No. 5 UConn vs No. 19 Tennessee: Preview, prediction and odds (February 6, 2025)

Modified Feb 06, 2025 18:28 GMT

NCAA Womens Basketball: Villanova at Connecticut - Source: Imagn — NCAA Womens Basketball: Villanova at Connecticut (image credit: IMAGN)

On Thursday, the No. 5-ranked UConn Huskies will face the No. 19-ranked Tennessee Lady Volunteers.

The Huskies (21-2) have been superb in their conference games this season. They are 12-0 in Big East matchups, including a 101-59 win over the Butler Bulldogs on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Lady Volunteers' (16-5) conference play has been up and down. They are 4-5 in Southeastern Conference matchups and are coming off a 76–71 victory against the Missouri Tigers on Sunday.

UConn vs Tennessee: Preview, prediction and odds

Thompson-Boling Arena in Tennessee will host the showdown between the Huskies and Lady Volunteers. Fans can catch the action by tuning in to ESPN at 6:30 p.m. ET.

UConn vs Tennessee: Game preview

The Huskies have played at an elite level this season. They average 81.1 points on 51.5% shooting and 37.9% from beyond the arc, blowing out opponents by 29.2 points per game.

Paige Bueckers is a big test for the Lady Volunteers' defense. She averages 19.0 points, on 54.4% shooting and 42.1% from downtown, along with 4.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

Other Huskies expected to play big roles in this matchup are Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd. Strong is posting 17.0 ppg and 7.8 rpg and is one of the team's best shooters with a team-high 161 field goals made, while Fudd provides 11.3 ppg and 1.9 rpg.

Tennessee has showcased its prowess on offense. The Lady Volunteers score 91.1 ppg on 44.0% shooting and 33.3% from threes, blowing out opponents by 21.6 ppg.

The top priority for the Huskies' defense would be limiting the production of Talaysia Cooper. She leads the Lady Vols with 17.9 ppg, 5.9rpg, 3.3 apg, and 3.3 spg on 46.8% shooting.

Two players who can help Tennessee are Ruby Whitehorn and Jewel Spear. Whitehorn is the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 13.0 ppg and 4.5 rpg, while Spear puts up 12.1 ppg and 2.8 rpg.

UConn vs Tennessee: Prediction

This matchup will be challenging for the Lady Vols, even with homecourt advantage. Containing UConn's scoring punch of Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong will be a difficult challenge for them. If their offense is unable to keep up, it will be a tough loss for Tennessee at home.