You could see a certain twinkle in Geno Auriemma's eyes when he looked ahead to Saturday's showdown against Notre Dame.

Auriemma remembers the first meeting of the season between the two when UConn trailed by seven with 13:29 to play and by five with 4:23 remaining before escaping South Bend with a 79-76 victory.

Now comes the rematch and it could be another game which comes down to the wire.

"I've said this for 15 years now. when the day comes when people walk into the gym expecting them to lose, then there is no point having a program," Auriemma said. "Or you go on the road and you are supposed to win every game, there is no point of having a program any more. Tomorrow's game is supposed to go into triple overtime, somebody makes a big shot and the crowd goes home feeling like they all saw one of the best games they have ever seen."

Auriemma admits it was far from his team's best effort so the Huskies could gain some confidence from winning on the road against a very good team playing a so-so game while Notre Dame can take solace in the fact that it went toe to toe with the two-time defending national champions.

"After the game, in the locker room, we felt like we competed with them down to the wire and if we had done some things differently (they could have won)," Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said. "I think that gave us some confidence so as we went into the next eight or nine games, we kind of went in thinking how much better can we get today and what do we have to do to get better and keep playing at this level. A lot of times you will play a game like that, you will compete hard and then the next game 'uh, not as good.' That is the one thing I am so pleased about with this group, no matter who we are playing they have the same approach. We have gotten a lot better defensively. I think that has a lot to do with how ready you are for the game."

TOP RECRUIT VISITING UCONN
Malina Howard, a 6-foot-4 forward at Twinsburg, Ohio, was in attendance at UConn's practice on FridaY with her parents and younger sister and is planning to take in Saturday's game as well.

Howard, a member of the U-18 national team which also included UConn freshmen Stefanie Dolson and Bria Hartley and UConn recruiting target Diamond DeShields, is averaging 21.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.7 blocks for 20-0 Twinsburg. She has 14 double-doubles and had 39 points in a Feb. 5 win over Hudson. Despite being one of the youngest players on the U.S. team, Howard started all five games and posted averages of 6.8 points and 5.8 rebounds.

BIRD AT THE BUZZER SIGNING
Jeff Goldberg, a former UConn beat writer for the Hartford Courant, will be signing copies of his "Bird at the Buzzer" board beginning at noon at the UConn Co-Op and again after the game. The book looks back at the 2000-01 season and especially the games between UConn and Notre Dame. The title comes from former UConn star Sue Bird's game-winning shot in the 2001 Big East tournament final.

VANDERVEER, EDWARDS HALL OF FAME FINALISTS
Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer and five-time Olympic gold medalist Teresa Edwards are among 12 finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame.