Syracuse women’s basketball will make its fifth-straight postseason appearance when it travels to Hartford (19-12) for the first round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament on Friday.

The Orange (18-14) will make their fourth-straight WNIT appearance and fifth-straight postseason appearance, dating back to a 2008 NCAA Tournament berth. Quentin Hillsman’s squad has advanced to the quarterfinals of the WNIT each of the past two seasons, winning three games each time, after earning the program’s first-ever postseason win in the 2009 tournament.

The winner of the Syracuse-Hartford game will play the winner of Wednesday’s Fairfield at Drexel game on March 17-20.

The Orange and Hawks last met in the NCAA Tournament second round on March 22, 2008 in Baton Rouge, La., a 59-55 Hartford victory.

Syracuse is 18-14 overall and went 6-10 in BIG EAST Conference play. The Orange, led by All-Conference players Kayla Alexander and Iasia Hemingway, defeated Providence, 57-47, in the BIG EAST Championship first round before being eliminated by West Virginia in the second round, 63-48.

The Hawks are 19-12 overall and went 10-6 in America East play, falling in the conference tournament quarterfinals to Binghamton, 48-45.

CTSY: http://www.suathletics.com/news/2012/3/13/WBB_0313120647.aspx

Coach Q continues to reign over the best stretch in program history. Hopefully with the top notch class he has coming in, the ladies can make a return to the big dance in 2013.