Connecticut beat New York handily. The Sun's season opener showed inventive interior play from Taj, Margo and Asjha, a string of treys from Nyeksha Sales, and (for the first time ever) a deep bench.

Coach Thibault: "What we were trying to do with our bench we were able to get done tonight." The home team led by double digits for most of the game, and tallied 24 assists to the Lib's ten.

Lindsay started but got limited minutes: Thibault puts her around 80%. Lindsay: "I've just got to get my conditioning up. It just felt good to be out there playing and running up and down the floor and contributing."

New guard Erin Phillips is for real. She's fast, she can shoot, and she looks a bit like Katee Sackhoff. Phillips and Laura Summerton have Aussie chemistry; Summerton might develop into a nice backup for Taj.

Megan Mahoney-- the K-State guard who sat out last season with a torn ACL-- is also for real (9 points in 13 minutes on 4-6 shooting): Thibault uses her as an off-guard alongside Phillips or Carey.

As for the new-look Lib, they focused on defense (they pressed for much of the game): why else would you start Ashley Battle? Sherill Baker is the new, speedier Debbie Black. Becky Hammon hasn't changed. Kraayeveld is a genuine threat (as are her elbows).

But Schumacher and Farris looked out of it, even bored. And the Lib's offensive sets have yet to jell: the score would look even worse for them if not for a late-game parade to the free-throw line.