Syracuse women’s basketball adds Hartford to 2017-18 schedule for ‘School Day’

The Syracuse Orange women’s basketball season is still pretty far out. But this offseason, the program’s been busy assembling a schedule that balances difficult opponents and the realism of a rebuilding year.

In April, SU announced matchups against Wisconsin, Vanderbilt and George Washington for the 2017 Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. On Wednesday, they announced details around a November 20 matchup against the Hartford Hawks -- its second annual “School Day” promotion.

For “School Day,” the game invites kids from second to eighth grade to come to the 11 a.m. tipoff, and also receive an educational pregame presentation. The idea is to encourage field trips, and avoid the after school hassle of a weekday/weekend night commute over to the Carrier Dome.

Last year’s game was a blowout win over Coppin State. Still, the event had nearly 4,000 attendees.

Syracuse has faced Hartford just twice before -- a 59-42 road win in 2013, and a 59-55 loss in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. So this is the Hawks’ first trip to the Dome.