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  Thursday, Feb. 24 7:30pm ET
Randall saves Vols from foul line
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee's Semeka Randall got her chance for redemption at the free-throw line with a half-second left Thursday night.

Randall had shot horribly all night long, missing her 13th shot as the final seconds ticked off.

Then she went to the free-throw line and made two free throws as Tennessee (No. 3 ESPN/USA Today, No. 2 AP) pulled out a 59-57 victory over Vanderbilt.

"I've never been in that situation, but it's what you dream about growing up," said Randall, who made the game-winning basket at Connecticut on Feb. 2. "To be able to come through for my team was one way for me to give something back."

Randall was 2-of-15 from the floor but 6-of-6 from the line. Whether she actually was fouled was a subject of debate.

Jillian Danker was called for the foul as Randall went back up with the rebound of her missed shot. Officials checked the television replay but only to decide how much time to put back on the clock.

"Players should decide games," said Vanderbilt coach Jim Foster, who has never beaten the Lady Vols in Memorial Gym and only once overall in his nine seasons.

Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, who had walked over to the officials after they initially put only .4 seconds on the clock, said they have to call what they see.

"If you see it and don't call it, what are you doing with a whistle in your mouth? I've never felt like one possession at the end of the game is what you look at to focus on," said Summitt, whose Lady Vols attempted as many free throws (23) as Vanderbilt made field goals (23, out of 52 shots).

The victory was the 11th straight for the Lady Vols (24-3, 12-1 Southeastern Conference) in a series they have dominated.

Vanderbilt (18-10, 6-7) has been busy avenging losses to teams it lost to last season, its first with a losing record since 1982-83. It looked like the Commodores would add No. 7 after taking a 55-50 lead with 5:43 remaining.

Vandy, however, missed four straight shots, and Jillian Danker's drive with 1:44 to go turned out to be its last basket.

April McDivitt made a 3-pointer, Tamika Catchings added two free throws, and Kristen Clement tied the game for the seventh time with a driving basket with 1:14 left.

Vandy had one last chance to take the lead back, but Chavonne Hammond was called for charging Catchings with 28.7 seconds remaining.

"When it's this close, it really hurts when you lose it," Hammond said. "We should've won probably. It's the worst loss of my career."

Catchings finished with 19 points for Tennessee, Clement had 12, Kara Lawson 11 and Randall 10. The Lady Vols, the SEC's highest-scoring offense with an 81-point average, shot just 31 percent against the conference's stingiest defense.

"We're fortunate to get out of here with a win," Summitt said.

Chantelle Anderson led Vanderbilt with 14 points, Zuzi Klimesova added 11 and Hammond and Danker each finished with 10.

It looked like the Lady Vols would blow out Vandy as they did three weeks ago in Knoxville, going up 18-6. Tennessee hounded Vandy into 10 turnovers in the half, including six steals, and turned them into 17 points in taking a 32-24 lead at halftime.

Vandy took its first lead at 39-38 with 14:53 left on Ashley McElhiney's 3-pointer.

 


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