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Knee injury ends Catchings' career
Updated: Monday January 15, 2001 7:50 PM
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- In typical fashion, Tamika Catchings was going full force to the basket. Suddenly she was sprawled on the floor, her college career over. The crowd of 11,643 went silent as team doctors and coach Pat Summitt attended to the team leader of the Tennessee Lady Vols, who was helped off the court and put into a wheelchair. "She fell hard and landed on that knee, but she said she didn't feel anything when she went down but that it was hurting," Summitt said. Voted women's college basketball player of the year last season, Catchings had torn a ligament in her right knee. Tennessee's 66-59 win over No. 21 Mississippi State didn't seem that important any more. "When she came down the floor, I watched her because she plays so hard and really comes in and jump starts and shoots," Summitt said. "I did not see her knee give out." The coaches had hoped that because Catchings didn't hear or feel a pop, which normally indicates torn ligaments, the injury wasn't serious. Several hours later Monday, the team orthopedist determined Catchings tore the ACL, ending her season and career at Tennessee. A surgery date has not been set. Catchings was not available for interviews after the game. The 6-foot-1 senior from Duncanville, Texas, who finished with a team-leading 17 points and 13 rebounds, left with 5:34 remaining and Tennessee ahead 55-46. "We lost our best player and leader," Summitt said. "She was injured the way she played the game -- all out and hard on every play." A freshman on the Lady Vols' 1998 national championship team, Catchings was one of four seniors on Tennessee's team. She and fellow senior Semeka Randall graduated a semester early in December and had started taking graduate courses. She was admired by the younger players, especially the team's four freshmen. "This is a close team. Tamika has been a big sister to our four freshmen. The four of them were particularly torn up and crying," Summitt said before learning of the severity of the injury. They were all upset." Catchings was moved to a perimeter position for this season and to prepare for the WNBA and seemed to be learning her new role. She slashed to the basket, crashed the boards and pulled up for jumpers as she inspired the rest of the team with her tenacity. "She gives her heart, her all, all of the time," sophomore Gwen Jackson said. "I've tried to model my game after her. She goes out there 40 minutes and never looks tired." A preseason All-America for the third time in her career, Catchings entered Monday's game with a team-leading 15.1 points and 8.6 rebounds average. She also was making her way up the career lists in the Tennessee record book. She became only the third Lady Vol to score 2,000 points, joining Chamique Holdsclaw and Bridgette Gordon, in a 24-point game against Arizona State this season. She finished her career with 2,113 points. Catchings became only the second player -- along with Holdsclaw -- to have over 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Her rebounds Monday pushed her career total to 1,004. She had seven double-doubles -- counting Monday -- this season. Catchings and Randall -- along with Holdsclaw -- became known as the "Meeks" while Tennessee was making its 39-0 run to the national championship. Catchings figured prominently into Tennessee's desires for another title. A highly-touted high school player, she never failed to impress. "Her intensity, her hustle plays give this team confidence and inspiration. She leads by example," Summitt said. "Obviously, we're a different team when she's resting."
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