Orange Face #1 UConn in NCAA Tournament Monday Night Syracuse University’s women’s basketball team will face its most challenging test of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Monday when it takes on top-ranked and undefeated UConn (35-0) in the second round. The game, scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN, marks a significant milestone for the Orange, who advanced to the second round after defeating Iowa State in the first round. Syracuse, seeded ninth, will look to continue its strong NCAA Tournament run, having reached the second round in eight of its last nine appearances. The Orange’s victory over Iowa State was fueled by standout performances from freshman center Uche Izoje and sophomore guard Olivia Schmitt. Izoje contributed 23 points, while Schmitt scored a career-high 15 points, including a crucial sequence of five consecutive three-pointers in the second quarter that sealed the win. Syracuse enters the matchup with a 24-8 record for the season, despite being picked to finish 13th in the ACC preseason poll. UConn, however, presents a formidable challenge. The Huskies have a storied history against Syracuse, with the Orange holding an all-time record of 12-41 in the series. The last Syracuse win over UConn dates back to January 2, 1996, a game that holds personal significance for current Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. Legette-Jack, who was an assistant on that team, now faces her former mentor, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, in a matchup that carries deep historical ties. Auriemma recruited Legette-Jack as an assistant at Virginia in the mid-1980s, but she chose to stay at Syracuse, where she became an All-American. Auriemma went on to build a dominant program at UConn, and the two coaches are set to meet again in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years.#syracuse_university #uconn #geno_auriemma #uche_izoje #olivia_schmitt
