UConn to face U.S. women’s national team in exhibition game

Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi are returning to where it all started.

UConn will face the U.S. women’s national team in an exhibition game on January 27 at the XL Center in Hartford, as first reported by Hearst Connecticut Media. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The game is part of a new program designed by USA Basketball to prepare for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. For the Huskies, it falls between a visit to East Carolina ( Jan. 25) and a home date with Cincinnati ( Jan. 30).

“I think it’s a great opportunity for the fans to see some of the best players in the world,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said in a statement. “It’s a great opportunity for the U.S. National Team to go around the country and build some momentum going into the Olympics.”

As part of the second leg of a college tour, USA Basketball announced Wednesday that it will also visit Louisville on Feb. 2. The U.S. has already defeated Stanford and Oregon State, and is scheduled to play Texas A&M on Thursday and Oregon on Saturday.

USA Basketball has secured commitments from eight athletes to participate, including UConn legends Bird and Taurasi, as well as WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne, Skylar DigginsSmith, Sylvia Fowles, Chelsea Gray, Nneka Ogwumike and A’ja Wilson. Napheesa Collier is not expected to travel to Storrs because of an overseas commitment. The four remaining roster spots will come from the national team pool.

UConn has played the national team twice before, losing 8347 during the 199596 season and 9074 in Nov. 2007.

Worth watching: Crystal Dangerfield, Megan Walker and Christyn Williams were among 50 players named to the preseason watch list for the Naismith Award, which goes to the top player in women’s college basketball.

Preseason No. 1 Oregon had the most nominees, with four. Joining UConn with three was defending national champion Baylor.

UConn has won the award a record 10 times. Breanna Stewart was the last to do so, winning three straight from 201416.

The list will be cut to 30 players in February and 10 in March. Four finalists will be announced on March 30 followed by the winner on April 4.