UConn, Tennessee end rivalry

The premier rivalry in women's basketball has ended -- at least for the regular season. SI.com has learned that Tennessee and UConn will not play a regular season game in 2007-'08, the first time since the inaugural meeting in 1995 that the basketball powers are not scheduled to play.

The game, which traditionally draws among the highest television ratings for the sport, has rotated between CBS and ESPN over the years and was scheduled to air on ESPN next February. The network, according to sources, put pressure on Tennessee (which would have hosted the game) to continue the series but were unsuccessful in their efforts. The contract between the schools expired last year.

"After sending a contract signed by the University of Connecticut to the University of Tennessee earlier this year for the next two games of our women's basketball series (2007-08 and 2008-09), we were notified by their athletic administration that the Tennessee women's basketball program would not be signing this contract and has made the decision to terminate the series between our institutions," UConn athletic director Jeff Hathaway said in a statement in response to SI.com's story. "We are disappointed for UConn fans, Tennessee fans and women's basketball fans in general who look forward to this annual event featuring the greatest women's basketball rivalry in the nation, as recently selected by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA)."

When contacted by SI.com, Tennessee said it would not comment on its schedule until late July. "We're not allowed to comment on schedules or television contacts per the SEC," said spokesperson Debby Jennings.

The rivalry (UConn leads the overall series 13-9 and is 4-0 against Tennessee in the championship game) was born in 1995 during UConn's national championship season. The teams played a home-and-home series through 2001 before opting to play a single regular-season game. Tennessee had won the last three meetings after losing six straight.

In January, prior to Tennessee's 70-64 win in Hartford, Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt praised the rivalry as good for the sport. "If you look at the rivalry and the stage that we've been on since we started playing, it has been year-in and year-out the one game that has brought more viewers to sit and watch," she said. "It has generated a rivalry that is known throughout the country. It is a matchup between two powerhouse programs that have been consistent over the years. It is good for women's basketball."

As the rivalry escalated, so have tensions among the school's high-profile and competitive coaches. UConn coach Geno Auriemma and Summitt have have traded barbs over the years, the sharpest cuts coming from Auriemma who once famously referred to Tennessee as the "Evil Empire." The relationship was thought to have thawed a bit in recent years but the two have heavily competed for recruits over the past couple of seasons, including UConn incoming freshman Maya Moore.