State of UCONN's rivalry with South Carolina? Experts weigh in and its history lesson

[SVCBeercats]

What's the state of UConn women's basketball rivalry with South Carolina? Experts weigh in

The Huskies host the Gamecocks Sunday. Here's how longtime college basketball experts...

www.newstimes.com

Interesting article
"UConn has been good for a long time and South Carolina came on the scene and Dawn has done a really good job there and they haven't gone away. So you have to give them credit for getting good and staying good."

UConn women's basketball team vs. South Carolina: History lesson

UConn won the first eight meetings against South Carolina, but the Gamecocks have won...

www.newstimes.com

Once a one-sided matchup, USC-UConn game now a powerful women’s basketball rivalry

“It does have all the makings for one of the best rivalries in the game.”

www.aol.com

 

[MD#12Fan]

A start to the discussion might be: what everyone's definition of a rivalry is.
It may be more than just 2 good teams playing each other. Does there need to be an incident or some kind of animosity between the players, schools, fan bases, states, locations, etc.
Would you consider Dawn to be on Geno's coaching "tree"? They have an amiable relationship. Dawn worked with Geno on USA basketball. That's probably a tight bond.
I say it's not a rivalry. Also, they haven't been great at the same time. Like Federer and Djokovic.
UConn's gotta win one of these to get a rivalry cooking. Need a little back and forth.
Remember after Federer beat Roddick at the US Open (I think), they asked Roddick about the rivalry with Feds and he said his 0-11 lifetime record versus Federer didn't constitute a rivalry. We need to beat SC with SC at the top of their game. Ali-Frazier. Go Huskies!

 

[HuskyNan]

The teams probably have a respectful rivalry meaning they really want to win knowing the other guys are worthy opponents. I don’t think there’s any animosity or hard feelings and I bet we see some hugs after the game.

As far as the fans, I gotta say it’s probably the same. I like the South Carolina fans and have since the Huskies played the Gamecocks in the Papa John’s Bowl years ago. Good natured trash talk from fans that have “been there” is about the worst of it

 

[Kat]

It's a big game but is is not a rivalry.

 

[Rowdy831]

It is hard to think of a rivalry that started recently. It seems the players in todays games all know each other from the AAU circuit so the team they go to afterwards might compete but they are still friends or at least friendly. Rivals usually have that component where they really don't like each other and I don't see that in this case.

 

[Ozimoto]

I think it is more likely that the media needs to "create" a rivalry to promote the game and draw eyeballs.

 

[shiverz45]

The only place it is a rivalry is on twitter. A segment of the fan bases can get real nasty. I hope we win both games, but I would rather lose to UConn than LSU next week.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I don't know what makes these people any more an expert than a lot of these posters. What are they saying or offering that posters haven't said or forecasted? Give yourself some credit too. lol

 

[Carnac]

The teams probably have a respectful rivalry meaning they really want to win knowing the other guys are worthy opponents. I don’t think there’s any animosity or hard feelings and I bet we see some hugs after the game.

As far as the fans, I gotta say it’s probably the same. I like the South Carolina fans and have since the Huskies played the Gamecocks in the Papa John’s Bowl years ago. Good natured trash talk from fans that have “been there” is about the worst of it

I completely agree. I've stated my posture on reviving the series with Tennessee, so I'll move on. The rivalry with South Carolina can be built up (almost) to that of UConn/Tenn. SC is a FRIENDLY rival, the kind I like. Our fans and players can go to Colonial Life Arena (Columbus, SC) sporting their UConn gear, and not be the subject or target of vitriol and vulgar disrespectful comments from the home town fans. Dawn has been nothing but respectful of Geno and the UConn program from day 1.

Some posters have commented that the UConn/Tenn series promotes and helps raise public awareness of WCBB, and therefore should be continued. I don't think that UConn alone has the duty to raise public awareness or promote WCBB. THAT dynamic should be shared by EVERY TEAM in Division 1 WCBB. The fact that a 19,000+ seat arena was sold out proves that WCBB is alive and well thank you, and THIS rivalry is of interest to local WCBB fans (and media) along with a national television audience of 600,000+ (at least) fans. UConn also sells out Colonial Life Arena every time they visit Columbus.

