The Syracuse Orange women’s basketball team is set to play its toughest test all season in Round Two of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Syracuse will be facing off against the undefeated, top seed of the tournament in the UConn Huskies.
Calling this matchup tough is still an understatement, but it is March, meaning anything can happen. Here is an early preview to get you ready for game day:
Matchup: No. 9 Syracuse Orange (24-8, 12-6) versus No. 1 UConn Huskies (35-0, 20-0)
Date: Monday, March 23
Tip-off time:
6 pm EST
Where: Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, CT
TV info: ESPN; can also listen live on cuse.com
All-time series: Syracuse is 12-34 all-time versus UConn dating back to December 1980, including a 4-19 record on the road. The Orange have lost 20 straight in the series, last beating the Huskies in January 1992.
Resume comparison:
Strengths:
- Syracuse
- Rebounds per game: 13th
- Blocks per game: 13th
- Steals per game: 42nd
- Scoring offense: 45th
- Turnovers forced per game: 59th
- Turnover margin: 75th
- UConn
- Assist/turnover ratio: 1st
- Assists per game: 1st
- Field goal percentage: 1st
- Steals per game: 1st
- Scoring differential: 1st
- Scoring offense: 2nd
- Three-point percentage: 2nd
- Field goal percentage defense: 2nd
- Turnovers per game: 21st
- Blocks per game: 23rd
- Three-point field goal percentage defense: 26th
Weaknesses:
- Syracuse
- Three-point percentage: 142nd
- Free-throw percentage: 143rd
- Turnovers per game: 159th
- Scoring defense: 159th
- Field goal percentage defense: 199th
- Three-point attempts per game: 283rd
- UConn
- Free-throw percentage: 91st
- Rebounds per game: 136th
Matchup of the game: Laila Phelia versus Azzi Fudd. UConn has plenty of guards who can put the ball in the basket, but Fudd leads the charge there averaging 17.4 points per game. Fudd is also a defensive stalwart, meaning Phelia is really going to need to bring an extra gear with her scoring and playmaking. Honorable mention comes in the frontcourt with Uche Izoje and Journey Thompson looking to slow down UConn’s best player in Sarah Strong.
Odds: Syracuse is currently a 37.5-point underdog versus the Huskies, according to FanDuel. Over-under is set at 139.5, as of Sunday.
If Syracuse wins: First win over UConn in over 30 years and arguably the biggest upset in Syracuse WBB history. And if ‘Cuse wins, Dan Hurley will have to come coach the SU men’s team.
If Syracuse loses: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” -Dr. Seuss
