UConn Huskies women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma as well as seniors Stefanie Dolson and Bria Hartley met with the media on Friday in anticipation of UConn’s matchup with BYU in the Sweet 16 on Saturday afternoon.

Geno Auriemma, UConn Head Coach:
Opening Statement

“I was just saying at this time of the year you are just excited to be playing anywhere. There is only 16 teams left, so anytime you are fortunate enough to be in that 16 you have a lot of excitement on the team—coaching staff. We are in a new place for us, we have been to a lot of places but we have never been here in this arena. I am anxious to see what it looks like, tomorrow afternoon, we have heard so many great things about the fans here and the support Nebraska women’s team gets. It is an interesting bracket, not what everybody expected it to be. Sometimes that is good, we are anxious to get started.”

On being unbeaten, and what are UConn’s weaknesses

“I would try to get the coach to act like a dummy and get thrown out. There are weaknesses that every team has, there are things that every team does that really-really good. There are things that every team does that you can take advantage of. We are certainly no different from any other team in that aspect, the key is in every game can you take advantage of those weaknesses and can you sustain that for 40 minutes. What team can make the adjustment quicker? Our team and our staff we all know what our weaknesses are, but my job is to make sure the other teams don’t know what they are. But, I am sure Jeff and Doug and Gary Blair are all worried about the weaknesses on their own team like we all are.”

On the ability of the team to stay level

“I like to equate it to having children, if you have more than one, you know the first one you are over the top with everything. Everything has to be just right, 24/7 involved, everything that the little guy or girl does is the biggest thing in the world. Then once the second one comes along, you go—‘yeah I have been there and done that.’ My case, when that third one came along you are like ‘really?’ So what is the big deal, oh she is talking, yeah I have been there and done that. I think it is similar to when you have coached for as long as I have coached. We have coaches at this regional that have coached a long time, I think you have seen it all and you experienced it all. You don’t necessarily get over the top on any one game or any one thing. You don’t allow one game or one play make you feel like that is going to be. There were a lot of times when I was younger that if we played poorly in a half, I was just convinced we were going to play terribly the whole time. Or if the kid got off in the first 10 minutes and then finished lousy, I’d say they don’t have it tonight. As you get older that is not the case. A kid can go 8-8 in the first 10 minutes and then not make a shot the rest of the game. So you tend to view things more big picture, as opposed to what is going on in front of you right now. I think that helps the players too. That is just long way of saying I am too old to give a damn about what is going on out there—and I have no control over it.”

On BYU making it to the Sweet 16, and other 12 seeds making it

“Well just the fact that it has happened so few of times shows how difficult it is. I don’t think it is as difficult as it used to be and I don’t think it is going to be more difficult, I think it will be less difficult for a 12 seed to get to the regionals. Simply because the players are spread out more, there are better players playing at more good places around the country. I think it is good for our game. I think it is good to get some new faces and new excitement around the country. From a playing standpoint, if you ask anyone on our team what seed BYU is, they won’t know. They just know BYU beat Nebraska and you have to play them. So at this time of the year, you don’t get caught up in numbers. Not this year, but the committee has been known to make a mistake here or there on the seeding. So it doesn’t necessarily mean what the number is who you really are as a team.”

On if he is impressed with what BYU has done so far

“Yeah, I have watched a bunch of their tape since the other day and yeah—there are a couple of teams in this region that remind me of teams that I have seen back East in the past 35 years or so. Guys can handle the ball, pass it, shoot it, they spread the ball around and they are not built around one player. There isn’t one focal point where you can take it away and beat them. They are not going to be an easy team to play, let’s put it that way.”

On the challenge of facing a dominant shot blocker

“There are three different ways to be a really good defensive team I think, there is a fourth way but I don’t think that is great. The fourth way is to sit down and play defense every minute of every day and try and stop the other team and I don’t think that works long term. The other way is you steal the ball, and you get a layup. If you can’t do that, they come down and they shoot it, you block their shot. If you can’t do those things, you have to rebound obviously. Anytime you have a good shot blocker, you automatically have a low shooting percentage defense. People are not getting great shots, every shot it difficult relative to a layup. So having that one player in there, like we had Kara Wolters it was similar. It gives all the other players a chance to take risks. Do some things that maybe don’t look like they are successful. If you surround her that have basketball skills, you have a really good team.”

On Nebraska not making it to Sweet 16

“There are a couple of things that go into the NCAA Tournament that I am not particularly fond of. One is home games. People don’t understand the pressure that players and coaches are under to win home games. So when you play at home, you are expected to win. It has been my experience that when two really good teams in the NCAA Tournament play, and one of the teams is at home, it is one of the most difficult games to win in postseason play. The next thing is, when you know you are going to be home, and you have to win a game to get there, and the pressure you put on yourself to get back home. Then everyone is disappointed when it doesn’t happen. I can certainly understand the coaches and players at Nebraska, all the hype and all the buildup was well that is why we gave you the regional, the chance to play at home, 9000 or 10000 people there and you are playing the No. 1 team in the country. Don’t think that doesn’t play with people’s minds or emotions. It is a shame, I feel for them, but BYU deserves to be here. If they didn’t deserve to be here, they would not be here.”

On Breanna Stewart

“We take it for granted, for somebody like Kevin Durant does the things he does. If 25 years ago somebody did that, it would be like oh my god, there is a seven foot guy that can do all that. So we have come to grips with that. On the women’s side, we have six foot guards and forwards that can shoot the lights out, can handle the ball and pass the ball. We have had six foot four or five players that were really great post players. That could maybe make a 15 foot jump shot. I don’t know if the game has seen anyone that is 6-4 and can take the ball from one end to the
court to the other and run past most guards. Can block your shot when we come down on defense. Can score in the post and take your 6-7 post player and take them out and shoot a three and be comfortable making four or five. Not to mention she is a great passer. What most people don’t see in Breanna is how well she passes the ball to other people. It is a little known fact that we probably use our two best shooters, Kaleena and Breanna they probably complete more tough passes than anybody else on our team. Whenever we have something difficult we have to execute, those two guys are the two making those plays.”