I have wished SC head coach Dawn Staley all the best since she first became a head coach at Temple University in 2000. THIS is a rivalry I want to see continued indefinitely. Say what you will, but THIS is the BIGGEST game on each other's schedule. The games against Tenn. and Notre Dame paled in comparison to the interest, hype and importance of this one. WCBB fans from coast to coast and border to border will be tuning in to watch THIS one. Too bad UConn can't play this one at full strength.

 

[UcMiami]

It is a little hard to start a real rivalry with teams outside your conference that you meet once a year with nothing happening in other sports.
Uconn and TN became a rivalry pretty quickly because we played so often both in season and in the NCAA and trade #1 rankings frequently. And then for a few years we played 2 OOC games a year.

Uconn/Stanford and Uconn/Baylor and Uconn/Duke never really developed partly because there were always breaks in the scheduling

Uconn/Rutgers, Uconn/Louisville both were rivals but never really rivalries because except for a few years it was all one sided.

Uconn/ND was the best rivalry in the BE and beyond as while Uconn has a strong edge, ND has won some important NCAA games between the two.

Uconn/SC is sort of short lived, and until recently was one sided. SC has won 3 of the last 4 over the last three years, but had lost the first 8 games and we've only met twice in the NCAAs.

The numbers sort of tell the story:
OOC - TN 25 games played, SC 12 games, Duke 15, Baylor 9, Stanford 19
Confernce - Rutgers 40, ND 52, Louisville 20 (late to the BE and early to leave but twice in the NCAA final.)

 

[Carnac]

It is a little hard to start a real rivalry with teams outside your conference that you meet once a year with nothing happening in other sports.
Uconn and TN became a rivalry pretty quickly because we played so often both in season and in the NCAA and trade #1 rankings frequently. And then for a few years we played 2 OOC games a year.

Uconn/Stanford and Uconn/Baylor and Uconn/Duke never really developed partly because there were always breaks in the scheduling

Uconn/Rutgers, Uconn/Louisville both were rivals but never really rivalries because except for a few years it was all one sided.

Uconn/ND was the best rivalry in the BE and beyond as while Uconn has a strong edge, ND has won some important NCAA games between the two.

Uconn/SC is sort of short lived, and until recently was one sided. SC has won 3 of the last 4 over the last three years, but had lost the first 8 games and we've only met twice in the NCAAs.

The numbers sort of tell the story:
OOC - TN 25 games played, SC 12 games, Duke 15, Baylor 9, Stanford 19
Confernce - Rutgers 40, ND 52, Louisville 20 (late to the BE and early to leave but twice in the NCAA final.)

"It is a little hard to start a real rivalry with teams outside your conference that you meet once a year." Acknowledged. That's why I suggested...."The rivalry with South Carolina can be built up (almost) to that of UConn/Tenn." The rivalry has begun. I think the 19,000+ fans that bought tickets to Sunday's game would agree. There are salesmen that can sell sand to the Arabs, surely it's not impossible for a sharp marketing department to hype and promote this game to it's maximum potential. The longer they play, the more the rivalry intensifies, and the more fan interest will grow.

As I said, THIS game is the biggest game on both schedules. I wonder if the average UConn fan had a choice of attending 1 of 3 games (with a complimentary ticket) between UConn and SC, ND and UT, which one they would choose. I'm not suggesting for a moment that everyone would choose SC. There are still a great number of UConn fans that get a thrill/joy that is indescribable when watching UConn beat Tennessee, especially in person. I think the masses agree the UConn/UT rivalry has pretty much died. It can never be like it once was. With Muffet McGraw gone from ND, that rivalry also is not the same.

Current ND head coach Nielle Ivey can never stoke the fires of that rivalry like Muffet did. Except in the minds and heats of "the old guard" fans, the good old days of those rivalries are gone forever. There was a piece written by a journalist posted here in the yard that suggested the same. Both fan bases still dislike Geno though.

An excerpt from the article:
"Over that time in Connecticut, the UConn-Tennessee rivalry no longer has the same intensity and anger as before. Not only had the Huskies become the top program in the sport, the Vols weren’t much of a threat anymore. UConn’s rivalry with Notre Dame replaced Tennessee and after Muffett McGraw brought that program down then retired, South Carolina has started to emerge as the Huskies’ top competition.

The two matchups at the XL Center featured the same excitement and anticipation as any other big non-conference matchup, but nothing beyond that. It wasn’t the game on the schedule the way it used to be."

