UT defeated #14-ranked Georgia, 85-69, in Chattanooga for the 1999 SEC Tournament Championship title.

LOOKING BACK

Last year at this time, the #2-ranked Lady Vols were 27-2 on the season after defeating #12 Vanderbilt, 73-53, in Knoxville.

LADY VOLS ON TV

A record 27 (of 29) Lady Vol regular season games are slated for television this season. Upcoming TV games include: Georgia on ESPN2. UT is 24-2 on TV this season.

BAUGH NAMED SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

Lady Vol basketball forward Vicki Baugh was tabbed as the the SEC Freshman of the Week (Feb. 18- 24). It is the fi rst such honor for the Lady Vol rookie, who is averaging 5.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game for the defending national champions. In two games last week, the Sacramento, Calif., native connected on 100% of her shots from both the fi eld (7-7) and the charity stripe (6-6). She averaged 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 14.0 minutes in victories at Alabama and against Mississippi State. In the Lady Vols’ 85-58 rout at Alabama, Baugh scored a career-high 12 points, grabbed four rebounds and rejected two shots. Against Mississippi State, she registered eight points in eight minutes and added three rebounds and an assist. Baugh joins fellow Lady Vol rookie Angie Bjorklund and UT junior Candace Parker as the only Tennessee players to earn weekly conference honors in their fi rst year.

PARKER NAMED 2008 ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN OF THE YEAR/ANOSIKE HONORED TOO

UT junior forward Candace Parker headlined the 2007-08 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Women’s Basketball Teams, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, by being named as the Academic All-America of the Year in the University Divisions. Parker is the latest member of the Tennessee women’s basketball program to be honored by the Academic All-America® program, as her head coach, Pat Summitt, was honored last summer as the recipient of CoSIDA’s prestigious Dick Enberg Award. A Sport Management major at Tennessee, Parker holds a 3.35 cumulative grade point average.“This is such an honor,” Parker said. “An athletic career could end at a moment’s notice, but a solid education will last a lifetime. My parents always made sure that I understood the importance of academics and impressed upon me a work ethic that has helped me sustain a certain level in the classroom while managing the busy schedule of being a collegiate student-athlete.” Joining Parker as fi rst team Academic All-America selections in the University Division are Delaney Conway of Portland State, Jackie McFarland of Colorado, Laura Rudolphi of Indiana State and Lindsay Whorton of Drake. Parker’s senior teammate, Nicky Anosike, earned second team Academic All-America honors along with Megan Frazee of Liberty, Danielle Green of Oklahoma St., Lauren Kohn of Ohio and Crystal Langhorne of Maryland.

Lady Vol Senior Night Salute

On Lady Vol Senior Night 2008, pre-game ceremonies will honor the following senior basketball managers, athletic trainer and players:

CHARLIE HARLESS

From Hollywood, Maryland, Charlie Harless is in his third season as a Lady Vol manager. He is majoring in Sport Management and is joined by his parents, Peg & Charlie Harless. Delores Haynes is a four-year manager from Trenton, Georgia, majoring in Psychology. She is joined tonight by her parents, Suzanne & Lanny Haynes.

KELLY MILHALIK

Kelly Milhalik is a senior athletic trainer from Somerset, Pennsylvania, majoring in Sociology. She is joined courtside by her mother Amy Mihalik Tonight we honor the Tennessee Lady Vol Basketball Senior Class of 2008. Over the past four years, they have accumulated an overall record of 120 wins and just 15 losses – an 89 percent winning percentage. Against SEC opponents, they have an outstanding 49-5 record! The seniors have made two trips to the NCAA Final Four…winning the 2007 Championship! They have also captured an SEC regular season crown and two SEC Tournament Titles – they’d like to add another one next week in Nashville:

And now, introducing your University of Tennessee starting five seniors:

