Tenn-UConn game is over!!!!

#1
T

tennessee77

Junior Member
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Oct 7, 2005
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#1
what happened....


STORRS, Conn. -- Connecticut and Tennessee, the top two programs in women's college basketball, are ending their annual series.
Connecticut had signed a contract to extend the annual game through the 2008-09 season, but Tennessee terminated the deal, UConn officials said Friday.
"We are disappointed for UConn fans, Tennessee fans and women's basketball fans in general who look forward to this annual event featuring the greatest women's basketball rivalry in the nation, as recently selected by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association," UConn athletic director Jeff Hathaway said in a written statement.
Tennessee athletic director Joan Cronan confirmed that the school had declined to play the game.
Connecticut leads the series 13-9, although Tennessee won the last three meetings.
The games have always featured some of the nation's best players, such as Rebecca Lobo, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi for Connecticut and Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings and Nikki McCray for Tennessee.
Tennessee won the national championship this year.
 
#2
#2
Wow thats a very suprising move. Im sorry to see it end. I always enjoyed those games.
 
#3
#3
that was the biggest game in women's basketball
it was shown nationally on CBS this year
why would they terminate it
 
#10
#10
Yep, this is a very odd move. Pat likes to play the best, and credits the Duke, North Carolina, and UConn games as preparation that was key towards winning the national title in 2007.
 
#11
#11
Too bad, one less chance to give my 2 younger sisters (Both UConn grads) crap. It was nice to have the 2 biggest programs play each other in the regular season, i don't know why they'd call it off.
 
#13
#13
I'm sure they'll occasionally meet in the tournament..
 
#14
#14
Seems like too many of you are second guessing our athletic dept. I'm sure these guys are more informed and qualified to make this decision than any of us. I have faith that Cronan and Pat are making the decision that will best help the LV program.
 
#19
#19
There has to be a good reason for UT to end the series, and I'd like to hear it. You don't cancel a game that sells out your arena for nothing.
 
#21
#21
I agree . . . There had to be some sort of disagreement between the schools over tickets, money etc.
 
#23
#23
ukvols said:
There has to be a good reason for UT to end the series, and I'd like to hear it. You don't cancel a game that sells out your arena for nothing.
Click to expand...

Nothing like this happens without a good reason. Jeez... where is your faith?
 
#25
#25
New Haven Register

Elm City to Eagleville

A blog on UConn women's basketball

Lady Vols: thanks but no thanks


The contract was sitting there and all was needed was a signature for the premier rivalry in women's college sports to continue for another two years. But there were no rush of Volunteers - pun intended - looking for the nearest pen in the Tennessee athletic department. For reasons they have not disclosed, Tennessee opted out of its annual regular-season series with UConn. The rivalry, which began in 1995, was more than just a boon to the two programs - it drove the sport of women's basketball to remarkable heights of popularity.

Yet that wasn't enough for Tennessee to re-up with UConn. The Tennessee hierarchy was being tight lipped on Friday so itis unknown whether Tennessee coach Pat Summitt finally tired of the antics of UConn's verbally flippant head coach Geno Auriemma who saved some of his best barbs for Summitt and the Lady Vols or whether the pain of having UConn pluck all-everything recruit Maya Moore out from the noses of Tennessee played a role in the decision. There is another theory bouncing around my head that Summitt may have wanted to rid herself of the extra distractions that go with the UConn/Tennessee games years ago but her pride would not allow her to walk away while UConn had the upper hand in the rivalry. But with Tennessee having won the last three games in the series and winning its seventh national title, the Lady Volunteers find themselves as the top dogs in women's basketball once again so if there was a time to make the break with the Huskies, this was it.

This much is known, the decision is fool hardy regardless of the ultimate reason for the breakup. One look at the list of Tennessee attendance record book and the first question begging to be asked is "are you out of your minds."

The top four regular-season crowds and five of the top six in women's basketball history are UConn games at Tennessee. The Lady Vols' top three home crowds featured UConn while Tennessee's top five away crowds occurred at the Hartford Civic Center against the Huskies.

Personally, I will miss the regular season UConn/Tennessee meeting. It was the one game to circle on the calendar every year. It was impossible to overpromote a game of that magnitude.

Make no mistake, Tennessee and UConn don't need each other. The Lady Vols have all the pieces to defend its national title and win an unprecedented eighth national title while the addition of Moore and Lorin Dixon make UConn a strong candidate to secure national title No. 6. Both teams have rugged enough non-conference schedules and have enough tests during the conference seasons to prepare them for March Madness. One regular season game isn't going to make or break either team's season but the sport of women's basketball needs this game. The casual women's basketball fan might not be able to name five current players but they know that UConn/Tennessee is the one game they shouldn't miss. Now they have no choice.

Eventually the reasons for Tennessee's decision will come out. Did Auriemma's big mouth push things to the point of no return? Is Summitt so infuriated about losing Moore that she is willing to turn her back on the rivalry that has pushed the sport to remarkable levels?

Will UConn and Tennessee meet this year? It definitely could happen at the Final Four in Tampa. If that is the case, would anybody care to take a guess on the over/under on the number of questions surrounding the restarting of this magical rivalry? The series may be over but the intrigue regarding the cause of the Lady Vols' decision won't be dying down any time in the near future.
 
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