 February began with another SEC match @-@ up , this time against unranked Alabama . Starter Kyra Elzy tore her ACL during the game ending her season , during this game , while going up for a rebound . Meanwhile , Alabama was keeping close to the Lady Vols , by slowing the game down . At half time , Tennessee only had a 13 @-@ point lead . The team never did shake off the Crimson Tide , but did manage to pull out the win , 73 – 66 . A trip to Ole Miss was next , and the team started off much better , score the first ten points of the game and having a 54 – 17 lead at halftime . Summitt let the bench play the rest of the game , ultimately winning 91 – 45 . This game was followed up by a non @-@ conference match against longtime rival Old Dominion , whom Tennessee had beaten in the previous year 's national championship . The game was even for fifteen minutes , but in the last five minutes of the half , Tennessee was able to build a twelve @-@ point lead . Holdsclaw took over the second half for the Lady Vols , scoring 24 points for an 85 – 61 victory , ODU 's biggest loss in four years . This match was followed up with another conference game , this time against the Mississippi State Bulldogs . UT started out sloppily , and ended the half with only a nine @-@ point lead . However , once again the team came out strong to open the second half , raising their lead and eventually had double State 's points , with ten minutes remaining . The Bulldogs cut the lead to eleven , but then Summitt put Holdsclaw back in , scoring eight in a row , giving Tennessee another victory , 74 – 52 . 
