Huskies standing tall in the paint, ready to dominate

Supersonics small forward Desmond Mason visited the Husky women's basketball team Monday to see retired guard Kayla Burt. The two played a game of Horse with cameras videotaping every shot -- Kayla won, and with only an H-O on her side.

It seems no Husky can lose on the main floor of Hec Ed.

While Kayla defeated a NBA star, the team has made work of all nine opponents to enter their domain this season. Two hungry opponents are on the slate for this weekend, beginning with USC (4-5 Pac-10, 9-11 overall) at 7 tonight.

"It's a good rivalry, they bring out the best in us and we bring out the best in them," said junior point guard Gioconda Mendiola.

Like the movie The Usual Suspects, these two teams produce memorable endings.

Four of the past seven matchups have gone to overtime. On Jan. 5 the Huskies, ranked 25th in the AP at 7-2 in conference and 15-3 overall, squeaked out an 83-81 win down in Inglewood. Giuliana Mendiola's smooth stroke from 15 feet out ended it with 2.5 seconds remaining.

The Trojans have to be steaming by now.

"It's one of those games that is all-out war," Mendiola added.

Unlike the meeting earlier this season, Washington has a full arsenal. USC's junior center Ebony Hoffman, who averages 9.8 rebounds a game, will see four Husky bodies and four styles of play.

Sophomore Sarah Keeler is the traditional center, junior Andrea Lalum can bring Hoffman outside with her outside shooting, senior Kellie Dalan is a bruiser and senior Emily Autrey is the speedster.

The group totaled 44 points, and used its depth to stay out of foul trouble in the win over Oregon State.

"For the first time in a long time, we had a lot of people in the post-guard split (a practice drill). We wondered, 'What is this?' It's great," Autrey said. "Playing the post takes the energy out of you, because you are always getting hit. But, with a deep bench, you can get a lot of subs in the game."

Dalan is back after missing eight games with a stress fracture, and Autrey has blossomed in the starting role she took over when Dalan was on the shelf. Although she is built like a track sprinter, what she lacks in size is made up in speed.

"I did win two 100-meter championships (at Kamiakin High School), so I'm used to having to sprint distances and run by people," Autrey said with a hint of sarcasm.

Depth has returned at the core of the team. The area that is so crucial to winning tough games late in the season? Size. It's not the most glamorous spot on the court, but the Huskies are using four unique posts and complementing each other well.

"Having Kellie back is a huge boost because of her rebounding," Gioconda Mendiola said. "She gets physical down there; and just in case a post gets in foul trouble, she can step in. Kellie was a starter, so it's like having another starter out there anyways."

Redshirt freshman forward Jill Bell will add to this mix next year -- she can grab the rim jumping off two feet.

Dramatic improvements in team defense have stifled opponents -- OSU scored 56 against the zone pressure. Assistant coach Mike Daugherty said the only thing they can give up is a ball-side three-point shot during a game walk through yesterday.

But with the trapping and hustle, "they will have to find the shooters," Mike Daugherty said.

Saturday at 1 p.m., UCLA takes the court in front of a crowd that is sure to top 6,000. The Bruins are 6-3 in conference (11-7 overall) and gave the Huskies one of their two Pac-10 losses in Westwood.

The Huskies feel they are a different team now.

"Down there, they caught us at a good time I mean, we flew on game day and had to get up at 5 in the morning," Autrey said. "We're re-energized, emotionally stable and ready to show them we are back to the normal Huskies."

"Plus we have the home crowd -- 6,000 fans, you know," Mendiola said.