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Two schools that once played for a National Championship in 2002 meet again Tuesday night, but a historic milestone that transcends women’s basketball is the conversation leading up to the game.
Top-ranked and undefeated UConn will take on the Oklahoma Sooners Tuesday as Huskies coach Geno Auriemma is one win away from his 1,000th career victory.
Auriemma’s 999 wins have come over three decades as UConn’s head coach after taking over the program in 1985. Auriemma has had one losing season in his tenure at Storrs, his first season, and looks to become just the fifth coach in Division I history to reach the milestone.
UConn assistant coach Chris Dailey is also one win shy of 1,000.
Auriemma would join Pat Summitt, Tara Van Derveer, Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim in the Division I basketball 1,000-win club. North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell is just one win shy herself, with a chance to reach the milestone also, on Tuesday.
UConn (8-0) takes on Oklahoma (5-5) in the Naismith Holiday Showcase at the Mohegan Sun Arena Tuesday night. The Huskies have never lost to the Sooners, and look to improve their all-time record in the series against Oklahoma to 11-0.
Tip-off is set for 7 pm ET on CBSSN.