UConn experimenting with three-post lineup

These days when Geno Auriemma looks down his bench, there aren't too many options. With Morgan Tuck out for the season, Brianna Banks being limited to three minutes in the last two games with a sprained ankle and Saniya Chong missing Sunday's contest against South Florida, UConn had six healthy full scholarship players.

So Auriemma utilized a lineup with Stefanie Dolson, Breanna Stewart and Kiah Stokes playing together for more than 16 minutes. With three outstanding shot blockers, there aren't too many defensive concerns playing the three posts together but what caught my eye is how well they worked together offensively.

Stewart had 18 of her career high tying 29 points while she was playing alongside Stokes and Dolson.

"I like it," Auriemma said. "(Against) some teams I like it better than others. The three of them have gotten pretty comfortable defensively in the last month or so and all three of them are different which helps us, they are not identical and they each can do different things. We just have to figure out how to zig and zag and disguise some of the things we were going instead of being easy to figure out."

Stokes is the player impacted the most by Tuck's prolonged absence and she is getting more comfortable playing alongside Dolson and Stewart.

The biggest thing for Stokes is trying to make an impact sooner rather than later when she is summoned off the bench.

"I used to come in off the bench I would be nervous and not really sure what to do," Stokes said. "Now I know they need me to make an impact whether it is offense or defense, whether I am doing something then he is not as mad because at least you are contributing something."

LIVE BLOG RUNNING DURING THE GAME

Here is a link to the live blog that will be running during today's game against Temple.

DATES SET FOR GENO AURIEMMA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
The inaugural Geno Auriemma Leadership Conference went well enough that it is being done again as it will be held from Oct. 22-23 at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Virtus Investment Partners and Farmington Bank are presenting sponsors for the event.

Major Sponsors returning for the event include Prudential and CBS Radio – CT.

Proceeds from the conference are received by the UConn Foundation and benefit Leadership Education at the UConn School of Business.

For more information about registering for the conference, please visit http://genoleadership.uconn.edu