At first, there were so many cancellations and postponements of games due to COVID-19, it seemed like all the UConn women's basketball team did was practice — "we're all tired of each other," coach Geno Auriemma said at the time.

Now, the games are coming rapid fire. Third-ranked UConn is in the midst of a five-games-in-10-days stretch, continuing at 7 p.m. Friday at Marquette in Milwaukee (SNY) for first place in the Big East Conference.

The Huskies (12-1, 10-0) will then return home for a pair of games next week against No. 2 South Carolina (Monday) and Seton Hall (Wednesday) before finishing the run Friday at Georgetown in Washington, D.C.

Auriemma joked at one point that he believes the Huskies have a doubleheader scheduled ... all in the name of squeezing in all of the Big East games which have been postponed due to the coronavirus. The regular season is scheduled to conclude March 1.

"I think we've said this that if you gave players a choice to play or practice, they would rather play," Auriemma said. "This year more than any other year that I can remember, to me, I don't care how many games we play. I don't care if we play back-to-back.

"I don't care if we're the old (Harlem) Globetrotters and we're barnstorming through the Midwest and we play DePaul Sunday and we drive up to Milwaukee and play Marquette Monday and drive to Omaha and play Creighton Tuesday. The kids just want to play. We'll figure it out."

The old barnstorming tour began Wednesday with UConn's 94-62 victory over St. John's in a league game.

UConn started three freshmen, Paige Bueckers, Nika Muhl and Aaliyah Edwards, due to injuries, the first time three freshmen have graced the starting lineup since Feb. 20, 1999, when the freshmen were Asjha Jones, Tamika Williams and Keirsten Walters (research by UConn beat writer Carl Adamec of the Manchester Journal Inquirer).

Bueckers, who leads the Huskies with 19.6 points per game, finished with a career-high 32 points against St. John's, her third straight game with 20-or-more points. Edwards had career-high totals of 22 points and nine rebounds, while Muhl also responded with 11 points, six assists and four steals, all three of those career highs.

One of Bueckers' team-high seven assists came early in the fourth quarter as, with her back originally to the play, she spun and flung a ball to Edwards sprinting down the lane.

"Yeah, I definitely just have to be ready for those passes," Edwards said. "Even though she's not looking at me, she can find me."

Auriemma seemed to think that injuries which kept junior Christyn Williams (left ankle) and sophomore Aubrey Griffin (right knee, played just 1 minute, 46 seconds) out of the game were minor and would look better after a day of rest, but was uncertain.

Meanwhile, the freshmen put on a display of confidence and chemistry that they're hoping will carry over.

"I think we had some great stretches down the road today in the game that we can transfer into our next upcoming games," Edwards said. "We have a tight schedule coming up.

"I feel like I've learned a lot through the first half of my season here at UConn, so just continuing on playing to my strengths, incorporating what coaches are telling me into my development, just making sure I transfer those skills over into the next following games so that I can be prepared for the tournament."

UConn will play the Big East Conference tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena and also qualified to be eligible for the NCAA tournament with its mandatory 13th game of the season Wednesday.

Auriemma said it doesn't feel at all like the approach to March, but hopes the team can just keep adding to its consistency and polish between now and the postseason.

"We don't have much time left but it seems like we have so far to go to get better as a team," Auriemma said. "We just have to take what comes and see what we can do, every day get a little bit better, be a little more consistent."

Marquette (12-2, 9-1), in second place in the Big East, will also be traveling back home after a 55-48 victory Wednesday at Georgetown. A UConn win would give the Huskies a two-game lead over the Golden Eagles, while a Marquette win would forge a tie atop the standings.

Marquette, which has a league best six-game winning streak, is led by 5-foot-11 senior guard Selena Lott with 16.1 points per game. The Golden Eagles are coached by former Notre Dame point guard Megan Duffy, in her second season.

v.fulkerson@theday.com