Guard Play Soaring For UConn

Freshman guard Moriah Jefferson is in the midst of streak that looks more like a highlight reel.

Playing more than 20 minutes in each of her last three games, she has begun to make a serious impact both offensively and defensively and looks to have secured the team’s point guard spot in the post-Caroline Doty era, which begins next season.

Jefferson’s development seems to be timed with her inauspicious day at Stanford on Dec. 29 when she played just four minutes and registered only one foul. Auriemma had a talk with her when the game was over.

“I asked her after the game, ‘is that why you came to Connecticut, to fly to Stanford, sit on the bench and watch everybody else play?’” Auriemma said. “She wants to play and she knows she is good enough to play. But when you are getting in your own way it is hard.

“Right now she is not making a lot of shots, which she is capable of. I think when that comes she will add even more. I am really thrilled for her. I think these last couple of games she has done what I thought she would do when we recruited her.”

Much like sophomore Brianna Banks last season, Jefferson is just now beginning to trust her ability.

“You have to figure out what it is that you are not doing right so you do the right things,” Jefferson said. “As long as I am doing well on defense I guess I am going to play. .. You can’t ever take a play off. I think you have to keep being aggressive.
Faris nearing many milestones

Already 10^th all-time in career steals (245) at UConn, senior Kelly Faris comes into the Louisville game tonight just two shy of Ketia Swanier, three of Rita Williams and seven of Shea Ralph, who is 7^th on the list. And after scoring in double-figures five straight games, she needed just 145 points to reach 1,000 in her career. Auriemma has never said who the captain of his team is this season, but it is Faris who speaks to the officials before the game “If anybody else thought they were entitled to it they would go too,” Auriemma said. .. Auriemma said his team has been able to steer clear of the flu epidemic that is swirling around the nation. “The only two [players] that I have seen even slightly hacking [coughing] have been Brianna Banks while we were at Marquette and Moriah Jefferson over the last day or so. Everyone else, knock on wood, seems to be OK. Sometimes the flu shots work, sometimes they don’t. We are fortunate.”