#uconn

#uconn

"You play, what, 36 games, and you try to put yourself in this situation as often as you can. I think every team that's here knows that this weekend is probably the biggest weekend of the year."

That's when UConn announced that starting senior center Tarris Reed Jr. was out with a sprained ankle. Reed, one of the nation's best big men who is averaging 20.0 points and 9.3 rebounds, is considered to be game-to-game, according to the team. Without Reed, UConn struggled mightily to slow down Arizona, with the Wildcats putting forth one of the most dominant paint displays against the Huskies under Dan Hurley en route to a 71-67 road win.

I really don't pay too much attention to prognosticating because especially in this day and age, I don't even know the names of the players (on the teams),

Hopefully it's a little bit of a confidence builder and not, Oh my God!' Auriemma said. I'm happy for them. We talk a lot about how we're not out here to prove that we're defending national champions or we're preseason number one in the country, and we have to beat everybody by 40. We don't want to get caught in that trap. You tend to finish the year where you're predicted. So I like being in this position.

Syracuse women's basketball will compete in the Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Showcase next season, facing Michigan in the first round.