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Tennessee Lady Vols: Five key storylines ahead of 2019-2020 season

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 21: Tennessee Volunteers fans hold up a cardboard photo of women's basketball coach Pat Summitt during the game against the Connecticut Huskies at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 21, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee defeated Connecticut 60-57. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 21: Tennessee Volunteers fans hold up a cardboard photo of women's basketball coach Pat Summitt during the game against the Connecticut Huskies at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 21, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee defeated Connecticut 60-57. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Craig Bisacre/Tennessee Athletics – Pool/Getty Images
Photo by Craig Bisacre/Tennessee Athletics – Pool/Getty Images /

2. Tennessee is renewing its rivalry with UConn.

Just as the Tennessee Lady Vols are in rebuilding mode, they have to resume their once-storied rivalry with Geno Auriemma and the Connecticut Huskies. And to make matters worse, it happens as Evina Westbrook, their best player from last year, transfers out to go join the hated program up in the northeast.

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But this may not be a bad thing. Right after the last time the two played, in January of 2007, UT went on to win back to back national championships under Pat Summitt. The exposure from this rivalry and the storylines behind it elevate women’s basketball and do more to help Tennessee in the national spotlight for recruiting than anything else.

So these two resuming their rivalry is a good long-term move. But it could be brutal this year for Rocky Top. That it will be played in Hartford, Conn. this year only further hurts the Lady Vols, but one bit of good news for them is the game is not until Thursday, Jan. 23. So the new roster will have at least had more time to gel after that.

Tennessee-UConn is a series that never should have ended, and the return is just one bit of excitement that can remind Lady Vol fans of the glory days. But then comes the winning part that they also remember, and the Huskies aren’t likely to help with that this year.

Still, it could also be seen as a golden opportunity. Since they last played, UConn has surpassed UT as the top women’s basketball program of all time. Resuming the series may be the first step for Rocky Top taking that title back.