Storrs - Imagine this: You're the only incoming freshman on the defending national champion UConn women's basketball team. It's you, and only you, who has every thing to learn about the Huskies' offense, defense and traditions.

And your Hall of Fame coach just happens to mention during the preseason that he believes you'll never play a bad game in a UConn uniform.

No pressure, Kelly Faris.

"I can't let him down," Faris said of her reaction to UConn coach Geno Auriemma's bold pronouncement during the preseason. "I'm doing my best to give it my all. … There's been games I'm not too pleased with how I played."

Top-ranked UConn (6-0) meets Vermont at 7:30 tonight at Gampel Pavilion (CPTV), a rematch of the last year's first-round NCAA tournament game also at Gampel. UConn won that game 104-65.

Faris, a 5-foot-11 guard from Plainfield, Ind., is averaging a modest 5.0 points per game, breaking into double figures only once with 12 against Richmond last Saturday and finishing with none in 33 minutes Sunday against Clemson.

But here's what Auriemma knew about Faris.

She has the capability to fill up a stat sheet, even on a bad day.

Faris was 0-for-8 shooting against Clemson, 0-for-3 from 3-point range, yet finished with seven rebounds and five assists. She had a career-high nine rebounds against Hofstra the day after Thanksgiving and is averaging 5.5 rebounds per game in 23.2 minutes off the bench.

Auriemma recalls talking to Faris when she was chosen one time for a team by USA Basketball and he asked how come she made the team.

"She said, 'I guess all the little things I do,'" Auriemma said. "I said, 'No (kidding).'"

Auriemma spoke of that on UConn's media day, when he predicted:

"Kelly Faris is really, really, really, really good. Nobody knows it … but she never plays bad ever. I've never seen her play bad. You will not see that kid ever play a bad game at Connecticut. She's a lot better athlete than she looks. She's smart. She knows the game. She pays attention."

Faris was ranked 34th among Class of 2009 prospects in the ESPNU HoopGurlz 100. She was ranked 31st by scout.com and only the 11th best guard. She was not named to the WBCA All-America team.

Faris, who led Heritage Christian High School to four straight state titles, was a McDonald's All-American. She also played for the U.S. under-19 team that won the world championship this summer in Bankok.

"I'm pleased where I'm at," Faris said following Wednesday's practice at Gampel Pavilion. "I'm not a big statistic person, what's in the newspaper and what's written down. There were a lot of other talented players in my class and I'm happy for them.

"… It's been exciting here from the word go. It's the first time for everything. The game's just completely different (in college), the competitiveness, the strength and physicality. I'm the one that has to learn everything, but I've been given a lot of chances."

UConn All-American Maya Moore said Faris has a tremendous attitude.

"She isn't afraid to dive on a loose ball," Moore said. "She does a lot of things to give our team energy. She runs the floor. She's not going to go out on the floor and get nothing."

And more

• UConn announced Wednesday its 1999-2000 national championship team will be recognized as "Huskies of Honor" during halftime of the game against No. 2 Stanford on Dec. 23 at the XL Center. … UConn junior point guard Lorin Dixon (hamstring) will miss her seventh straight game today against Vermont. … The Catamounts (4-0) are led by seniors Courtnay Pilypaitis (21 ppg) and May Kotsopoulos (20.3 ppg). Kotsopoulos was an intern in the marketing and promotions department this summer with the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA.

v.fulkerson@theday.com