Bruins Tackle No. 1 UConn

The schedule says today’s UCLA-Connecticut women’s matchup is the only one this season, but it’s not true. Connecticut is actually up, 1-0.

The first battle ended Nov. 15, the day Chino prep star Diana Taurasi signed a letter of intent to enroll at Connecticut.

Taurasi, considered the nation’s best point guard, was a player UCLA felt confident it had wrapped up, and the announcement that she had picked Connecticut was a stunner.

Whatever, UCLA, 5-3 and fresh from a 72-46 thumping at Rutgers on Tuesday, strives today for redemption against the top-ranked Huskies (7-0).

The Bruins have now come up well short against three ranked teams: Rutgers, Tennessee and Louisiana Tech. Senior center Maylana Martin was asked if her team has lost confidence.

“I can’t speak for the rest of the team, but all it means to me is that we just have play harder,” she said. “In basketball, there’s always another chance.”

Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma was asked after practice Wednesday about last year’s Connecticut-UCLA game at Pauley Pavilion, won by the Huskies, 113-102.

“The scary part about that was Martin only had eight points,” he said. “We scored 60 points by halftime and only had a six-point lead. This is my 15th year here and that’s the only time anyone ever got 100 against me. We’ve gone whole weeks and not given up 100.”

UCLA Coach Kathy Olivier will make a game-time decision on whether to play backup center Carly Funicello, out three games because of a foot injury.