Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis' strong effort in Saturday's win over Stanford is all the more impressive considering that she needed to be hospitalized to receive IVs after becoming dehydrated.

Not only did she score 12 of her game-high 19 points in the second half and also had six rebounds in a workmanlike 34 minutes, but she was played a key defensive role in UConn’s 61-35 victory.

The most impressive aspect of Mosqueda-Lewis’ effort was that the more physical Stanford got with her, the more willing she was to get inside and mix it up. That is a sign that Mosqueda-Lewis’ emergence from being merely just a gifted shooter but a well-rounded player.

“At halftime we talked about getting her the ball,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “She's been sick since she left Connecticut, she was in the hospital, she was getting IVs, I don’t know if it was the flu or whatever she (had) but I thought in the second half she really responded.

“That just goes to show you how much she changed in one year, how many more things she can do now than she could last year.”

Mosqueda-Lewis lit up the Cardinal for 25 points in a win during her freshman season and she delivered once again when the Huskies needed her the most. But it was her and the Huskies’ defense which gave her the most pride.

“I think our team is a great defensive team,” Mosqueda-Lewis said. “We take a lot of pride in it; we practice it for hours, Coach (Geno Auriemma) harps on it every single day. When you have a head like Kelly Faris who is going 110 percent all the time I think there is really no point where you couldn't stop a team.

“We kind of feed off of our defense if things aren't working for us offensively, We try to get things going defensively whether it is in the press or in the half court.”

UCONN LIKELY TO ASCEND TO NO. 1
When the national polls come out on Monday, UConn figures to move into the No. 1 spot following the win over top-ranked Stanford.

Considering the number of times the Huskies have been No. 1, it was not a big deal for the Huskies following the game.

“Stanford beat Baylor and Stanford became No. 1,” Auriemma said. “We beat Stanford and now people are going to say that we are No. 1. I think Baylor is probably sitting at home saying we are the real No. 1 and we are going to prove it every time we play. I don’t think this time of the year it really matters one way or the other. I didn't see one player in our locker room jumping up and down saying we are No. 1. When they have been there for so many times, a lot of those guys it doesn't faze them.”

GENO ADMITS HE DESERVED THE TECHNICAL

Auriemma was called for his second technical foul of the season. Since it came during possession after no foul was called on Kelly Faris' drive to the basket, I thought that might have been the cause. However, Auriemma said that wasn't the case.

"I was more upset that Stewie (Breanna Stewart) or Stef (Dolson) tried to cut in the high post they were getting whacked, anybody who was watching it could see it. Again, a little bit of an overreaction by me. I have to figure out a different way to express my displeasure with the officials. I deserved it and they had already gave me a warning early because I had questioned something. It was deserved but it wasn't a tactical thing."