UConn and Tennessee to renew rivalry, set to restart in 2019-20

Series Game-by-Game Series

It has been 11 years since UConn and Tennessee played each other. One of the most exciting rivalries in the NCAA era of women’s basketball is set to be revived as the teams have agreed to play each other again starting in the 2019-20 season. The teams consistently met from 1995-2007.

“I think clearly, it’s a great thing for women’s basketball,” said Lynn Holzman, the NCAA vice president of women’s basketball about the renewal of the series. “You talk about the storied history of those two programs. and the opportunity for those student-athletes to play each other during the season and on that national stage with that type of media coverage is great for the sport. The historical competitiveness of those games and the attention that it garners not just for women’s basketball fans but any and all basketball and sports fans is something that is very exciting to see again.”

In the last contest between the Huskies and the Lady Vols in January 2007, UConn came out on top defeating the Lady Vols 70-64 at the Hartford Civic Center. There have been monumental shifts in the women’s basketball landscape since that game. Most notably and sadly, the death of legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt. While UConn head coach and Summitt had, at some times, a cantankerous relationship, the two coaches broke the ice and shared a warm moment as they hugged each other at the 2012 Final Four in Denver. Summitt had already been diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s Type and stepped down from coaching just days after seeing Auriemma in Denver.

Since the 2007 game between the teams, UConn has won five more national championships for a total of 11. Tennessee has won eight national titles. The teams have met 22 times previously and UConn holds a a 13-9 advantage.

From the Tennessee press release:

As part of the two-year series, UConn will host Tennessee during the 2019-20 season, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Pat Summitt Foundation and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In the 2020-21 season, the Lady Vols will host the Huskies in Knoxville, with a portion of the proceeds again benefitting the Pat Summitt Foundation and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as well as the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

“We are so excited to join UConn for games that will generate incredible interest for women’s basketball and benefit the Pat Summitt Foundation, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame,” Tennessee Head Coach Holly Warlick said.

“Basketball fans will be intrigued to watch these two programs meet on the court again, and I know Lady Vols and Huskies fans will be eager to pack arenas, cheer on their teams and make a difference for some very worthy causes, including one bearing the name of my coach, mentor and friend.”

UConn head Coach Geno Auriemma echoed this by saying, “I am happy to have the Lady Vols back on our schedule and am thrilled that proceeds to our games will benefit such an important endeavor like the Pat Summitt Foundation. I know our fans will be excited to renew the rivalry with Tennessee and expect them to fill the building for some good basketball and a great cause.”

The games will be televised and supported worldwide by the ESPN family of networks.

The teams had a back-and-forth between each other on social media teasing fans about the re-upped series.


Series History

Date Winning team Losing team Site Series
16-Jan-95 Connecticut 77 Tennessee 66 Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, CT Connecticut
Jan-00
2-Apr-95 Connecticut 70 Tennessee 64 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN Connecticut
Feb-00
6-Jan-96 Connecticut 59 Tennessee 53 Thompson–Boling Arena, Knoxville, TN Connecticut
Mar-00
29-Mar-96 Tennessee 88 Connecticut 83 Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC Connecticut
1-Mar
5-Jan-97 Connecticut 72 Tennessee 57 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT Connecticut
1-Apr
24-Mar-97 Tennessee 91 Connecticut 81 Carver–Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, IA Connecticut
2-Apr
3-Jan-98 Tennessee 84 Connecticut 69 Thompson–Boling Arena, Knoxville, TN Connecticut
3-Apr
10-Jan-99 Tennessee 92 Connecticut 81 Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, CT tie 4-4
8-Jan-00 Connecticut 74 Tennessee 67 Thompson–Boling Arena, Knoxville, TN Connecticut
4-May
2-Feb-00 Tennessee 72 Connecticut 71 Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, CT tie 5-5
2-Apr-00 Connecticut 71 Tennessee 52 Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA Connecticut
5-Jun
30-Dec-00 Connecticut 81 Tennessee 76 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT Connecticut
5-Jul
1-Feb-01 Tennessee 92 Connecticut 88 Thompson–Boling Arena, Knoxville, TN Connecticut
6-Jul
5-Jan-02 Connecticut 86 Tennessee 72 Thompson–Boling Arena, Knoxville, TN Connecticut
6-Aug
29-Mar-02 Connecticut 79 Tennessee 56 Alamodome, San Antonio, TX Connecticut
6-Sep
4-Jan-03 Connecticut 63 Tennessee 62 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT Connecticut
6-Oct
8-Apr-03 Connecticut 73 Tennessee 68 Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA Connecticut
6-Nov
5-Feb-04 Connecticut 81 Tennessee 67 Thompson–Boling Arena, Knoxville, TN Connecticut
6-Dec
6-Apr-04 Connecticut 70 Tennessee 61 New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA Connecticut
13-6
8-Jan-05 Tennessee 68 Connecticut 67 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT Connecticut
13-7
7-Jan-06 Tennessee 89 Connecticut 80 Thompson–Boling Arena, Knoxville, TN Connecticut
13-8
6-Jan-07 Tennessee 70 Connecticut 64 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT Connecticut
13-9
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