No. 1 UConn Routs Tennessee 96-66 in Rivalry Matchup

Huskies hand Lady Vols their worst loss in storied series history

Feb. 1, 2026 at 9:55pm

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The top-ranked UConn Huskies defeated the 15th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols 96-66 on Sunday, handing Tennessee their largest defeat in the history of the storied rivalry between the two teams. UConn used a 14-0 run to close the third quarter to pull away after Tennessee had briefly taken the lead earlier in the period.

Why it matters

This game marked the renewal of one of the most iconic rivalries in women's college basketball, which had been on hiatus for over a decade. The lopsided result underscores UConn's continued dominance as the top program in the sport, while raising questions about Tennessee's ability to compete with the nation's elite teams.

The details

UConn jumped out to a 21-5 lead in the first 7 minutes, but Tennessee battled back and took a brief 4-point lead late in the second quarter. However, the Huskies regrouped and closed the third quarter on a 14-0 run to blow the game open. UConn's Azzi Fudd led all scorers with 27 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds.

  • The game was played on Sunday, February 2, 2026.

The players

Azzi Fudd

A star player for the UConn Huskies who led all scorers with 27 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds in the game.

Geno Auriemma

The head coach of the UConn Huskies, who has led the program to 12 national championships.

Kim Caldwell

The head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols, who expressed frustration with the timing of the game during the middle of the SEC schedule.

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What they’re saying

“I think had it been a 30-point lead at halftime I would have been really disappointed. We play these games to be really tested and find out what your team is made of. It's good that you have to regroup and find yourself and come out, so I think in that respect it served its purpose for why you play these games for sure.”

— Geno Auriemma, Head Coach, UConn Huskies

“It's too tough for us. We get two bye weeks in SEC and this takes away one of our bye weeks which is unfortunate.”

— Kim Caldwell, Head Coach, Tennessee Lady Vols

“It still means something, not the same as it was back then. I think any chance we get to play a really talented team like this, it's exciting. There's a lot of anticipation about it. It's not the same as it used to be, but we come out with extra energy and intensity.”

— Azzi Fudd

What’s next

The two teams will continue their series for the next two years, with the next matchup scheduled for later this season.

The takeaway

This lopsided victory for the top-ranked UConn Huskies over the 15th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols underscores the continued dominance of the UConn program, while raising questions about Tennessee's ability to compete with the nation's elite teams in the current landscape of women's college basketball.