No. 1 UConn Huskies Remain Perfect Following Dominant Win Over Tennessee Lady Volunteers

When you see that No. 1 UConn beat No. 15 Tennessee 96-66, your brain probably jumps to domination. You might picture Geno Auriemma relaxing on the bench with a cappuccino by the second quarter. But for about 25 minutes on Sunday afternoon in Hartford, this game was anything but a cakewalk. It was a dogfight—until it wasn’t.

The Huskies (23-0) eventually handed the Lady Vols their second-worst loss in program history, but they had to sweat through a gritty first half to get there. It took a supernova explosion in the third quarter to turn a nail-biter into a laugher, proving once again why this UConn squad feels inevitable.

Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong: The Dynamic Duo

Let’s talk about the stars. Azzi Fudd looked like she was playing a different sport than everyone else on the floor. She dropped 27 points, but it wasn’t just the scoring; it was the way she did it. We’re talking 11-of-17 from the field, 5-of-8 from deep, 7 boards, 7 dimes, and 4 steals. That is a stat line that belongs in a video game, not a rivalry game against a ranked opponent.

Then you have Sarah Strong. If Fudd was the lightning, Strong was the thunder. She poured in 26 points and ripped down 9 rebounds, bullying her way through the paint and hitting shots from the perimeter just to keep the defense honest. When those two are clicking like that, there isn’t a team in the country that can hang with them. It wasn’t just empty stats, either. UConn needed every single bucket early on because Tennessee came to play.

A Tale Of Two Halves For UConn

The first half was weird. There’s really no other way to put it. UConn jumped out to a 21-5 lead in the first seven minutes, and it looked like we were heading for a snoozer. But Tennessee, to their credit, didn’t fold. They clawed back with a frantic, high-pressure defense and a rotation that seemed to feature a new player every dead ball.

Before the Huskies knew what hit them, the Lady Vols had outscored them 35-15 over a 12-minute stretch. By halftime, we were knotted up at 42-42. The crowd at PeoplesBank Arena was a little quieter than usual, shifting nervously in their seats. Was this the day the unbeaten streak ended? Was the ghost of Pat Summitt willing the Vols to an upset? Nope.

The Third Quarter Avalanche

The third quarter is where great teams separate themselves from good ones, and UConn put on a masterclass. It started slow, but then, someone flipped a switch. The Huskies closed the quarter on a 14-0 run that felt like an avalanche. One minute it was a game; the next, Allie Ziebell was burying a 3-pointer to make it 71-53, and the air completely left the Tennessee bench.

That run was fueled by suffocating defense and a transition offense that moved so fast it made your neck hurt to watch. Tennessee missed 11 straight shots during that stretch.

Why This UConn Team Feels Different

This wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. Tennessee isn’t a directional school from a low-major conference; they are the No. 15 team in the nation. And UConn beat them by 30 points on a day where they didn’t even play well for a full half.

The history here matters, too. This rivalry defined women’s basketball for two decades. To hand the Lady Vols a loss this lopsided, surpassed only by a 31-point defeat back in 1984, is significant. It says that despite the injuries, despite the target on their back, this UConn machine is humming.

They’ve now won 39 straight games. They haven’t lost since Tennessee beat them in Knoxville last February. Revenge is a dish best served with a 30-point margin, apparently.

Looking Ahead For the Huskies

So, what’s next? UConn heads to DePaul on Wednesday, likely to terrorize another Big East opponent. But the bigger picture is the march toward March. When you have Fudd and Strong playing at this level, and a supporting cast that can drop a 14-0 run on a ranked team in the blink of an eye, the expectations aren’t just to win. The expectation is perfection.

For Tennessee, it’s back to the drawing board before they face Georgia. They proved they can punch with the heavyweights for a round or two, but they don’t have the chin to go the distance yet.