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Site: Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas Tournament MVP: Tonya Edwards, Tennessee Tennessee played tough on defense, walloping Louisiana Tech to give coach Pat Summitt her first national championship. The victory was especially sweet for Summitt because she had lost 11 of her last 12 to the Lady Techsters, including three Final Four matchups. Louisiana Tech was suffocated, shooting just 33 percent from the field. Three Lady Vols -- forward Bridgette Gordon, center Sheila Frost and freshman guard Tonya Edwards -- each scored 13 points. High Scorer: Tennessee's Gordon averaged 22.2 points in five games. Worth the Wait: Summitt had lost in her previous eight trips to the Final Four. Impressive Streak: Going into the tournament, defending champ Texas had won 65 of its previous 66 games. Interesting Fact: Going into the Final Four, Long Beach State had a 33-2 record and led the nation in scoring average with 95.8 points per game -- 3.2 more than men's leader Nevada-Las Vegas, which had the benefit of the three-point shot. (The women implemented the 3-point shot in 1988). They Said It: "Tennessee played as good a defensive game as I've ever seen or played against," said Tech coach Leon Barmore. "We never got any easy shots. In fact, the points we got were well earned." They Said It II: After beating Texas, Weatherspoon (19 points, 11 assists, 7 steals) said, "We worked so well together. It was like we cut the crowd's vocal cords." Suprise Guests: Long Beach State and defending champ Texas seemed pre-ordained to play in the final. But in the semis, Tennesee whacked Long Beach State and Louisiana Tech played a near-perfect game to unseat Texas. Home-Court Disadvantage: With the Final Four at Austin, Texas fans bought up most of the 15,823 tickets. But when Texas was upended in the semis, there were an estimated 6,000 empty seats for the final. All-Tournament Team: Tonya Edwards, Tennessee; Bridgette Gordon, Tennessee; Teresa Weatherspoon, Louisiana Tech; Clarrisa Davis, Texas; Cindy Brown, Long Beach State.
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