Brooklyn, NY—–Vols Talaysia Cooper erupted for 19 of her game-high 23 points in the second half, leading Tennessee to a 78-68 victory over No. 17 Iowa in the first-ever Women’s Champions Classic on Saturday night.
Cooper’s clutch jumper with 3:04 remaining gave the Lady Vols (7-0) a narrow 68-67 lead, igniting a decisive 12-1 run to close out the game. She scored four consecutive points in the final stretch, including a steal on an inbounds pass with 1:23 left, which she converted into a layup to seal the win. Iowa (8-1) was led by Lucy Olsen, who tallied 23 points, but the Hawkeyes struggled with ball security, committing a season-high 30 turnovers.
Earlier in the doubleheader, No. 2 UConn dominated No. 22 Louisville, securing an 85-52 blowout victory.
The game marked a coaching battle between two first-year head coaches. Jan Jensen, who succeeded Lisa Bluder after her retirement, took over the Iowa program. Jensen, a longtime assistant for 24 years, was off to an impressive start, having led Iowa to an 8-0 record before this game. On the other side, Kim Caldwell, who brought her up-tempo, pressing style to Tennessee, joined the Lady Vols after successful tenures at Marshall and Division II Glenville State.
Her fast-paced approach, including frequent player substitutions, gave Iowa trouble throughout the contest, particularly in the first half. The Hawkeyes committed 18 turnovers before halftime, with the score tied at 35 at the break.
The second half saw the teams exchange leads, but it was Cooper’s late-game heroics that proved decisive.
The game at Barclays Center also featured a star-studded crowd, with former players Chamique Holdsclaw, Diamond DeShields, Rickea Jackson, Andraya Carter, and Sue Bird sitting courtside, alongside WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
This contest was the first between the two historic programs since 1993 when Pat Summitt and C. Vivian Stringer were at the helm of Tennessee and Iowa, respectively.
