As luck would have it, UConn is in the midst of a stretch of games against opponents with the tendency of playing zone defense.

UConn looked stagnant for much of the game when Georgetown packed five players into the lane and dared the Huskies to make outside shots. The Huskies simply could not drive the ball into the lane to open up shooting lanes with the way the Hoyas played their defense. UConn followed that up with games against Marquette and Louisville and looked better playing against zones. The Huskies will get plenty of practice against the zone against both Syracuse and Duke.


"Every game presents its own sense of challenges," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "The way Georgetown plays theirs is a little different from what Marquette wanted to do or what Syracuse is going to do or what Duke might do or Louisville did. I think when you look at zones, on the surface they may all say 'hey, it is just a zone.' But I think the way they play it, the personnel they have is all quite different. We probably attack Georgetown, Marquette, Louisville all a little different."

The one aspect the Huskies will need to deal with both today against Syracuse and Monday when Duke comes to town is the presence of a shot blocker protecting the basket.

Syracuse senior Kayla Alexander has blocked a program record 314 blocks (breaking the mark set by former North Branford High School star Holly Oslander) while Elizabeth Williams of Duke is also able to erase her teammates' mistakes.