Connecticut–Rutgers women's basketball rivalry

Connecticut–Rutgers women's basketball rivalry

Connecticut Huskies Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Sport	Women's basketball
First meeting	January 24, 1996 Connecticut 96, Rutgers 68
Latest meeting	March 23, 2015 Connecticut 91, Rutgers 55
Next meeting	TBD
Statistics
Meetings total	40
All-time series	Connecticut leads 34–6
Largest victory	Connecticut, 73–36 (2010) Connecticut, 72–35 (2014)
Longest win streak	Connecticut, 14 (2008–present)
Current win streak	Connecticut, 14 (2008–present)

The women's basketball rivalry between the Rutgers University Scarlet Knights and the University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies is arguably the fiercest rivalry in women's college basketball since the discontinuation of the regular-season series between UConn and the University of Tennessee Lady Vols.^[1]

History

As of March 2015, UConn leads the series 34–6, including 17 of the first 18 meetings between the two teams.^[2] When Rutgers joined the Big East Conference in 1995, the two teams met only once a year. 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.

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.

Geno Auriemma & Cappie Pondexter

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.^[3] Big East Commissioner Michael Tranghese released a statement days later clearing Auriemma of any wrongdoing.^[4]

Game results

Connecticut victories

Rutgers victories

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score		Series	Notes
				UC	RU
1	January 24, 1996	Storrs, CT	Connecticut	96	68	Connecticut 1–0
2	February 18, 1996	Piscataway, NJ	Connecticut	73	61	Connecticut 2–0
3	March 3, 1996	Storrs, CT	Connecticut	93	64	Connecticut 3–0	Big East Tournament
4	January 15, 1997	Storrs, CT	Connecticut	78	45	Connecticut 4–0
5	December 31, 1997	Storrs, CT	Connecticut	82	69	Connecticut 5–0
6	February 10, 1998	Piscataway, NJ	Rutgers	70	74	Connecticut 5–1
7	March 3, 1998	Piscataway, NJ	Connecticut	67	58	Connecticut 6–1	Big East Tournament
8	January 27, 1999	Piscataway, NJ	Connecticut	56	55	Connecticut 7–1
9	January 17, 2000	Hartford, CT	Connecticut	65	50	Connecticut 8–1
10	February 12, 2000	Piscataway, NJ	Connecticut	49	45	Connecticut 9–1
11	March 7, 2000	Storrs, CT	Connecticut	79	59	Connecticut 10–1	Big East Tournament
12	February 14, 2001	Storrs, CT	Connecticut	70	45	Connecticut 11–1
13	March 5, 2001	Storrs, CT	Connecticut	94	66	Connecticut 12–1	Big East Tournament
14	February 23, 2002	Piscataway, NJ	Connecticut	80	42	Connecticut 13–1
15	January 8, 2003	Hartford, CT	Connecticut	67	62	Connecticut 14–1
16	January 19, 2004	Hartford, CT	Connecticut	72	47	Connecticut 15–1
17	February 14, 2004	Piscataway, NJ	Connecticut	66	43	Connecticut 16–1
18	February 3, 2005	Hartford, CT	Connecticut	57	44	Connecticut 17–1
19	February 13, 2005	Piscataway, NJ	Rutgers	62	76	Connecticut 17–2
20	March 8, 2005	Hartford, CT	Connecticut	67	51	Connecticut 18–2	Big East Tournament
21	February 7, 2006	Storrs, CT	Rutgers	56	60	Connecticut 18–3
22	February 27, 2006	Piscataway, NJ	Rutgers	42	48	Connecticut 18–4
23	February 6, 2007	Storrs, CT	Connecticut	60	50	Connecticut 19–4
24	February 26, 2007	Piscataway, NJ	Connecticut	70	44	Connecticut 20–4
25	March 6, 2007	Hartford, CT	Rutgers	47	55	Connecticut 20–5	Big East Tournament
26	February 5, 2008	Piscataway, NJ	Rutgers	71	73	Connecticut 20–6
27	March 3, 2008	Hartford, CT	Connecticut	66	46	Connecticut 21–6
28	April 1, 2008	Greensboro, NC	Connecticut	66	56	Connecticut 22–6	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
29	February 3, 2009	Hartford, CT	Connecticut	75	56	Connecticut 23–6
30	March 2, 2009	Piscataway, NJ	Connecticut	69	59	Connecticut 24–6
31	January 26, 2010	Hartford, CT	Connecticut	73	36	Connecticut 25–6
32	January 26, 2011	Piscataway, NJ	Connecticut	63	44	Connecticut 26–6
33	March 7, 2011	Hartford, CT	Connecticut	75	51	Connecticut 27–6	Big East Tournament
34	February 4, 2012	Storrs, CT	Connecticut	66	34	Connecticut 28–6
35	March 4, 2012	Hartford, CT	Connecticut	49	34	Connecticut 29–6	Big East Tournament
36	February 16, 2013	Piscataway, NJ	Connecticut	65	45	Connecticut 30–6
37	January 19, 2014	Piscataway, NJ	Connecticut	94	64	Connecticut 31–6
38	March 1, 2014	Storrs, CT	Connecticut	72	35	Connecticut 32–6
39	March 9, 2014	Uncasville, CT	Connecticut	83	57	Connecticut 33–6	AAC Tournament
40	March 23, 2015	Storrs, CT	Connecticut	91	55	Connecticut 34–6	NCAA Second Round

References

1. "UConn, Tennessee End Women's Basketball Rivalry". Retrieved 2008-03-04.
2. "Rutgers has joined UConn, nation's elite". Retrieved 2008-03-04.
3. "Postgame fireworks in Hartford". Retrieved 2008-03-06.
4. "Tranghese: A 'misunderstanding'". Retrieved 2008-03-06.