Catchings Sidelined for Season

Tamika Catchings’ career with the Tennessee women’s basketball team ended Monday when she landed hard on her right knee and suffered a torn ligament.

“We lost our best player and leader by example,” Lady Vol Coach Pat Summitt said after Tennessee’s 66-59 victory over No. 21 Mississippi State. “She was injured the way she played the game--all-out and hard on every play.”

Catchings, an All-America senior forward who led second-ranked Tennessee, 16-4 overall and 4-0 in Southeastern Conference play, in scoring and rebounding, left with 5:43 to play after landing hard on her right knee after driving to the basket.

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Peace College set an NCAA Division III women’s record for fewest points allowed in a 98-3 victory over Bennett College at Raleigh, N.C.

Bennett, located in Greensboro, N.C., had only one free throw in the first half and two in the second. The Belles (0-8) missed all 19 of their shots..

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Coach Lute Olson was back at practice with the 17th-ranked Arizona Wildcats on Monday, two weeks after the death of his wife Bobbi.