UConn Players: Stefanie Dolson and Bria Hartley

On their approach to tournament games being a focus on the opponent or on their own game:

Hartley: “I think we go out there and we really focus on what we do. What we do offensively, what we do defensively. So we just go out there and look at our scout and look at the gameplan that the coaches give us and just focus on what we’re going to do, how we’re going to disrupt them offensively and then how we’re going to get into our flow on our offense, as well.”

On if it surprises Stefanie Dolson how they’ve won every game of the season so soundly:

Dolson: “Does it surprise me? Not necessarily. We work so hard and it starts with preseason and offseason. We all work on our individual skills and then, once we get together as a team, Coach (Geno Auriemma) makes practice so hard, so we’re always challenged everyday and, for us, we know going into a game that we’re going to strive to play our best. And I can’t say that doesn’t surprise me. There are a lot of great teams in this country and I think we just do such a great job of pressuring them and making it hard for them to score, and then we have so many offensive threats that I think we do a great job of finding each other and putting the ball in the basket.”

On if the coaches have mentioned not counting BYU out:

Dolson: “I think he (Auriemma) does that with every team we play. We always say you don’t look at what’s on the front of their jersey or what their ranking is. Going out there, it’s the tournament. Every team is going to play their best and you know that if you lose, you go home, so we don’t look at what their ranked or what their season was like. We just go out there and play as hard as we can and focus on our game and not the team we’re playing.”

On if they have ever been to Nebraska and their thoughts on Lincoln so far:

Hartley: “I haven’t been able to see the court or anything, but from the outside, it looks like a really nice arena and how big it is. I’ve never been to Nebraska, never thought I would be, but I think that’s basketball. It’s kind of cool the places that basketball has been able to take me.”

Dolson: “I agree, I’ve never been to Nebraska. I’m not even sure what’s around here, state-wise, so I could be close. I’m geographically-challenged so I don’t know. But I’m excited, hopefully CD (Associate Head Coach Chris Dailey) will bring us around to explore. And like Bria, I haven’t seen the court yet, so I’m excited, and the arena looks great from the outside. It’s going to be interesting.”

On if Stefanie Dolson has played anyone like BYU’s Jennifer Hamson and on their upcoming matchup:

Dolson: “Definitely not this season. She’s extremely tall and is going to change a lot of shots and probably block a lot of shots, but I think for us, it’s almost the same thing about them not being intimidated by us, we have to make sure we’re not intimidated by her size. We have to make sure that we keep attacking her, and for me, setting a lot of ball screens and bring her out of the paint so that our guards can drive it in there. It’s definitely a new look for us this year. We haven’t played anyone her size. I don’t even think anyone close. So it’ll be a fun game. I think we’re going to have a great practice today and we’re excited for tomorrow.”

On their thoughts on not playing the host team this round:

Dolson: “Honestly, I haven’t really thought about that. This tournament, anything can happen, so we didn’t expect anyone to get to the round, we didn’t know what was going to happen. Obviously not playing the home team is a little bit more of an advantage, but BYU probably feels the same way. Well, not that they were going to play here, but anyway. We have great fans, so we knew wherever we went that they would follow us and come and support us. Whoever we’re playing, it doesn’t matter to us. We’ve played enough away games that we’re ready for it.”

On how Bria Hartley and the rest of UConn’s guards will stop BYU from hurting them from three-point range:

Hartley: “I think we have a focus in practice on containing penetration, keeping them from getting in the lane and kicking it out. Number 21 on their team (Lexi Eaton), she’s kind of their engine that makes them go, and I think we just want to disrupt their offense and go out there and make it tough for them to get into a flow. That’s what we try to do when we play a lot of teams and especially with their best players, keeping the ball out of their hands, and maybe getting them a little frustrated out there and make it really hard for them to score.”

Locker Room Quotes

Moriah Jefferson, UCONN Guard:

On being in a good groove right now…

“That just comes from the team. When we’re all playing good together, that helps me out a lot.”

On the team’s sharing of the ball…

“We don’t have any selfish players on this team. We just want to move the ball and when people are open, knock down the shots.”

On playing against 6’7” Jennifer Hamson

“I think we’ll prepare well, and we’ll be ready for it in the game.”

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, UCONN Guard/Forward:

On the challenges of facing 6’7” Jennifer Hamson

“I think the challenge is just to keep her off the glass and make her uncomfortable. We want to keep her outside of the paint as much as possible, and if she does get it, we want to make her pass it out.”

On the benefits of having so much experience…

“We’ve been here, and we’re a little more used to this. We’re not as nervous as they are. They’re excited and nervous. We both have a lot riding on this, but because we’ve been in this position before, we’re prepared and know how to approach it.”

On where the team has improved the most this season…

“Our ability to work together and play to our strengths has got so much better throughout the year. The fact that we can play on a consistent level with the same consistency has improved also.”

Breanna Stewart, UCONN Forward:

On the challenge of facing a team with a 6’7” player…

“That’s going to be a challenge for us just because it’s not something that we’ve seen very often. We’re going to accept the challenge and perform well.”

On the pressures of playing at UCONN…

“When you come to Connecticut, you know that they’re in such a spotlight. We have pressure each day of the season, because we’re UCONN. Being able to adjust to that and learn from that in your freshman and sophomore years is helpful, and you become comfortable with it.”

On being in the spotlight…

“The coaches always do a good job in making sure that we’re always respectful, doing the right thing and being good role models.

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quotes courtesy of UConn

photo credit: cloe poisson – hartford courant

With manager John Farrell announcing that Grady Sizemore had won the starting center field job for the Boston Red Sox, the team optioned Jackie Bradley Jr. to Triple A Pawtucket.

