(Editor's note: Tennessee senior Kara Lawson will share a diary with ESPN.com for the remainder of the season.)

March 11, 2003

	Lawson

It is very disappointing to lose in the finals of the SEC tournament, especially because it was my last go-round. I have to give a lot of credit to LSU. The Lady Tigers played a tremendous game and deserved to win, and I hope our team can learn from the loss. Each of our previous three losses this season were great learning experiences that I believe molded us into a better, tougher team. This loss will do the same. My focus is on the next two weeks because as a team we have the opportunity to improve immensely during this time.

Here are two conclusions I came to at the SEC tournament:

1. The SEC deserves eight teams in the NCAA Tournament. Auburn was the No. 8 seed in our tournament and in all likelihood the last SEC team that would make it into the NCAA Tournament. I think they deserve to be in it. This is the best conference in the country, bar none, and our eighth seed would finish in the top three or four in a lot of other conferences. Hopefully the tournament committee will see it that way, too.

2. LaToya Thomas is the best player I have faced all year. We have played against almost every "great" player this year, and without a doubt in my mind she is the best. You look at our schedule and it includes games against half of the top 25, so we get a good feel for the players out there. There is no player that means more to her team than Thomas. She might not get the publicity that some of the other players and schools receive, including Tennessee, but man she can play. I've played against her for four years, and what she has been able to accomplish in this league consistently has been nothing short of amazing. She's my player of the year.

I wish I could say that we were SEC tourney champs, but going 16-1 in this league is not bad. I'm so ready for the bracket to come out this Sunday. I love this time of year. See you next week.

K-Law

For more on Lawson and Tennessee, visit the Lady Vols' official athletic site.