When it comes to history and national championships in women’s basketball, the University of Connecticut and the University of Tennessee are at a higher level than everyone else.
When it comes to their rivalry and NCAA tournament success over the past decade and a half, the Lady Volunteers are playing catch-up with UConn.
Tennessee hasn’t beaten the Huskies since 2007, and the Lady Vols haven’t been as far as the Final Four since 2008, when they won the program’s eighth national championship, all under Pat Summitt. Since then, the Huskies have won six of their record 11 NCAA titles — outside of Tennessee, no other Division I women’s basketball program has more than three — and they have swept all three meetings with the Lady Vols to increase their series edge in the nonconference rivalry to 16-9.
And while the Lady Vols were ranked fifth to begin this season, their fourth with former Tennessee point guard Kellie Harper as head coach, a slow start knocked them out of the AP Top 25 in late November; they haven’t found their way back despite a current nine-game winning streak. That includes an 8-0 start in Southeastern Conference play, their best opening run against league foes since beginning 13-0 before winding up 15-1 eight years ago.
Tennessee (16-6) can take a step toward ending a couple of those skids Thursday, when No. 5 UConn (18-2) visits for the latest showdown between the most storied programs in women’s basketball. At least 12,000 fans will be in the stands at Thompson-Boling Arena for the 8 p.m. matchup that will be televised by ESPN, and the network’s “College Game Day” program will be on hand as well.