TAMPA, Fla. — Many people already have Tennessee and Candace Parker in the Women’s NCAA Tournament title game, bum shoulder and all.
LSU coach Van Chancellor doesn’t like it one bit. The Hall of Famer is tired of the lack of regard his team has been getting even though it beat Tennessee during the regular season with a healthy Parker.
“I’m amazed that a team that’s been to five straight Final Fours has very little respect,” Chancellor said. “I think this team deserves a little more respect than what it’s getting. I turn on the television and I see a guy saying it’s going to be a great game between Tennessee and Connecticut on Tuesday.”
Parker has been rehabbing her left shoulder the last few days after dislocating it twice in the Oklahoma City Regional final and is ready to play against LSU tonight in the national semifinals.
“I have all the confidence in the world in the medical staff,” Parker said. “My shoulder feels strong and it’s getting better every day. I’m happy we play the late game on Sunday because it gives us more time to rehab.”
Despite reaching the national semifinals the last five seasons, LSU (31-5) has yet to make it to the championship game. LSU is only the second team to play in five straight Final Fours, matching the feat accomplished by Connecticut from 2000-04.
Tennessee’s Pat Summitt can sympathize with LSU’s Final Four plight.
“We went to seven Final Fours and seven national championship games before we won one. I know how they feel,” Summitt said.
Chancellor found it funny that to end LSU’s skid, the Lady Tigers would have to get by their conference rival.
“I look up and LSU’s trying to win their first game at the Final Four, and you got to beat Tennessee to do it; that’s pretty ironic.”
Having met twice already and many times over the last few years, the SEC foes know each other well. LSU won the regular-season meeting, beating Tennessee 78-62 in Knoxville as the Lady Tigers rallied from a 19-point first-half deficit. Tennessee took the SEC tournament title, topping LSU 61-55.
