A lack of confidence has never been an issue for Caroline Doty. However, this season has tested the bravado of the UConn junior guard.

The recovery from a third torn ACL in her left knee cost Doty the entire 2010-11 season and even now as she is back in the fold, the multiple knee surgeries have kept Doty from reaching the level she played at earlier in her collegiate career.

The games against the top teams have been a bit frustrating for Doty. She missed eight of 10 shots both against Stanford and Notre Dame. In a Dec. 18 contest at No. 1 Baylor she did not even attempt a shot in 15 minutes of action. If not for a lone offensive rebound, her stat sheet would have been completely blank.

That is what made Monday night so special for her. Doty made four of her five shots and was a perfect 3 for 3 from 3-point range. Her first trey was in the midst of a 6-0 run to give the Huskies their first double-digit lead. In the second half she hit a pair of timely 3’s in the first 7:12 to give the Huskies some breathing room. Doty finished with 11 points, three rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes.

“The fact that I was able to knock some shots down, it was great for my teammates to get me in position to have those open shots,” Doty said.

Nobody was happier to see Doty deliver some key shots than UConn coach Geno Auriemma. He knows the road to recovery has been a long one for Doty.

“She hasn't made any shots,” Auriemma said. “She didn't make a lot of shots in practice, she didn't make a lot of shots at shootaround, she has been struggling in and out with the knee bothering her. I think when she made her first one; I think it kind of let the air out a little bit. People forget that Caroline knocked in some big shots as a sophomore. We are trying to get back to that point where she felt like she is contributing. When you are coming back from injuries like she is, you wonder whether or not you are contributing, She is the first one out (of the game) all the time, you have Kaleena (Mosqueda-Lewis) coming off and everybody's talking about (her). It's always the new kid in town and Caroline just wants to feel like she is contributing. I was thrilled for her.”

TURNOVERS A CONCERN

Auriemma has downplayed the turnover totals in previous games against ranked teams but after Monday’s game Auriemma said he will need to address the carelessness which has been creeping into his team’s play.

There were 21 turnovers against Duke and too many of them were of the unforced variety.

“That is the next step we have to address, we have to stop throwing the ball away,” Auriemma said. “We have three or four possessions in a row where we don't get a shot. We can count on Caroline to kind of get us out of that rut.”