"We Back Pat"
photo by UT Sports
Tennessee will host its annual "We Back Pat" game on Thursday, as Mississippi State comes to Food City Center and joins the Lady Vols in commemorating the 13th anniversary of the initiative, which is a partnership between the Pat Summitt Foundation and the Southeastern Conference.
UT (14-2, 2-2 SEC) and MSU (15-3, 2-2 SEC) are slated to meet at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, with the contest televised on SEC Network and carried by Lady Vol Network radio stations statewide and via audio stream on UTSports.com.
Orange Mountain Designs, located in The Gallery shopping center at 7240 Kingston Pike in Knoxville, is selling "We Back Pat" shirts, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Pat Summitt Foundation.
The Pat Summitt Foundation was launched on Nov. 27, 2011, by the late, legendary Lady Vol head coach Pat Summitt after her diagnosis of early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type, at the age of 59. Each year, "We Back Pat" games are held around the nation to create awareness and help raise funds for research that can lead to more effective treatment and a cure for the disease.
Summitt, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and an inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, produced a 1,098-208 record in 38 seasons at the helm of the UT women's basketball program. She led her teams to eight NCAA national championships, 18 NCAA Final Fours, 16 SEC regular season titles and 16 SEC tournament crowns. The program maintained a 100 percent graduation rate for every player who completed her eligibility at UT, with 122 players under her leadership earning degrees.