A few thoughts about UConn's 80-68 win over previously undefeated Stanford.

First, you can't help but be impressed by UConn outrebounding a bigger Stanford team by 14.

Second, when UConn had it going in transition, there's not a heck of a lot you can do. The second-half runs, whether you want to count the 17-3 one of perhaps the 30-6 outburst was classic UConn with playing flying up and down the floor, filling the lanes and scoring at will. It's still early but I can't see any teams running with UConn. The Huskies are just too athletic and skilled at too many different positions.

Third, Kelly Faris lived up to her advanced billing as a cool customer. Sophomores Tiffany Hayes and Caroline Doty seemed to get caught up in the big game atmosphere - Tiffany for the first half and Caroline for the entire game but Faris was rock solid. It isn't often that a freshman can settle a team down but Faris managed to do that when she came into the game in the first half. Her defense was a major reason why UConn ran by Stanford in the second half. It was a good thing that Faris came to play because seniors Kaili McLaren and Meghan Gardler were non factors.

Finally, I was most disappointing in Stanford senior Jayne Appel's lack of a sense of urgency. When things were getting away from the Cardinal, I never got the feeling that Appel was ready to take charge. I know she is still coming back from offseason knee surgery but I don't think it is too much to ask a senior All-American to exert her will on a game when things are going poorly and she just did not do that.

A couple of footnotes:
UConn junior guard Lorin Dixon made her season debut after missing the first nine games with a strained left hamstring. She came into the game with 4:51 to play but only played 51 seconds.

I got the chance to interview Stacy Hansmeyer, Paige Sauer and Kennitra Johnson, who were among the players on hand from the 1999-2000 team which was inducted into the Huskies of Honor. I wish we had more time to speak to more of them.

The Jan. 9 North Carolina game is now a sellout and the Jan. 16 game against Notre Dame is fast approaching a sellout.

I'm in my first year as a voter on the Associated Press poll and I am going on the record as saying I will not be dropping Stanford out of the No. 2 spot when I submit my ballot on Sunday night.