KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Nearly three dozen banners hang from the rafters at Thompson-Boling Arena, the majority dedicated to the Tennessee women's basketball program -- a constant reminder of the history and expectations that come with the Lady Vols.
One banner stands out. It commemorates Tennessee's AIAW and NCAA tournament Final Four berths -- 22 in all spanning three decades, the first in 1977 when Pat Summitt was still Pat Head, with no more than a four-year gap between appearances. The years are arranged vertically in groups of eight, but the entire space allotted for a fourth column remains bare.