The intense exchange between UConn head coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley reminded many of another heated rivalry Auriemma had. That was with the late coaching legend, Pat Summitt. The two sparked one of the greatest college basketball rivalries in history between UConn and Tennessee, even though they never played in the same conference.
Their rivalry began during the 1994-95 season, when a younger Geno Auriemma was still making a name for himself over at Storrs. His plucky underdog Huskies managed to upset the then-No. 1 Tennessee Lady Volunteers coached by Pat Summitt. They then met again, this time in the National Championship Game, and Auriemma won again to capture the natty over Summitt, and this soon led to the teams playing a series of rivalry games.
Pat Summitt vs. Geno Auriemma Coaching Records
Geno Auriemma currently has a 1,288-125 overall record with a record 12 national championships and 24 Final Four appearances to go with six undefeated seasons. Meanwhile, Pat Summitt had a record of 1,098–208 after she retired in 2012. While Auriemma has the record for most NCAA national titles, Summitt holds second place with eight, with 18 Final Four appearances.
As for their winning records, Summitt has .841 while Auriemma has .886. This means that both coaches rarely lost games.
Pat Summitt vs. Geno Auriemma Head-to-Head Record
As for their record against one another, Geno Auriemma actually won it before Summitt retired, as he has 13 wins over her, while she has nine wins over him. The two stopped their season series against one another after Summitt cancelled it in 2007 in light of Auriemma being involved in some recruiting controversies. The two have not matched up with one another since Summitt’s retirement in 2012, before passing away in 2016.
The rivalry has since reignited, with the season series between the two rival schools being reinstated in 2017, a year after Summitt passed away.
Pat Summitt vs. Geno Auriemma Key Matchups
- Jan. 16, 1995: UConn upsets No. 1 Tennessee, 77-66
- April 2, 1995: UConn Beats Tennessee Again in the National Championship Game
- March 24, 1997: Tennessee beats UConn 91-81
- Jan. 3, 1998: Tennessee Demolishes UConn 84-69
- Jan. 10, 1999: Fight between UConn’s Svetlana Abrosimova and Tennessee’s Semeka Randall, Tennessee Wins
- April 2, 2000: Geno Auriemma wins the Natty against Pat Summitt in the final
- March 29, 2002: UConn beats Tennessee 79-56 in the national semifinals with Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones, Tamika Williams and sophomore Diana Taurasi
- April 8, 2003: Auriemma Beats Summitt in the National Championship game again, 73-68, but throws shade at Summitt
- April 6, 2004: UConn beats Tennessee for the national championship again, 70-61
- Jan. 7, 2006: Tennessee defeated UConn 89-80
- Jan. 6, 2007: Pat Summitt Defeats Auriemma in their final game against one another.
Read More:
Geno Auriemma vs Pat Summitt Rivalry: Analysing Heated History Between UConn and Tennessee
Tennessee Women’s Basketball Transfer Portal: Full List of Players Entering and Exiting
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