Kim Caldwell Expresses Hesitation on Facing UConn Again After Historical Loss

What looked like an enthralling end-to-end game as both UConn and the Lady Vols were tied at 42 during the halftime session turned out to be totally the opposite. As both teams went back and forth, leading and trailing between halves, the UConn surge at the end was too much to handle for Kim Caldwell’s side. By the end, UConn had blown away their rivals, 96–66. It’s the kind of result that could shake anyone.

To make things worse, the loss came with a set of records that weren’t exactly favorable for Caldwell. Like,

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• The largest margin of victory in the series’ history

• Just one point shy of Tennessee’s largest-ever defeat in program history

This is exactly why Caldwell doesn’t look forward to playing games against UConn in the near future. Or at least during certain stretches.

When asked by a reporter, “Given the series getting extended for a couple more years, would you prefer not to play in the middle of…,” we assume the reporter meant the middle of SEC play, but before he could even finish the question, Caldwell answered, “Absolutely, yeah, we just…it’s too tough for us, and you get two bye weeks in the SEC, so this takes away one of our bye weeks, which is unfortunate.”

For context, it means the team doesn’t play any SEC opponent that week. It’s essentially a break in the schedule, which can be helpful for recovery, adjusting strategies, and more. But if you’re up against the defending champs, a bye week doesn’t really give you an advantage.

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Regardless, the two teams will continue their series over the next two years after agreeing to a new two-year home-and-home contract extension. This rivalry has been a cornerstone of women’s basketball for nearly two decades, before pausing after 2007 and returning in 2020.

To ease the intensity a bit in the upcoming years, Caldwell would prefer the matchup not fall in the middle of an already brutal SEC schedule. And it’s understandable, especially since there was hardly any time for the Vols to prepare themselves after yesterday’s loss against Mississippi State. Now, they’re staring down consecutive losses during what was supposed to be a “resting week” before kicking off their regional play on Feb. 6.

All in all, it was a hard one for Kim Caldwell’s team.

But for UConn, it was a smooth affair. Especially for Azzi Fudd, who just doesn’t seem to get tired of scoring.

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Azzi Fudd Dazzles For the Huskies Against Kim Caldwell’s Vols

On first glance, it might look like Huskies had the edge, but don’t let that fool you for one bit. In fact, it was the other way around as a rusty 2nd half saw Geno Auriemma’s girls tied with the Lady Vols despite establishing an early lead by as many as 16 points in the first quarter.

But with Azzi Fudd on the team and Sarah Strong to support her, even adversity finds itself quaking in its boots. And that’s what happened. With the memory of last year’s crushing upset in Knoxville still fresh in their minds, Fudd looked determined not to have her effort go in vain (18 pts) like last year.

Fudd, with the help of Strong, combined for 27 points in the second half, leading the Huskies to their biggest victory in the history of the iconic rivalry. She looked possessed, as if she had come out with a point to prove. The star guard shot 11-for-17 from the field and 5-for-8 from 3-point range. She also led the team with 7 assists, added 7 rebounds, and 4 steals.

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And it must feel even more rewarding, coming just days after Fudd had her worst offensive game of the season against Xavier. Plus, this 20-point game from Azzi came after a month’s gap.

But she couldn’t have done it without Sarah Strong, who had a wonderful showing of her own. Strong finished with 26 points on 10-for-18 shooting against Kim Caldwell’s group. Just one rebound shy of a double-double and a point shy of Fudd’s score.

The destructive duo is indeed enjoying each other’s presence and is technically combining to damage the opposition. With those two in charge, the Huskies keep marching, still unbeaten despite many challengers coming close to laying a killing blow. But the team has been successful so far in evading them.

But can they keep this up is the real question. With no ranked opponents left on their regular-season slate, it looks likely. Tennessee, on the other hand, faces a brutal stretch: seven games in 17 days, including five against Top 25 teams.