The matchup features two long-tenured and media savvy coaches generally acknowledged among the top five ever in their sport, over two dozen players who went on to play in the WNBA, and two programs that have combined for 19 national championships.

Until the 2006-07 season, the two programs met annually in winter at one or both of the schools, but the rivalry is unique for having a third of its games occurring in the women's NCAA tournament.

In AP Poll history, Tennessee and UConn have the two longest appearance streaks in women's college basketball.

On the Tennessee side was Pat Summitt, the all-time winningest NCAA Division I college basketball coach, male or female.

On the UConn side is Geno Auriemma, who has won eleven of the last twenty-four NCAA women's tournaments, four at the expense of Summitt in the finals.

A media firebrand in the heart of ESPN country, Auriemma has become the most accomplished coach in the last decade, which included a record-breaking 111-game winning streak which began in the fall of 2014 and ended during the Final Four of 2017 NCAA women's tournament.

The two poured gasoline on the fire in press conferences, with Auriemma at one point calling Tennessee the "Evil Empire".

The next three years belonged to Summitt, as the Lady Vols won four of the next five meetings with the Huskies en route to three straight national championships.

The "Meeks"—Chamique Holdsclaw, Semeka Randall, and Tamika Catchings—and point guard Michelle M. Marciniak powered Tennessee past all rivals, including UConn.

The starting five of Sue Bird, Asjha Jones, Swin Cash, Tamika Williams, and (for the latter part of the run) Diana Taurasi gave UConn four of the next five national championships.

During the 2012–13 season, Tyler Summitt joined Marquette's coaching staff for the women's team, the final year of the pre-split Big East.