Huskies to face Albany in NCAA opener

UConn begins quest for unprecedented fifth straight national title on Saturday

Perhaps it was just wishful thinking from other prominent women’s basketball coaches, but before the 2016-17 season began there was plenty of chatter of the gap being narrowed after four-time defending national champion UConn bid adieu to All-Americans Moriah Jefferson, Breanna Stewart and Morgan Tuck.

Well, 32 games later the Huskies once again have an unblemished record and are the team to beat as UConn goes after an unprecedented fifth consecutive national title.

The quest begins with America East tournament champion Albany on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Gampel Pavilion with a chance for a rematch of the national championship game with 2016 national finalist meeting Iowa State in the other first-round game on Saturday at Gampel Pavilion.

Duke, winners of 12 of its last 14 games, is the No. 2 seed in the Bridgeport regional. Big Ten regular-season and tournament champion Maryland is the third seed with fourthseeded UCLA being sent to UConn’s region for the second season in a row.

It is a record 11th straight season as a No. 1 seed and the 20th time UConn has been a No. 1 seed trailing only Tennessee’s record of 22.

Since tournament went to 64 teams in 1994, it is 12th time the Huskies have been No. 1 overall seed. It is the eighth time UConn has entered the NCAA tournament undefeated matching the total of all the other women’s Division I programs. This will be the third time that a team entered the tournament with a perfect record in consecutive season. Vermont lost in the first round in 1992 and 1993 while UConn won the national titles with undefeated records in 2009 and 2010.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma can match Pat Summitt for the most Final Four appearances as a head coach as this would be the Huskies’ 18th. Auriemma has already guided UConn to a women’s Division I record nine consecutive Final Four appearances.

UConn (32-0) is led by sophomores Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier, who average 21 and 20.2 points per game respectively marking the first time UConn has had two players averaging at least 20 points per game this late in the season. Junior forward Gabby Williams leads the team in assists and steals while the backcourt of Kia Nurse and Saniya Chong both rank in the top 15 in assist/turnover ratio.

UConn finished as the No. 1 ranked team in the final Associated Press poll for the 14th time and is the unanimous team in both the writers’ and coaches’ poll.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO The UConn women’s basketball team is the top overall seed for the NCAA Tournament and will begin their quest for a fifth straight national title against Albany.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO UConn head coach Geno Auriemma gestures to his team.