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According to a recruiting source, Xylina McDaniel, a 6-foot-1 junior forward from Blythewood, S.C., is a target on UConn’s radar. She is the daughter of former long-time NBA player Xavier McDaniel, and a player UConn coach Geno Auriemma is said to be very high on.

Auriemma recently saw McDaniel and Spring Valley High compete and she did not disappoint. McDaniel finished with 30 points, 16 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks.

McDaniel is ranked No. 20 in the Class of 2012 by ESPN HoopGurlz. She participated in the USA Basketball U-17 World Championship Team/USA Youth Olympic Games Team Trials last June in Colorado Springs, Colo.

McDaniel averaged 18.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.0 blocks and 3.0 assists least season to help Spring Valley capture the South Carolina Class 4A state championship. She was named the Class 4A Player of the Year by the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association.

The Huskies are also involved with Breanna Stewart, a 6-4 post player from North Syracuse, N.Y. who is regarded as the top player in the Class of 2012, Moriah Jefferson, a 5-6 point guard from Glenn Heights, Texas who is ranked No. 2, Jewell Lloyd, a 5-9 guard from Lincolnwood, Ill., and Bria Holmes, a 6-1forward from Hamden.

UConn has already received an oral commitment from Morgan Tuck, a 6-2 forward from Bolingbrook, Ill.

Gretel Tippett, a 6-4 wing who would be in the Class of 2011, is expected to sign a professional contract in Australia, which means she will be ineligible to play at the collegiate level in the U.S. The Huskies did have some interest there.

Rich

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The way Huskies’ coach Geno Auriemma talked about her Sunday afternoon one would have thought that she was one of his players – past or present – or a recruit that had already signed a national Letter of Letter of Intent to play at UConn.

The player Auriemma spoke so highly of was Duke All-American senior point guard Jasmine Thomas. Not only did he watch her register a team-high 17 points, three rebounds and four assists in an 81-48 loss to the Huskies at Cameron Indoor Stadium Jan. 18, 2010, but Auriemma also had an up-close look at her during training camp with the U.S Senior National team last April.

Thomas was a member of the USA Basketball Women’s Select Team that trained and scrimmaged against the National team. And she had the chance to compete for Auriemma and the National Team during a Red-White scrimmage in Hartford last April 17.

Tonight, Thomas will lead No. 3 and unbeaten Duke against No. 2 UConn in a nationally televised showdown at Gampel Pavilion (7 p.m.; ESPN2).

“I think the physical skills that she has are unique to most guards in the country,’’ Auriemma said. “She’s lightning quick and she’s an excellent ballhandler and she’s a terrific shooter and she’s a scorer. And she’s probably even more dangerous when she’s off the ball a little bit where she can just go. She kind of reminds me of Renee (Montgomery). When Renee had the ball and was running our offense it was one thing. But then when we put her off the ball a little bit, she became completely different. And I think Jasmine Thomas has all that. She’s a little bigger than Renee and maybe even quicker than Renee. I just like the way she goes about playing, her competitiveness and her drive. I enjoyed my time with her here (during training camp). I think she’s got a great future. That’s one of the positions that I think we’re going to have to identify in the next couple of years with USA Basketball, and I think she’s right there at the top of the list.’’

Thomas leads the Blue Devils in scoring (15.1), assists (3.5), steals (2.4) and minutes (32.2) and is also averaging 4.3 rebounds. She needs just five assists to become the fourth player in Duke history to reach 1,300 points, 400 rebounds, 400 assists, 200 steals and 50 blocked shots. Alana Beard, Monique Currie and Katie Meier have already reached the milestone.

Thomas is currently ranked eighth all-time in team history in scoring (1,462), 10th in assists (395), fifth in steals (250) and has 419 rebounds and 59 blocks.

“I think her game has just grown to new heights in all areas,’’ Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “Jasmine’s ability to score, her ability to take things on in different situations, it’s always been there and she keeps growing every year. But I think this year she is better defensively. She also is a better passer, a better creator. Again, a scorer as well. Most importantly, she is a team person, a team leader, in terms of communicating philosophy – talking to the young kids, giving the direction. She really has had an incredible role for us. There is no question that we’ve had success because of Jas. Jas is our All-America. Jas is our key player. She’s our glue. And she’s been that way for us all year. At times, certainly, making winning shots and all. Also, at times, deferring. And others have followed. I think that’s the greatest compliment I could give Jas that other people follow her and emulate her and are growing with her in their game. So she has an enormous effect on our team.’’