Here’s the release:

FORT MYERS, FL – Prior to today’s game against the Twins, the Boston Red Sox made the following roster move:

Outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington made the announcement.

With the move, the Red Sox now have 32 players in big league camp, including 27 active players from the 40-man roster, five non-roster invitees, and two players on the disabled list.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

It’s game day for the UConn Huskies men’s basketball team as they get set to clash with the Iowa State Cyclones in the Sweet 16 at Madison Square Garden. Tip is scheduled for 7:27 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on TBS. You can also catch the game on your smartphone or tablet on the March Madness app. If you can’t watch the game and live locally in Connecticut, you can always listen to Joe D. and Wayne Norman on the UConn IMG Radio Network.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Men’s Basketball links

UConn Men’s 2014 Sweet 16 Pregame Quotes [sox & dawgs]

Video: UConn Men In The City – Practice Day [sox & dawgs]

The Origin of ‘Onions,’ Kevin Ollie’s ‘Guarantee,’ And Other TBS Tales [dom amore – hartford courant]

UConn-Iowa State At Madison Square Garden: The Talking Is Done, It’s Time For The Main Event [dom amore – hartford courant]

Omar Calhoun: “Coach Ollie Knows What Kind of Player I Am” [david borges – new haven register]

UConn preparing for Garden party (video) [gavin keefe – the day]

Huskies get acquainted with MSG [william paxton – ct post]

A look at the Huskies’ practice at MSG [william paxton – ct post]

Ollie on Hoiberg, Hoiberg on Ollie [john silver – snyuconn.com]

Huskies Hold Two Practices On Thursday [uconnhuskies.com]

The Road to MSG: UConn and SMU Storm New York City [the american]

UConn looks to MSG crowd as its sixth man [ct post]

UConn’s 3 keys vs. Iowa State [ct post]

UConn men’s notebook: Huskies learned from Kemba [ct post]

Ollie, Hoiberg take different paths to coaching success [ct post]

Ollie, Hoiberg Run Similar Offenses All The Way To Sweet 16 [hartford courant]

Handle With Care: Shabazz Among UConn’s Greatest Guards [hartford courant]

Napier Has Seen His Share Of Top-Guard Comparisons [hartford courant]

Anybody Notice What College Team Has Foothold In New York? [hartford courant]

UConn should have ‘sixth man’ in MSG crowd [new haven register]

Struggling Omar Calhoun in New York state of mind [new haven register]

Huskies haven’t skipped a beat yet [the day]

UConn men face Iowa State tonight in Sweet 16 [the day]

Kromah finds new life with the Huskies [the hour]

Sweet 16 Notebook: Friends, not foes, go head-to-head [the hour]

After Avoiding NCAA Tournament Last March, Napier Ready For East Regional at MSG [zagsblog.com]

Iowa State’s Kane Nearly Played for Gonzo at Seton Hall [zagsblog.com]

How Shabazz Napier survived Connecticut’s NCAA tournament ban last season [usa today sports]

Where Shabazz Napier leads, UConn follows [usa today sports]

Iowa State’s DeAndre Kane meets his match in UConn’s Shabazz Napier [usa today sports]

Thunder’s UConn trio enjoying the Huskies postseason run [newsok.com]

Cyclones raising their game in crunch time [the gazette]

University of Connecticut sophomore Omar Calhoun, a former Christ the King standout, returns to NYC for NCAA Sweet 16 [ny daily news]

Even with Calhoun no longer on campus, Huskies struggle in class [ny daily news]

Coaches bring long history to UConn-Iowa State tilt [ny post]

Post hoops seer likes UConn in ‘home’ game [ny post]

Iowa St., UConn stars play down their solo efforts [ny post]

Memories Flood Back as UConn Returns to Madison Square Garden [new york times]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

UConn’s Dolson, Hartley, and Stewart Named As Finalists For 2014 Wade Trophy [sox & dawgs]

For Huskies, 35 is the new 20 [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

Getting To 35 A Regular Occurrence For Huskies [rich elliott – ct post]

EuroCup title for former UConn star [jim fuller – new haven register]

Women’s Hoops Arrives in Nebraska [uconnhuskies.com]

No. 1 UConn Faces BYU in Sweet Sixteen Saturday [uconnhuskies.com]

Opponents dare her to shoot, UConn’s Jefferson makes them pay [ct post]

Despite UConn’s Success, Geno Advocates Parity [hartford courant]

Unselfishness has been cornerstone of UConn women’s program [new haven register]

Geno’s crew storms into Lincoln [lincoln journal star]

For good of NU, Yori hopes UConn draws big crowds [lincoln journal star]

Other UConn related links

Baseball. Home Opener On Tap In Conference Series With Rutgers [uconnhuskies.com]

W. Track. Women’s Track & Field Competes at Raleigh Relays Friday [uconnhuskies.com]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

The Red Sox today unveiled a series of promotions for home games in April and May designed to celebrate championships and attract children and families to Fenway Park.

The club lowered ticket prices $2 to $22 per ticket per game for 13 of the 31 home games in April and May as part of their 2014 “Sox Saver” games. The team will also play nine games that begin at 6:10 p.m. or earlier.

Fans will receive the first in a series of bobbleheads, starting Monday, April 7, with a limited edition David Ortiz figurine presented by Granite City Electric Company before the Red Sox face the Texas Rangers at 7:10 p.m. The month closes with a Dustin Pedroia bobblehead presented by W.B. Mason on Wednesday, April 30, when the Tampa Bay Rays visit.

The club will acknowledge the Boston Marathon tragedy and the city’s inspiring response on Sunday evening, April 20, and will present a traditional Patriots Day game April 21. “Boston” will once again appear on the front of the Red Sox jerseys on Patriots Day, similar to those worn for last year’s Marathon tribute at Fenway Park on April 20, 2013.

