Tennessee Tennessee/Texas Texas Women's College Basketball recap on ESPN

Texas (No. 22 ESPN/USA Today, No. 15 AP) shot a miserable 28 percent (22-of-80) from the floor and broke down defensively with late foul trouble as No. 2 Tennessee pulled away for a 67-59 victory Friday night.

Tennessee (10-0) has a 13-game winning streak against Texas (11-2) dating to 1989.

"This has to be one of the best Texas teams we have gone up against in recent years," said Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, whose 738 career wins are second only to Texas' Jody Conradt (757).

"We were especially worried about Tracy Cook, but she had an off night."

Cook, Texas' leading scorer this season, had a miserable night. She grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds but finished with just three points and was 0-of-15 from the floor.

"We're not a great shooting team," Conradt said. "Tonight we weren't even a good shooting team. But I know we can make some of the shots that we missed."

And when foul trouble forced Texas (11-2) to match up Cook against the Volunteers' swift Tamika Catchings, it was no contest.

Catchings had 19 points and 18 rebounds to lead Tennessee (10-0). She scored 11 of Tennessee's final 17 points. Gwen Jackson added 18 points for the Vols.

The stat sheet suggested a blowout. Besides the Longhorns' poor shooting, the Vols outrebounded Texas 59-45.

But Tennessee struggled to find any kind of rhythm. Twelve first-half turnovers led to 12 Texas points and Tennessee trailed 31-29 at halftime.

"After the halftime talk, and a little excitement in the lockerroom, I think we came out in the second half and brought more intensity to the game," Catchings said.

"I didn't talk, I screamed," Summitt said. "I thought Texas was much more physical and quicker to the ball," in the first half.

Texas freshman forward Stacy Stephens scored 13 points and generally kept Tennessee's more athletic lineup from dominating near the basket -- when she was in the game.

Stephens picked up her third foul with the Longhorns leading 33-30 in the second half. She went to the bench and Tennessee immediately exploited the Longhorns' softer interior for an 8-2 run.

Jackson and Ashley Robinson combined for six points on layups in the run that put Tennessee ahead 38-35 with 16:11 left to play.

After Catchings' jumper made it 52-48, Stephens gave Texas a boost with a putback layup and free throw that brought the crowd of 10,858 to its feet.

But she fouled out two minutes later, leaving the less physical Cook to try to defend Catchings near the basket. Catchings burned her badly for easy buckets three times down the stretch.

"You knew Catchings was going to make a play or two. She's not an All-American for nothing," Conradt said. "They know how to make plays and they know how to close out close games. Somehow we've got to finish it."

ALSO SEE
Women's College Basketball Scoreboard

Tennessee Clubhouse

Texas Clubhouse