As the Jackson State women’s basketball team sat with coach Tomekia Reed during the program's watch party at Johnny T's Bistro on Selection Sunday, no one knew who the Tigers' opponent in the first round of the Women's NCAA Tournament would be.

When ESPN announced that Jackson State would play UConn, there were screams of excitement. The Tigers (26-6) will play the Huskies (29-5) on Saturday (noon, ABC) in the Portland 3 Region at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut.

That kind of reaction happens throughout college basketball on Selection Sunday, but it's always a little more special for Jackson State.

On Saturday, the Tigers have a chance at March Madness history -- for their program, and for the other HBCU programs around the country.

Jackson State women's basketball pursues an unprecedented win

The NCAA has held a women's basketball tournament since 1982, and Jackson State has made six previous appearances. The Tigers have yet to win.

NCAA tournament success has been minimal for HBCU programs, which have combined for 10 tournament wins in 42 seasons. Eight of those victories were achieved by Cheyney State, which reached the Final Four in a field of 32 teams in each of the first two seasons. Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1994, no HBCU has won a first-round game. In 2022, Howard won a First Four game, played to earn a berth in the Round of 64, but then lost.

With a win over UConn, Jackson State would become the first HBCU program to win a Round of 64 game.

It has been a season with firsts for Jackson State

The season already has included a couple of firsts for Jackson State.

On Saturday, the Tigers will make their first-ever appearance on national network TV. The game will be broadcast on ABC. Tipoff is scheduled for noon.

On March 4, Jackson State received its first-ever vote in the Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25 poll. On March 18, the Tigers received their first vote in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

Getting that first NCAA Tournament win won't be easy.

UConn, which is seeded No. 3 among the 16 teams in the Portland 3 Regional, is one of the most prolific programs in women's basketball. The Huskies have competed in 35 of the 43 Women's NCAA Tournaments, made 22 appearances in the Final Four and won 11 national championships.

Jackson State is the No. 14 seed, which is a fairly lofty status for an HBCU program. According to the NCAA, of the 62 times HBCU programs have participated in the tournament since the Round of 64 began in 1994, they have been awarded the bottom No. 16 seed 34 times. No HBCU team has been seeded higher than No. 12, and that has happened only three times.

"It's a rare opportunity to go head to head with a longstanding powerhouse like UConn,” Jackson State athletic director Ashley Robinson said. “However, our position as a 14th seed speaks volumes about the dedication and hard work Coach Reed and the team have poured into this season.”

Reed said she hoped the Tigers would earn a No. 12 seed.

"It would mean a lot for our program to," Reed said. "It would mean a lot for the HBCU community."

TOMEKIA REED GETS GIFT FROM DAWN STALEY How Dawn Staley gives Jackson State women's coach Tomekia Reed March Madness inspiration

Unfinished business for Jackson State

Jackson State does have some unfinished business as it enters the tournament.

Reed has a 125-51 record in her six seasons as the Tigers' coach. She has led Jackson State to five SWAC regular-season championships and three SWAC tournament championships, which earn automatic berths in the Women's NCAA Tournament.

Reed's contract expires March 30.

If Jackson State goes on a Cinderella run in the NCAA Tournament and wins three games, it would reach the Elite Eight, which begins March 31, the day after Reed's contract expires.

Reed, who received feelers from other programs after Jackson State nearly upset LSU in the first round of the 2022 NCAA tournament, has declined comment about her contract status throughout the season, but Robinson addressed the issue this week.

"We are working closely with Coach Reed on her contract to keep her here at Jackson State,” Robinson told the Clarion Ledger on Tuesday.

Of more immediate concern to Reed is UConn and the historic opportunity the Huskies offer Jackson State and all of those other HBCU programs.

"We want to be the heroes," Reed said. "We want to go in and be somebody that can do this. I think my team is the team that can do it. We want to do something that has never been done before."

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson State women's basketball takes aim at NCAA Tournament history