Ames, Iowa ? Tennessee earned this Final Four trip the old-fashioned way. With defense.

The Lady Vols disrupted Vanderbilt’s normally efficient offense for much of the game and beat the top-seeded Commodores 68-63 in the Midwest Regional final Monday night, sending Tennessee to the Final Four for the 13th time.

“I thought through the course of the game we really guarded people,” Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said. “We just tried to take them somewhat out their rhythm.”

Tennessee (29-4) succeeded and got contributions on the offensive end from several players. Gwen Jackson led way with 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Michelle Snow hit three key shots down the stretch.

The second-seeded Lady Vols played off their defense in building a 15-point lead early in the second half against their Southeastern Conference rival, then survived a rally that got the Commodores (30-7) within two points.

“A lot of different people made plays for us tonight, and that’s what team basketball is all about,” Summitt said. “This basketball team, I felt they deserved to get there and they earned it. They earned some respect and earned an opportunity to go to the Final Four.”

Now, Tennessee, a six-time national champion, gets another crack at unbeaten and top-ranked Connecticut, the Mideast Regional champion. They’ll meet in the national semifinals in San Antonio on Friday night. Connecticut beat Tennessee 86-72 in Knoxville on Jan. 5.

Chantelle Anderson’s 35 points and 12 rebounds weren’t enough to get Vanderbilt to the Final Four for the second time. Vanderbilt lost to eventual champion Notre Dame in the Midwest Regional final last year.

On Monday night, a first-half scoring drought left the Commodores in an early 10-point hole and forced them to play catchup the rest of the game.

“We picked up our dribble a lot, and when you pick up your dribble, their pressure gets in your face,” Anderson said. “You have to keep your dribble to keep the pressure off you, and we didn’t do that.”

Tennessee 68, Vanderbilt 63

TENNESSEE (29-4)

G.Jackson 8-15 2-2 18, B.Jackson 3-10 2-2 10, Ely 3-5 0-0 6, McDivitt 1-5 0-0 3, Lawson 1-8 3-4 5, Snow 4-4 0-0 8, Butts 1-2 0-0 2, Munox 1-3 0-0 2, Moore 2-4 3-3 8, Robinson 1-3 0-0 2, McDaniel 1-3 2-2 4, Pillow 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-62 12-13 68.

VANDERBILT (30-7)

Klimesova 8-13 1-3 18, Benningfield 1-4 0-0 2, Anderson 12-19 11-12 35, McElhiney 1-3 0-0 2, Danker 0-2 0-0 0, Ramsey 2-4 0-3 6, Earley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-45 12-18 63.

HalftimeÂTennessee 34-25. 3-Point goalsÂTennessee 4-11 (B.Jackson 2-7, McDivitt 1-3, Moore 1-1), Vanderbilt 3-10 (Ramsey 2-3, Klimesova 1-3, McElhiney 0-1, Danker 0-1, Benningfield 0-2). Fouled outÂNone. ReboundsÂTennessee 34 (G.Jackson 12), Vanderbilt 26 (Anderson 12). AssistsÂTennessee 12 (McDivitt, Lawson 3), Vanderbilt 17 (Benningfield 6). Total foulsÂTennessee 20, Vanderbilt 12. AÂ8,206.