UConn won't know if Rutgers senior guard Khadijah Rushdan will be able play in Saturday night's game until shortly before the opening tip but the Huskies are expecting to see the Scarlet Knights have an extra bounce in their step coming off a pair of losses.

"It is Rutgers," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "Year in and year out you are going to get the same kind of game, it is going to be a defensive struggle, it is going to be hard to get good shots, it is going to be hard to get points, it is going to be very physical. Regardless of who is in the lineup. who is starting and who is not starting, who is hurt and who is not hurt, it is still Rutgers."

Rutgers started four freshmen in Tuesday's loss to Notre Dame and the starting lineup could be a different one than Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer used against the Fighting Irish but as Auriemma said, the style of play won't change.

"They like to pressure and we are going to have to handle their pressure, be smart and make sure we play hard and run our offense," UConn sophomore guard Bria Hartley said. "Today we worked on our defense so we can keep people in front of us. Our main thing is our defense, getting turnovers and try to run in transition."