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UConn vs. Iowa and Louisville vs. Tennessee predictions: Expert picks for Women's Champions Classic
Four top-25 teams are all playing in Brooklyn on Saturday
There will be no shortage of women's college basketball action this weekend with four ranked teams participating in the Women's Champions Classic at the Barclays Center. No. 1 UConn, No. 11 Iowa, No. 16 Louisville and No. 17 Tennessee will be playing in Brooklyn on Saturday while chasing one more résumé-boosting win before the holiday break.
Reigning national champion UConn is looking to wrap up 2025 as the No. 1 team in the nation. Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd are leading one of Geno Auriemma's deepest rosters in a long time, and so far nobody has been able to beat them. The Huskies arrive in New York with an 11-0 record, but No. 11 Iowa will try to end that winning streak. Their most recent meeting was at the 2024 Final Four -- a 71-69 win for Caitlin Clark and Iowa. These are not the exact same rosters, but the Hawkeyes do still have Hannah Stuelke, who scored 23 points in that game.
No. 16 Louisville and No. 17 Tennessee will be a battle between two ranked teams with plenty to prove. The Lady Vols are still looking for their first win against a ranked opponent. Meanwhile, the Cardinals got theirs with an overtime victory against North Carolina last week.
Here are the game schedules and our expert predictions for this weekend.
Louisville vs. Tennessee (11 a.m. ET)
- TV channel: Fox | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Expert picks
Ayala: This will be the matchup to watch! Last year at this event, Jeff Walz felt his team played so poorly in an 85-52 loss to UConn that he actually apologized to the fans and media during the postgame. "I thought it was a first-class event, unfortunately, we looked like shit, so I apologize to everyone," the Louisville coach said in his postgame remarks.
While I'm sure he won't want a repeat of that, I'm taking the Lady Vols' defensive prowess in a close game. That's what got them a 78-68 win over the Hawkeyes at the inaugural Women's Champions Classic -- they forced 30 Iowa turnovers in that game. Through nine games this year, Tennessee opponents are averaging 23.1 giveaways per game.
Gibbs: The Cardinals were off the national radar coming into the season, but Jeff Walz and co. have surged back into the spotlight thanks to the ongoing development of Tajianna Roberts and Imari Berry, a breakout season from Elif Istanbulluoğlu, and the veteran presence of Saint Joseph's transfer Laura Ziegler. Louisville and Tennessee are pretty evenly matched, and this is a game that will likely come down to taking care of the ball -- Louisville has one of the lowest turnover rates in the country, while Tennessee has one of the highest steal rates. Ultimately, I think Louisville is more battle-tested so far this season, and that's going to pay off in a close game like this one.
Women's college basketball: As the ACC struggles, Louisville positions itself as the league's team to beat
Lindsay Gibbs
Gonzalez: For this matchup I expect multiple lead changes and a physical, fast-paced game. While the Lady Vols are not a walk in the park, I think Louisville can handle them. The Cardinals had kind of slipped under the radar because they didn't have a win against a Top 25 team until their victory over North Carolina. However, it's clear the potential was there because they almost upset South Carolina earlier this month. Jeff Walz's group has been heavily tested in their nonconference schedule, starting with their season opener against UConn, and that's the kind of experience that can give them an edge.
UConn vs. Iowa (1:30 p.m. ET)
- TV channel: Fox | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Expert picks
Ayala: The Hawkeyes have bounced back since suffering their first loss to Iowa State last week. However, UConn's offense might be too much for Iowa over the weekend, specifically from the perimeter. The Hawkeyes may have to choose between defending leading scorer Azzi Fudd and leading 3-point shooter Blanca Quiñonez on the perimeter, or collapsing in the paint to mark Sarah Strong.
Although I'm not expecting Jan Jenson to issue an apology, I do think UConn takes this game.
Gibbs: This could be the highest-ranked opponent UConn faces until deep into the NCAA tournament. While the Huskies do have nonconference games against top-25 teams, Tennessee and Notre Dame, on the schedule early in 2026, neither of those teams seems to have the ceiling and depth of this year's Iowa squad. Both UConn and Iowa have potent offenses -- according to HerHoopStats, they rank in the top 20 nationally in points per game and in the top 10 in field-goal percentage. But as impressed as I have been by Ava Heiden and the Hawkeyes the past two months, UConn is simply in another stratosphere this year offensively and defensively, and I expect them to take this one rather easily.
Gonzalez: Rebounding has been a point of emphasis for the Hawkeyes and their defense shouldn't be taken lightly. However, the Huskies are strong on both sides of the court, and honestly, there are very few teams in the country that might have the weapons to truly challenge them right now. Sure, they had a very ugly third quarter against Michigan in November, but the Huskies are talented and deep enough to figure out multiple ways to win.