Rich

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Huskies’ coach Geno Auriemma had high praise Sunday for third-ranked Duke. And why not.

The Blue Devils (20-0) will invade what is expected to be a sold-out Gampel Pavilion Monday night as the nation’s lone undefeated team. Led by senior All-American point guard Jasmine Thomas, they feature 10 players that average at least 12.5 minutes and have reached double figures in scoring at least once this season
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The game will mark the first time UConn will meet a team with fewer losses than it has for first time since facing North Carolina Jan. 15, 2007. The Tar Heels were 19-0. The Huskies were 14-1.

UConn lost that game 82-76 in Chapel Hill, N.C.

“Obviously, it’s going to be incredibly difficult,’’ Auriemma said. “One, because they’re good. They’re really good. And they’re deep and they’re very athletic. I’ve always said that to win a national championship you’ve got to have a certain couple of things on your team. And they’re a national championship kind of team because what those things are is you have to have a lot of talent. And they have a lot of talent. And you have to be deep. And they’re really deep. And you have to have great guard play. And they’ve got maybe the best point guard in the country. And they’ve got experience. I know they play a lot of young guys, but they still have a lot of experience. And they play hard. And they’re well coached. And, obviously, they’re resilient. They were down 20 (to NC State Jan. 23) and they came back on the road. So that says a lot about them. So it’s going to be difficult.’’

The Huskies (20-1) have won an NCAA record 72 straight games at home. They have has also won 15 straight against ACC opponents.

The last time the Blue Devils came to Connecticut during the regular season they ended the Huskies’ 69-game home winning streak with a 68-67 win on a buzzer beater by Jessica Foley at the Hartford Civic Center Jan. 3, 2004.

“I always think that these games are more of finding out the positives of your team rather than the negatives,’’ Auriemma said. “Like if you do things really well in this game then that bodes well for the future. That means you can do it against a really good team and you can do it against anybody then. If you don’t get it done in that game at the end of January on a Monday night that doesn’t necessarily have any bearing on what happens at the end of February or the end of March. That’s why these games are so good to play. There’s absolutely no negatives that come out of this, at least from my perspective as a coach. That’s how I go into all of these. I go into all of these games like if we win, if we do this right, if we accomplish this, if we accomplish that then that all bodes well for down the road. If is doesn’t work then we know, `Hey, we’ve got to fix this between now and then.’ So looking at tomorrow that’s exactly what I’m thinking about. We’re going to get an opportunity to find out exactly what it is that we’re really good at, and our freshmen are going to have one more opportunity like the ones they’ve already had to take another step towards becoming experienced college players. And with each situation like that that we find ourselves in the better they’re going to be. But in and of itself that one game … Stanford didn’t win the national championship when they beat us (Dec. 30), and we’re not going to win a national championship if we beat Duke tomorrow night. I think both teams have a pretty good perspective on what these games are all about. Otherwise, you wouldn’t schedule them. If these games were that defining and all encompassing you wouldn’t schedule them because then you would say, `Man that’s going to affect the way we approach the rest of the season.’ I’m not going to that. I’m not going to put my team in that situation.’’

UConn recruit Breanna Stewart, a 6-foot-4 post player from North Syracuse, N.Y. who is regarded as the top player in the Class of 2012, will be in attendance at the game.

Rich

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Freshman point guard Bria Hartley spent the majority of practice Sunday standing on the sideline due to a nagging injury to her right foot. It was just a precautionary measure as she continues to work herself back to full strength through rehabilitation and resting it whenever possible.

Hartley, who suffered the injury early in the second half at North Carolina Jan. 17, said she did participate in drills at the start of practice. She also spent some time riding the stationary bike and was wearing a protective boot on her foot.

“I just don’t want it to get worse,’’ said Hartley, who will again be in the starting lineup against No. 3 Duke Monday night at Gampel Pavilion. “I’ve got to make sure it’s getting better. (It’s getting better). Slowly, but it’s getting better.’’

Rich

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Tiffany Hayes lived comfortably in the backdrop of All-Americans and talented upperclassmen during her first two seasons at UConn. She did not have to provide the Huskies with a steady flow of offense. In fact, the contributions she made over the first 78 games of her career were a bonus for the Huskies.

This season Maya Moore is the lone All-American remaining on a team that is lined with youth. This has forced Hayes into the spotlight and into a leadership role. And she also has emerged as a key to UConn’s ultimate success, which has taken some time for her to get accustomed to.

“I know I have to come ready to play every night, especially against the really, really good teams and good players,’’ Hayes said. “From now on there’s not going to be team that’s not up to par. So I just know that I have to come with it every night.’’

