New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Answering the call
UConn rises to challenge in win over rival Tennessee
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It’s the most storied rivalry in women’s basketball history.
On Thursday, that was as evident as ever in No. 5 UConn women’s basketball’s 84-67 win over unranked Tennessee. The win was UConn’s fourthstraight over its longtime rival in the teams’ most recent series and 17th overall over the Lady Vols.
It was the Huskies’ toughest environment so far this season as a sea of orange and Summitt blue filled Thompson-Boling Arena in the series’ first game in front of fans in Knoxville since 2006. There was a limited number of fans allowed at the teams’ meeting in 2021 in Tennessee because of the pandemic.
“It was another challenge for them,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said of his players. “And they’ve kind of risen to the occasion on just about every challenge this year.”
The heated emotions between the two programs (which have met four times in the national championships game) began the minute UConn (19-2, 11-0 Big East) walked out for its final warmups. A loud cheer began for the Huskies only to be interrupted by an even louder “boo” from the Rocky Top crowd. Auriemma was met with an immediate roar of boos when he first stepped on the court.
But that wasn’t where the tension ended.
The crowd got on its feet for every Tennessee bucket and booed at every call that went UConn’s way. Questionable officiating didn’t help the situation as fouls were called every which way.
Despite the noise and the programs’ long history, it was rivalry newcomer Lou Lopez Sénéchal that remained calm and led the Huskies to victory. The graduate transfer from Fairfield had only ever heard about the UConn-Tenneseee before living it on Thursday.
In front of 13,804 people (Tennessee’s largest home crowd since 2015), Lopez Sénéchal had her best game thus far