UnNamed

PITTSBURGH � Not much really bothers Connecticut�s Diana Taurasi.

Not the fact she didn�t make a single 3-pointer during warm-ups Saturday.

Not the fact that her coach, Geno Auriemma, who rides her hard to begin with, hounded her at an all-time high this week for struggling in practice.
Not the fact that in her last game she was just 2 of 14 in her last game against Colorado State, including missing all seven of her 3-point attempts.

No, the confident, outgoing, free-spirited freshman from California just keeps on playing and keeps on shooting. And usually keeps on scoring.

"The biggest thing you can say about Diana that you can�t say about a lot of kids is that she�s not afraid to miss," Auriemma said. "Some kids won�t take shots because they�re afraid it won�t go in. Diana�s not afraid of anything."

Against North Carolina State Saturday, Taurasi wasn�t missing much. She tied an NCAA East Regional semifinal record and set a UConn postseason mark with six 3-pointers and tied her career high with 24 points, helping propel the Huskies to a 72-58 win at Mellon Arena.

"I was feeling really confident," Taurasi said. "Everyone was telling me that this was going to be my game. I was a little uptight in the Colorado State game."

Taurasi, despite having a poor week of practice according to both her and Auriemma, made her first five 3-pointers and scored 19 points in the first half.

She was 8 of 13 from the field, including 6 of 8 from 3-point range, and made both of her free throws.

"Generally speaking, Diana only likes to play," Auriemma said. "She doesn�t like going to practice, working on things, paying attention. She thinks she already knows it all and for the most part she does. But for some reason, when the game starts, she just plays great. Ninety-nine out of 100 times she�s going to play great because she is unaffected by what�s going on in the game."

That can sometimes get her in trouble with Auriemma, especially when she drifts in practice.

"He just wants me to be there mentally all the time. Sometimes I wander off and I can�t get it back. But with his help," Taurasi said, pausing and giggling, "it�s been easier. A couple of screams from him, a get off the sidelines, or just go home, those kind of help. You get it back quick. You just have to take what he says and realize why he�s saying it." This isn�t the first time she has responded following a poor performance. After being held scoreless for the only time this season, against Syracuse, she came back with a 24-point game in a 92-88 loss to Tennessee, almost willing the Huskies to a win.

Ironically, that was after Svetlana Abrosimova, another of Auriemma�s favorite players and targets, went down with a season-ending injury.

"Diana�s not as vain as Svet," Auriemma joked. "Svet is so vain it�s unbelievable. Everything has to look perfect. Diana�s just more of a goof. But their style of play is so similar. You close your eyes and watch them play in your mind, you see the same player."

Earlier this season, Taurasi also reminded Auriemma of one of his other favorites.

"The only other player I�ve had who walked into practice as a freshman like she had been there for the past three years was Jen Rizzotti," he said.

"I think he picks on one freshman every year," Taurasi said. "I guess I just got the title.

But I love it. It would be worse if you went to any program and no matter what you did it was right.

When you come here, you�re challenged every day."