TAMPA, Fla. — Alexis Hornbuckle’s only basket of the game Sunday night was just enough to put defending champion Tennessee back into the title game.
Hornbuckle’s putback with seven-tenths of a second left lifted the Lady Vols to a 47-46 victory over LSU. It was the lowest scoring game in Final Four history.
“I couldn’t make a shot all night, but honestly, that was the only one that mattered,” Hornbuckle said.
Tennessee star Candace Parker did all she could with her bum shoulder, scoring 13 points and grabbing 15 rebounds to lead the Lady Vols ( 35-2), who moved within a win of their eighth national championship.
“It was a tough battle, LSU is a great team, my teammates pulled it out,” said Parker, who shot only 6-for-27 from the field. “The shoulder is fine.”
All-America center Sylvia Fowles of LSU tried in vain to avoid losing her fourth straight Final Four. She scored 24 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to lead LSU (31-6), but that strong performance wasn’t enough.