ALBERTA AUGUSTE

The Tennessee coaching staff dipped into the junior college ranks two years ago and we’re sure glad that they found Alberta Auguste. “Bird” arrived in Knoxville with credentials as a defensive stopper and a great team player…She has played in 64 games in the Orange and White and earned one start with the Lady Vols…She has scored 308 points, grabbed 154 rebounds, dished 88 assists and snagged 83 steals…Nine times, she has connected in double-fi gures scoring…She recorded a career high 13 points versus Chattanooga, 8 rebounds against Arkansas and claimed a career best 8 steals versus Louisiana Tech…In the 2007 NCAA Tournament, she was exceptional on both ends of the fl oor coming up big in the wins over Ole Miss in the Elite 8, and in the title game versus Rutgers with 10 points and fi ve rebounds…We know you and your fellow seniors would like to add an SEC Tournament title and another shot at an NCAA Championship before you leave…A senior majoring in Psychology, she is joined tonight by her father, Albert Auguste. Lady Vol fans, a 5’11” forward from Marrero, Louisiana, number 33, senior ALBERTA AUGUSTE.

SHANNON BOBBITT

The shortest player ever to sign a scholarship with the Lady Vols has come up big every time she has stepped on the court. This diminutive package of dynamite has made herself at home in the Lady Vol backcourt starting 63 games. In less than two seasons, she has scored 577 points, dished 191 assists, hauled in 145 rebounds and grabbed 98 steals. Tough from three-point land, she already ranks eighth all-time in treys made and is fourth in the UT record books for career three-point percentage at 40.7. She has scored in double-fi gures 28 times for the Lady Vols and registered career highs of 27 points versus Oklahoma, 13 assists against Gonzaga and fi ve steals at Georgia. Twice this season, “Little Bit” has grabbed a career high seven rebounds. A clutch performer in the NCAA Tournament last year, she averaged 10.8 ppg while being named to the 2007 All-Final Four Team and the Dayton Regional All- Tournament team. Decorated as a Vol Scholar this year, she is a fi nalist for the Nancy Lieberman and Francis Pomeroy Awards annually given to the Most Outstanding point guard in women’s college basketball. A senior in psychology, she is joined on the court tonight by her parents, Linda & Anthony Bobbitt, brothers Christopher and Stevie and sister Shareese Bobbitt. Starting at point guard, number 00, from Manhattan, New York, 5’2” senior SHANNON BOBBITT.

NICKY ANOSIKE

During her four years at Tennessee, she has scored 1,016 points and grabbed 816 rebounds… She has 149 career blocked shots, ranking her fi fth in the UT record books… As a prowler in the paint, she has scored in double fi gures 34 times and grabbed double-digit rebounds 18 times during her career… Earlier this season, she poured in a career-high 20 points against Auburn…No one will ever forget the career high 16 rebounds “Big Nick” pulled down in the 2007 NCAA Championship game versus Rutgers…We have marveled as she balanced academic and athletic success with a triple major in sociology (criminal justice), political science and legal studies…This week, ESPN The Magazine placed her on its prestigious Academic All-America Second Team…A district Academic All-American as well as a four-time member of the SEC All-Academic Team and a nominee for the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year Award in 2008… She has played in 135 games and started in 122 games during her career – which ranks fi fth all-time…Named to the 2008 SEC Community Service Team, the 2007 All-Final Four Tournament Team and to the 2005 SEC All-Freshman Team… I think Tennessee fans will agree – some of her best games are yet to come – we can’t wait to see Nicky dominate the postseason paint…she is joined tonight by her mother Ngozi, sisters Nneoma and Anulika, and brothers Ifesanachi and Ejimofor. Ladies and gentlemen, a 6’4” post from Staten Island, New York, number 55, senior NICKY ANOSIKE.

