The Final Four: Tennessee

It seems like these ladies are always there. It seems like these ladies are always there. Now, they're here. It seems like these ladies are always there. Now, they're here. The Tennessee women's basketball team is making its unprecedented 12th Final Four appearance this weekend, and this time they'll be looking to cut down the nets in Philadelphia. For Summitt, her 12th Final Four appearance ties the record for trips to the Final Four by any coach in NCAA basketball, a record also held by a figure just as legendary -- the Wizard of Westwood, UCLA's John Wooden. Tennessee rode to the Final Four on the wings of a 57-44 victory over Texas Tech in the Mideast Regional final on Monday night. The Lady Vols were led by forward Kara Lawson's 13 points. Center Michelle Snow and guard Semeka Randall both tallied 12 points. Star forward Tamika Catchings, who injured her ankle midway through the first half Monday, was held to 2-for-11 shooting by the Lady Raiders, but she contributed to the team's victory in other areas. Catchings grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds and added six assists and three steals. While Tennessee's production from the point, in the person of Kristen Clement, has been spotty this season, her fellow Lady Vols have put up solid numbers. Four of the five Tennessee starters average double figures in scoring: Catchings, Lawson, Snow and Randall. Rutgers will have to deal with Tennessee's inside game and its potent three-point shooting in order to knock off the heavily favored Lady Vols tomorrow night. However, the Scarlet Knights can take heart in the fact that Texas Tech took the lead Monday while Catchings was recuperating on the bench, suggesting that Rutgers can contain the Lady Vols in tomorrow night's national semifinal if its stifling defense can stifle her. -- Ryan Kelly