Connecticut-Tennessee Matchup Doubles as Final Four Preview

STORRS, Conn. — It ranks, by any measure, as one of the great matchups of the 1990s in women’s basketball.

Top-ranked Connecticut (13-0) vs. second-ranked Tennessee (12-1).

It matches the best and second-best players in the country, Tennessee’s Chamique Holdsclaw and Connecticut’s Svetlana Abrosimova.

It matches two of the nation’s premier coaches, Tennessee’s Pat Summitt and Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma.

But, whatever happens this afternoon in sold-out Gampel Pavilion--is it any match for what could come in March?

The way things are going, the perfect cap to this season would be a Tennessee-Connecticut national title game at the Final Four in San Jose.

Auriemma alluded to that this week, during the buildup to a game for which scalpers are getting $200 for $12 tickets.

“Right now, you can have your ‘A’ game for Tennessee and you could still lose,” he said.

“We’ve played great a couple times this year, yeah. But were we good enough to beat them? I don’t know. They’re that good.

“They were 39-0 last year, so they can call themselves the best because no one ever did that before. Until someone beats them in March, they can keep saying that.”

Tennessee, chasing a fourth consecutive national championship, figured to arrive here ranked No. 1, with Connecticut No. 2.

But Tennessee was denied a 46th consecutive victory when it stumbled Nov. 15 at Purdue, 68-58. The Lady Vols dropped to No. 4.

And even if they stumble today, who could possibly count them out in March?

Remember, Summitt’s 1996-97 team (29-10) finished fifth in the Southeastern Conference . . . and won the national championship.

Auriemma’s Huskies have flattened everyone, including four top-20 teams. Closest game: Connecticut 113, UCLA 102, on Nov. 17.

UCLA also lost to Tennessee, 100-77, but Bruin Coach Kathy Olivier is picking Connecticut, citing an edge in depth.

Connecticut has the nation’s longest home winning streak at 54 games. The record is 69, held by Tennessee. And yes, it was Connecticut that ended that streak, in 1997.

Today’s game will be a celebration, said Connecticut’s tenacious Shea Ralph, at the top of her game after two years on the sidelines because of knee surgeries.

“It’s not just that it’s one vs. two, it’s more the rivalry and the atmosphere,” she said Saturday after practice. “It’s going to be so loud here tomorrow . . . this is why we love to play basketball so much.”