First Round Primer: Arizona women look to upend Syracuse | Arizona Wildcats

STORRS, Conn. (KVOA) – The Arizona women’s basketball team plays its second game of the NCAA Tournament Saturday when it faces sixth-seeded Syracuse in the first round of the main draw. The winner will advance to the Round of 32 to square off against either host UConn or Jackson State.

Here’s what you need to know going into this matchup.

Game time: 3:30 pm EDT (12:30 pm in Arizona)

Network: ESPN2

Odds: Arizona is favored to win by 1.5. The over/under for total points is 138.5.

Arizona (18-15, 8-10 Pac-12) projected lineup:

– PG Jada Williams

– SG Skylar Jones

– SF Helena Pueyo

– PF Esmery Martinez

– C Breya Cunningham

Syracuse (23-7, 13-5 ACC) projected lineup:

– PG Dyaisha Fair

– SG Alaina Rice

– SG Georgia Woolley

– PF Alyssa Latham

– PF Kyra Wood

Three keys for Arizona:

– Slow down Dyaisha Fair. The Syracuse offense goes as she goes. The third-team All-American averages 22 points per game, shoots 38 percent from three, and averages a whopping 18.6 shot attempts per game. Fair’s 558 shot attempts on the season eclipse the next-highest Syracuse player by more than 200. If Arizona wants to win, it has to slow Fair down.

– Seize the momentum. Arizona comes into this game off a win, and victories in two of its last three contests. Syracuse has lost three of its last four after winning five straight. The Wildcats could pounce on the higher seed by setting the tone early, pressuring the ball in the half court, and defending baseline cuts.

– Get big games from the backcourt. Jada Williams and Helena Pueyo combined for 33 points in the win over Auburn. In the ACC quarterfinals, two of Florida State’s starting guards torched Syracuse for a combined 49 points. If Williams and Pueyo are hunting their shots, it’ll put the pressure on the Syracuse backcourt to expend more energy on the defensive end, which could spell favors for the Wildcats.

If Arizona wins, it will play either host UConn or Jackson State on Monday in Storrs.