By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer
NORFOLK, Va. - Kara Lawson returned to Virginia and put on a show,leading fifth-ranked Tennessee to a 91-63 victory Tuesday night over OldDominion to give Pat Summitt her 798th career coaching victory.
The Lady Vols (10-3), coming off a 63-62 overtime loss at No. 3 Connecticuton Saturday, put their depth on display against the Lady Monarchs (4-5),getting scoring from 10 players in the first half alone.
Lawson, the 1999 national high school player of the year and two-time stateplayer of the year at West Springfield High School in Alexandria, had 11 of her19 points in the opening half. She also hit a 3-pointer early in the secondhalf that helped Tennessee build a 25-10 run and pull away.
Summitt's victory total is sixth among all coaches in men's or women'scollege basketball. She's lost 161 times.
The Lady Monarchs, who had won three straight after a 1-4 start, fell to9-27 in their long-running rivalry against the six-time national champions.
The Lady Vols led 24-22 late in the first half before Lawson hit a 3-pointerfrom the top of the key with 5:39 to play to spark a 15-4 run.
A free throw by Shareese Grant pulled the Lady Monarchs to 39-27 at thebreak, but the Lady Vols got 3-pointers from Loree Moore and Lawson early inthe second half and dominant inside play from Ashley Robinson.
Robinson and Gwen Jackson had six points each during the big run thatstarted the half, and the Lady Vols extended their lead to as many as 30.
Lawson made eight of 12 shots from the field, including three 3-pointers,and had seven assists. Robinson and Brittany Jackson added 13 points apiece,and Gwen Jackson had 12. The Lady Vols shot 56.3 percent from the field.
Okeisha Howard led the Lady Monarchs with 20 points.