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The contributions of freshmen Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson in today’s win at Rutgers could not have come a better time for the Huskies. Not only did they combine for 25 points and 10 rebounds in 56 minutes, but they took significant strides toward proving that they can produce off the bench on a regular basis with a showdown against No. 1 Baylor looming Monday at the XL Center.

Tuck led the team in scoring with 15 points (5-of-7 FG; 4-of-4 FT) and five rebounds in 26 minutes. Jefferson had 10 points (3-of-6 FG; 4-of-5 FT), five rebounds, three assists, three steals and zero turnovers in 30 minutes.

“This is something that we should be doing every single game,’’ Tuck said. “Every one on our team has to carry her weight. So hopefully this means that we’re going to be doing it more consistently because in the past we weren’t very consistent with it. But hopefully we build off this game and continue to help out the team.’’

The Huskies received 31 points from the bench today. It was the most meaningful contribution of the season from the reserves.

“We’ve been saying that that’s one of the things I wanted to happen,’’ UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “I’ve got a pretty good idea what we’re going to get from certain individuals. But you want to be able to trust the guys coming off the bench as much as you trust some of your starters. And this goes a long way for both Moriah and Morgan going forward to know that they can come in in a game like this and they can contribute what they contributed.’’

Tuck said that she is looking forward to playing No. 1 Baylor and 6-foot-8 All-American center Brittney Griner.

“I’m very excited,’’ Tuck said. “I’ve never got to play against a 6-8 player like her. I got to watch her play a lot, especially when UConn played Baylor my junior year in high school (Nov. 16, 2010 at the XL Center). That was the deciding factor coming here. And to actually be in the game and she’s in there … People focus so much on her. I just can’t wait to play against her.’’

Rich

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All-American Bria Hartley was enjoying her best stretch this season. She was averaging 16.7 points (17-of-28 FG), 6.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists over the last three games.

Hartley seemed poised to extend her run of good fortune today at Rutgers. It never happened as she played just four minutes, 26 seconds. The only statistic next to her name on the final stat sheet was one foul.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma benched Hartley and fellow starters Caroline Doty, Kelly Faris and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis during a media timeout with 15:34 left in the first half. Doty, Faris and Mosqueda-Lewis all returned to the game at various points in the half.

Following the game, Auriemma insisted that the decision to sit Hartley was due to an illness, not because of her lack of production early on.

“It couldn’t be performance because she didn’t play,’’ Auriemma said. “She wasn’t healthy at practice yesterday. She didn’t feel good last night at dinner and she wasn’t great this morning at shootaround. So she gave it a shot, and it just didn’t work out.’’

Here are Auriemma’s thoughts on why he benched the four starters and instead utilized the lineup of Stefanie Dolson, Moriah Jefferson, Breanna Stewart Kiah Stokes and Morgan Tuck …

“Well, we had a game plan going in, and one of the things that we wanted to make sure that we didn’t do was put Rutgers on the free throw line unnecessarily, and I thought that all we did right those first four minutes was foul,’’ Auriemma said. “I don’t think we accomplished anything else. We didn’t run offense. We didn’t play defense. We didn’t do anything. The only thing we did well in those first four minutes was foul. So I figured the next group couldn’t do any worse, and they did better.’’

The Huskies committed three fouls during the opening 4:26, which led to four free throws for Rutgers.

Rich

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It was hardly the efficient, well-played tune-up the UConn women’s basketball team was looking for heading into a showdown with No. 1 Baylor. But a win is still a win, and the third-ranked Huskies will take it on the road.

 Freshman Morgan Tuck had 15 points and five rebounds today to lead UConn to a 65-45 victory over Rutgers before 5,378 at the Rutgers Athletic Center. The Huskies shot just 40.8 percent from the field.

 Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer, who is 899-328 in 42 seasons, failed in her second attempt to become the fourth women’s basketball coach in Division I history to reach 900 wins. Pat Summitt (1,098), Sylvia Hatchell (902) and Jody Conradt (900) have reached the milestone.

 The Huskies (24-1 overall, 11-1 Big East) have won 10 straight games against Rutgers (14-10, 5-6). They will host Baylor Monday at the XL Center in their Play4Kay game to promote breast cancer awareness.

 Stefanie Dolson added 14 points and four rebounds for UConn. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis finished with 12 points and four rebounds, while Moriah Jefferson had 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Auriemma benched starters Caroline Doty, Kelly Faris, Bria Hartley and Mosqueda-Lewis with 15:34 left in the half. The Huskies were trailing 8-4 and were 2-of-6 from the field.

 Doty returned with 12:25 left in the half. Faris then returned with 8:43 left and Mosqueda-Lewis was back with 5:29 left. Hartley never did return to the game.

 UConn trailed by as many as 10 (14-4) in the half and 18-12 with 9:03 left. But the Huskies finally found some rhythm in scoring 10 straight points as part of a 14-3 run.

 The Huskies led 33-27 at halftime. They scored the first seven points of the second half, including four by Dolson, to finally create some space on the scoreboard.

