Oh, those precocious freshmen.

No longer is it true that the best thing about freshmen is they'll one day be sophomores. Freshmen step into college basketball programs now prepared -- and in many cases expecting -- to play right away.

	UConn's Kennitra Johnson was the MVP for the Red team in 1999.

Rookies are having a major impact with several teams this season, including three of the nation's top programs -- No. 1 Connecticut, No. 2 Tennessee and No. 7 Texas Tech.

Kennitra Johnson, a 5-foot-7 guard from New Albany, Ind., has added speed and outside shooting to Connecticut's backcourt. She's averaging 10.5 points game after scoring 17 and making all five of her 3-point shots in a 106-64 rout of sixth-ranked UCLA.

Johnson also had 17 points against Old Dominion and scored 18 against Illinois, a game in which she went 4-for-4 on 3-pointers in the second half.

"She's pretty much always under control," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "She's got it all together."

Tennessee is getting a similar lift on the perimeter from 5-9 Kara Lawson, who leads the Lady Vols in 3-point baskets and is the team's third-leading scorer with a 14.1 average. Another Tennessee freshman, 6-2 Gwen Jackson, is averaging 7.4 points and 5.2 rebounds while playing 19 minutes per game.

Freshmen April McDivitt and Tasheika Morris also are seeing action for the Lady Vols.

"I felt that they could contribute during the year," coach Pat Summitt said of her freshmen. "But it was a surprise how soon they made an impact."

Texas Tech coach Marsha Sharp expected big things from 6-1 freshman Plenette Pierson, and the young center has delivered. Pierson leads the unbeaten Lady Raiders with a 14.6 scoring average, is second in rebounding (7.5) and is shooting 57 percent.

Alicia Ratay, a highly touted prospect from Lake Zurich, Ill., has stepped right in at No. 12 Notre Dame. Ratay, a 5-7 guard, leads the Irish in scoring (16.5) and is shooting 51 percent. She scored 32 points against No. 10 North Carolina and had 27, including five 3-pointers, against Florida International.

There are many other first-year players making a splash.

LaToya Thomas of No. 21 Mississippi State leads the Southeastern Conference in scoring (21.4), Beth Friday of Duquesne leads the Atlantic 10 in rebounding, and Dee Cummings of Providence leads the Big East in assists. Virginia's Schuye LaRue and North Carolina State's Kaayla Chones rank 1-2 in the ACC in field goal percentage.

Nicole Kaczmarski has started every game for UCLA after scoring 2,583 points during her high school career on Long Island.