Tennessee and UConn has been the biggest rivalry in women’s college basketball for the better part of 30 years. They are the two winningest programs in the sport’s history, with 20 national championships and 94 WNBA draft picks between them.
👉 Take a look at some of the highlights of this historic rivalry
First meeting
By the time the two teams met for the first time in 1995, Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt was already a bona fide legend, having won three national championships and six conference titles without missing an NCAA tournament in 13 tries — a streak the Lady Vols maintain to this day.
Geno Auriemma was just putting UConn on the map when his No. 2 Huskies met the No. 1 Lady Vols on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in a rare nationally televised matchup in Storrs, Connecticut. UConn won that first meeting 77–66 and later claimed its first national title over Tennessee in April, capping off a 35-0 season.
All-time record
The two teams have met a total of 27 times, with UConn leading the series 17–10. They met at least once every regular season from 1995 through 2007, and then again annually since 2020, with the exception of 2024 due to scheduling conflicts.
UConn is 5–2 against Tennessee in the postseason and 4–0 in NCAA championship games.
Best performances
What makes this rivalry so special is the number of all-time greats who have laced up for these matchups.
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Jan. 8, 2000: Sue Bird scored a then–career-high 25 points in Knoxville while holding Tennessee star Tamika Catchings to just eight points in a 74–67 UConn win.
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Feb. 1, 2001: Lady Vol Gwen Jackson posted 28 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in one of the rivalry’s closest games, as No. 3 Tennessee edged No. 2 UConn 92–88 at home.
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Jan. 5, 2002: No. 1 UConn handled No. 2 Tennessee behind Diana Taurasi’s 32 points. Three other Huskies scored in double figures in an 86–72 win.
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Jan. 6, 2007: Candace Parker dropped 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in No. 4 Tennessee’s 70–64 win over No. 5 UConn.
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Jan. 26, 2023: In the only unranked matchup of the series, Lou Lopez Sénéchal and Aaliyah Edwards combined for 51 points (26 and 25 respectfully) for No. 5 UConn. Jordan Horston led Tennessee with 27, but the Lady Vols fell 84–67.
Last meeting
Tennessee snapped a four-game losing streak to UConn, beating the Huskies 80–76 at home. It was the first win in the rivalry for new Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell in her debut season.
The game featured six lead changes and seven ties, with Tennessee trailing by two at halftime. The Lady Vols won only one quarter, the third, but outscored UConn 22–15 to take control. Both teams had four players in double figures, with UConn’s Sarah Strong leading all scorers with 18.
Up next…
That loss to Tennessee was the last game UConn has dropped. The Huskies cruised through the tournament to win their 12th national championship and have won 38 consecutive games since falling to the Lady Vols last February.
Tennessee enters Storrs coming off a loss to Mississippi State and sits second in the SEC behind South Carolina, both with one conference loss.
Will the Lady Vols bounce back and rise to the occasion, or will they join the long list of ranked opponents who have tried, and failed, to knock off the Huskies. Tipoff is set for noon Sunday, Feb. 1.
