NCAA Tournament: Connecticut To Face Syracuse In Women’s Basketball Final

The boys played on Saturday, but on Sunday it was time for the women's final four to take the court. By the end of the night, it was Connecticut and Syracuse, old Big East conference rivals, left standing heading into Tuesday's final in the NCAA women’s basketball championship.

Another team from Syracuse was involved in a blowout Sunday while playing for a spot in the championship game, but unlike Saturday, the Orange came out on the right side. The Syracuse women's team beat the Washington Huskies by a score of 80-59. The Orange were led by Alexis Peterson, who scored 18 points and helped Syracuse build a 12-point lead by halftime.

Earlier in the day, undefeated Connecticut beat Oregon State, 80-51. The 29-point win was a record margin of victory for a semi-final game in the tournament. Morgan Tuck scored 21 points to lead the Huskies (Washington and Connecticut share the same mascot name).

Connecticut, which has lost just one game since 2013, is seeking its fourth straight title and the 11th in program history. Syracuse, on the other hand, is playing in the season's final game for the first time after reaching the final four for the first time in program history. The schools are historic rivals, dating back to their days in the storied Big East conference. Now Syracuse resides in the Atlantic Coast Conference, while Connecticut plays in the American Athletic Conference.

For Syracuse to have a chance at achieving the David vs. Goliath upset, they will have to knock down shots from behind the arc. Luckily, three-point shooting is a strength of the Orange, which hit a final four-record 12 three-pointers to beat Washington. However, even with Syracuse's press defense, knocking Connecticut's formidable offense out of rhythm is a tall order.

Syracuse and Connecticut will face off in Indianapolis on Tuesday. Tip off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. EDT.