By Matt Thacker

The Cardinal women’s basketball team has flirted with gaining national attention all year, and tonight they have a chance to catch the eye of the basketball world.

The Cards will take on the most successful team of the decade when the Connecticut Huskies travel to Louisville today.

UConn has won the national championships four of the last six years. Last year was a rebuilding year for the Huskies, who lost superstar Diana Taurasi to graduation. But even in a down year, they finished 25-8 and made it to the Sweet Sixteen.

Now, UConn (19-2, 8-0) looks like a team on the path to at least another Final Four appearance. They lead the Big East and have won seven straight, including defeating then-fourth-ranked LSU and ending DePaul’s 33-game home winning streak. Now, UConn is ranked fourth in the nation and hoping to knock off the Cards, who have lost their last two.

U of L (13-5, 4-3) almost took down DePaul on the road last week and should match up well against the Huskies. The Huskies have been better on the scoreboard, averaging 75.9 points per game while giving up 54. Louisville has had 72.4 on offense and 62 on defense. Louisville averages 5 rebounds per game compared to the Huskies’ 3.8 rebounds per game.

The senior leadership of Barbara Turner and Ann Strother will give UConn the advantage in a close game against the younger and less-experienced Cards. Emotion will play a large role in the game. UConn is looking strong and feeling confident, while the Cards have lost two tough games on the road against top-12 teams.

This finishes a grueling three-game stretch, and it will be one of the biggest home games in the program’s history.

Louisville struggled mightily at Rutgers on Jan. 21, losing 80-55, but they bounced back at DePaul last Wednesday, holding the Blue Demons under 60 points for the first time all year. Louisville trailed 26-11 in the first half, but an 11-0 second half run by the Cards closed the gap and trailed just 39-35. DePaul was able to fend off the hungry Cards by forcing a season-high 24 turnovers for Louisville.

Jazz Covington led the Cards with 14 points in the game. The 6-foot-3 Covington will be the key to the Cards’ success inside, trying to out-duel Turner and Strother. With what is expected to be one of the strongest turnouts at Freedom Hall to see a women’s game, the tension for Louisville will be running high. If they can keep their emotions in check and play with intensity on defense, the Cards could pull off one of the biggest upsets in Louisville women’s basketball history.

The game tips off 7:30 p.m. tonight at Freedom Hall.