While the champions of 2013 will receive their World Series rings at the Home Opener on April 4, fans attending the game against Toronto Tuesday, May 20, will receive commemorative rings presented by Samsung Galaxy modeled after the players’ rings.

The history-making World Champions of 2004 will return on Wednesday, May 28 to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the miraculous season that ended the legendary 86-year drought. Players will be honored on the field before the 7:10 p.m. game against the National League rival Atlanta Braves.

The Red Sox will play a 6:10 p.m. game versus Texas on Tuesday, April 8 and two “after-school specials” that begin at 4:05 p.m., Wednesday, April 9 and Thursday, May 22.

In addition to playing day games Opening Day, which begins at its traditional 2:05 p.m. start, and Patriots Day, with its unique 11:05 a.m. starting time, the club will play at 1:35 p.m. Sunday, April 6; Saturday, April 19; and Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4.

The two April bobblehead nights are the first of three the club will present in 2014. On Tuesday, September 9, fans will receive Pedro Martinez bobbleheads when the Red Sox play the Baltimore Orioles at 7:10 p.m.

Also, for those enjoying group outings, the Red Sox will introduce a variety of “Theme Nights,” honoring various cultures, causes, and careers, including the following: Youth Baseball and Softball Days, First Responders Night, Country Western Night, and Teacher Appreciation Night. A complete list is available on redsox.com/groups.

The full promotional calendar for the entire 2014 season is available at redsox.com/tickets.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

FORT MYERS, FL — Prior to tonight’s game against the Twins, the Boston Red Sox made the following roster moves:

Left-handed pitcher Craig Breslow was placed on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to March 21) with a mild left shoulder strain. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Steven Wright was placed on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to March 21) while recovering from right sports hernia surgery.

The announcements were made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington.

With these moves, the Red Sox now have 33 players in big league camp, including 28 active players from the 40-man roster, five non-roster invitees, and two players on the disabled list.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

STORRS, Conn. – Senior center Stefanie Dolson (Port Jervis, N.Y.), senior guard Bria Hartley (North Babylon, N.Y.) and sophomore forward Breanna Stewart (Syracuse, N.Y.) have been named as finalists for the 2014 Wade Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding Division I women’s basketball player as announced on Thursday.

The candidates were selected by a vote of committee members consisting of leading basketball coaches, journalists and administrators. The committee will select the winner of The Wade Trophy from among the 12 finalists who also are named to the 10-member WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-America Team when it is chosen in April. The winner will be announced during the WBCA Awards Show, which will be held at 6:30 p.m. ET Monday, April . 7

Dolson, the 2013-14 American Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Sportsmanship Award winner, is enjoying a stellar senior campaign, averaging 12.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. The senior ranks 12th on UConn’s all-time scoring list with 1,747 career points and became only the fifth Husky all-time, along with Tina Charles, Maya Moore, Rebecca Lobo, and Jamelle Elliott, to register at least 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds.

Hartley, an American Athletic Conference First Team member, ranks second on the team with 16.5 points per game and now sits in ninth place in UConn scoring history with 1,942 points, including 20 points in the Huskies’ second round win over Saint Joseph’s on Tuesday. The guard became just the third Husky, joining Moore and Diana Taurasi, to register 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists. Earlier this month, Hartley was selected as one of 19 nominees for the James E. Sullivan Award, which honors the nation’s outstanding amateur athlete.

Stewart has been one of the nation’s most prolific players in the 2013-14 season, earning both American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and espnW Player of the Year accolades. The sophomore is averaging a team-high 19.7 points per game and has reached double digits in 27 straight games. Stewart was recently chosen as one of four finalists for the 2014 Naismith Trophy, which is awarded annually to the nation’s top collegiate basketball player.

The Wade Trophy, now in its 37^th year, is named after the late, legendary three-time national champion Delta State University coach, Lily Margaret Wade. This most prestigious award, regarded as “The Heisman of Women’s Basketball”, debuted in 1978 as the first-ever women’s national player of the year award in college basketball.

Moore, a three-time Wade Trophy winner, is the last Husky to receive the accolade in 2010-11. Moore is joined by fellow winners Taurasi  (2002-03), Sue Bird (2001-02), Jennifer Rizzoti (1995-96) and Lobo (1994-95).

The Wade Trophy Finalists are as follows:

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UConn Huskies men’s basketball coach Kevin Ollie, players Shabazz Napier and Niels Giffey met with the media on Thursday in anticipation of their matchup with the Iowa State Cyclones in the Sweet 16 on Friday night.

COACH KEVIN OLLIE:  Great to be back to Madison Square and we’re excited.
THE MODERATOR:  Take questions for Coach.

Q.  Can you talk about your relationship with Fred Hoiberg and how your long career in the NBA helped shape your approach with these athletes?

COACH KEVIN OLLIE:  First of all Fred is a great friend of mine.  We met in high school.  As a matter of fact we were on the same recruiting visit to Arizona.  And both of us didn’t decide to go to Arizona, and he went to Iowa State and I went Connecticut and I think it worked out for both of us.

I had an opportunity to play with him at the Chicago Bulls and just one of the greatest teammates I ever been around.  Personable, would do anything for his teammates and he retired a little earlier than I did, and then he became the general manager‑‑ assistant general manager at Minnesota.  And I was at the end of my career, and he took a chance on a 37‑year‑old point guard.  And he signed me for one year, and I thank him for that, also.
He’s just been a great friend of mine, and he’s doing a wonderful job at his program.  And just with our NBA experience I think we coach the same.  We try to manipulate the defense.  We try to go to different matchups.  I look at him, and when he took the job at Iowa State and just filled in those shoes and just took it to another level.  He’s just a great person and he’s doing a great job with his student‑athletes.  I’m a big fan of Fred’s.

