Seniors Maya Moore (16 points, 13 rebounds) and Lorin Dixon (4 rebounds, 3 assists) played their final game at Gampel Pavilion on Tuesday in the NCAA Tournament and completed a perfect 81-0 home court record during their four years playing in Storrs and Hartford, defeating Purdue 64-40. They advance to the Sweet 16 in Philadelphia on Sunday, where they will face Big East rival Georgetown

Jennifer Rizzotti has returned to Harry A. Gampel Pavilion many times since she graduated as an All-American, National Player of the Year, and a key member of Geno Auriemma’s first national championship team. But as the head coach of the University of Hartford women’s basketball team, she has only been on the opposing bench against her former coach when playing on the Huskies’ second home court, in Hartford.

That will change on Sunday at noon, when Rizzotti walks on to the floor of Gampel Pavilion with her team as the No. 16 seed against the Huskies, the No. 1 seed in the Philadelphia region and overall top seed of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.

UConn (32-1), winner of the 2011 Big East Championship, is one of nine Big East teams to make the 64-team field, the most of any conference. No. 8 Kansas State (17-5) of the Big 12 and No. 9 Purdue (20-11) of the Big 10 will also play in Storrs in first and second round games played March 20 and 22. The other No. 1 seeds include Tennessee of the Southeastern Conference in the Dayton regional, Stanford of the Pac-10 in the Spokane regional, and Baylor of the Big 12 in the Dallas regional.

With a young team, Hartford started its season with one win in its first 10 games, ending its season 17-15 before upsetting Boston University to win the America East Tournament and earn the automatic bid into the NCAAs. The Hawks are led by senior guard Mary Silva, who averaged 10.1 points per game in America East play and sophomore forward Ruthanne Doherty, who averaged 10.1 points and 6.9 rebounds in conference play.

“[Jennifer] told me at the beginning of the season that she really liked these kids,” Auriemma said. “She thought they were going to be good and she enjoyed coaching them. Then when it started the way it did, I think she was a little surprised. I’m happy for them. Coming from 1-9 to start the season to here, that’s a tremendous accomplishment for them. The fact that we have to play them, well you have to play somebody.”

Rizzotti told the Hartford Courant’s Shawn Courchesne that she preferred playing games against UConn in Hartford because it would be “weird” to coach against her alma mater in Storrs. “It’s not something I wanted to do,” she told the Courant. “But I think it will also be special. My name is up on that [Huskies of Honor] wall and that’s pretty cool.”

UConn, the defending NCAA Champions, enter the 2011 tournament led by All-American senior Maya Moore, the Big East Player of the Year averaging 22.8 points and 8 rebounds per game; All-Big East junior guard Tiffany Hayes (14.1 points); freshman guard Bria Hartley, Big East Rookie of the Year (12.4 points); and freshman center Stefanie Dolson (9.8 points, 5.8 rebounds), an All-Big East Rookie Selection.

The Huskies have an overall 11-0 record against Hartford, 6-0 since Rizzotti became head coach, all during the regular season. This will be the first time the teams have played each other in the NCAA tournament.

Dolson and Hartley played for Rizzotti last summer when she coached the 2010 U18 National Team and helped both to learn about UConn basketball.

“I thought playing for her was great,” Hartley said. “She knew how it was playing under Coach. She told us a lot of stories. I’m just really excited. Not many people get the experience of going to the NCAA tournament. I’m just happy and blessed that I can have this opportunity.”

Asked by reporters whether it will be difficult to oppose a former player during the NCAA Tournament, Auriemma said: “No. That stuff only goes so far. It’s like playing Temple [and former assistant Tonya Cardoza] last year. The kids that play for me, they were in grade school when Jennifer played here. They just want to play in their first NCAA game. We have an agenda here. We’ve got work to do.”

As to coaching against Rizzotti in a first round match-up, Auriemma smiled. “March is a cruel month, especially for us Italians,” he said, on the day before the Ides of March. “Bad things happen in the middle of March. History is not kind to Italians in the middle of March.”