“It just became stupid”: Geno Auriemma admits he “didn’t want to be a part” of UConn vs Tennessee rivalry

Geno Auriemma and the No. 5 UConn Huskies have a big Thursday night matchup against the No. 19 Tennessee Volunteers. However, the supposed rivalry the two programs have with one another is something that Auriemma doesn't want any part of.

The Huskies boast an all-time record of 17-9 after 26 matchups, having won the last four encounters. The last encounter between the teams happened in January 2023 and saw UConn beat Tennessee 84-67 on the road.

With this matchup being the first in two years, Auriemma gave his thoughts on the upcoming duel. However, he had harsh criticism for both fanbases about how they have approached the rivalry.

"It just became stupid and became something I didn't want a part of anymore," Auriemma said. "I think our fans are stupid. I think their fans are stupid, and how they reacted to the whole thing."

How Geno Auriemma's Huskies match up against Tennessee

Geno Auriemma and the No. 5 Huskies are in elite form heading into Thursday's game against the No. 19 Lady Vols.

UConn boasts a 21-2 overall record, going 12-0 in Big East conference play while being on an 11-game win streak. They produce 81.1 points on 51.5% shooting from the field and 37.9% from beyond the arc, dominating opponents by a margin of 29.2 points per game.

Paige Bueckers leads the way for the Huskies averaging 19 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and two steals on shooting splits of 54.4% overall and 42.1% from downtown. Sarah Strong is the next highest scorer on the team averaging 17 points and 7.8 rebounds.

UConn takes on a Lady Vols unit that is 16-5 on the season, having lost five of their first nine games of SEC Play. They have a decent offense putting up 91.1 points on 44% shooting from the field and 33.3% from three. They have defeated teams by an average of 21.6 points per contest.

Talaysia Cooper leads their offense with 17.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3.3 apg, and 3.3 spg and Ruby Whitehorn is the next highest scorer with 13 ppg to go along with 4.5 rpg.