ALEXIS HORNBUCKLE

Our next senior has been the heartbeat and a sparkplug of the Lady Vols for the last four years… A crowd favorite, the fans sense that something’s about to happen when she gets the ball in her hands or takes it away from her opponent…Last week, she became the new all-time leader in steals for the Lady Vols with 339 thefts, breaking Bridgette Gordon’s 19-year old “untouchable” school record…Perhaps the most complete player ever to suit-up in the Lady Vol backcourt, she has amassed some incredible numbers – 1,234 career points, 672 career rebounds, 459 assists (which ranks fourth all-time) and 79 career blocked shots. Only two other Lady Vols appear as high as Lex does in the fi ve all-time categories – Chamique Holdsclaw and Tamika Catchings – not bad company! During her Lady Vol career, she has played in 127 games with 108 starting assignments – remember when she gutted it out and played with a broken wrist as a sophomore? She has tallied double-fi gure scoring 63 times…Fell short of registering the fi rst career triple double in UT history two times – the most recent time coming against Florida last season…Her career highs include 29 points versus LSU, 14 rebounds against Connecticut, 10 assists against Florida and 7 steals versus Chattanooga. She has been a Naismith Award fi - nalist, a member of the 2007 All-SEC and All-SEC Tournament teams, 2006 Second Team All-SEC and on the 2005 All-SEC Rookie Team…She will graduate with a degree in Sociology and is joined tonight by her parents, Quandora and Jerome Hornbuckle. Ladies and gentleman, starting at guard and the pride of Charleston, West Virginia, number 14, 5’11” senior ALEXIS HORNBUCKLE.

CANDACE PARKER

When the heralded “six-pack” rookie class arrived four seasons ago, she was the one with the easy smile and the deadly game. From the moment she stepped on the fl oor in an orange and white jersey – we knew that she was a special person and a phenomenal player. Unfortunately, her rookie season didn’t unfold like that of her fellow classmates – she had to undergo surgery and start a year behind her class. She’s more than made up for lost time over the last three seasons. She has played in 99 games with 98 starts and registered 94 games in double fi gure scoring, 45 games in extra digit rebounding and 43 career double-doubles. She is sixth in career points with 1,882 and 10th in career rebounds with 883. Last week, she became the all-time blocked shot leader in UT history with 247. Overall, her name appears in the top 10 of 21 Lady Vol all-time stat categories. Her honors would fi ll-up a tractor-trailer…She has been named the John Wooden Player of the Year, recipient of the State Farm Wade Trophy, Honda Award winner and two-time State Farm/Kodak All-American, MVP of the 2007 Final Four, 2007 SEC Player of the Year, MVP of the 2006 SEC Tournament, and 2006 SEC Rookie of the Year. Academically, she was just named as the 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year for women’s basketball and was selected as a 2007 Academic All-American and recognized as a four-time All- SEC Academic honoree. She has wowed us with seven dunks! Her career highs include 34 points, 17 rebounds, 7 blocked shots, 7 assists, and 6 steals – not bad for a player who is listed at all fi ve positions. We each have incredible memories of a great competitor who has taken Lady Vol basketball to another level. And for this we say, Thank You. A sport management major, she is joined by her parents Sara Parker and Larry Parker and grandmother Joan Potter. Starting at forward, a 6’4” senior from Naperville, Illinois, number 3 CANDACE PARKER.

THE 4-1-1 ON FLORIDA

In the last game before meeting Tennessee, Florida dropped a disappointing 69-65 decision to South Carolina on Feb. 24 in the fi nal regular-season home game played at O’Connell Center. The Gators (16-11, 5-7 SEC) managed a nine-point lead midway through the fi rst half, limiting USC to just seven points with 6:26 remaining in the period. The Gamecocks woke-up and rallied to a 24-13 scoring fl urry to take a 31-29 lead at the half. USC continued that momentum in the second half, to lead 52-40. The Gators rallied to within one, 63-62, with 2:27 showing but USC hit 6-for-6 from the charity stripe in the fi nal 1:56. UF’s Marshae Dotson came off the bench to fi nish with a game-high 17 points and seven rebounds. Depree Bowden, the lone UF senior, added 12 points and six rebounds, while Sha Brooks chipped in 10 points.

