No. 1 UConn crushes Tennessee 96-66 in the Lady Vols’ worst loss in the history of the rivalry
February 1, 2026
Azzi Fudd scored 27 points and Sarah Strong added 26 to help No. 1 UConn beat 15th-ranked Tennessee 96-66 on Sunday, handing the Lady Vols their worst loss in the storied rivalry. The Huskies only led 57-53 midway through the third quarter before scoring the last 14 points of the period to blow the game open. Strong got the run started with a 3-point play and the Huskies sliced through Tennessee’s pressure defense for layups. The Lady Vols never threatened to get back in the game in the fourth and the margin of defeat topped the team’s 23-point loss to UConn in 2002. It’s the second-worst loss ever for Tennessee, only surpassed by a 31-point defeat to Texas in 1984.