Big names, big games

Before this season, freshman Breanne Watson had not played before more than 100 people.

Richmond, British Columbia, is not a hotbed of women's basketball fervor, and when Watson looks up at the Husky faithful who make the trek to The Bank en masse, it makes her better.

"Just to hear people cheer when you score or make a great play makes you pumped up," Watson said after her first two career home games. "It motivates us to show the crowd what they are cheering for."

The change in fan support is dramatic: Watson came to a program on the verge of greatness from a high school that she said, "wasn't very good."

"You might have 10 people out there, and half of them are related to you," Watson said, cracking a smile.

Being a freshman is about transitioning, and when the Huskies take on Notre Dame (2-3) at 1 p.m. Sunday before a national couch potato audience, it will mark the extent of their transition.

In college sports success creeps into the schedule years down the road. Prestigious powerhouses like the Fighting Irish, who won the whole shebang in 2001, were added to the Husky to-do list after UW's Elite Eight run in the same year.

"It is important that we prove to ourselves we are good enough to fight for the titles, be ranked and show we can hang with national programs," said freshman guard Cameo Hicks.

These early season tests are part of a maturation process. In past seasons Washington has been a roller-coaster team rather than a gradually improving entity focused on postseason glory.

Times have changed.

"When you schedule teams like Notre Dame and Texas Tech (in Seattle Dec. 19), win or lose, we are going to know that we're playing the best basketball we can," said senior Andrea Lalum.

The name and mystique of the program is not cause for Lalum to chew nails, though.

"The name Notre Dame doesn't scare me, I never really looked at colleges like that when I was younger," the Big Sky native explained. "Notre Dame and Lipscomb are one in the same to me. They have a lot of great players and so do we."

Washington is 4-0 for the first time since 1997-98; it has won a sweet 16 straight in Seattle and although it took a while, players are now aware of what they call "the streak."

"Last year I didn't even know we were undefeated at home," Lalum said of the flawless home-court record. "Now that people make an issue out of it, it is added pressure, but I think we take it more as a pride effort."

Pride in playing for the "W" on the jersey is a motivating factor. It is why the Huskies defend their home court like Detriot's Ben Wallace defends the key. Sunday is also an opportunity for coach June Daugherty to pick up her 250th career win, which can add to the pressure heaped upon the Huskies.

The Irish don't appear strong from a distance, but their three losses came at the hands of Colorado, Michigan State and Tennessee, all three of which are on slouches. The Huskies can add their name to that very short and prestigious list Sunday by beating a big name -- Notre Dame.