The outside world may be just catching on, UConn coach Geno Auriemma said, but everyone in women's basketball already knew they didn't want to mess with the University of Hartford.

The Hawks, coached by former UConn national player of the year Jen Rizzotti, made their first pilgrimage into the Associated Press Top 25 this week, tied with Georgia at No. 24. After Saturday's 61-51 Senior Day victory over America East Conference rival Vermont, Hartford was 25-3 overall and finished the regular season 16-0 in the league.

"I hope they don't get a 15 or a 16 seed (as America East teams sometimes do)," Auriemma said this week. "You might not want to play them in the NCAA Tournament.

"It's another milestone for a kid (Rizzotti) who wants so desperately to bring some respect to her team and her league and she's so passionate about it. And this is one more way of getting to that point."

Top-ranked UConn beat Hartford 80-45 on Dec. 10.

Hartford lost in the semifinals of the America East tournament last season to Vermont, keeping the Hawks out of the NCAA tournament. They appeared in the Women's National Invitation Tournament instead.

Rizzotti is in her 11th season at Hartford and has been to four NCAA tournaments.

Top-ranked UConn beat Hartford 80-45 on Dec. 10.

"It's a thrill for our program to be in," Rizzotti told the Associated Press. "It's a first, but we take it one game at a time. If we're ranked and we lose, it won't mean anything. We want to be ranked at the end of the year."

"Knowing how last year was kind of a disappointment for them, and I know how much she really enjoys this team and the young kids that she has and how much she enjoys coaching them, it's a great feeling," Auriemma said. "It's a great feeling for me and I'm sure it's an even greater feeling for them."

"It's a thrill for our program to be in," Rizzotti told the Associated Press. "It's a first, but we take it one game at a time. If we're ranked and we lose, it won't mean anything. We want to be ranked at the end of the year."

16 not so sweetThis is the first year Notre Dame has been matched with UConn in the Big East's home-and-home series, with UConn previously being paired with Rutgers. Teams in the league play all Big East teams once and one team twice, with conference officials deciding that grouping.

This is the first year Notre Dame has been matched with UConn in the Big East's home-and-home series, with UConn previously being paired with Rutgers. Teams in the league play all Big East teams once and one team twice, with conference officials deciding that grouping.Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw called playing UConn twice a "definite disadvantage," on this week's league teleconference.

Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw called playing UConn twice a "definite disadvantage," on this week's league teleconference.The Irish (25-3, 12-3) are scheduled to play UConn (29-0, 15-0) for the second time on Monday and a second loss to the Huskies may mean McGraw's team, ranked seventh in the country, doesn't receive one of the four two-round byes in the upcoming Big East tournament. UConn beat Notre Dame 70-46 on Jan. 16 in Storrs.

The Irish (25-3, 12-3) are scheduled to play UConn (29-0, 15-0) for the second time on Monday and a second loss to the Huskies may mean McGraw's team, ranked seventh in the country, doesn't receive one of the four two-round byes in the upcoming Big East tournament. UConn beat Notre Dame 70-46 on Jan. 16 in Storrs."It's definitely going to affect our seeding," McGraw said. "... I think if there can't be an equitable way of doing it, I think they should go back to 15 games. I think a lot of the coaches are in favor of 15."

"It's definitely going to affect our seeding," McGraw said. "... I think if there can't be an equitable way of doing it, I think they should go back to 15 games. I think a lot of the coaches are in favor of 15."Villanova coach Harry Perretta said the concern of playing 15 league games, with each team opposing each other once, is that there will be an odd number of games. It is generally considered that a .500 record in the league, along with a good enough overall record, is a criterion for being selected to the NCAA tournament.

Villanova coach Harry Perretta said the concern of playing 15 league games, with each team opposing each other once, is that there will be an odd number of games. It is generally considered that a .500 record in the league, along with a good enough overall record, is a criterion for being selected to the NCAA tournament.St. John's coach Kim Barnes Arico, meanwhile, said the UConn-Notre Dame matchup is good exposure for the Big East, featuring two of the top 10 teams in the country. The earlier matchup was featured on ESPN College GameDay, the first-ever women's game to be included in that forum.

St. John's coach Kim Barnes Arico, meanwhile, said the UConn-Notre Dame matchup is good exposure for the Big East, featuring two of the top 10 teams in the country. The earlier matchup was featured on ESPN College GameDay, the first-ever women's game to be included in that forum."I think the top teams in our conference, for TV purposes, for exposure, for the whole world to see, I think it's really been great for our league," Barnes Arico said. "I don't decide those things. I think that's a great matchup. ... Notre Dame will be fine once the NCAA tournament rolls around."

"I think the top teams in our conference, for TV purposes, for exposure, for the whole world to see, I think it's really been great for our league," Barnes Arico said. "I don't decide those things. I think that's a great matchup. ... Notre Dame will be fine once the NCAA tournament rolls around."Auriemma pointed to the fact that sometimes teams play more tough opponents on the road in a given year as well.

Auriemma pointed to the fact that sometimes teams play more tough opponents on the road in a given year as well."There's no getting away from the regular season is difficult because not everybody is playing the same schedule," Auriemma said. "It's not a fair way to do it. It's the system that we have. We gotta make the most of it."

