Storrs — UConn has played Notre Dame in women’s basketball 53 times, including eight matchups in the NCAA tournament and twice in the national championship game.

In a nod to history, 20 members of UConn’s national championship teams from 2003, 2004, 2013 and 2014 — celebrating their 20th and 10th anniversaries, respectively — will be sitting courtside for the renewal of the rivalry on Saturday at sold-out Gampel Pavilion, including former national players of the year Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart (8 p.m., Ch. 61).

A little extra support can’t hurt, right?

“I think that because of the history that’s behind the two schools and the matchups and what’s happened before I even came to this school, I think we still do get that sense it’s a rivalry,” UConn senior Aaliyah Edwards said this week following a practice at the Werth Family Champions Center, where there are banners and monuments honoring many of the Huskies’ former stars.

“But at the same time, we have to come in with the mindset that it’s just another game. It’s a Top 25 matchup so the stakes are a bit higher. Nothing we do is going to be changed. It’s just more about playing more to our strengths and doing the things we know is going to help us be successful for Saturday.”

In this edition of the rivalry game, which began on Jan. 18, 1996, in South Bend, Indiana, No. 8 UConn (17-3), which has won 13 straight games dating back to Dec. 6, faces off against No. 15 Notre Dame (14-4), with the teams possessing a great number of similarities.

Quickness vs. quickness.

Freshmen vs. freshmen.

Point guard vs. point guard.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who has coached all 53 games in the series, owning a 39-14 record against the Fighting Irish, said it’s the stability of both programs that led to them becoming rivals.

UConn has won 11 national championships and Notre Dame two. The teams have played 22 times when one of them has held the No. 1 ranking in the nation, four times when they’ve been No. 1 and No. 2.

In 2014, they became the first two undefeated teams ever to reach the national championship game in the history of men’s and women’s basketball.

UConn won back-to-back national title games against the Irish in 2014 and 2015, but of the Huskies’ 15 losses from 2011-2019, eight were to Notre Dame.

“Back in those crazy days, what made it, I think, what it became was partly that we were in the same league (Big East Conference),” Auriemma said. “We would sometimes play each other, if we weren’t careful, that would be the fourth time, twice in the regular season, tournament and then the NCAA tournament.

“It just got to be non-stop. UConn-Notre Dame. UConn-Notre Dame. UConn-Notre Dame. When we weren’t in the same league, that kind of became a measuring stick, too, for both teams. ... I do think that stability has a lot to do with rivalries. You know, you stay really good, you stay relevant.”

UConn freshman Ashlynn Shade hails from Noblesville, Indiana, having watched the rivalry growing up. She said she expects to be somewhat of a “fan girl” with the UConn alumnae in town for the weekend. The current team was scheduled to have dinner with the alums on Friday.

“I mean, they’re both legendary programs, so watching them growing up, it was always kind of like a role model-type of experience,” Shade said. “I saw them and I’m like, ‘I want to be out there on the court one day’ and I’m getting the chance to do that.

“One hundred percent, it’s total extra motivation because you want to prove to them that, like, you did all this great work and we want to carry on that legacy.”

UConn is led by redshirt junior Paige Bueckers with 20.1 points per game and Edwards with 16.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. The Huskies, who last played at Marquette on Wednesday, are averaging 83.5 points per game. They start a pair of freshmen in Shade (11.5 ppg) and KK Arnold (9.8 ppg).

Notre Dame, coming off a 79-65 loss to Syracuse on Thursday, is led by freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo with 23.9 points 5.6 assists and 5.4 steals per game. Maddy Westbeld, a 6-3 senior forward, leads the team with 9.4 rebounds per game. The Irish, averaging 83.3 points per game, are coached by Niele Ivey, in her fourth season.

Notre Dame beat UConn 74-60 in last year’s meeting and this marks the third game in a four-year contract between the rivals, with the Huskies traveling to South Bend next year.

“I know our players are excited about it. The players themselves are excited to come back and see what’s going on up here,” Auriemma said of the weekend. “There’s a whole bunch of things planned and hopefully (the alumnae) will get the chance to see a great game.

“I think it’ll be a pretty exciting night for everybody.”

v.fulkerson@theday.com