OUR LAST MEETING

Tennessee’s Sidney Spencer scored 21 points and Candace Parker added 19 to lead the fourthranked Lady Vols to their ninth straight win, 80-58, over the Florida Gators on Jan. 11, 2007 in Gainesville. Spencer’s points (21) and three-pointers (5) both matched career highs. Alexis Hornbuckle fell one rebound shy of the fi rst triple-double in Lady Vol history. She had 10 assists and 10 points ( and 9 rebounds) en route to becoming just the eighth alltime UT player to earn a double-double in points and assists. Ironically, the last one came at the hands of Florida, when 2006 UT graduate Shanna Zolman scored 22 points and added 10 assists on Feb. 26, 2006. Cait McMahan and Alex Fuller offered career highs in points (7) and rebounds (8), respectively. UT raced out to a 25-0 lead, getting four 3-pointers from Spencer in the fi rst 10:40 of the game. Marshae Dotson got Florida’s fi rst points with a short jumper with 12:19 left in the half. It was the second longest opening drought by a UT opponent on the season. Tennessee extended its lead to 43-9 with 4:47 left in the half before Florida responded with a 17-1 run heading into halftime. The Lady Vols shot 60 percent from beyond the arc in the opening stanza to lead 44-26 at the half. For the game, the Big Orange held the rebounding advantage, 46-42, but struggled from the charity stripe, shooting a season-worst 41.7% from the line.

LAST MEETING IN KNOXVILLE

The Lady Vols closed out the 2005-06 regular season Feb. 26, 2006 with a 95-93 overtime loss to Florida on Senior Day in Knoxville. Candace Parker scored a career-high for the Lady Vols, netting 25 of her 34 points in the second half. Shanna Zolman and Tye’sha Fluker accounted for 44 points, 22 rebounds and 10 assists in their last home game. Parker, Fluker and Zolman each fi nished with a double-double. The #5-ranked Lady Vols lost at home to an unranked team for the second time in school history and fi rst time in 22 years. UT (25-4, 11-3 SEC) had never lost to an unranked team in Thompson-Boling Arena. Unranked Cincinnati beat then-No. 12 Tennessee 72-69 on Nov. 26, 1984, in the university’s old gym, Stokely Athletics Center. It was only the 16th loss for Tennessee in TBA. Florida’s Brittany Davis scored a career-high 29 points and Sha Brooks added 25 for the Gators (20-7, 8-6). Sarah Lowe added 15 points, seven rebounds, six assists and no turnovers while playing the entire 45 minutes. UF utilized a full-court press that forced most of UT’s season high 28 turnovers and further exposed the loss of point guard Alexis Hornbuckle (broken writst). The Gators grabbed the lead early in the second half and didn’t trail again until overtime. But that only lasted 15 seconds. Parker converted a three-point play to put UT ahead 87-84 with 3 minutes left in the extra period. Davis hit her only 3 of the game and then made the second of two free throws on the ensuing possession to give the lead back to Florida, and the Gators held on to win. UF went up 51-50 on Brooks’ 3 with 13:29 left in regulation, starting a 13-0 run. The Lady Vols got back in it with a 10-2 run to cut it to 65-64 with 6:46 left. UT cut it to one three more times before Eshe made two free throws with 34.4 seconds left to push it to 81-76. Tennessee needed Zolman’s 3 with 8.4 seconds left to send the game into extra periods. UT out-rebounded UF 54-38 and shot 49 percent compared to the Gators 40 percent.

THIRTEEN MEETINGS WITH RANKED FOR UT

In 27 games this season, UT is 11-2 vs. ranked teams. From Feb. 11-17, the Lady Vols faced three ranked teams in consecutive games. Tennessee defeated #25 Vanderbilt on the road, 81-68, lost to #7 LSU, 78-62 and defeated #5/7 Rutgers, 59-58 -- both at home. Two weeks before that, UT beat #9/10-ranked Duke, 67-64. UT also routed #15 DePaul before traveling to South Bend and defeating #14 Notre Dame and then returned home to put a 33-point hurting on No. 20/22 Auburn. To open the season, UT faced three consecutive ranked opponents in six days -- #9/8 Oklahoma, #21/22-ranked Texas and #16/17th-ranked West Virginia. The Lady Vols also defeated #4-ranked North Carolina and #24 Old Dominion. UT’s losses have been to then #5/4 Stanford, 73-69 OT and #7 LSU 78-62. Florida has faced four ranked teams this season and sports an 0-4 record. UF lost to then #20/21-ranked Florida State (81-78), #17/14 Georgia (82-55), #8 LSU (85-71) and #24 Georgia (85-66).

The UT-UF Series
Tennessee leads 35-2