Syracuse is expected to start three freshmen today while a trio of first-year players should be among the first ones off the bench for UConn at the XL Center.

While there is no denying the talent of the newcomers, it does make things interesting for UConn coach Geno Auriemma and Syracuse's Quentin Hillsman as every minute going to a freshman could be one not being given to a veteran player.


"It is a fine line," Auriemma said. "It is a delicate situation sometimes. Kids are funny and they have short memories. Say a kid comes to Connecticut as a freshman, they are not really that concerned with who else is there so if there is a junior at Connecticut, Syracuse or Duke or anybody else that has been playing for a couple of years and they are a lot better, that freshman is not worried that 'well I don't want to be too good because I don't want to take their minutes.' That same freshman when they become a junior they seem to forget that and they think you owe them something when the next freshman comes in. It is a fine line you have to walk. You owe it to your team to play the best players at the most opportune times and then there is a part of you that 'yeah, we can trust this kid or that kid because they have been there and done that.' I think each year there is a scenario that pops up if your freshmen are really good that you have to deal with. Ideally you love to have a situation where your freshmen are never good enough to take over for one of upperclassmen."