One of women’s basketball most storied – if not the most storied – rivalries is set to make a comeback a couple of years from now.
UConn women’s basketball announced that beginning with the 2020 season, its rivalry with the Tennessee Lady Vols will indeed be revived.
Both the Huskies and Lady Vols are set to play each other on two occasions for two years. The first game will take place in Storrs with the following contest to emanate from Knoxville. Some of the proceeds from the games will benefit the Pat Summitt Foundation and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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.
–Lady Vols head coach Holly Warlick
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.
–UConn head coach Geno Auriemma
How did the rivalry conclude? In 2006, Tennessee had filed complaints about UConn’s recruiting tactics. One of those allegations leveled by Tennessee was how UConn took Maya Moore on a tour of ESPN’s Bristol headquarters.
Auriemma has expressed that the charges leveled by Tennessee at the time still bother him, but that now is the time to bring the Huskies-Lady Vols rivalry back.
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
