TAKE THREE

GREENSBORO, N.C. - It was a matchup that seemed to be inevitable. On Selection Monday, cheers - of shock, amazement, anger, confusion - came from the UConn locker room as Rutgers was announced as the No. 2 seed in the Huskies' region.

Destiny. Fate. Blind luck.

Whatever you want to call it, the Greensboro Regional Final will take on a distinctly Big East flavor Tuesday when No. 1 seed UConn takes on No. 2 seed Rutgers (9 p.m., ESPN) for the right to go to the Final Four.

"It would be fitting to go through anybody," said UConn head coach Geno Auriemma. "At this time of year, you're not really worried about who the opponent is. It's just another team [in your way]."

These two conference foes share a long, storied history as conference rivals and this season was no different, as they split both regular season games, resulting in UConn's only loss of the season.

The second game was played for the Big East regular season championship, which resulted in a decisive 66-46 win for UConn. The win gave the Huskies the confidence they needed heading into the Big East tournament, which they would eventually win.

"They attacked us so hard. I've never coached against a team that moved the ball as quickly as they did down the floor and that was as hungry and aggressive as they were," said Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer. "We've really got to go to the boards and limit their opportunities to rebound."

The two teams have never faced each other in the NCAA Tournament and are coming into this game on slightly different wavelengths.

UConn has won decisively against its last three opponents - Cornell, Texas and Old Dominion - by an average margin of 30 points and posting a rebounding differential of plus-24.

After losing in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament to Louisville, Rutgers won convincingly over their first two opponents - Robert Morris and Iowa State - but struggled in the Sweet Sixteen against George Washington, going 4-for-15 from beyond the arc and only out-rebounding the Colonials by two.

Despite Essence Carson tying her career-high in points for the game with 25, Epiphany Prince was the only other Rutgers player to score in double figures (12).

However, the stakes of Tuesday's game transcend all previous meetings between the two successful programs. For the two teams, the rivalry between the two schools will be at a fever pitch once the ball is tipped.

"There's just an intensity level that [players] and coaches look forward to," Auriemma said. "We've been the best team in the league for a long, long time. And you can't stay on top forever and you do enjoy the fact that people take shots at you. I think Rutgers has done [that] for the longest time and more consistently than other teams."

For Stringer, the game provides a chance to validate her team's worth against one of the top teams in the country, and she relishes the opportunity to take place in such a rivalry regardless of what her team looks like on paper.

"I'm happy to be a part of anything that's a rivalry and something that is good for women's basketball," Stringer said. "I like to be a part of a rivalry because it means that we are willing to be tested against the best. Whether we're on the top or the bottom, I like that."

With all history aside, the two teams present very different styles of play.

Rutgers' forte is on the defensive end, where they only allow 51.2 points per game. Their slow, grinding style of basketball will certainly present challenges to a UConn offense that likes to run and get transition baskets.

"Part of what makes their defense really, really good is that you don't get the ball that often," Auriemma said. "The danger is that you get a little bit frustrated and antsy and you want to play a lot faster than you need to play. You've got to grind it out."

Both teams have quick, athletic guards on the perimeter who can wreak havoc. UConn's backcourt of Ketia Swanier, Renee Montgomery and Maya Moore will take on Rutgers' lineup of Matee Ajavon, Prince and Carson, whom Auriemma said matched up well with UConn.

"UConn is a very intense team and are very aggressive," Ajavon said. "As far as attacking them, our players will just be out there playing together, utilizing our post, and getting everyone involved."

No matter how many times these two teams have played, playing them again with a trip to the Final Four on the line presents a whole different set of challenges.

"In some ways, it's easier. There's less preparation time because you already know the majority of the stuff they're going to do," Auriemma said. "It's hard because you know what they're going to do and it's hard to play against."

Under Auriemma, UConn is 8-5 in Elite Eight games and 21-6 all-time against Rutgers.

Contact Tim Ehrens at

Timothy.Ehrens@Gmail.com.