No. 1 UConn Women’s Basketball Faces No. 4 North Carolina in NCAA Sweet 16 For the first time in four years, UConn women’s basketball will compete in the NCAA Sweet 16 just one time zone away from its home state instead of two. The No. 1 overall seed Huskies will take on No. 4 North Carolina Friday evening in Fort Worth, Texas, in a matchup that marks their third consecutive season against the Tar Heels. The game will be broadcast live at 5 p.m. ET, with coverage available on UConn Sports Network and various radio stations. UConn, which has reached the Sweet 16 32 straight years, aims to extend its streak of consecutive Elite Eight appearances to three and secure its 30th overall trip to the round of eight. The Huskies are 29-3 all-time in the Sweet 16, with their most recent loss coming to Ohio State in the 2023 regional semifinal. A victory would set up a potential Elite Eight clash against the winner of the Notre Dame-Vanderbilt matchup, with the winner advancing to the Final Four in Phoenix. The Huskies’ path to the Sweet 16 included a dominant 98-45 win over No. 9 Syracuse, where Azzi Fudd led the charge with a career-high tying 34 points, including eight 3-pointers. Fudd’s performance earned her a spot among the top four finalists for the Naismith Player of the Year award, while teammate Sarah Strong was also a top four finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. Fudd is 20 points away from moving into the top 20 on UConn’s all-time scoring list and is closing in on the school’s single-season 3-point record. UConn’s history against North Carolina is marked by high-stakes encounters. The teams last met on Nov. 15, 2024, in Greensboro, where Geno Auriemma secured his 1,216th career win by defeating the Tar Heels 69-58. UNC’s last victory over UConn came on Jan.#north_carolina #azzi_fudd #geno_auriemma #uconn_womens_basketball #courtney_banhart
