STORRS — Barbara Turner doesn't need UConn coach Geno Auriemma to remind her that the Huskies' streak of 11 straight Big East regular-season championships ended last season. She doesn't need to be reminded that Rutgers was the team that displaced them at the top or that a loss to the Scarlet Knights last February triggered UConn's decline.

Turner is taking things rather personally right now. And it doesn't get any more personal than being associated with failure at UConn. With this in mind, Turner and the fourth-ranked Huskies will look to take a firm step toward regaining the regular-season championship tonight when they host No. 8 Rutgers at Gampel Pavilion (8, CPTV, CSTV).

Sole possession of first place will be at stake as the lone remaining unbeaten teams in the Big East clash for the 21st time. Lately, the hype surrounding each game seems to intensify in the conference's fiercest rivalry.

"He always reminds us of things like that," Turner said. "It's something that's in the past, but it's something that is definitely in the back of our minds because it hadn't happened in 11 years. Obviously, you don't want to be a part of that kind of history. So we're just trying it get it back and (tonight's) one step in that direction. We need to go out and play like our title is on the line."

Tonight will mark the first meeting between the teams since UConn's 67-51 victory in the Big East tournament final March 8, 2005, at the Hartford Civic Center. In

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the moments following the final buzzer, Rutgers All-American Cappie Pondexter repeatedly jammed her index finger into the chest of UConn coach Geno Auriemma and the two exchanged words.

The matter finally received closure last week when Rutgers athletic director Bob Mulcahy issued an apology to Auriemma and UConn. But don't believe for a second that there isn't any lingering animosity between the teams.

Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer said during a conference call Monday that a victory tonight would be substantial for the Scarlet Knights.

"I think that because Connecticut represents national champions, people should not get confused about what Connecticut is," Stringer said. "Connecticut is a national power. They have been defending national champions. What makes Connecticut great is because they represent such greatness and accomplishment. So (a win) would say a lot."

UConn (21-2, 10-0) has won a season-high nine straight games and leads the overall series 18-2. It also is 11-0 at home against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights (17-3, 9-0 Big East) have won five straight games overall and 17 straight Big East regular season games.

The challenge for the Huskies tonight will be solving the Scarlet Knights' vaunted pressure as well as finding a way to neutralize Pondexter. She is second in the nation in scoring (22.4) and is shooting 52.1 percent from the field.

Pondexter has scored at least 20 points in five straight games.

It will be the second time in five games the Huskies have faced one of the nation's top scorers. Mel Thomas and Nicole Wolff combined to limit South Florida junior Jessica Dickson, the nation's leading scorer, to a career-low six points in 31 minutes Jan. 24.

"If we play as well as we're capable of playing, we're going to win (tonight) regardless of what Rutgers does," Auriemma said. "If we don't play our 'A' or to the best of our ability, then there's a pretty good chance that if Rutgers plays well we're going to lose. And that's the way it should be when you play against a really good team. But, you know what? We're home. We're in our building. And the expectation level is we're going to win. That's the bottom line."