Tennessee in business after win over UConn

The score was tied at 76 with three minutes left before Randall scored seven points in a closing 16-5 burst.

The Lady Vols (13-1) evened the series at 4-4 and avenged a 1996 loss to UConn that snapped Tennessee's NCAA record 69-game home win streak.

UConn (13-1) had the longest home winning string in the nation.

Tennessee's late run broke open a game that was mostly back-and-forth in the second half. Teresa Geter started the spurt with a jumper at 3:17 and Tamika Catchings took advantage of a turnover and hit a 3-pointer.

After Geter made two free throws, Randall completed a three-point play on another a foul by Svetlana Abrosimova that sent the UConn scoring leader to the bench with her fifth.

Catching's layup put Tennessee up 88-76 with 1:05 left. After a pair of foul shots by UConn's Swin Cash and a 3-pointer from Keirsten Walters, Randall closed out the game with back-to-back baskets.

UConn had two brief leads the second half. Walters' 3-pointer at 11:03 put the Huskies up by one point and Cash gave UConn a 68-67 edge with a foul shot with 6:50 left.

Both teams played their up-tempo style from the opening tip. The Huskies got their only lead of the period early on Walters' 3-pointer, but Holdsclaw scored the next three baskets as part of a 10-2 run capped by Kellie Jolly's four-point play.

Tennessee led 42-36 at halftime. The Lady Vols outrebounded UConn 47-32, led by Holdsclaw's nine.

Cash scored 19 points for UConn and Abrosimova had 11 before fouling out.

In a clash of titans, Tennessee defeated Connecticut, 92-81.

FILE PHOTO

01-11-99