No. 1 UConn faces struggling St. John's

In its best start since the 2002-03 season, the No. 1 women's basketball team will look to win its 24th straight game when it heads to New York to face St. John's tonight at 7.

Despite the Red Storm's conference standings (3-6, tied for 10th), head coach Geno Auriemma said that this is not a team that can be easily overlooked.

"They have made things difficult for teams and I think it really translates on the defensive end," he said. "And where they've struggled at times has been on the offensive end. But in our league, you know, they scored 80 one game, they scored 30 the next game. So it's just a matter of style of play."

And style of play is exactly what he said he believes will make the difference, though Auriemma offered no predictions on the score of the game.

The Huskies will continue their season without one of their players, Jessica McCormack, who returned home to New Zealand for surgery.

McCormack, a transfer from the University of Washington who arrived prior to the start of the 2008-09 academic year, had lingering Achilles pain. The problems started in January 2008, according to a statement made by UConn team physician, Dr. Tom Trojian.

"She has had numerous non-operative treatments that are usually successful but continues to experience discomfort, which led to this decision," he said in the statement.

Auriemma said that he anticipates McCormack to have a role in the future with the Huskies.

As a result of her departure, however, McCormack will not be eligible to play until the second semester of the 2009-10 academic year in order to fulfill the one year of sitting out.

"Yeah, I guess that's the price that we're paying for all those years when nothing happened," Auriemma said.

Still, the Huskies are moving forward after another Big East win that came on Saturday against Marquette. Maya Moore scored 22 points, the 10th time this season that she has tallied at least 20 in a game, and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Lorin Dixon added seven points and five rebounds after going through what looked like a slump similar to last season. Now, she is looking to what could be considered a homecoming for both her and teammate Tina Charles, as the two return to New York.

"I'm a little nervous 'cause I have a big family," Dixon said. "They all said that they're going to be there, so a little nervous to go back home and play, but excited at the same time, I guess."

Though Charles has not had her characteristic big performances, Auriemma said that her attitude in practices and on the court is helping.

"Now that she's a junior, I think she wants to have a bigger impact on the game," he said. "It's good that she's thinking like that. That's exactly what we need."

For Kalana Greene, however, a slump does not appear to be contagious at this point in time. In fact, she has scored 10 points or more in five of the last six games and has accumulated 10 steals, including four against Georgetown.

Auriemma said that it is an indication of her confidence.

"You can see in the Marquette game where she was just playing," Auriemma said of her 16-point performance. "It was like a pickup game for her. It's a jump shot, it's a drive to the basket, it's an offensive rebound. She's just doing a lot of things that come naturally to her right now rather than having to think about 'Should I or shouldn't I?'"

In practice, that includes 3-point shots - anywhere from 20 to 25 a day, Auriemma said. On game day, however, there she still appears to doubt whether she can make the shot, he said.

Greene, usually a laidback player off the court according to her coach, said that she has felt a sense of urgency with the absence of Caroline Doty in the starting lineup. She said that she has played more aggressively to fill that void.

"I'm happy that I'm contributing in many different ways, not just like the numbers, but I'm doing a lot of little things and helping our team move forward," she said.

That aggressiveness may be necessary when UConn faces St. John's forward Da'Shena Stevens, who is averaging 11 points and 6.7 rebounds per game and has 23 steals and 23 blocks this season for the Red Storm. In the team's most recent win over Cincinnati last week, Stevens had 12 points and four assists.

"I liked her when I saw her play, but I thought with who we had and what we had coming in that, you know, that's not necessarily the spot that we needed to recruit at that particular time," Auriemma said. "But she is having a good year and she is a good player."

Monique McLean and Kelly McManmon are also averaging double figures this season. McLean leads the team in steals (40) and points per game (17.9).

The game can be viewed on CPTV.