Hayes, a 5-foot-10 junior guard, provided another example of how important she is to No. 2 UConn 19-1, 8-0 Big East) in Wednesday’s win at Rutgers. The Huskies, who will meet Cincinnati on the road today (2 p.m.; CPTV), struggled offensively in the first half. Hayes had five points on 2-of-5 shooting.

But as Hayes heated up in the second half so, too, did UConn. She scored 13 points (4-of-5) to help the Huskies win going away.

A key element to Hayes’ growth this season has been her ability to not get lost when she is missing shots. This is something that is a constant work in progress. But the fact that there has been progress is encouraging.

“It’s not hard at all,’’ Hayes said. “You’ve just got to concentrate and just think about winning the game and think about being a team player, thinking about being a leader. And just know that you can do more to contribute than just by making shots. I would say (I’m a changed player). It’s just because I realize now that I can rebound. I can get to the free throw line. I can play help defense. I can do a lot of other things. And I’ve been doing those things kind of lately.’’

Hayes is averaging career-highs of 15.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.6 steals and 30.2 minutes this season. She has a 1.6 assist to turnover ratio and is shooting 45.5 percent from the field.

Hayes is also averaging 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals in 32.4 minutes in seven games against ranked opponents. She has scored at least 20 points in six games after reaching the mark just five times through her first two seasons.

“She’s realizing more how much of an impact that she makes,’’ Moore said. “When she’s aggressive when she’s mindful of she can do anything she wants we’re a completely different team. So I’m glad that she can now see the difference, hopefully. And I can see the difference.’’

There has been a noticeable difference in Hayes since she was a non-factor in the 71-59 loss at Stanford Dec. 30 that ended UConn’s NCAA record 90-game winning streak. She finished with three points on 1-of-9 shooting (1-of-5 3-pointers) in 24 minutes, spending the final 6:20 of the game on the bench.

“Just the fact that I know that if myself or Maya or both of us does not have a good game then it could go another game like Stanford and we don’t want that to happen,’’ Hayes said. “You learn a lot of losing a game like the Stanford game, especially when you’re one of the leaders on the team. So you have take that and you have to learn from it and get better as the year goes on.’’

Hayes has responded by scoring at least 20 points in three of the six games that she played more than the first minute since that loss. And she has done much more than just score. She is averaging 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in this stretch.

Hayes scored 21 points in an 84-52 win over St. John’s at Madison Square Garden Jan. 12. And she had 29 in an 83-57 win at then-No. 10 North Carolina Jan. 17.

The Huskies have the capability of beating any team in the country when Hayes is playing at a high level. This is a concept she has come to understand and her role is one that she is steadily coming to grips with.

“If she plays the way she played at Madison Square Garden or the way she played at North Carolina, we’re not the same team,’’ UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “Now you’ve got two people on the floor that can get 30. That’s very, very difficult for the other team to handle. And that’s not even counting if some of the other guys (play well).’’

Rich

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There are approximately 600 tickets remaining for Monday’s showdown with unbeaten and third-ranked Duke at Gampel Pavilion (7 p.m).

Fans can purchase tickets on-line or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Should tickets still be available Monday, they be purchased at the North Entrance of Gampel Pavilion beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Rich

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No. 2 UConn 63, Rutgers 44

TURNING POINT – The Huskies led 25-22 at halftime. It was their lowest scoring half this season. They shot 28.1 percent from the field (2-of-9 3-pointers) and committed eight turnovers. But they came out at the start of the second half as if all of their futility had never happened. UConn made its first three shots and six of nine, scoring the first 13 points of the half as part of a 17-2 run. Maya Moore started the run with a 3-pointer 13 seconds into the half. Tiffany Hayes and Bria Hartley also had 3-pointers to help the Huskies pull away.

“That’s the way we need to start the game,’’ Moore said. “Every time you’re on the road it’s so important to get the crowd out of it and that’s the best way to do it. To come out of the gate the first five minutes before that first media timeout and make sure that you dominated.’’

Said Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer: “You could be right there in the game and they’ll strike so fast. It’ll be a three-minute spurt and they’ll knock out 10 points so fast that you look up and say, `Well, dang, I was within three points and now I’m down 15.’ You cannot lose focus for a second.’’

UNSUNG HERO – Bria Hartley. She finished with 15 points, five rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes. But it was how she persevered after a poor first half that was impressive. She had two points on 1-of-8 shooting (0-of-4 3-pointers) and three turnovers in 19 minutes in the half. Never losing confidence, Hartley responded with 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting (3-of-4 3-pointers) and zero turnovers in 15 minutes in the second half.