What's it like to attend a UConn-Tennessee game at Rocky Top? Take a trip into enemy territory

A last look at the Huskies' win in Knoxville last week.

uconnwbbweekly.substack.com

 

[MD#12Fan]

It is a little hard to start a real rivalry with teams outside your conference that you meet once a year with nothing happening in other sports.
Uconn and TN became a rivalry pretty quickly because we played so often both in season and in the NCAA and trade #1 rankings frequently. And then for a few years we played 2 OOC games a year.

Uconn/Stanford and Uconn/Baylor and Uconn/Duke never really developed partly because there were always breaks in the scheduling

Uconn/Rutgers, Uconn/Louisville both were rivals but never really rivalries because except for a few years it was all one sided.

Uconn/ND was the best rivalry in the BE and beyond as while Uconn has a strong edge, ND has won some important NCAA games between the two.

Uconn/SC is sort of short lived, and until recently was one sided. SC has won 3 of the last 4 over the last three years, but had lost the first 8 games and we've only met twice in the NCAAs.

The numbers sort of tell the story:
OOC - TN 25 games played, SC 12 games, Duke 15, Baylor 9, Stanford 19
Confernce - Rutgers 40, ND 52, Louisville 20 (late to the BE and early to leave but twice in the NCAA final.)

Nice post with good data to support.
You almost want to see a rivalry develop. Maybe it will be SC, especially with a couple UConn wins.

 

[Carnac]

What's the state of UConn women's basketball rivalry with South Carolina? Experts weigh in

The Huskies host the Gamecocks Sunday. Here's how longtime college basketball experts...

www.newstimes.com

Interesting article
"UConn has been good for a long time and South Carolina came on the scene and Dawn has done a really good job there and they haven't gone away. So you have to give them credit for getting good and staying good."

UConn women's basketball team vs. South Carolina: History lesson

UConn won the first eight meetings against South Carolina, but the Gamecocks have won...

www.newstimes.com

Once a one-sided matchup, USC-UConn game now a powerful women’s basketball rivalry

“It does have all the makings for one of the best rivalries in the game.”

www.aol.com

Thanks Beercats!! Way to sniff out these stories for us. It's appreciated.

 

[Carnac]

An excerpt from the article -

What's the state of UConn women's basketball rivalry with South Carolina? Experts weigh in​

The teams have met only 12 times in the past 16 years, but they’ve become one of the most heated rivalries in the women’s basketball world thanks to star players and two iconic coaches in fellow Philadelphia natives Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley.

While the Huskies will always have their historic rivalries with Tennessee and Notre Dame, their rivalry with the Gamecocks has quickly become a staple between both programs.

 

[Carnac]

I think it is more likely that the media needs to "create" a rivalry to promote the game and draw eyeballs.

THAT is where rivalries begin.....in the media, fueled by beat writers. Most sports fans read the sports section or listen to sports talk radio.
If fans hear that ABC is a rival of , after a while, they start to believe it. If you never read or hear that two schools are rivals, are they?

 

[Bone Dog]

The only place it is a rivalry is on twitter. A segment of the fan bases can get real nasty. I hope we win both games, but I would rather lose to UConn than LSU next week.

That’s a generous sentiment. But let me be clear: your girls had better take down LSU next week. If there was ever a team that needed a lesson in humility…

… and what are friendly rivals at the top of the rankings for, if not to set the tone for everyone else?

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[sun]

It's a rivalry all right.

rivalry​

- competition for the same objective or for superiority in the same field

UConn began a media campaign that it was "The basketball capital of the world."
Even if we're to only understand that as pertaining to the NCAA game, Scar has quickly become the leading WCBB program in a host of different ways such as recruiting, winning last year's NC, having the highest paid coach, having each player set up to receive NIL money, higher attendance, etc...

The media will always focus on the top performing players & teams and while UConn continues to bask in the media limelight, it's again being overshadowed by Scar's continued success so far this season.
Scar represents a new alternative to what UConn has promoted itself over many years as being the premier destination for elite WBB athletes.
And since Scar is now on top, it's up to UConn to maintain its hegemony.
In order to do that then UConn is going to need to eventually win to prove it's still "The basketball capital of the world."
That slogan wasn't a media invention, that was a UConn invention to capitalize on the media attention, its NC's and to continue to grow the program's success.
I believe that the rivalry will continue for a long time, as long as both programs are nationally relevant.

hegemony​

- leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social group over others.

 

[GoldenGophs]

Losing to South Carolina in the Championship makes this a rivalry, if it wasn't already one before.