2007 HUSKIES: THE GANG'S ALL HERE

On a cool Saturday morning while most people were recovering from their Friday nights, the women's basketball team took the court in its first practice of the season. It was that time of year again and both returning players and new members were reminded of the hard work that they will endure as the season progresses.

"Day one usually is a time to evaluate," said head coach Geno Auriemma, as he said that the practice was not necessarily about the skills of players. "[It's more about] are we working hard? Are we applying things in the right mindset?"

"It came very quickly," said Charde Houston. "I was excited to get on the court."

As basketball season opened with First Night on Friday, there was one question that many had on their minds as the Huskies came out dancing - will this year be the year that the women's basketball team makes it all the way to the NCAA Championship?

Auriemma addressed this lingering question with microphone in hand in front of the home crowd at Gampel Pavilion. "Sometimes you can just feel it," he said. "Sometimes you can just sense it."

The team returns all five starters, something that Auriemma said reminded him of UConn's 1995 National Championship team. With only two new members to this year's squad, the Huskies may have another deep tournament run in their future ­­- especially when the freshmen are as talented as Lorin Dixon and Maya Moore.

"I think we have all the pieces we need … to get to the Final Four," said forward Meghan Gardler. "We're very deep. [Lorin's] really good at defense. Maya - her energy is unbelievable. She always looks to get the open shot and gives us another offensive edge."

"Their work ethic is phenomenal," Houston said.

Dixon said that Saturday's practice was more than she had expected and that the running "takes a lot out of you."

"It is tough," she said. "I'm used to having people learning what I do."

In high school, Dixon was a member of the No. 1 team in the country for two straight years. Moore was only the second player to win the Naismith National High School Player of the Year award twice and was regarded as one of the top college recruits.

These two complement the talent of last year's starters. Houston found off-season success with teammate Mel Thomas during the U.S. Pan-American Games, leading the U.S. team to the gold medal. With Renee Montgomery, who is on the preseason Wade Award Watch List for Division I's best player, Kalana Greene, who ranks second all-time for rebounds for a sophomore, and Tina Charles, who had an outstanding freshmen season and is returning after shoulder surgery, the Huskies are certainly stacked with talent.

All 12 of last year's letterwinners return, including Gardler, Tahirah Williams, Ketia Swanier, Jacquie Fernandes, Kaili McLaren, Brittany Hunter and Cassie Kerns. According to Auriemma, everyone looks better than they did last year.

"I like our chances as much as I did in 2004 when Diana [Taurasi] was here," Auriemma said. He added that he thought that last year's team was capable of winning a national title.

Houston took a different approach to the upcoming season.

"There are going to be bumps in the road ahead," she said. "We have to take care of those things before we can think of the NCAA Tournament."

After practice on Saturday, Auriemma said that it would take a week for people to settle in and start to really show what they are capable of, especially the freshmen.

"What I personally want to improve on is ball handling and defense," Moore said. "It's going to get better."

"There's a lot of great players that never played in the Final Four and that never won a National Championship," Auriemma said Wednesday but added with a smile, just not at UConn.

Dixon would like to carry on the tradition of UConn dominance.

"I hope that we become a great team - one of those teams UConn never forgets," she said.

Contact Brittany Perotti

at Brittany.Perotti

@UConn.edu.