“It’s very important (to have a short memory) because you still have to come out and shoot with confidence every time you touch the ball and look at the basket,’’ Hartley said. “Everyone misses shots. You just have to keep playing.’’

BEST ‘X’ AND/OR ‘O’ – The Huskies tried to force the ball inside many times unsuccessfully in the first half. In the second half, they stopped forcing things and focused on capitalizing on their open looks at the basket. UConn was 6-of-10 from 3-point range in the half and also scored 12 points in the paint in outscoring Rutgers 38-22.

“That’s why you can’t get all whacked out about whether shots are going in or not,’’ Auriemma said. “You can get upset about what kind of shots you’re taking or if you’re not getting good shots because you’re not … We threw a couple of horrible passes in the first half because we spent a lot of time trying to force the ball into the post and Rutgers did a really good job keeping us from doing that. And in the second half we came out we didn’t try to force it in there to Stefanie (Dolson) or Maya. We just said, `Look, we’re going get a lot of open shots. Take them. Don’t spend the whole game trying to force it in the middle.’’’

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS – Hayes was injured in the first minute of the game for the second time in four games. She was poked in the right eye by Erica Wheeler 41 seconds in and had to leave the game for a span of 7:28. Hayes was ultimately brought to the locker room where she was tended to by the Scarlet Knights’ team doctor. “They just took me in the back and he put some numbing drops on my eye so I wouldn’t feel the pain,’’ Hayes said. “And it lasted for like however long he said, 30 minutes I think or whatever he said. So I had to keep getting it at halftime and after the game they gave me some more. So it helped out a lot.’’ Hayes sustained a mild concussion after a collision with Moore 44 seconds into the first half against Louisville Jan. 15. … Hayes’ propensity to repeatedly fall down during games is an annoyance, according to Auriemma. “I don’t worry about it, to be honest with you,’’ Auriemma said. “And I don’t think anybody else worries about it on our team. It is what it is. I think it’s a lot less than what it used to be. I thought (Wednesday) she played under great control. I thought she had great body control and made great decisions with the ball. I think more than anything the coaching staff – Shea (Ralph), (Chris Dailey), Marisa (Moseley), (team trainer) Rosemary (Ragle), probably – they’re just annoyed. She just falls down and they just tell her, `Get the (heck) up.’ I don’t think anybody worries, `Oh, my God.’ I think they just get annoyed.’’ (To Hayes) Would you agree with that?’ (Hayes) `Pretty much.’ She sometimes loses control of her bodily functions. (Hayes) `He’s right.’’’ … Talk about staying the course: Khadijah Rushdan was scoreless in 37 minutes for Rutgers (0-of-11 FG). But she had nine rebounds and tied a season-high with nine assists. … The Huskies stayed in New Jersey Wednesday night rather than fighting the brutal snowstorm back to Connecticut. The storm left numerous cars stuck on the New Jersey Turnpike, the George Washington Bridge and Interstate 287, just to name a few spots.

LOOKING AHEAD – The Huskies (18-1, 8-0 Big East) will travel to Cincinnati (8-11, 1-6) to meet the Bearcats Saturday (2 p.m.; CPTV). Former UConn assistant coach Jamelle Elliott is in her second season as the head coach at Cincinnati and this season has been a struggle. She is down to only seven healthy players.

“We just talked in the locker room just (Wednesday) about you get knocked out or you get poked in the eye or you get whacked with a screen, and Stefanie got hit … There’s all kind of things happening to players all over the country,’’ Auriemma said. “And for our team, you have two choices … You either back down and stop and give in or you figure out a way to get through it. And it’s ironic that we’re going out to Cincinnati because there’s probably only one team that’s probably in the same situation that we’re in with injuries and being down in numbers. And at Cincinnati, I know Jamelle’s really frustrated. And I can tell she’s really frustrated because she’s kind of in hiding and she won’t talk to anybody and she won’t communicate. I’ll have to get it out of her somehow when I get there. But I know she’s taking this really, really hard and is taking it to heart. She just doesn’t have the bodies to compete and it’s killing her.’’

BY THE NUMBERS
.261 – Field goal percentage for Kelly Faris over the last three games (6-of-23)
3 – Consecutive double-doubles for Maya Moore. It is her first time since she had a career-high four straight from Jan.10-19, 2009
6.7 – Average rebounds for Stefanie Dolson over the last three games

Rich