Candace Parker double dunks, makes basketball history
{{date|March 26, 2006}}

On March 19, 2006, {{w|Candace Parker|Candace Parker}}, the 6 foot, 4 inches (1.93 meters) tall {{w|Tennessee Lady Volunteers|Tennessee Lady Volunteers}} [[w:forward|forward]], made {{w|NCAA Basketball|NCAA Basketball}} history and set a record as the first woman ever to double dunk in an [[NCAA|NCAA]] game.  The media buzz is that Parker has taken {{w|women's basketball|women's basketball}} up to a new level... the air.

During a [[w:Women's NCAA Championship|Women's NCAA Championship]] game against the [[w:Army Black Knights|Army Black Knights]], Parker made her first dunk of the game with 13:44 left in the first half. The Lady Vols were ahead, 14-13, as [[w:Sidney Spencer|Sidney Spencer]] fed the ball to Parker, who flew over opponents to the net, becoming the first woman to [[w:slam dunk|slam dunk]] in an NCAA game.  The crowd roared... not once, but twice.  With 14:18 left in the second half, Parker took [[w:Nicky Anosike|Nicky Anosike]]'s pass and soared above Army and Lady Vol players.  Parker palmed the ball and stuffed it through the rim for her second slam dunk in the game.  Even the famously focused Coach [[w:Pat Summit|Pat Summit]] took a moment to appreciate the feat.  

During an [[NPR|NPR]] interview, sports analyst, [[w:Nancy Lieberman|Nancy Lieberman]], spoke about what Parker's dunking foreshadows for [[w:women's basketball|women's basketball]].  Both Lieberman and Summit noted that Parker frequently dunks the ball during practice, as other women do.  Lieberman says that [[w:women's basketball|women's basketball]] has developed immensely in recent years.  And she expects audiences will see [[w:women's ncaa basketball|women NCAA]] and [[w:professional basketball players|professional basketball players]] use dunking and other spectacular skills much more in the future.

Most people are celebrating Parker's [[w:double dunk|double dunk]] as a success.  In both women's and men's basketball, a few have questioned whether dunking makes the game better.  But, adding a dunk shot will certainly change the game, as will the continued development of [[w:point guard|point guards]].  Basketball analysts usually agree that dunking is exciting and most say that using this [[w:high-percentage shot|high-percentage shot]] will draw bigger audiences to [[w:women's hoops|women's hoops]].  

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_82292.asp?imgID=13960 
|title=Candace Parker Becomes First Woman To Dunk In Tournament Game
|author=Wendy King
|pub=Chattanoogan
|date=March 19, 2006}}

*{{source|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/ncaatourney06/columns/story?columnist=lieberman_nancy&id=2375750
|title=Even Summitt's excited over Parker dunk
|author=Nancy Lieberman
|pub=ESPN, AP
|date=March 19, 2006}}

*{{source|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5290908
|title=Parker’s Slam Dunk Elevates Women’s Basketball
|author=Melissa Block
|pub=NPR
|date=March 20, 2006}}

*{{source|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/ncaatourney06/news/story?id=2375532
|title=ESPN.com experts on Parker's dunk
|author=ESPN.com
|pub=ESPN.com
|date=March 19, 2006}}

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[[Category:Sports]]
[[Category:Women's sports]]
[[Category:Basketball]]
[[Category:NCAA]]
[[Category:Tennessee]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Women's basketball]]
On March 19, 2006, Candace Parker, the 6 foot, 4 inches (1.93 meters) tall Tennessee Lady Volunteers forward, made NCAA Basketball history and set a record as the first woman ever to double dunk in an NCAA game.  The media buzz is that Parker has taken women's basketball up to a new level... the air.

During a Women's NCAA Championship game against the Army Black Knights, Parker made her first dunk of the game with 13:44 left in the first half. The Lady Vols were ahead, 14-13, as Sidney Spencer fed the ball to Parker, who flew over opponents to the net, becoming the first woman to slam dunk in an NCAA game.  The crowd roared... not once, but twice.  With 14:18 left in the second half, Parker took Nicky Anosike's pass and soared above Army and Lady Vol players.  Parker palmed the ball and stuffed it through the rim for her second slam dunk in the game.  Even the famously focused Coach Pat Summit took a moment to appreciate the feat.  

During an NPR interview, sports analyst, Nancy Lieberman, spoke about what Parker's dunking foreshadows for women's basketball.  Both Lieberman and Summit noted that Parker frequently dunks the ball during practice, as other women do.  Lieberman says that women's basketball has developed immensely in recent years.  And she expects audiences will see women NCAA and professional basketball players use dunking and other spectacular skills much more in the future.

Most people are celebrating Parker's double dunk as a success.  In both women's and men's basketball, a few have questioned whether dunking makes the game better.  But, adding a dunk shot will certainly change the game, as will the continued development of point guards.  Basketball analysts usually agree that dunking is exciting and most say that using this high-percentage shot will draw bigger audiences to women's hoops.  

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Sports Women's sports Basketball NCAA Tennessee United States North America Women's basketball