| Parker will rehab, hopes to play
Parker will rehab, hopes to play
By MIKE ORGAN • Staff Writer • April 2, 2008
OKLAHOMA CITY — Candace Parker will undergo intense rehabilitation for her injured shoulder during the next four days with hopes of playing Sunday in the Lady Vols' Final Four game against LSU in Tampa, Fla., UT trainer Jenny Moshak said.
Parker's left shoulder became dislocated twice during the first half of Tuesday night's 53-45 win over Texas A&M at Ford Center.
She returned in the second half with a sleeve on her shoulder and was able to play the final 10:39.
After the game, Parker wore a large ice bag on her shoulder. She will be evaluated further Wednesday.
"We've just got to assess the level of damage, if there is any that occurred, and then from there, get to the rehabilitation like crazy so she can make it through the next 10 days,'' Moshak said. "It's ugly to look at. Basically she had a bone sticking out."
Moshak said the second dislocation was caused by the force of the ball when Parker stretched out to intercept it.
"She was in contact with the ball and then there was the force of the movement,'' Moshak said. "Basically, she was putting the shoulder in a vulnerable position."
Parker went through similar rehabilitation last week after she injured her right shoulder during the Lady Vols second-round win at Purdue. She's confident she can play vs. LSU.
"I'll be OK,'' Parker said. "I'm definitely going to rehab, get the strength back in it. I'm like Gumby. I'm loose and it works to my advantage sometimes."
It was the first time Parker had injured her left shoulder.
"It surprised me because it was the other one that I hurt before,'' she said. "But the other one hasn't really popped out like that and stayed out."
Familiar injury: Just last month, UT Coach Pat Summitt dislocated her shoulder while chasing a raccoon off the back deck of her house while waking her dog. She recognized the injury when Parker turned toward her Tuesday night.
"I hit the raccoon a couple of weeks ago and dislocated my shoulder, so as soon as I saw Candace, I knew it was out,'' Summitt said. "Obviously, when I saw it go out again that really, really concerned me."
Offensive collapse: Before Parker was injured she made nine of 12 field-goal attempts. After she was hurt, she went 1-for-4. The Lady Vols were 13-of-19 on field-goal attempts before she was hurt and 6-of-22 afterward.
Gant recovered: Texas A&M's Danielle Gant, who had to sit out the second half of the previous game against Duke because of flu-like symptoms, was in the Aggies' starting lineup. She scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds.
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