Tennessee Tennessee/Arizona State Arizona St. Women's College Basketball recap on ESPN

On a cool, desert night, Tamika Catchings scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead No. 2-ranked Lady Vols to a 67-63 victory over Arizona State on Wednesday at Bank One Ballpark, the home of baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks.

Tennessee (11-0) built a 14-point lead midway through the second half, then held off the Sun Devils (7-4) down the stretch to win what was believed to be the first college basketball game played outdoors.

Temperatures in the mid-50s chilled fans and players alike in a 48,000-seat stadium that has 8,000 tons of air conditioning but no heat.

"Once you got warmed up, it was pretty nice," Arizona State's Amanda Levens said. "But it was a little cold in the second half."

Tennessee, however, warmed to the challenge when threatened in its final tuneup for Saturday's showdown with No. 1 Connecticut. Kristen Clement added 12 points and Michelle Snow grabbed 14 rebounds as the Lady Vols overcome 24 turnovers.

"It was a unique setting and I think our basketball team had some challenges tonight that they'll probably not face again in their entire careers," Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said. "We've turned the ball over too many times in our last three or four games, but we'll get better. And hopefully, our hands will be warmer next time."

Levens led Arizona State with 21 points. Betsy Boardman and Melody Johnson each had 10 for the Sun Devils, who kept the pressure on Tennessee to the end.

"I feel great about the event and what we accomplished," Arizona State coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "We fell short of the full vision. The full vision was to shock the world. We know we were the only ones who felt we were going to win. We're very disappointed we didn't."

The crowd of 16,782, wearing jackets, sweatshirts and some covered in blankets, easily topped Arizona State's previous record of 5,272 and the Pac-10 record of 9,738 set at Oregon.

But it fell far short of the national record of 24,597 Tennessee drew for a 1998 game with Connecticut.

Still, it was a festive occasion in an atmosphere that seemed more fitting for football on a crisp, autumn-like night. Sparky, the Sun Devils' mascot, paraded back and forth on the roof of the first-base dugout. New age music played as the stadium roof opened an hour before tipoff and the temperature inside immediately cooled.

Space heaters behind the benches warmed the players, though evidently not enough. Tennessee players sat hunched over with their hands inside the sleeves of their warmups. Some Arizona State reserves wore gloves.

"Even though we had those hand warmers, we kept passing them around because everyone was cold," Catchings said.

Late in the first half, officials stopped play so a spot on the floor could be wiped off.

"It might be frost," TV announcer Paul Sunderlund cracked.

Ahead just 33-31 early in the second half, Tennessee finished with a 15-3 run with 11 straight points to finally break away. After the Lady Vols scored three straight baskets inside, Gwen Jackson hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key and Clement scored on a putback to make it 48-34.

Arizona State responded with nine straight points to cut the lead to 48-43, and the Sun Devils trailed 51-45 when Amanda Levens sank two free throws after a rare technical foul on Summitt.

"I think I've only had six or seven in my career," said Summitt, in her 27th season at Tennessee. "Does that tell you anything?"

So what did she say?

"Best call you made all night," she replied.

Tennessee responded to the technical with a game-clinching surge. Catchings hit a jumper, Semeka Randall sank two free throws after stealing the ball and Catchings drove for a layup. That made it 57-45 with 3:54 left and the Lady Vols held on.

ALSO SEE
Women's College Basketball Scoreboard

Tennessee Clubhouse

Arizona State Clubhouse