UConn-Tennessee rivalry
| Sport | Women's basketball |
|---|---|
| First meeting | January 16, 1995 Connecticut 77, Tennessee 66 |
| Latest meeting | January 6, 2007 Tennessee 70, Connecticut 64 |
| Next meeting | TBD |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 22 |
| All-time series | Connecticut leads, 13–9 |
| Largest victory | Connecticut, 79–56 (2002) |
| Longest win streak | Connecticut, 6 (2002–2004) |
| Current win streak | Tennessee, 3 (2005–present) |
The women's basketball rivalry between the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers and the University of Connecticut Huskies was one of the fiercest rivalries in college basketball, and perhaps the only one to reach national consciousness out of the women's game. The matchup featured two long-tenured and media savvy coaches generally acknowledged among the top five ever in their sport, over two dozen players who went on to play in the WNBA, and two programs that have combined for 19 national championships. Their head-to-head matchups were consistently the top-rated games in the college women's field.
Until the 2006-07 season, the two programs met annually in winter at one or both of the schools, but the rivalry is unique for having a third of its games occurring in the women's NCAA tournament. Four times, the national championship has been on the line.
The schools started playing each other in 1995. At the end of 2016, UConn led the series 13-9, including 5-2 in the tournament and 4-0 for the title. However, the Lady Vols have won the last three against UConn. On the day of every meeting, both schools have been ranked in the top 15 in the Associated Press rankings.
In AP Poll history, Tennessee and UConn have the two longest appearance streaks in women's college basketball. Tennessee had a 565-week run spanning 31 years and UConn currently has a 450-week run covering 23 years. In addition, UConn has the most No. 1 appearances with 219 with Tennessee in second at 112.
On June 8, 2007, it was announced the schools would discontinue the regular-season series.
The rivalry is notable among team sports in that it almost unerringly focuses on the sidelines rather than the floor. The two coaches were far and away the best known and best paid in their sport, with both being in the Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. Between them, they account for over 2,000 wins.
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