Q.  Talk more about your relationship with Fred.  You guys obviously played together.  You knew each other back since high school.  Does that make it easier to coach against him, tougher?

COACH KEVIN OLLIE:  It always makes it tougher.  You don’t want Fred to lose, but I don’t want UCONN to lose either.  So it’s always tough coaching against one of your great friends.  But at the end of the day we are both competitors, we both love our university, and once we get in those lines, you pretty much don’t have any friends.  And you want your university to come out on top.

But I wish him great success and I know he’s going to have his team prepared, and hopefully I’ll have my team prepared and it will be a great matchup.

Q.  Talk about what it means not only to you and your players, but also to the school and the fans to get a chance to come down here, and play in New York when, let’s be honest, in March we’re not expecting that any more down here in New York.

COACH KEVIN OLLIE:  Yeah, it’s great.  I told the guys, this came full circle.  I know we came down here and played in the 2K Classic and won that Classic.  But to come down here this time and our guys not able to play in the last Big East Tournament that was here last year, it’s all full circle.

It’s all the dedication, the hard work that they did to get our school through them down times when everybody was saying the school and the program was not going to make it.  Those kids dug their heels in and said, yeah, we are going to make it.  And we’re going to be loyal to the program, and you reap the benefits when you do that.

I’ve been telling y’all that for two years.  I’m not going to change.  If it wasn’t Shabazz and it wasn’t for our seniors taking on that pressure of saying, okay, I’m not going to leave.  I’m going to stay here.  I know Coach is retiring.  I know we’re going to a new conference, but “UCONN” is still on our chest, and we’re going to keep believing.  That’s what made it.  And I really appreciate them.  I really appreciate my support staff, my coaches, my AD, my president believing in us that we were going to make it through, and those players did it.

Q.  It might have been Jay Wright last week who said that Shabazz was one of the best head‑faking guards in the country.  Is that something that he’s worked on with you or is that something that he’s sort of brought to this program and sort of just honed over time?

COACH KEVIN OLLIE:  You mean ball‑faking or head‑faking like that (indicating)?

Q.  Sort of both.

COACH KEVIN OLLIE:  Yeah, I don’t know if he’s using that to get of the refs to call a foul or what.  I don’t know what Jay was up to.  I think he’s the best ball faker, but I don’t know about the head‑faking.  I think he gets fouled when he does that.

He’s just a great player.  He’s hard to guard, especially when he’s offensive‑minded and aggressive, because he’s a great facilitator.  He leads our team in assists and he does whatever it takes for us to win.  When I have the ball in his hands at the end of the game or at a crucial time, I couldn’t think of a better guard to do it, because he’s not scared of the moment and he’s not scared to fail, because failure leads to success.  And he’s done a great job for us.
His leadership that you don’t see all the time, because his leadership in practice.  Being on the bench in the Villanova game for 12 minutes in the first half, still cheering his teammates on was absolutely great.
I think all of our players feed off his energy and his leadership.

Q.  The venue, the Sweet 16 would be special if it were in Timbuktu, but how is it distinct?  How is it different that it’s right here?

COACH KEVIN OLLIE:  It’s special.  I can’t say it’s not.  Just playing at Madison Square Garden, the greatest arena alive for basketball, the mecca of basketball, it’s just a great place to play.  And then our fans can come, too.  It’s just a train ride away from Connecticut, and it’s just a great place.  I know there’s going to be a lot of people here cheering for us.

But at the end of the day it’s a basketball game.  So I don’t care if we’re in Memphis playing in our conference tournament, and Memphis got the crowd there, it’s a basketball game and we got to go out there and win our individual battles, and then also play collectively as a group, and understand that we’re playing a great, great team in Iowa State.

And I told the guys, this is expensive.  We paid a lot to get here.  But as we go farther and farther, the stakes rise.

And it’s not all physical; it’s mental.  And we got to have the mental aspect to go out there and play our brand of basketball, don’t get caught up in the crowd, don’t get caught up in what Iowa State is doing; stay in your lane and play your type of basketball.  That’s running, that’s defending, and that’s rebounding.  Hopefully we can do those three aspects on Friday night.

Q.  What kind of problems does Iowa State present you with so many different guys who can score?

COACH KEVIN OLLIE:  I don’t know how long you want me to stay here, I can go through the list.  First is DeAndre Kane.  He’s just a great player.  He puts so much pressure on you.  We have to keep him in front.  He’s also a 6’4″ point guard that Fred puts on the post and posts up a lot.  So we’re going to have to really, really load against him and have him see a lot of jerseys that say “Connecticut”.  It’s going to have to be ten eyes on him at all times.  And I’m not saying Shabazz is guarding him.  Yes, Shabazz is going to guard him.  Niels is going to guard him.  Our whole team is going to try to guard him.  Hopefully we can stop him.

Then I know they’re missing George Niang, but you got the Big‑12 Player of the Year in Ejim.  And he’s a load, a pick‑and‑pop guy, just like DeAndre and Niels, where he can go out in the post, but he’s also can pick out‑‑ he can also pick‑and‑pop on pick‑and‑rolls.

And all their guys seem like they can shoot.  I don’t know if Fred is back there teaching them how to shoot, but they all shoot like Fred.  And when Fred took a shot, I always thought it went in.

So all those guys shoot.  They always catch shot ready and ready to make an impact on the game.  So we’re going to have to really play.  The first key for us is to get back in transition.  First 15 seconds, they score a lot in the first 15 seconds, and if we can guard then, I think it can really help establish our defense in the half court.  But we got to get back in transition.  We’ve got to load, we got to get to the paint, and then we got to run their shooters off the 3‑point line.

