Although UConn officially listed freshman forward Morgan Tuck as "out" for today's game against Hartford, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said that had she felt good in the morning shootaround that he would played her.


"She had a couple of pretty good practices," Auriemma said after the 102-45 win. "Where we are right now is practice, look at her, no swelling, practice again tomorrow and how did it come out" It looks good. OK, practice again tomorrow. Now how did it come out? Not good. OK, no practice tomorrow. Based on yesterday's practice we felt like Thursday was good, Friday, is she  good then she is going to play. We went up to Gampel for shootaround (this morning) and no go."


The good news is Tuck appears on the verge of being able to return to action after missing the last two games with a bone bruise in her right knee. With the team not practicing again until Dec. 26 when they meet up in California, it is looking like Tuck will be able to play against Stanford.

"Every day it gets better," Auriemma said."She has no recollection out (how the injury happened)."

The news is not as promising with sophomore forward/center Kiah Stokes who has a stress reaction in her right shin which kept her out of the last two games.

"Long term, I don't know how long but it is going to be longer than just this week or next week probably," Auriemma said. "I hope (Stokes returns for) Oregon or Stanford, I am not holding out high hopes for her."