Notre Dame and Syracuse only schools still in both tourneys

Syracuse’s Briana Day, right, hugs teammate Bria Day, left, as they celebrate at the end of a second-round women’s college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament against Albany in Syracuse, N.Y., Sunday, March 20, 2016. Syracuse won 76-59. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi) Syracuse’s Briana Day, right, hugs teammate Bria Day, left, as they celebrate at the end of a second-round women’s college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament against Albany in Syracuse, N.Y., Sunday, March 20, 2016. Syracuse won 76-59. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi)

By Associated Press March 24, 2016 4 min read

When Jim Boeheim leads Syracuse into the Sweet 16 on Friday night against Gonzaga, he’ll be in uncharted territory as his 40th season winds down. Boeheim’s Orange are playing on the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, and so are the Syracuse women – for the first time in program history.

“I’m really, really happy for our girls’ team,” Boeheim said Wednesday before the team departed for Chicago and its 19th appearance in the Sweet 16. “It makes you proud.”

When March Madness began, 24 schools had both their men and women playing. Now just two remain – Syracuse and Notre Dame.

Just getting both the men’s and women’s teams selected is a big deal in itself for a school. Both making it past the first weekend of tournament play is an even bigger bonus.

“It means a lot, just this moment of being here,” said Quentin Hillsman, in his 10th season as women’s coach at Syracuse. “I pinch myself after every win past nine. Our first year, we won nine games.”