Q.  I know you are focused on this but as a former college athlete and college coach now, do you have any reaction to the Northwestern‑‑

COACH KEVIN OLLIE:  No, I don’t really have a lot of reaction to it.  I’m focused on my team, and I know the NCAA is doing a great job.  I know our student‑athletes are doing a great job, and hopefully we can find a common place where we can meet in the middle.  Because we need the NCAA and then we need our student‑athletes to keep doing what they’re doing on the basketball court, but most importantly off the court‑‑ getting good grades and getting their degree.

So I think it’s hopefully a great marriage that can stay together, and hopefully both sides can compromise.

Q.  With both coaches having the NBA experience that they have, to what extent and in what ways can the NBA style be incorporated in the college game?

COACH KEVIN OLLIE:  I mean, you coach for your personnel.  So you’ve got to get personnel that can do certain things.  But the college game is great, and I mean the NBA game is great.  But it’s always different styles, it’s different athletes.  When you go up to the pros, they know how to play basketball.  They have been playing basketball their whole life.  So to put different pro sets in is kind unfair sometimes to the college players, because they haven’t been experienced enough to learn different things and just ad lib a little bit.

So we just try to develop our players, quick hitters, pick‑and‑pop things.  But the college game and pro game is a little different because of the experience.  Them are grown men up there.  They have been playing.  They have been playing their whole life.  So it’s a different type of game, but at the end of the day you got to put the ball in the basket, and hopefully we can do that Friday night.

Q.  Getting back to Napier and Kane, you kind of gave us an idea of what you have to do to guard Kane, what kind of problems do you feel he will present for Shabazz?  And how well do you think Shabazz will sort of rise to the occasion on this stage?

COACH KEVIN OLLIE:  Your first question, we got to get back in transition with him.  They run a lot of drags.  They run a lot of isos for him.  That’s on the post and that’s also at the 3‑point line where they clear the whole side for him and they just let him go one on one.  So it’s just not Shabazz guarding him; my whole team has got to guard him.  We got to be in low position.  We got to be talking and pointing, and then we got to realize that we got a shooter, too.  So once the ball is in the air, once we get it out of his hands, let’s fire back out to their shooters.
The second part of your question, I know Shabazz is ready.  He’s been ready the whole season.  He’s been ready last year when we couldn’t go to the NCAA Tournament.  So he’s not scared of this moment.  He’s not.  That’s not saying he’s going to have this great game.  He’s going to do whatever it takes for us to win.  If that’s rebounding, that’s getting 11 rebounds, if that’s being a facilitator getting 10 assists, that’s what he’s going to do.  If that’s being on the bench cheering his teammates on when Terrence Samuel in there, that’s what he’s going to do.  He’s not scared of this moment and we’re not scared of this moment.  It’s going to be a great game and hopefully we come out on tomorrow.

But it’s not going to be easy.  Any game of this stature, there’s going to be some difficulties.  We’ve got to dig our heels in, we got to get the right stops, we got to play defense.  Because they score in an unbelievable average; average 83 points a game, 19 assists a game.  They’re an offensive juggernaut, and we got to be able to get stops and we got to sustain stops, and we got to stay in the game, no matter what, if we get down or up 10.  We got to stay in the game, and it’s going to be possession by possession.  And the team that can compete and have discipline, is going to be the team that’s going to win.

Q.  Talk about the season that Lasan has had, just in terms of has he exceeded your expectations coming in as a fifth‑year senior, new player joining a new group.  And also what do you think this ride means to him after‑‑ he was playing right around .500 ball around when he was in GW, and now here he is in the Sweet 16?

COACH KEVIN OLLIE:  First of all, Lasan is an incredible young man that’s got a lot of pride.  He’s been great in our locker room, the things under the water line has been great with him, the things that a lot of people don’t see.
For him to be here in his last year, to finally get into the NCAA Tournament, I know he’s taking pride in it.  He wants to keep going further, just like all our other guys do, too, but he’s just been amazing for us.  He’s been kind of my versatile player, where I can stick him in four positions.  He can play the one or he can play a smaller forward.  And he gave me that versatility off the bench, but he also gave me another facilitator, being the third guy off our bench or the third guy that can be a facilitator and lead us in assists behind Shabazz and Boatright.  He really gave me an option where I can manipulate the defense with him.

He’s just been great.  He’s working towards getting his graduate degree and his Master’s Degree, and he’s just going to be a successful person once he leaves Storrs campus.  But hopefully we impacted him in a way that will benefit him in his life after he leaves the Storrs campus, and I know he’s benefited our program a lot.  He’s just been a wonderful man.  He’s full of leadership character.  That’s what we look for.  We look for high character guys, we look for guys that understand teamwork, and the third thing, understands how to cheer for a teammate.  And he does those three things excellent.  He’s fit right in.  That’s what we hope all our student‑athletes do.

THE MODERATOR:  All right.  Thank you, Coach.  We’ll take questions for the student‑athletes now.

Q.  Shabazz, a year ago at this time can you remember specifically what you were doing?  Were you watching the games in your dorm or house or whatever?  What specifically were you doing?  Were you trying to watch the Tournament?  Were you trying to avoid it?  And how much better does it feel that you’re here this year?

SHABAZZ NAPIER:  To be honest, I didn’t watch not one game.  I was more into watching River Monsters, stuff like that.  I didn’t want to watch because I felt like if I did, I would be aggravated or annoyed with it.  But I just really watched certain TV shows, and I didn’t want to watch.

Q.  What other shows were you watching?

SHABAZZ NAPIER:  River Monsters was one of the biggest ones that ‑‑ these guys know, I love fishing.  And I could get the smallest fish, but I think it’s the biggest fish ever.  So just TV shows like that, I just sat and watched.  Discovery Channel shows.

Q.  For either of you:  How do you view the matchup against Kane?  The problems he’s going to present for you and that you will present for him at the other end?  And for Niels, Coach always said that you would be part of many people helping guard Kane.