"There's no getting away from the regular season is difficult because not everybody is playing the same schedule," Auriemma said. "It's not a fair way to do it. It's the system that we have. We gotta make the most of it."

NCAA or bustHeading into its final regular-season game Monday against Louisville, Rutgers finds itself 16-13 overall, 8-7 in the Big East.

Heading into its final regular-season game Monday against Louisville, Rutgers finds itself 16-13 overall, 8-7 in the Big East.The Scarlet Knights still have a chance at an NCAA bid, perhaps, with a few more wins, based mainly on the fact they play what was considered to be the second-toughest schedule in the nation. Of the top four teams in the country, Rutgers played three: UConn, Stanford and Tennessee.

The Scarlet Knights still have a chance at an NCAA bid, perhaps, with a few more wins, based mainly on the fact they play what was considered to be the second-toughest schedule in the nation. Of the top four teams in the country, Rutgers played three: UConn, Stanford and Tennessee.Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer, clearly frustrated after the team's third straight loss, Wednesday against St. John's, said if the team were not to make the NCAA she would not accept a bid to the WNIT.

Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer, clearly frustrated after the team's third straight loss, Wednesday against St. John's, said if the team were not to make the NCAA she would not accept a bid to the WNIT."I don't know anything about the NIT and I guarantee you I won't be coaching a team that goes to the NIT," Stringer told reporters after the game. "So if we don't go to the NCAA, we ain't going to the NIT. That's second in my opinion. I never will accept it and never have accepted it.

"I don't know anything about the NIT and I guarantee you I won't be coaching a team that goes to the NIT," Stringer told reporters after the game. "So if we don't go to the NCAA, we ain't going to the NIT. That's second in my opinion. I never will accept it and never have accepted it.Stringer seemed calmer by Thursday morning when she spoke on the Big East teleconference, explaining that she doesn't want her team to be rewarded with the NIT for coming up short of its ultimate goal of the NCAA.

"So don't even ask me that question. Ever."

Stringer seemed calmer by Thursday morning when she spoke on the Big East teleconference, explaining that she doesn't want her team to be rewarded with the NIT for coming up short of its ultimate goal of the NCAA.She called any goal of getting to the NCAA "fictional" right now, but said she hopes the selection committee will consider her team's schedule.

She called any goal of getting to the NCAA "fictional" right now, but said she hopes the selection committee will consider her team's schedule."Well, you know what? That would be a real blessing," Stringer said. "I think if that were to happen, it would show teams what the NCAA has been saying all along: it's important you play tough teams."

"Well, you know what? That would be a real blessing," Stringer said. "I think if that were to happen, it would show teams what the NCAA has been saying all along: it's important you play tough teams."One recent mock tournament bracket included Rutgers, something Stringer said she hoped her players didn't see.

One recent mock tournament bracket included Rutgers, something Stringer said she hoped her players didn't see."‘Do not look for handouts or wait for somebody to do something for you, but take care of things yourselves,'" Stringer said of her message to the Scarlet Knights. "It will be interesting to see if that comes about.

"‘Do not look for handouts or wait for somebody to do something for you, but take care of things yourselves,'" Stringer said of her message to the Scarlet Knights. "It will be interesting to see if that comes about. We'll have to see."

We'll have to see."Rutgers beat Providence on Saturday, 67-56.

Rutgers beat Providence on Saturday, 67-56.

Around the Big EastIn addition to UConn's Maya Moore and Tina Charles, named recently as midseason candidates for the Naismith Trophy as the national player of the year, the Big East also had Ashley Barlow of Notre Dame and Da'Shena Stevens of St. John's earn a spot on the list. UConn is one of four teams to have two players on the list, joining Stanford (Kayla Pedersen, Jayne Appel), Ohio State (Jantel Lavender, Samantha Prahalis) and Xavier (Ta'Shia Phillips, Amber Harris), while Stevens is one of only four sophomores. ... Sam Quigley of DePaul and Nadirah McKenith of St. John's are two of the eight finalists for the 11th annual Nancy Lieberman Award as the nation's top point guard. ... UConn recruit Bria Hartley of North Babylon, N.Y., a senior guard, was one five finalists named this week for the Naismith High School Player of the Year.

In addition to UConn's Maya Moore and Tina Charles, named recently as midseason candidates for the Naismith Trophy as the national player of the year, the Big East also had Ashley Barlow of Notre Dame and Da'Shena Stevens of St. John's earn a spot on the list. UConn is one of four teams to have two players on the list, joining Stanford (Kayla Pedersen, Jayne Appel), Ohio State (Jantel Lavender, Samantha Prahalis) and Xavier (Ta'Shia Phillips, Amber Harris), while Stevens is one of only four sophomores. ... Sam Quigley of DePaul and Nadirah McKenith of St. John's are two of the eight finalists for the 11th annual Nancy Lieberman Award as the nation's top point guard. ... UConn recruit Bria Hartley of North Babylon, N.Y., a senior guard, was one five finalists named this week for the Naismith High School Player of the Year.

Vickie Fulkerson covers the UConn women's basketball team for The Day.