UConn Women's Basketball Sets Records in Blowout Win Over Tennessee

The Huskies earned their largest-ever victory against the Volunteers in the two teams' 28th meeting.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 3:15pm

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The UConn women's basketball team dominated Tennessee in a 96-66 victory on Sunday, setting records for the largest margin of victory and most points scored in the long-running rivalry between the two powerhouse programs. Led by standout performances from Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, UConn raced out to an early lead before Tennessee fought back to tie the game at halftime. However, the Huskies' stifling defense took over in the second half, holding the Volunteers scoreless for over four minutes as UConn pulled away for the historic win.

Why it matters

The UConn-Tennessee rivalry is one of the most storied in women's college basketball, with the two teams meeting five times in the Final Four alone. This lopsided victory underscores UConn's continued dominance in the series and cements their status as one of the premier programs in the sport.

The details

UConn jumped out to an 18-3 lead to start the game, with Azzi Fudd scoring the first seven points. However, Tennessee fought back and tied the game at 42-42 by halftime. In the second half, UConn's defense clamped down, holding Tennessee scoreless for the final 4:45 of the third quarter as the Huskies went on a 14-0 run to pull away. Sarah Strong led UConn with 26 points, including a late basket that gave the Huskies a new rivalry scoring record, surpassing Tennessee's previous high of 92 points.

  • UConn and Tennessee have met 28 times since 1995.
  • The Huskies' 96-66 win on February 1, 2026 was their largest-ever margin of victory against the Volunteers.
  • UConn's previous largest margin of victory against Tennessee was 79-56 in the 2002 Final Four.

The players

Sarah Strong

A standout player for the UConn Huskies, who led the team with 26 points in the record-setting win over Tennessee.

Azzi Fudd

A key contributor for the UConn Huskies, scoring a game-high 27 points in the blowout victory over Tennessee.

Deniya Prawl

A player for the Tennessee Volunteers who was matched up against Azzi Fudd during the game.

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What’s next

The Huskies can earn another lofty margin of victory next time out against DePaul on Wednesday, after scoring a season-high 67-point win against the Blue Demons earlier this year.

The takeaway

This historic victory for the UConn women's basketball team over their longtime rival Tennessee further solidifies the Huskies' status as one of the premier programs in the sport, and showcases their continued dominance in the storied rivalry between the two powerhouse teams.