My first thought after reflecting on UConn's 77-64 win at St. John's last night is why can't more teams play the Huskies like St. John's did.

The Red Storm's intensity level never wavered even when they were staring a 20-point deficit in the face in the second half. Led by former Trinity Catholic star Da'Shena Stevens, St. John's came back to cut the lead to seven points before the Huskies' Big Three of Maya Moore, Renee Montgomery and Tina Charles took over. The game bore an uncanny resemblence to the Georgetown game although the Red Storm are a more talented team than the Hoyas in my opinion making the second half compelling, something that can't be said too often about UConn games this season.

"It's not an easy game, it was hot, we had to play guys a lot because we weren't getting much off the bench," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "It was good to be in that situation, we are not in that situation enough."

Both Tina Charles and Renee Montgomery broke out of shooting slumps. Charles was 3 of 13 from the floor against Rutgers and Marquette but she did her first four shots and finished with 21 points on 8 of 11 shooting. Montgomery was 4 for 25 from 3-point range in the last four games before going 3 for 6 from behind the arc against the Red Storm. Maya Moore was her typical solid self, finishing 20 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals and four blocks in 39 minutes.

Kaili McLaren played just five minutes - all in the second half and missed her only two shots. She was held out because of the matchup and not because of a flare up of the tendonitis in her knee.

"I don't think there was anybody on the floor that I think she can guard," Auriemma said. "They are playing with five guards sometimes so I didn't think there were any good matchups we could find for her. We didn't want to play zone."

While its leading scorer Monique McLean missed her final 11 shots, St. John's was buoyed by the best game of Stevens' young career. Stevens finished with a career-high 27 points on 11 of 17 shooting and has nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks. When she came out of the game with 52 seconds to play, a bemused Red Storm coach Kim Barnes Arico was waiting for her.

So what did the coach and pupil talk about before Stevens took a seat on the bench.

"I said 'are you kidding me? Where has this been all year?'" Barnes Arico said. "She has been doing fine, especially early but with the length of the season and the physical play it kind of wears on her at times but after seeing her (Wednesday), I don't know how she can't be (Big East) Freshman of the Year. She went against the best team with a freshman named Tiffany Hayes and she did a great job, dominated."

The 27 points are the most scored by an opposing player this season, topping the 26 Tyra Grant of Penn State dropped on the Huskies on Dec. 14. That also happens to be the last time UConn played a game in New York.

I went through all the box scores dating back to the 1997-98 season and could not find a freshman who scored as many points against the Huskies as Stevens did. In the last 12 seasons, 15 players have scored at least 27 points. The last time it happened came courtesy of DePaul's Allie Quigley's 27 points on Mar. 1, 2008. WNBA first-round picks Betty Lennox (Louisiana Tech), Gwen Jackson (Tennessee) and Tasha Humphrey (Georgia) are on the list as are Louisville's Angel McCoughtry, the likely No. 1 overall pick in April's draft and Rutgers' Epiphanny Prince, who figures to be taken in the first round in the 2010 draft. Amy O'Brien of Holy Cross tops the list with 38 points in a Nov. 12, 1999 game against the Huskies.

"I just wanted to come out and play hard and contribute in any way," Stevens said. "My shots were falling in the beginning and I wanted to come out and play a full, complete game. I came in here to play against the best, this is what I came here for and what I prepared for. Knowing they are a great team and the No. 1 team in the nation, you always have to come out and play hard. I tried to be aggressive and stay with it, whether it was scoring, rebounding or finding one of my teammates and that was what I did tonight."

UConn commit Samarie Walker wrapped up the regular season of her junior campaign at Chaminade Julienne in Dayton, Ohio. Walker had 14 points in a 57-25 win over Fenwick. The win allowed Chaminade Julienne (14-6) to clinch a share of the GGCL Grey North with Alter as both teams finished 9-1 in league play.