Rutgers–UConn women's basketball rivalry

Rutgers–UConn
women's basketball rivalry
UConn Huskies
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
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)

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.

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Locations of Rutgers and UConn

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 faced off in games with championship implications. On March 7, 2007, the Scarlet Knights won their first-ever Big East Tournament championship by defeating the Huskies 55–47. However, on March 3, 2008, UConn beat Rutgers 66–46 for the regular-season championship, and the Knights haven't defeated 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
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. ^ 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.[permanent dead link‍]
  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.