The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
History of a rivalry
Breaking down the key moments of UConn vs. Tennessee
The rivalry that transcended women’s college basketball is back.
UConn and Tennessee will meet Thursday in Hartford, ending a 13-year hiatus. The Huskies own a 13-9 edge over the Lady Vols — including 4-0 in national championship games — but haven’t played since 2007.
Let’s look back at the moments that have shaped this intense series.
JAN. 16, 1995: A RIVALRY IS BORN
UConn beat Tennessee 77-66 at sold-out Gampel Pavilion to kick-start the rivalry that would define the sport for years to come.
APRIL 2, 1995: CROWNED FOR THE FIRST TIME
Behind National Player of the Year Rebecca Lobo, the Huskies completed a 35-0 season by defeating Tennessee 70-64 for their first
NCAA title.
MARCH 29, 1996: ROCKY TOP ANSWERS BACK
Nykesha Sales hit a shot with 4.2 seconds left to force overtime, but Tennessee held on, 88-83. Two nights later, the Lady Vols beat Georgia to win their first of three consecutive national titles.
MARCH 24, 1997: PAINFUL ENDING
The Huskies made it to the Elite Eight without Big East Rookie of the Year Shea Ralph, who had torn her ACL in a first-round win over Lehigh. However, they ran out of steam, falling 91-81 to the Lady Vols.
JAN. 10, 1999: TEMPERS FLARE
Semeka Randall was booed mercilessly by UConn fans, who thought she had cheap-shotted Svetlana Abrosimova while battling for a loose ball. Randall ended up scoring 25 points in a 92-81 Tennessee victory.
“All we did was tie the ball up and I didn’t want to let go, and she didn’t want to let it go,” Randall told reporters afterward. “And hey, we rolled around for a few and I guess it’s the WWF (World Wrestling Federation) now.”
FEB. 2, 2000: RANDALL STRIKES AGAIN
Randall (17 points) hit a shot with 4.4 seconds remaining to end UConn’s unbeaten start, 72-71. However, the Huskies would get payback later that season.
APRIL 2, 2000: GENO’S VS. PAT’S
Leading up to the national championship game in Philadelphia, Geno Auriemma was asked about the coincidence of the city’s rival cheesesteak restaurants being named “Pat’s” and “Geno’s.” He responded with a verbal jab at Tennessee coach Pat Summitt:
“Pat’s is older and more dilapidated. Geno’s is bigger and brand new.”
The Huskies went on to win their second title, 71-52.
DEC. 30, 2000: CLOSE CALL
Sue Bird scored 15 points, including four free throws in the final 35 seconds, to help UConn hold on, 81-76, in a snowstorm in Hartford.
FEB. 1, 2001: JACKSON STEPS UP
A few weeks after losing star Chamique Holdsclaw to a season-ending knee injury, Tennessee earned a gritty 92-88 win behind 28 points and 14 rebounds from Gwen Jackson.
JAN. 5, 2002: DEE VS. THE STANCHION
Who can forget a fired up Diana Taurasi (32 points) punching the orange-padded basket stanchion at Thompson-Boling Arena?
MARCH 29, 2002: ONE-SIDED AFFAIR AT THE FINAL FOUR
UConn rolled past Tennessee 79-56 on the way to a 39-0 season. It’s the most lopsided game of the series.
JAN. 4, 2003: TAURASI IN THE CLUTCH
After sinking a 3-pointer with 7.5 seconds remaining to force overtime, Taurasi put the Huskies ahead for good, 63-62. She finished with 25 points.
APRIL 8, 2003: SWEET REPEAT
The Huskies won their second straight national title and fourth overall, 73-68, behind 28 points from Taurasi.
APRIL 6, 2004: HUSKIES DO IT AGAIN
The national title threepeat was complete. The final: 70-61.
JAN. 8, 2005: CLOSE, BUT NOT CLOSE ENOUGH
Tennessee ended a sixgame skid against UConn thanks to a late three-point play by Sa’de Wiley-Gatewood. The Huskies melted down the stretch at the free-throw line.
JAN. 6, 2007: COMING TO AN END
A 30-point effort by Candace Parker propelled Tennessee past UConn 70-64 in the series’ most recent game to date.
The following June, Tennessee announced plans to discontinue its series with UConn. While no reason was given initially, Auriemma later revealed that Tennessee accused him of cheating during his recruitment of Maya Moore.
JUNE 28, 2016: A LEGEND PASSES AWAY
A few years after coaching her last game, Summitt died at the age of 64 from Alzheimer’s. She won a record 1,098 games and is second only to Auriemma with eight national championships.
AUGUST 14, 2018: IT’S BACK
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced a home-andhome series, beginning 2019-20 in Connecticut. The teams will also play next season in Knoxville, Tenn.
MAY 10, 2019: A LADY VOL BECOMES A HUSKY
Tennessee guard Evina Westbrook announced plans to transfer to UConn.
One of the most coveted transfers on the market, Westbrook averaged 14.9 points and 5.3 assists over 30.7 minutes per game last season as a sophomore. But after a first-round tournament loss to UCLA, Westbrook was critical of coach Holly Warlick, saying “steps need to be taken with our staff and just overall off the court with the team.”
Warlick, one of Summitt’s protégés, was fired on March 27, four days after completing her seventh season. Former Tennessee guard Kellie Harper was named her replacement on April 8, 2019.
NOV. 13, 2019: GENO ALLUDES TO A TOXIC CULTURE ON ROCKY TOP
After Westbrook’s appeal was denied, Auriemma ripped the NCAA’s lack of transparency and consistency when ruling on transfers. He also criticized Tennessee athletic director Phil Fulmer for not helping more in the process.
“Think about this, a kid’s in an environment that’s not necessarily healthy, an environment that, if you knew what the environment was, which I can’t say, you would not want your kid in that environment,” Auriemma said. “And the athletic director there knows it, but he’s not going to support her leaving, which would have helped us a little bit.”