Everybody contributes for UConn

Storrs - Geno Auriemma didn't pay attention to "one thing" Maya Moore and Tiffany Hayes did Thursday night at Gampel Pavilion.

This exhibition game against Division II Franklin Pierce, a 112-41 victory, was more to see what the UConn women's basketball players with new roles could contribute.

"How are they handling that?" said Auriemma, the coach of top-ranked UConn. "Tonight was a positive step. … We had guys who did stuff tonight I hope they can do 38 or 39 more times. It was good for me to see what Samarie Walker (a freshman forward) did."

Moore had 24 points, seven assists, four steals and no turnovers in the victory and Hayes, who also started on last year's national championship team, scored 25 points.

But the other eight healthy players all contributed, too, and played with an energy level that was one thing, at least, that was reminiscent of the last 78 straight victories. The Huskies have one more exhibition game remaining before opening the season Nov. 14 against Sacred Heart and trying to add to that number.

Freshman Bria Hartley had 14 points and six assists, coming off the bench, and returnees Lorin Dixon (4 assists) and Kelly Faris (6 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals) had 11 points each. Walker had nine rebounds and centers Stefanie Dolson and Heather Buck had eight each.

Moore and Hayes started along with Dolson, Faris and Dixon at point guard.

"It's good to get that first game out of the way so you can feel comfortable," Hartley said.

"I know for myself, you're a little nervous," said Walker, who missed the first week or so of practice with a strained left hamstring. "Am I good enough? Am I good enough to live up to the other (UConn) teams in the past. I know it's been a dream for me to play at UConn."

Moore, who came into the interview room with Walker and Hartley, said the Huskies have practiced well the last couple days and it showed.

She said that while the last two unbeaten national championship teams are gone, effort is one thing that UConn can bring from year to year.

"I thought we came out with a lot of energy," Moore said. "I thought we shared the ball really well, we had a lot of assists (28 on 48 baskets), which is fun to watch. I think that's who we are and why we've been who we are. We could be playing pickup in a rec league and we would come out and want to win and compete.

"… We have to get contributions from everybody. I think people really accepted that challenge, all of us did tonight, and we have to keep that going."

UConn led 55-18 at halftime, shot 61.5 percent for the game and forced Franklin Pierce into 31 turnovers.

And more

Kiah Stokes of Marion, Iowa, a senior at Linn-Mar High School, took time out of her volleyball season Thursday to hold a news conference, announcing her intention to be a member of next season's UConn women's basketball team. Stokes, a 6-foot-3 center and the 42nd-ranked recruit in the country, according to ESPN's hoopgurlz.com, chose the Huskies over Georgia, Iowa, Maryland and Tennessee. Last season, Stokes averaged 19.5 points and 13.1 rebounds for Linn-Mar and her 374 career blocks are seventh all-time in Iowa. Next week, Stokes will lead Linn-Mar into the state volleyball tournament.