It not has been the easiest of junior seasons for UConn's Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis.

As if dealing with missing eight games with an elbow injury wasn't enough, she has had almost as many games when she struggled to return to her All-American form upon her return as she did gave contests where she played with reckless abandon.

Well, it all seemed to come together for her against Southern Methodist on Tuesday night. She posted her first double-double of the season, matched her career high with seven assists, scored in double figures for the third straight game for the first time this season and also was honored for academic excellence.

"It was my first time," Mosqueda-Lewis said of her first time being recognized for attaining a 3.0 grade-point average. "I was really excited. I have been working really hard and trying to find a major, doing well in school and in basketball it is great to finally be out there with a 3.0."

So how does Mosqueda-Lewis balance the rigors of traveling, playing and practicing for the nation's No. 1 team with doing the work in the classroom.

"I have to write everything down and schedule everything so I know I am here to do this and for me it helps to do a lot every day," Mosqueda-Lewis said..

Mosqueda-Lewis was also beaming about dishing out seven assists.

"I take a lot of pride, I feel like an assist is like a (made) shot. I think it is something to get excited about when you make good passes to your teammates and it kind of adds to the flow of the game."

Mosqueda-Lewis used an 18-point, 6-rebound, 3-assist game against Temple on Jan. 28 to shake her out of her doldrums.

"I see more of an aggressiveness in practice, more of a determination to kind of get what she wants out this instead of taking what comes," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "There's a bit of different look about her. She came back from the Temple game and her practices since then have been really good, today was an indication of that."

For Mosqueda-Lewis, she knows there is no time like the present to get it going as there are only seven games left in the regular season.

"I think I just started off the game with a lot of energy and stayed positive the whole time, got in the mix whether it was defense, offense rebounding, getting into the lane I just tried to make sure I stayed involved.

"I have been in a funk for a little bit and it is time for me to get out of it. We are (approaching) the conference tournament and after that it is going to be (NCAA) tournament time."

ANOTHER ANKLE ISSUE FOR BANKS
Although we didn't get to talk to her after the game, junior guard Brianna Banks looked to be in good spirits after the game even though she suffered another issue with her troublesome left ankle. Banks was injured in Monday's practice and did not play. Her teammates said she is handling it pretty well but Auriemma, not as much.

"It is not looking good," Auriemma said. "It is like her fifth time this year (hurting her ankle) so hopefully it will get better soon."

Staying on the subject of injuries, Auriemma said it makes sense for UConn signee Gabby Williams to have surgery to repair her torn ACL done in Connecticut.

"We will be able to watch her all summer long and our people once she enrolls in summer school can start working with her," Auriemma said. "That is not a statement one way or another about any of the doctors that are out in her part of world but I am sure if she was going to (college) in Texas she would have it there. In my mind that is the smart thing to do."