 UConn led by as many as 21 in the second half.

 Shakena Richardson led the Scarlet Knights with 10 points.

 Rich

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Stefanie Dolson and Morgan Tuck each have eight points to lead the Huskies, who shot 44.8 percent from the field in the half.

Huskies’ coach Geno Auriemma benched starters Caroline Doty, Kelly Faris, Bria Hartley and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis with 15:34 left in the half. UConn was trailing 8-4 and was 2-of-6 from the field.

Doty returned with 12:25 left. Faris then returned with 8:43 left and Mosqueda-Lewis was back with 5:29 left. Hartley did not return.

UConn trailed by as many as 10 (14-4) and 18-12 with 9:03 left. But the Huskies finally found some rhythm in scoring 10 straight points as part of a 14-3 run.

UConn made 12 of its last 14 shots from the field. Rutgers missed 11 of its last 17.

Syessence Davis leads the Scarlet Knights with eight points.

Rich

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WHEN: Today, 4 p.m.
WHERE: Rutgers Athletic Center, Piscataway, N.J. (8,000)
RECORDS: UConn 23-1, 10-1 Big East; Rutgers 14-9 (5-5)
ON THE AIR: SNY (Gary Apple and Meghan Culmo); WTIC-AM 1080 (Bob Joyce and Debbie Fiske)
UP NEXT: Monday vs. No. 1 Baylor at XL Center, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)

UCONN

• Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, F, 6-0 Soph.: 21.3p, 7.5r, 2.3a last four games
• Stefanie Dolson, C, 6-5 Jr.: 17.4p (31-of-42 FG), 5.2r, 2.6a last five games
• Breanna Stewart, G, 6-4 Fr.: 10.7p, 8.7r last three games
• Kelly Faris, G, 5-11 Sr.: 11.2p, 6.4r, 3.6a last five games
• Bria Hartley, G, 5-7 Jr.: 16.7p (17-of-28 FG), 6.0r, 4.3a last three games
• Morgan Tuck, F, 6-2 Fr.: 6.0p, 3.3r in 17.3 minutes last three games
• Caroline Doty, G, 5-10 Sr.: 5.0p, 4.5a last two games
• Moriah Jefferson, G, 5-7 Fr.: 10.0p (9-of-10 FG), 2.5r, 2.5s in 21.5 minutes last two games
• Kiah Stokes, C, 6-3 Soph.: 6.0p, 5.8r in 16.5 minutes last four games

RUTGERS

• Monique Oliver, F/C, 6-2 Sr.: 11.5p, 5.0r last four games
• Erica Wheeler, G, 5-7 Sr.: 8.8p, 2.8r, 2.2a, 3.4s last five games
• Betnijah Laney, G/F, 6-0 Soph.: 11.8p (24-of-64 FG), 4.2r, 2.2a last five games
• Chelsey Lee, F, 6-2 Sr.: 5.5p (11-of-35 FG), 5.8r last eight games
• Kahleah Copper, G, 6-1 Fr.: 6.3p, 2.3r last three games
• Shakena Richardson, G, 5-4 Soph.: 10.3p, 6.0r, 5.0a, 2.0s last three games
• Syessence Davis, G, 5-7 Soph.: 5.0p, 5.5r last four games
• Rachel Hollivay, F, 6-4 Fr.: Season-high 12p at DePaul Tues.; 11p previous 8 games

STORY LINES
ONE-SIDED: At one time this was the marquee match-up in the Big East. The Scarlet Knights actually won four of six from Feb. 7, 2006 through Feb. 5, 2008. However, the Huskies have won nine straight games and Rutgers has averaged 46.2 points in this span.
CHASING A MILESTONE: Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer will be making her second attempt to become the fourth Division I women’s basketball coach to reach 900 wins — Pat Summitt (1,098), Sylvia Hatchell (902) and Jody Conradt (900). Stringer is 899-327 in 42 seasons.
STRUGGLES: The Scarlet Knights are ranked 262nd out of 343 teams nationally in scoring (57.4) and 302nd in turnovers (20.0). Meanwhile, the Huskies are ranked No.1 in scoring defense (46.9) and are forcing 20.0 turnovers per game.

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UConn coach Geno Auriemma and Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer will square off today in a battle of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees. Auriemma was in 2006. Stringer was inducted in 2009.

Auriemma has dominated the match-ups against fellow Naismith Hall of Fame coaches throughout his career, posting a combined 65-27 (.707) record.

Here is a coach-by-coach look at how Auriemma has fared over the years …

Stringer (Iowa/Rutgers) 29-8

Pat Summitt (Tennessee) 13-9

Tara VanDerveer (Stanford) 8-6

Kay Yow (North Carolina State) 6-2

Leon Barmore (Louisiana Tech) 5-2

Jody Conradt (Texas) 3-0

Sue Gunter (LSU) 1-0

Auriemma is also 2-0 against Seton Hall coach Anne Donovan, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1995.

Rich