One positive aspect of UConn landing in the American Athletic Conference in the wake of the breakup of the old Big East is that it has given Moriah Jefferson, the first Texas native to suit up for Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma at UConn, a chance to play more games in Texas than figured to be the case when she signed with the Huskies.

Although the only game against Houston this season will come in Hartford next month, tomorrow's game at SMU will be the Huskies' fourth game in the state of Texas in the last 52 weeks.

"It means a lot when I get to go back home, it is fun for me," Jefferson said. "Obviously I am halfway across the world and my family and friends can come to the game to offer their support not just in spirit but in person."

Jefferson is playing the best basketball of her life. She is averaging 19.2 points in her last five games and shooting 75 percent from the field while going 13 of 16 from 3-point range over the last five games. For those who saw Jefferson play with the DFW Elite AAU program or with the THESA Raiders have seen this before but for most of the country, this is the first time she has really broken out of her offensive shell since arriving at UConn. Jefferson has been quite to credit the incredible amount of major-college guard prospects to come out of Texas.

Just in her final season of AAU the DFW Elite sent players to programs like South Carolina, Texas, Texas A&M, Duke, North Carolina State and Vanderbilt.

"You have to be ready to play against the best guards in the nation," Jefferson said. "You have to be ready to play and perform every day. I think anybody who plays wants to be the best at whatever position they play, just try to make the most of it and be ready to play every day."