UConn’s quest for a third straight national championship begins at home.
The Huskies are the top overall seed in the women’s NCAA Tournament and Monday night were placed in the Albany Region. They also are seeking their 10th overall title which would tie Geno Auriemma with UCLA men’s coach John Wooden for most all-time.
UConn will open up against St. Francis, Brooklyn, which is making its first tournament appearance. The Terriers (15-18) are the 10th team to enter the NCAAs with a losing record.
The Huskies will play on their campus in the first two rounds.
The 64-team tournament begins Friday with the national championship game Tuesday April 7 in Tampa, Florida. This season the women’s tournament moved its games up one day in the first two rounds and the regionals. The Final Four is still being played on Sunday and Tuesday.
The NCAA also decided to go back to the system of rewarding the top 16 seeds with home games in the opening two rounds for the first time since 2003. Louisville, the third seed in Albany, can’t host games though as the school’s home arena is being used for the men’s NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals will face BYU at South Florida in the opener.
If coach Jeff Walz and the Cardinals win they could have to play South Florida, which is the site host, on its home court.
Tennessee is expected to make its 34th straight appearance in the NCAAs, getting into the field ever year. Three teams will be making their first trip — American, St. Francis, Brooklyn and Savannah State.
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