SHABAZZ NAPIER:  Kane is a great player, but the problem is that everybody‑‑ you know, I think he’s definitely their motor, he gets them going.  That’s what great players do.  I’m pretty sure that if we try our best and try to contain him, which is sometimes difficult, because he’s seen everything.  He’s seen and experienced everything throughout this whole year.  We just got to try our best to contain him, and they shoot a lot of threes and they make a lot of threes.  We got to do a good job of contesting shots, we got to do a good job of rebounding the ball.

And we just got to do a good job overall as a team of controlling the tempo we want.

Melvin Ejim is always going to create a problem because how good he is, Big‑12 Player of the Year, and we just got to do our best with all the guys that they have, and we just got to play our game.

NIELS GIFFEY:  He said it.  You have to contain him, limit his touches as much as you can, and then it’s going to be a team effort.  You can’t focus too much on him because they got such a well‑balanced team and everybody can shoot.  So it’s going to be a team effort, just know your personnel and knowing him and really, really just clogging up the lane to them.

Q.  Shabazz, could you sort of explain how a lot of coaches have said that you’re one of the best ball‑fakers in terms of guards in the country.  Is that something that you’ve always done?  Is that something that you’ve honed since you’ve been here?

SHABAZZ NAPIER:  I think that with my ability to make shots and penetrate and get guys, get other guys going, it makes it easier for me to pump fake and get guys in the air or something like that.

But it’s kind of something that I go to, if I need it.  For example, I learned that from Kemba Walker.  He did the step‑back pump‑fake, got you in the air, got to the foul line.  When you learn something from a great player, and I believe he learned it from A.J. Price.  So when you learn something from a great player, you tend to use it when you need it.

But I’m just, like I said, I have the ability to go to the basket or make a shot.  And when that happens, it’s another threat to give a pump fake, because guys are looking for me to take the shot.

Q.  For both of you:  When Coach Ollie took over, how much of an NBA approach or NBA feel did he introduce into what you guys do?

NIELS GIFFEY:  A lot of the sets we run are really pro sets, a lot of isolation plays, and he is so good at understanding or picking out the guys’ ability and putting it in the right setup and the right place.  So that’s one of the things he did.

Then just continuing Coach Calhoun’s idea of playing hard basketball, playing UCONN basketball, going up and down the floor, and bringing that pro mentality to us, and making us understand that you really, really have to work for it.  And it’s not the guy who is going to be the best scorer all the time who is going to make it to the next level or going to be successful in basketball, you have to be an all‑around player.  You have to kind of be a guy with a lot of traits, and just bringing that mindset to us.

SHABAZZ NAPIER:  Same thing.  I think that Coach, he’s been in the league for a long time, a lot of years.  And his ideas on how to run offense comes from that.  A lot of things come from Coach Calhoun, too.  You just intertwine those two things, and he’s just putting us in great positions to show what we have.  And it’s our job to go out there and execute it, and hopefully we get the job done.

Q.  For both of you:  Learning from in your freshman year with Kemba, and now you have an opportunity to be the lead guard on this team, Connecticut.  You know about the guard tradition.  And you actually spoke about learning from great players.  What did you actually learn that freshman year from Kemba and his wonderful performance?  And does it inspire you or make you think about what the possibilities are for yourself this year?

SHABAZZ NAPIER:  The biggest things I learned from him wasn’t what he did that was on the court, because I don’t think that can never be redone.  I don’t think that we can repeat that or I can repeat that.  A lot of things I learned was the intangibles, his leadership, his character on and off the court, his ability to get guys together and get them going and understand that we’re doing this together, not just one person.

I don’t think I’m able to do what he did.  I just want to do what I’m capable of doing, my ability, and wherever that takes us is where we’re going.  I’m not going to be out there alone having the show.  I get recognized for a lot of things, but at the end of the day the only reason why I’m getting recognized is because of these guys behind me.  These guys that get open, for example, Niels Giffey is one of the best three‑point shooters in the country.  If I didn’t have him on my team, the court will be a little more clogged up.  He gets me open, guys are not going to help off of him.  I can do down the list with a lot of guys.

So it’s not what Shabazz is doing, it’s what everybody’s doing collectively.  That’s why sometimes I’m open for a shot.  I get recognized for a lot of things, but at the end of the day it’s not what ‑‑ I’m not making it happen by myself.  Everybody’s making it happen.  That’s what makes a good team.

NIELS GIFFEY:  To go back to your question about Kemba, I think one of the things that I really learned from him is just the way he made the game easy for us.  It was just like about having fun and going hard every day.  And when I think back to it, it probably wasn’t that fun for him all the time.  It wasn’t easy for him all the time, but he made it look easy to all of us who were freshmen.  And he really was that motor of that team.

Just taking a step back and understanding that he took himself back at times, even though it might not have been easy for him all the time.  He had so much media attention, people.  Three years later and people always talk about him.  And he was still a guy who was the funny guy in the locker room.  He was still tapping people in the head or making jokes and all that type of stuff.  And he just made it easy for us.

So I think at this point we understand that.  We kind of got to do the same thing for the younger guys.  Make it easy for them, make basketball fun, make it a team thing, and just keep everybody involved.  Because that’s what he did and that’s kind of what we’re trying to do.

Q.  Shabazz, how much will it help you to be playing in an arena that you guys are so familiar with, and how excited are you to be playing these games at the Garden?

SHABAZZ NAPIER:  The thing that would help us is our great fan base is coming down and supporting us, like they always do, but it’s going to be a lot more of them.  When we are down and when we’re up, they are still cheering.  They give us the support, they give us that sixth man that we need to push us forward.  When we’re tired, and especially when we are at home games and we’re tired, and they get us going, I don’t think anybody on the court would be tired after that.  Guys are just exerting all their energy that they possibly have and pushing themselves to get the game.  And that’s one of the biggest things that’s going to help us.

