No. 19 Tennessee picked up a signature victory with an 80-76 win over No. 5 UConn on Thursday night in Knoxville.
The win was Tennessee’s first in the rivalry since 2007 and broke a four-game losing streak to the Huskies.
Tennessee and UConn battled it out in an instant classic that saw the Lady Vols hold onto the lead in the fourth quarter despite a strong push from UConn and star freshman Sarah Strong. Tennessee forward Zee Spearman led the Lady Vols with 16 points and hit a clutch layup with 15 seconds left to extend the lead to four points.
The Lady Vols kept it close with the Huskies throughout the first half but UConn was able to take the narrow 39-37 lead into the halftime break. Kim Caldwell’s squad took over in the third quarter, outscoring UConn 22 to 15 with a five-point lead heading into the final frame.
While many of Tennessee’s losses have come in late-game scenarios this season, the Lady Vols held strong in the final 10 minutes. UConn battled back to tie the game at 69 with three minutes to go but Tennessee responded with a fury and closed out the game.
AYE JEWEL 💎
📺 ESPN
📲 https://t.co/ZZHfCaD7N6 pic.twitter.com/jwKt3MtI52— Lady Vols Basketball (@LadyVol_Hoops) February 7, 2025
More from RTI: A Special Look at the Tennessee-UConn Rivalry Ahead of Thursday’s Game
Tennessee guard Talaysia Cooper led the team with eight rebounds and four assists, adding in 11 points with it. Cooper and Spearman were just two of Tennessee’s four double-digit scorers alongside Samara Spencer with 14 points and Jewel Spear with 12 points.
Tennessee’s win on Thursday pushes the all-time series to 17-10 in UConn’s favor in the 27 matchups, but perhaps a new chapter has begun. The Huskies had rattled off four straight wins over the Lady Vols from 2020 to 2023 but couldn’t get the job done on Thursday.
UConn is Tennessee’s second and highest-ranked win of the season so far.
The Lady Vols won’t have much time to rest, though. Caldwell’s team will take on No. 6 LSU on Sunday afternoon in Baton Rouge at 4:00 p.m. ET. Tennessee previously lost to LSU at home by a score of 89-87 on Jan. 9.
Tennessee moves to 17-5 with the 80-76 win over No. 5 UConn on Thursday night in the Food City Center.
TENNESSEE TAKES DOWN UCONN!
First-year Lady Vols coach Kim Caldwell beats Geno Auriemma in their first meeting 👏 pic.twitter.com/w60EFN5BxF
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 7, 2025
Check out the full box score below:
