In the first Women’s Champions Classic in 2024–2025, UConn women’s basketball could reignite the rivalry with Tennessee.
Tennessee and Connecticut women’s basketball’s long-standing rivalry will not play in 2023–24, but the legendary teams may face off in the first-ever Women’s Champions Classic in 2024–25.
Along with Iowa and Louisville, the four teams will play a primetime doubleheader on FOX following their early-season showcase on December 7 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The competition is modeled after the men’s Champions Classic, which alternates annually between Duke, Michigan State, Kentucky, and Kansas. According to initial plans, UConn would play a series of games against some of the most illustrious women’s basketball programs.
Head coach Geno Auriemma stated in a release, “We’re very excited to have the Women’s Champions Classic on our schedule for the foreseeable future.” The degree of interest in women’s basketball has never been higher. Early in the season, fans can look forward to thrilling games thanks to the Champions Classic.
Right now, Iowa and Louisville are both ranked in the top 20, and if standout guard Caitlin Clark decides to return for a fifth year of eligibility, the Hawkeyes might still have her. According to a release, matchups and tip timings will be revealed later.
Under head coach Geno Auriemma, the Huskies and Tennessee met for the first time in 1995, at the height of Pat Summitt’s power as the Lady Vols’ coach. That season, No. 2 UConn upset No. 1 Tennessee in Storrs, and Auriemma’s first national championship was won when the Huskies defeated the Lady Vols twice in the NCAA title game.
The next 11 seasons saw the programs meet 20 more times, with three of those games taking place in the national championship and two in the Final Four. Tennessee emerged victorious in the series in overtime during the 1996 Final Four, despite the Huskies having won the first three meetings. Up until UConn embarked on a six-game winning streak that included three NCAA titles from 2002 to 2004, the rivalry was always back and forth.
Tennessee bounced back with three straight victories from 2005 to 2007. However, Summitt called off the series following the 2007 campaign, citing Auriemma’s claims that UConn engaged in “cheating” in Maya Moore’s recruitment. Before the renowned Lady Vols coach retired in 2012, the teams did not play each other again. In 2016, she lost her fight against early-onset Alzheimer’s.
Under current Tennessee coach Kellie Harper, the rivalry was rekindled in 2020 with a regular-season match in Hartford. After defeating Harper’s Lady Vols 60-45, UConn went on to win the following three yearly meetings to take a 17-9 lead in the series. Due to scheduling difficulties, the teams were unable to play in 2023–2024. However, Harper stated in April of last year that the Tennessee coach intended to bring up the game after this season.