Before the season started, Geno Auriemma wasn't shy about his expectations for sophomore point guard Sue Bird, who played in just eight games last season because of an injury.

	In her past two games, UConn's Shea Ralph is a combined 16-for-17 from the field.

"Whatever Sue does, that's what we're going to have to live with," the Connecticut Huskies coach said. "If she has a great year, we have a chance to be a great team."

So far, that's just what top-ranked Connecticut has been, going undefeated (4-0) through Monday while averaging 87.8 points and beating opponents by an average of 30.

But for as much as Bird's presence has paid off for Connecticut, the benefits of having a true point guard on the floor also has paid off for Shea Ralph, the Huskies' emotional leader.

In two recent blowouts, a 109-66 win over Old Dominion on Friday and a 101-58 victory over Pepperdine on Sunday, Ralph combined for a 16-for-17 shooting performance from the field. Most of Ralph's baskets came on layups or short bank shots off the break. And instead of worrying about running the offense this season, Ralph now just needs to focus on running down the floor.

"Svetlana Abrosimova and I were called upon at different times to play the point (last season)," said Ralph, a 6-foot guard/forward. "That was putting us out of our element. As much as we needed it, Svet and I aren't point guards."

But Bird is, and after UConn's win over Pepperdine, Auriemma said this year's backcourt has allowed Ralph and Abrosimova, a 6-2 junior forward and preseason All-American, to find their comfort zone.

"Having Sue and K.J. (Kennitra Johnson) back there, Shea and Svet are loving life," Auriemma said. "All they've got to do is run down the floor, catch it and do something with it."

Added Ralph: "We sprint up the floor as soon as the ball comes off and know Sue's going to make a great pass."

On the season, Ralph is shooting 69.4 percent (25 of 36 attempts) and is averaging 19.3 points, up considerably from her 16.8 points in 1998-99. As a team, the Huskies have assists on 58.9 percent of their baskets, including 27 assists on 45 field goals against Old Dominion.

And Bird? The 5-9 guard is tied for third on the team in scoring with 10.8 ppg and is leading the team in assists with 24. Bird dished a career-high 10 assists against ODU, and in the last two games, has had 17 assists and only four turnovers.

"They didn't have Sue Bird last year," Old Dominion coach Wendy Larry told the Hartford Courant after the Huskies thumped the Lady Monarchs on Sunday. "I think her leadership will take this team far."

The week that was ...
While Kentucky came to play against Connecticut in a first-round game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Challenge, last week's top game was then-No. 15 Illinois' 77-67 victory over then-No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday. Illinois, coming off a good run in the Preseason WNIT, got 28 points from sophomore guard Allison Curtin, who went 7-for-12 from the field and 14-for-18 from the charity stripe as the Illini improved to 5-1.

Illinois jumped to No. 13 in this week's ESPN/USA Today poll and to No. 10 in the AP Top 25.

... And the week ahead
Louisiana State at Georgia, Thursday: The Bulldogs' Miller twins host Detrina White (13.1 ppg in '99) in an SEC opener for both teams.
Purdue at Tennessee, Thursday: The defending NCAA champions look to extend their 36-game winning streak.
Penn State vs. Connecticut, Sunday (1 p.m. ET, ESPN): First game of the Honda Elite 4 Classic in Orlando, Fla., pits one of the best teams in the Big Ten against the top team in the country.
UCLA vs. Louisiana Tech, Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2): Two of the game's top coaches take their teams to Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.