At the end of the day we played here a bunch of times, but the court is still the same.  It’s going to be the same for Iowa State.  The hoops are not going to switch when they shoot the ball.  Everything’s going to be the same on the court.

So I think the biggest advantage we have is our fans.  They have been doing it all season long and we so much appreciate them for that.

Q.  For both players:  Coach Ollie always makes a point with us to say how grateful he is that guys didn’t leave.  Guys didn’t transfer when things were rough for Connecticut.  What made you guys stay?

NIELS GIFFEY:  For me personally it was just a decision that I made.  When you think about it, I came in as a freshman and I had this great experience, going through the whole tournament, going through the Big East, and you take all of this positive energy with you, and you have all these great experiences and you kind of just take it in and kind of take it for granted.

But two years later, we are in this situation where everybody ‑‑ it doesn’t look as good as it did the first year.  So for me personally, I just felt like I kind of owed it to the school or I wanted to stay loyal to the school because we had that great experience our freshman year.

So just holding onto that and just keep believing in that group and that core group that we had.

SHABAZZ NAPIER:  Basically the same thing.  I felt that I owed a lot to the university.  My sophomore year I didn’t play the way I was supposed to.  I wasn’t a great leader, and I felt like I owed a lot to the university.  I felt like they stayed loyal to me and I wanted to stay loyal back.  When you have that trust in someone and trust in the university to always have your back, if you run out on them, I don’t think that’s fair.

I grew up with a loyal family and I continue to still have that loyal family with the University of Connecticut.  I think that’s the biggest thing, when you come Connecticut you learn two things:  You learn the brotherhood and you learn how to stay loyal.  And that’s what I’ve learned and I continue to push myself to understand that.

Iowa State Sweet 16 quotes

transcription courtesy of ASAP sports

photo credit: brad horrigan – hartford courant

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Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

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UConn Women’s Basketball links

Video: UConn Women Advance To Sweet 16 [sox & dawgs]

UConn’s Geno Auriemma Named Region 1 Coach of the Year by WBCA [sox & dawgs]

Jefferson the X-factor in Huskies’ title run [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

Notebook: 21st straight Sweet 16 trip for UConn [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

Breaking Down The Sweet 16 [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Geno Auriemma Hears The Chatter About His Team [john altavilla – hartford courant]

It Is 21 And Counting For UConn [rich elliott – ct post]

Fitting sendoff for UConn’s two seniors [jim fuller – new haven register]

Saint Joseph’s sees up close how effective UConn offense can be [ct post]

Mosqueda-Lewis seems to be all the way back [new haven register]

Cougars respect UConn, but excited for chance to play No. 1 team in country [deseret news]

Saniya Chong learning as UConn rolls toward title [journal news]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

UConn’s Shabazz Napier Named NABC All-American [sox & dawgs]

As UConn-ISU Ticket Prices Soar, Some Advice From seatgeek.com [dom amore – hartford courant]

Kevin Ollie On WFAN: UConn Has Come ‘Full-Circle’ [dom amore – hartford courant]

A chance to watch the Huskies [gavin keefe – the day]

UConn’s greatest hits at MSG clip reel [william paxton – ct post]

Hoiberg wary of Napier [john silver – snyuconn.com]

Students Receive Ticket Discount Through UConn And USG [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn Set For Sweet 16 Meeting With Iowa State On Friday [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn fans rationalize high ticket prices for MSG [ct post]

Madison Square Garden A Special Place In UConn History [hartford courant]

Count Oscar Robertson Among Shabazz Napier’s Admirers [hartford courant]

Mutual respect [the day]

Calhoun built UConn with force of will [espn.com]

Kemba Walker sees a lot of 2011 in these Huskies [ny post]

Former South Shore star Samuel helps UConn reach Sweet 16 [brooklyn daily]

UConn Football links

Relations board: Northwestern players can unionize [john silver – snyuconn.com]

UConn Community Came Together As One When Jasper Howard Died [hartford courant]

Other UConn related links

Softball. UConn Faces Quinnipiac in Midweek Matchup [uconnhuskies.com]

Baseball. Tickets For College Baseball Classic At Dodd Stadium On Sale Now [uconnhuskies.com]

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STORRS, Conn. – UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma has been selected as the Region 1 Coach of the Year, as announced by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association on Wednesday, March 26.  Auriemma is one of eight Russell Athletic/Regional Coaches of the Year and is now a finalist for the inaugural Pat Summitt Trophy to be presented to the 2014 Russell Athletic/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year.

The other seven finalists for the award are Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw (Region 2), South Carolina’s Dawn Staley (Region 3), Bowling Green’s Jennifer Roos (Region 4), Baylor’s Kim Mulkey (Region 5), Indiana’s Curt Miller (Region 6), Colorado State’s Ryun Williams (Region 7) and Oregon State’s Scott Rueck (Region 8).

Auriemma, who has led the Huskies to eight national championships in his 29 years at UConn, is a five-time WBCA National Coach of the Year and has won the AP Coach of the Year honor on seven occasions.  The 2013-14 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, Auriemma has been selected as the conference coach of the year 11 times.  It was recently announced that Auriemma is one of four finalists for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award, which he has won six times.

The 2014 Russell Athletic/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year will be announced during the fourth annual WBCA Awards Show on Monday, April 7, in the Omni Nashville Hotel’s Broadway Ballroom. This event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women’s Final Four®.

This is the first year the physical award presented to the six Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coaches of the Year will bear Summitt’s name. It will be the only national coach of the year award to do so. The legendary University of Tennessee head coach, who stepped down in April 2012, is the winningest basketball coach (men’s or women’s) in NCAA Division I history with 1,098 career victories. Summitt led the Lady Vols to eight NCAA Division I national championships and was named the Russell Athletic/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year three times in her career.

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photo credit: cloe poisson – hartford courant