No. 3 UConn women’s basketball vs. No. 25 Tennessee: time, how to watch, broadcasters, preview
UConn-Tennessee may not be what it once was, but the matchup is sure to capture the attention of basketball fans nationwide when the two programs face off Thursday night on ESPN.
How will UConn fare against a ranked SEC opponent, one whose height presents a challenge the Huskies haven’t had to deal with so far this year? How will UConn’s freshmen handle a true road game in front of a small but mighty Lady Vols crowd? How will Evina Westbrook respond in her first game back on Rocky Top since transferring from Tennessee to UConn?
We’re about to find all that out.
Tennessee’s two losses came at the hands of West Virginia (73-79 in overtime on Dec. 6) and Georgia (66-67 on Jan. 14). They are 3-1 in SEC play so far, beating Arkansas (88-73) earlier this month, while also taking down Indiana 66-58 in nonconference play
Here’s what you need to know about the matchup.
Site: Thompson-Boling Arena
Time: 7 p.m.
Series: UConn leads, 14-9
Last meeting: No. 3 UConn 60, No. 23 Tennessee 45, in Hartford Jan. 23, 2020
TV: ESPN (Rebecca Lobo, Ryan Ruocco, Holly Rowe)
Radio: UConn IMG Sports Network on 97.9 ESPN
Tennessee probable starters, sixth man:
Rennia Davis, G/F, 6-2, Sr.; Jordan Horston, G, 6-2, So.; Tamari Key, C, 6-5, So.; Rae Burrell, G/F, 6-1, Jr.; Marta Suárez, G/F, 6-2, Fr.; Kasiyahna Kushkituah, C, 6-4, Sr.
UConn probable starters, sixth man:
Christyn Williams, G, 5-11, Jr.; Olivia Nelson-Ododa, F, 6-5, Jr.; Evina Westbrook, G, 6-0, R-Jr.; Paige Bueckers, G, 5-11, Fr.; Aubrey Griffin, F, 6-1, So.; Anna Makurat, G, 6-2, So.
The match-up
UConn’s offense: The Huskies’ three upperclassmen (Nelson-Ododa, Williams and Westbrook) have become reliable double-figure scorers, and Bueckers leads the team in scoring (18.1 points per game) despite a fairly quiet night against Butler on Tuesday (13 points). Griffin has looked the best she has all season the last few weeks, recording a double-double on Tuesday and nearly doing it the game prior against Providence.
UConn’s defense: Geno Auriemma doesn’t think the Huskies are a great defensive team, but they’ve only allowed one opponent so far (Seton Hall in the second game of the season) to score more than 60 points against them. Even a high-powered offense in DePaul was limited to 52. But Thursday presents a different challenge than DePaul did, with Tennessee looking to get the ball in the lane and using its height to dominate the offensive boards.
Tennessee’s offense: Burrell (16.7 points per game) and Davis (14.2) account for 41 percent of Tennessee’s scoring. The team shoots 46.2 percent overall and is strong on the offensive boards (14.2 second-chance points per game). Per CBB Analytics, the Lady Vols attempt 56 percent of their shots in the paint or around the rim. Turnovers can be a problem at times, including in their most recent loss to Georgia (24).
Tennessee’s defense: Tennessee uses its length (only two players are shorter than 6 feet) to its advantage on defense, holding opponents to 34.0 percent shooting, which is a top-20 mark in the country per Her Hoop Stats. They are also a force on the defensive glass, collecting 76.7 percent of defensive rebounds, and allow just 21.5 points in the paint per game.
UConn keys: Rebound on both ends and get out in transition, don’t be intimidated by Tennessee’s length (especially in the paint), force Tennessee to turn the ball over, make hustle plays, prevent Burrell/Davis from going off
Player to watch: How will Nelson-Ododa handle Tennessee’s size on both ends of the floor? Can she stay out of foul trouble, unlike last year? Also keep an eye on Griffin, who is coming off her two best games of the season, and Aaliyah Edwards, whose physicality and athleticism could be a boon for the Huskies.
About Tennessee’s coach: Kellie Jolly Harper accumulated a 285-208 record as head coach prior to being hired at Tennessee in April 2019. She led the Lady Vols to a 21-10 record (10-6 SEC) last year prior to the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament. Harper played 132 games as a point guard at Tennessee from 1995-99, during which the program won three national titles and went 131-17.
Tennessee’s mascot: Smokey (nickname: Volunteers)
Famous alumni: Peyton Manning, Dolly Parton (recipient of an honorary degree), Candace Parker, Kara Lawson
Alexa Philippou can be reached at aphilippou@courant.com
