Sixteen teams are in Hartford hoping for a run through the tournament to become Big East Champions.
Downtown businesses are hoping for a big run as well.
The Greater Hartford Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates the five-day tournament could pump $2 million into the downtown economy.
The average ticket price is just under $7 dollars. If ticket sales are any indication, it could be a big weekend despite a down economy.
"The advance ticket sales have been fantastic. They've been up significantly over last year," said Chuck Steedman, general manager of the XL Center.
The UConn women go into the tournament ranked #1 in the nation and #1 in the Big East.
That gets them a bye until the quarterfinals on Sunday.
