UConn signee Kelly Faris had 19 points and 14 rebounds to lead her Indianapolis-based Heritage Christian team to a 66-64 win over Chicago's Whitney Young on Friday.

Whitney Young entered the game ranked second in the USA Today national poll. Ashlee Anderson, who is headed to Pittsburgh in the fall, led Whitney Young with a game-high 24 points.

SWANIER HONORED
Former UConn guard Ketia Swanier, who is now a member of the WNBA's Connecticut Sun had her high school number retired at Columbus (Ga.) High.

Speaking of the WNBA, the draft lottery has been set for Tuesday. Atlanta, Washington, Chicago, Minnesota and Phoenix are in the running for the No. 1 overall pick. The draft order for the 2008 playoff teams is determined by record. The Sun will select 10th. The dispersal draft for the non free agents on the Houston Comets squad will be held on Monday.

FAMILIAR FACE
Today I will get to see how the other half lives. I am accustomed to covering dominating performances by the nation's No. 1 team as the UConn beat writer. However, I am currently in State College, Pa. to cover the Yale volleyball team in the NCAA tournament. With an emotional five-set win against Ohio on Friday, the Bulldogs get to plat top-seeded and defending national champion Penn State on the Nittany Lions' home floor. How dominant is Penn State? Well, the Big Ten champions are not only 33-0 but have not lost a set this season.

Before I head over to the volleyball match, I am going to be at the Penn State women's basketball game against Dayton. When I went down for breakfast in the hotel lobby this morning, who was at the front desk other than former Providence coach Jim Jabir, now the Dayton head coach.

My apologies to Jabir and Dayton, but with UConn's next game being against Penn State in the Maggie Dixon Classic at Madison Square Garden, my focus will be squarely on the home team so I can get some stuff to help me write some stories leading up to the Maggie Dixon Classic. Now if Jabir had any players from Chaminade-Julienne High in Dayton, the same school where UConn commit Samarie Walker is just starting her junior season, that would be a different story but I regret to inform you that is not the case.

Last item, somebody posted a comment on the blog asking why Tahirah Williams, Meghan Gardler, Jacquie Fernandes and Cassie Kerns would not leave UConn and go to a program where they would play more minutes and a more significant role.

Let's see, last year UConn spent Thanksgiving in the U.S. Virgin Islands, this year the week before Christmas the Huskies will be in Cancun, the Huskies fly chartered flights, eat at the best restaurants on the road, are treated like royalty and play in front of thousands of adoring fans on a nightly basis.

Performances like the one Williams enjoyed against Holy Cross are the exception and not the rule for the aforementioned role players but the fact is that they know exactly what their deal is and seem comfortable with it. If that wasn't the case, they wouldn't be at UConn because the last thing the Huskies need is chirping coming from players sitting on the bench. Williams and Gardler in particular could have larger roles in future games and I'm certain they are motivated by that possibility but if that is not the case, they handle their lack of playing time in a fashion that make them valued members of the UConn team. The players who get that remain with the squad, the ones who don't do opt to head to greener pastures.