From the Tennessee Lady Vols’ perspective, this was the 2022 UT Football win over the Alabama Crimson Tide. The magnitude was that great, and it did maybe even more for Kim Caldwell than the Alabama game did for Josh Heupel. Geno Auriemma can shut up instead of trying to downplay this game.
UT, ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll and No. 17 in the Coaches Poll, beat UConn, ranked No. 5 in both polls, 80-76. They finally didn’t dig too deep of a hole, only trailing by two at halftime and going on a run to build a 54-45 lead in the third quarter. Every time UConn fought back, though, Tennessee would make a play.
Jewel Spear hit a three after UConn tied it up with three minutes to go. With the game then tied at 74 and two minutes to go, Zee Spearman hit a go-ahead shot, and the Tennessee Lady Vols then forced a turnover. Talaysia Cooper then hit two free throws, and after UConn hit another bucket, Spearman hit a layup to put it away.
Spearman led the team in scoring with 16 points, but Cooper, Spear and Samara Spencer all scored double figures. For the first time all year, too, Tennessee had to score out of its half-court sets, as they only went 7-of-28 from three and forced just 12 turnovers. It worked.
This is the first win for Tennessee over UConn since 2007, the last time the game was played before Pat Summitt canceled the series. It was renewed in 2020, and UConn had won four straight until UT was able to pull this one out. That’s not the only dark part of Tennessee since the series was canceled.
At the time of the Lady Vols’ last win over UConn, Summitt led Auriemma in national titles, and Tennessee led the Huskies, 6-5. Summitt and co. won two more with Candace Parker to go up 8-5. However, from 2009 to 2016, Auriemma won six national titles, including four straight, to take the crown.
More tragically, Summitt was struck with dementia, forced to resign and passed away. Tennessee went through her and Holly Warlick before the series renewed, and they had to go through Kellie Harper before getting this win. Simply put, the game was a long time coming.
With the win, the Tennessee Lady Vols improve to 17-5 overall. At 4-5 in the SEC, they will next visit the LSU Tigers on Sunday. Meanwhile, UConn falls to 21-3 overall. Still 12-0 in the Big East, they return to league play Sunday as they will visit the Providence Friars.
One Response
Well, for all of you who thought Danny White made a mistake when he hired Kim Caldwell to take over Lady Vols basketball, eh, how can I put this? Oh yeah, shut up.