It’s almost time for one of the most exciting events of the year — March Madness.
With that in mind, memories of great March Madness moments are at the top of the mind. You can’t tell the story of March Madness, or women’s college basketball in general, without mentioning the legendary Pat Summitt.
As Jeep knows best, some don’t wait for the trail to appear — they pave it. Timed to Women’s History Month and March Madness, SB Nation’s Game Changers will shine a spotlight on the legends of Women’s NCAA
Basketball – players who shifted culture and broke the mold. Through ownership of this month-long series, Jeep will shine as the vehicle that embodies and empowers that free spirit — inviting its drivers to forge their own path, push boundaries, and change the game.
Summitt absolutely did that, and then some. She was the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols from 1974 until her retirement in 2012. During that time, Summitt won eight national titles, 16 SEC championships, and appeared in 18 Final Fours. Summitt is one of the winningest coaches in basketball history, counting the men’s and women’s games.
As we prepare for another tournament, let’s look back at some of the best March Madness games of Summitt’s career.
1987: Summitt wins her first title
Most people remember that Summitt won multiple titles, but many may not realize her first championship did not come until her 13th season in Knoxville.
The Lady Vols had fallen painfully short several times before, but everything clicked during that 1986-87 season. Summitt’s squad was a No. 2 seed in the tournament, and they had to run through three No. 1 seeds to get to the championship game.
This was the first postseason in which the Lady Vols really started getting national buzz thanks to their tenacious defense. The championship game was against Louisiana Tech, which was one of Tennessee’s heated rivals at the time. The Lady Vols had just a 1-11 record all-time against Louisiana Tech before the championship game, making it even more impressive that the Lady Vols earned a dominant 67-44 victory.
Summitt has plenty of championships to choose from, but getting that first one out of the way was extra special.
1989: Lady Vols knock off Maryland in Final Four
Just two seasons after winning her first title, Summitt had the Lady Vols in position to win another. In the 1988-89 season, the team earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament once again and got through the first three rounds of the tournament relatively unscathed to set up a match against fellow No. 1 seed Maryland.
The Terrapins were having an incredible season, having won the ACC and finished fifth in the final AP Poll. Maryland had scored at least 78 points in each of their first three tournament games, but they only managed 65 against Summitt’s tough defense.
Dispatching a very good Maryland team was impressive, and it set up a meeting with Auburn in the championship game.
1989: Summitt knocks off an SEC rival, gets second title
Speaking of that meeting with Auburn, that matchup ended up going the Lady Vols’ way. In fact, the Lady Vols ended up winning by 16 points.
This was special not only because it was Summitt’s second title, but the Lady Vols got revenge on Auburn after losing to the team in the regular season. To face the team again in the biggest game and dominate? That has to be remembered as one of Pat’s more impressive wins.
Another thing to remember from this game is the performance of Bridgette Gordon, who put up 27 points and 11 rebounds in the title game.
1991: Summitt gets revenge on Virginia
In the 1989-90 season, Summitt was hoping to get her second consecutive title and her third overall. However, the Lady Vols fell to the Virginia Cavaliers in the Elite 8 and missed out on the chance to play in a Final 4 game in Knoxville.
However, the Lady Vols came back more determined than ever the next season. Keep in mind, Summitt’s son, Tyler, was born before the season, but that didn’t slow the coach down at all. The Lasy Vols made it back to March and easily made their way through the field to get to a rematch against Virginia in the final.
It took overtime, but Summitt got her revenge on Virginia with a 70-67 victory. It was Summitt’s third title and her first as a mother.
1997: Summitt earns most improbable championship
Heading into the 1996-97 season, Summitt had already won four titles and cemented herself as one of the best to ever do it. However, that doesn’t take away from how special the 1996-97 title was.
The Lady Vols didn’t look like the elite team they had been for most of the previous decade in the 96-97 season. In fact, the team ended with 10 losses, the most games they had lost in a season since 1985-86. There were some big low moments in the season, including a double-digit loss to Old Dominion in the regular season.
However, the Lady Vols kept fighting and improving, and they got to rematch Old Dominion in the title game. This time, Summitt’s squad came out on top, winning 68-59 and picking up Summitt’s fifth title.
2008: Summitt wins final title in dominant fashion
The Lady Vols won back-to-back titles in 1997 and 1998. However, after that, the team wouldn’t win another title until 2007. Entering the 2007-08 season, Summitt was looking to go back-to-back once again, this time with Tennessee legend Candace Parker.
Thanks to Parker’s contributions and the typical stout Summitt defense, the Lady Vols battled all the way through March to get back to another championship game. This time, the team faced off against the Stanford Cardinal, and it wasn’t all that close. The Lady Vols walked away with a 64-48 victory, giving Summitt her eighth and final title.
This is a season that every Vols fan remembers. The team has not won a championship since then, and it was such a fun team to watch. It’s either this team or that 1996-97 team that best embodies the spirit of Pat Summitt.
