Orange Face Huskies with Sweet Sixteen Berth on the Line

After successfully avenging its 2019 NCAA Tournament exit with 72-55 win over South Dakota State on Sunday, the Syracuse women's basketball team is set to play Connecticut in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament Tuesday, March 23, at 9 p.m. ET. The game will be played in the Alamodome and televised nationally on ESPN. This will be the 52^nd all time meeting between the two teams and the third in the past five NCAA Tournaments. Though the members of the current Orange and Husky rosters have never met before—there's a rich history behind this matchup.

Former BIG EAST foes Syracuse and UConn have gone to battle many times before. Of the 51 games played between the two programs, the Huskies hold a 39-12 advantage over the Orange. Syracuse's last win over UConn was Jan. 2, 1996, a 62-59 victory inside historic Manley Fieldhouse at Syracuse. Since the Orange departed The BIG EAST t in 2013, the two squads have managed to match up in the NCAA Tournament in 2016, 2017 and now again in 2021. In 2016, the Huskies ended Syracuse's hopes of its first national championship crown. The No. 4-seed Orange fell to the No.1-seed Huskies, 82-51, finishing their historic 2015-16 season as national runners' up.

The following year, the No. 8-seed Orange met the No. 1-seed Huskies once again—this time in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In a 94-64 loss, the Orange exited the tournament at the hands of the Huskies for a second-straight time.

This year, the Orange will square off against the Huskies in the second round with a spot in the Sweet Sixteen on the line. It would be the farthest 'Cuse has advanced in the NCAA Tournament since reaching the title game in 2016. A win over former BIG EAST rival UConn would snap the Huskies streak of 12 consecutive Final Four appearances.

THREE REASONS TO WATCH

Husky History:
UConn Women's Basketball is one of the most storied basketball programs in NCAA history. The team, led by Head Coach Geno Auriemma, has won 11 National Championship Titles. In the past 12 NCAA Tournaments, the earliest exit the Huskies have taken occurred in the Final Four. The Huskies are coming off of a 102-59 win over No.16 High Point. On Tuesday night, the team will be without Auriemma, who did not travel with the team to San Antonio for the first and second rounds after testing positive for COVID-19.

Battle of the Freshman:
Two of the best freshmen in college basketball, Syracuse's Kamilla Cardoso and UConn's Paige Bueckers, will take the court to face off for the first time. Cardoso was named ACC Freshman of the Year, ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and All-ACC Second Team. The 6-foot-7 center averages 13.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. UConn's Bueckers was named Big East Player of the Year, Big East Freshman of the Year, AP First Team All-American and espnW Player of the Year. Bueckers averages 19.9 points, 6.1 assists and 2.4 steals per game.

Engstler Explosion:
After earning ACC Co-Sixth Player of Year honors, Engstler has continued her ascension in post-season play. The junior guard is averaging 14.3 ppg and 10.5 rpg through Syracuse's four postseason games. In Sunday night's victory over South Dakota State, she led the Orange with her seventh double-double of the season in an 18-point, 12 rebound performance. She made a career-high six steals and a season-high four blocks.

When asked about the upcoming game, Engstler answered with confidence: "Whatever team comes, we're ready. It would be a matchup—Syracuse vs. UConn—I think it would be a very good matchup. People might underestimate us, but I think it'll be good TV."

Tune in to ESPN at 9 p.m. ET (8 p.m. CT) to watch.

Orange Face Huskies with Sweet Sixteen Berth on the Line

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Players Mentioned

Kamilla Cardoso

Syracuse University Athletics