Rutgers–UConn women's basketball rivalry
SportWomen's basketball
First meetingJanuary 24, 1996
Connecticut 96, Rutgers 68
Latest meetingMarch 23, 2015
Connecticut 91, Rutgers 55
Next meetingTBD
Statistics
Meetings total40
All-time seriesConnecticut leads 34–6
Largest victoryConnecticut, 73–36 (2010)
Connecticut, 72–35 (2014)
Longest win streakConnecticut, 14 (2008–present)
Current win streakConnecticut, 14 (2008–present)
Locations of Rutgers and UConn

The Rutgers–UConn women's basketball rivalry is a rivalry between the UConn Huskies and Rutgers Scarlet Knights women's basketball programs.

History

As of March 2015, UConn leads the series 34–6, including 17 of the first 18 meetings between the two teams. When Rutgers joined the Big East Conference in 1995, the two teams met only once a year. The Connecticut Post describes Rutgers' first-ever win over UConn, a 74-70 win on February 10, 1998 at the Louis Brown Athletic Center, as the "catalyst in what has become a fierce rivalry."[1] After the unranked Scarlet Knights nearly upset the then-undefeated Huskies on January 8, 2003, the two teams were scheduled to play twice during the 2003–04 regular season, and have done so every season since. While the Huskies would handily win the next three meetings, Rutgers finally broke through on February 18, 2005, as they defeated the Huskies for the first time in seven years, 76–62.

The rivalry had been partially fueled by an altercation that occurred between UConn head coach Geno Auriemma and former Rutgers player Cappie Pondexter after the 2005 Big East Tournament championship game. Auriemma reportedly made inappropriate remarks towards Pondexter, who retaliated by pointing her finger towards Auriemma.[2] Big East Commissioner Michael Tranghese released a statement days later clearing Auriemma of any wrongdoing.[3]

In recent years, the teams have met for games that included championship implications. On March 7, 2007, the Scarlet Knights won their first-ever Big East Tournament championship by beating the Huskies 55–47. However, on March 3, 2008, UConn would defeat Rutgers for the regular-season championship 66–46 and the Knights haven't beaten the Huskies since.

After Tennessee stopped scheduling Rutgers, the Connecticut Post said in 2008 that Connecticut had become Rutgers' biggest rival.[4] Auriemma said about Rutgers, ""A lot of times, they talked like they were better than they were and that kind of caused a lot more of an intensity level than maybe there would have been with anyone else."[5]

Game results

Connecticut victories Rutgers victories
No. Date Location Winner Score Series Notes
UC RU
1January 24, 1996Storrs, CTConnecticut9668Connecticut 1–0
2February 18, 1996Piscataway, NJConnecticut7361Connecticut 2–0
3March 3, 1996Storrs, CTConnecticut9364Connecticut 3–0Big East Tournament
4January 15, 1997Storrs, CTConnecticut7845Connecticut 4–0
5December 31, 1997Storrs, CTConnecticut8269Connecticut 5–0
6February 10, 1998Piscataway, NJRutgers7074Connecticut 5–1
7March 3, 1998Piscataway, NJConnecticut6758Connecticut 6–1Big East Tournament
8January 27, 1999Piscataway, NJConnecticut5655Connecticut 7–1
9January 17, 2000Hartford, CTConnecticut6550Connecticut 8–1
10February 12, 2000Piscataway, NJConnecticut4945Connecticut 9–1
11March 7, 2000Storrs, CTConnecticut7959Connecticut 10–1Big East Tournament
12February 14, 2001Storrs, CTConnecticut7045Connecticut 11–1
13March 5, 2001Storrs, CTConnecticut9466Connecticut 12–1Big East Tournament
14February 23, 2002Piscataway, NJConnecticut8042Connecticut 13–1
15January 8, 2003Hartford, CTConnecticut6762Connecticut 14–1
16January 19, 2004Hartford, CTConnecticut7247Connecticut 15–1
17February 14, 2004Piscataway, NJConnecticut6643Connecticut 16–1
18February 3, 2005Hartford, CTConnecticut5744Connecticut 17–1
19February 13, 2005Piscataway, NJRutgers6276Connecticut 17–2
20March 8, 2005Hartford, CTConnecticut6751Connecticut 18–2Big East Tournament
21February 7, 2006Storrs, CTRutgers5660Connecticut 18–3
22February 27, 2006Piscataway, NJRutgers4248Connecticut 18–4
23February 6, 2007Storrs, CTConnecticut6050Connecticut 19–4
24February 26, 2007Piscataway, NJConnecticut7044Connecticut 20–4
25March 6, 2007Hartford, CTRutgers4755Connecticut 20–5Big East Tournament
26February 5, 2008Piscataway, NJRutgers7173Connecticut 20–6
27March 3, 2008Hartford, CTConnecticut6646Connecticut 21–6
28April 1, 2008Greensboro, NCConnecticut6656Connecticut 22–6NCAA Sweet Sixteen
29February 3, 2009Hartford, CTConnecticut7556Connecticut 23–6
30March 2, 2009Piscataway, NJConnecticut6959Connecticut 24–6
31January 26, 2010Hartford, CTConnecticut7336Connecticut 25–6
32January 26, 2011Piscataway, NJConnecticut6344Connecticut 26–6
33March 7, 2011Hartford, CTConnecticut7551Connecticut 27–6Big East Tournament
34February 4, 2012Storrs, CTConnecticut6634Connecticut 28–6
35March 4, 2012Hartford, CTConnecticut4934Connecticut 29–6Big East Tournament
36February 16, 2013Piscataway, NJConnecticut6545Connecticut 30–6
37January 19, 2014Piscataway, NJConnecticut9464Connecticut 31–6
38March 1, 2014Storrs, CTConnecticut7235Connecticut 32–6
39March 9, 2014Uncasville, CTConnecticut8357Connecticut 33–6AAC Tournament
40March 23, 2015Storrs, CTConnecticut9155Connecticut 34–6NCAA Second Round

References

  1. Elliott, Rich (March 1, 2008). "Stringer has turned Rutgers into a powerhouse". Retrieved December 26, 2016. Originally published in the Connecticut Post as "Rutgers has joined UConn, nation's elite."
  2. "Postgame fireworks in Hartford". Retrieved 2008-03-06.
  3. "Tranghese: A 'misunderstanding'". Retrieved 2008-03-06.
  4. Elliott, Rich (February 3, 2008). "UConn women's notebook". Connecticut Post. Archived from the original on February 5, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  5. Elliott, Rich (February 5, 2008). "Rutgers takes over as UConn's top rival". Danbury News-Times. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.