Let's talk about Kaili McLaren's game against Cincy.

Her 10 points and 10 rebounds wouldn't have made a difference in the outcome, but I do think it should be worth watching what she does against UNC tomorrow. She's played well in her last two games and maybe she's gotten some fire lit under her. The Huskies could use another post presence, being that Brittany Hunter doesn't know when she'll play again, Charde Houston has stunk for three months and Tina Charles lacks aggression. If you watched Saturday's game and didn't know the players' histories, you would think Kaili was starting and was more likely to have been the high school player of the year two years ago, not Charles.

Before someone says Charles had eight and eight, keep in mind that almost all of it came in the final four or five minutes against a tired Bearcats team that has no depth and the game was already decided.

Against North Carolina, UConn will need everyone to stave off a loss. The Tar Heels are about as deep a team as there is and Erlana Larkins is a beats in the paint.

I asked McLaren after the game if she was trying to send a message or if she was disappointed in not being named starter over Houston and she said she wasn't. The only message was that everyone needed to step up and she wanted coach Geno Auriemma and her teammates to know they can count on her.