The No. 1 UConn women’s basketball team got its first test of the season on Sunday since a three-point win over a ranked Michigan team early in the campaign.

And the Huskies passed. Eventually.

No. 15 Tennessee – the last team to beat UConn, 360 days ago – tried valiantly for another upset and was tied at the half. The Huskies, however, ran away in the second half to win 96-66 before a packed house at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Conn.

It was their 39th consecutive win since Tennessee’s 80-76 victory last Feb. 6 in Knoxville.

UConn (23-0, 13-0 Big East) jumped out to a 16-point lead at the 3:35 mark of the first quarter on an Azzi Fudd 3-point shot, and it appeared the Huskies would be on their way to another huge win. Their average margin of victory on the season was 39.7 points entering the contest.

But the Lady Vols (14-5, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) didn’t flinch. They went on a 14-4 run to trail 25-19 at the end of the first quarter.

Tennessee climbed back into the game by employing the tactics that have made UConn so successful: pressure defense that led to turnovers and steals. The Lady Vols nibbled away at the Huskies’ lead and went ahead 42-38 with two minutes remaining in the half before Fudd and Kayleigh Heckel each scored a basket to tie the score at halftime.

UConn took its game to a different level in the second half, however, combining sharp shooting and their ability to capitalize on their defensive prowess.

Two minutes into the third quarter, Tennessee had worked a one-point lead before UConn went on a 24-5 run to lead 71-53 at the end of the period.

The Huskies went on a 14-0 run over the final 4:14 of the quarter and made their final five shots. The Lady Vols ended the quarter in a scoring drought that lasted nearly five minutes and were 0-of-11 shooting.

That 18-point lead was more than enough for UConn, which built on it by outscoring Tennessee 25-13 in the final period.

Fudd led the Huskies with 27 points and a team-leading seven assists. Five Huskies registered double-digit points: Sarah Strong (26), Serah Williams (12), Ashlynn Shade (10) and Allie Ziebell (10). Strong had a team-best nine rebounds.

UConn forced 20 turnovers and scored 36 points off of them. Tennessee, which could have benefited from 15 UConn turnovers, turned them into only nine points.

The Huskies shot 58.5% – 50% (11 of 22) from 3-point territory – and held Tennessee to 38.1% and 32.3% (10 of 31 from 3), respectively.

Janiah Barker led the Lady Vols with 16 points. Alyssa Latham had a team-high eight rebounds, and Mia Pauldo had four assists.

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