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Lady Vols get physical with Vandy

Lady Vols get physical with Vandy

Posted: Monday, January 16, 2012 7:00 pm

By BETH RUCKER
AP Sports Writer
KNOXVILLE (AP) — The evidence of sixth-ranked Tennessee’s scrappy, physical win over No. 25 Vanderbilt was all over the post-game press conference. Shekinna Stricklen limped in on crutches, while Glory Johnson had ice taped to her elbow and talked of a sore hip.
It took a little extra effort diving for loose balls, fighting for rebounds and smothering the Commodores’ shooters for the Lady Volunteers to pull away in their eventual 87-64 victory on Sunday.
Stricklen, a preseason-all-American who leads Tennessee in scoring, gave her team a scare when she hit the floor clutching her right knee and screaming after going through a rebound with 3 minutes left.
Associate head coach Holly Warlick said it appeared Stricklen had a knee strain but would be fully evaluated on today.
“All I remember is going up for the ball, and I don’t know,” Stricklen said. I hit my knee, and I came down wrong.
“I probably hyperextended it, but I really don’t know.”
Johnson had left the game with 1:50 before halftime after Vandy’s Elan Brown landed on top of her while the two dove for a loose ball. Johnson held ice on top of her right eye but returned to start the second half.
“I’ll spend the majority of tomorrow since we have an off day in the training room getting treatments,” Johnson said. “I’m hurting today, and I know I’m going to wake up feeling worse.”
The Lady Vols were coming off a 61-60 loss at No. 9 Kentucky, their first Southeastern Conference loss in nearly two years and seemed to carry their disappointment into a back-and-forth first half against Vanderbilt.
Published in The Messenger 1.16.12