Author Archives: ianbethune

Paw Prints – The Daily UConn Roundup – 2/5

UConn Huskies Daily Roundup

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. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you're on the home page.

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

It's game day for the UConn Huskies women's basketball team as they'll host the Marquette Golden Eagles at Gampel Pavilion. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast locally in Connecticut on SNY. The game is available for a small fee on SNYUConn.com. You can also listen on the IMG/UConn Radio Network.

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

UConn Women's Basketball links

Huskies moving forward without Banks [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

Notebook: Dolson feeling better [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

Buck, Dolson, Doty, Faris, Stokes To Be Honored Tuesday [rich elliott – ct post]

Dolson Returns For Huskies; Tuck Sits; Jefferson’s Chance [rich elliott – ct post]

UConn teammates, coaches taking Brianna Banks injury hard [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConn commit to play in WBCA All-American Game [jim fuller – new haven register]

Another championship for UConn great Maya Moore [jim fuller – new haven register]

Women's Hoops Returns to Gampel Tuesday Night [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn's Banks out for season with ACL injury [ct post]

UConn's Brianna Banks Out For Season With Torn ACL [hartford courant]

Brianna Banks suffers torn ACL, done for season [new haven register]

UConn TV Timeout: Heather Buck [snyuconn.com]

UConn women host Marquette tonight [the day]

UConn Men's Basketball links

January [uconn huskies basketball]

Ollie Has Huskies Finding Ways To Win [hartford courant]

Three points from Sunday's win over South Florida [new haven register]

UConn Football links

Another Pennsylvania product commits to UConn [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConnHuskies.com On National Letter Of Intent Day [uconnhuskies.com]

Hank Hughes Named UConn Defensive Coordinator [hartford courant]

Hank Hughes promoted to defensive coordinator [new haven register]

Other UConn related links

TRACK & FIELD: Former UConn star Trisha-Ann Hawthorne off to another fast start [new haven register]

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Rangers Recall J.T. Miller and Brandon Mashinter; Assign Benn Ferriero

NEW YORK, February 4, 2013 –New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has recalled forwards J.T. Miller and Brandon Mashinter from the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL), while forward Benn Ferriero has been assigned to Connecticut.

CT Whale Miller, 19, has tallied three points (one goal, two assists) in the last two games with Connecticut, including a two-assist performance on February 1 against Bridgeport. He has registered eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points, along with 27 penalty minutes in 37 games with the Whale this season. Miller represented the Eastern Conference in the AHL All-Star Game on January 28. He is currently tied for sixth on Connecticut in goals and points, and ranks seventh in assists. Miller also ranks second among Whale rookies in assists and points, and is tied for second in rookie goals. He began the season with a three-game assist streak, and recorded four points (one goal, three assists) in the opening five games of the season. Miller registered seven points (three goals, four assists) in a seven-game span from December 1 against Syracuse to December 14 against Albany.

Miller made his professional debut on April 21, 2012, in Game 2 of Connecticut’s Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against Bridgeport. He tallied his first professional point with an assist on May 2, 2012, at Norfolk, and finished the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs with one assist in eight postseason contests.

The East Palestine, Ohio native represented the United States at the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, leading the team with seven assists and finishing tied for the team lead with nine points to capture the Gold Medal. Miller was originally selected as the Rangers’ first round choice, 15^th overall, in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Mashinter, 24, was acquired by the Rangers from San Jose in exchange for forward Tommy Grant and a conditional pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft on January 16. He has registered seven points (three goals, four assists) and 14 penalty minutes in eight games with Connecticut, including a four-game point streak from January 20 at Providence to January 26 against Springfield (two goals, four assists). Mashinter has recorded five goals and seven assists for 12 points, along with 58 penalty minutes in 38 total games with Connecticut and Worcester this season.

The Bradford, Ontario native has skated in 244 career AHL games over four seasons with Connecticut and Worcester, registering 57 goals and 58 assists for 115 points, along with 338 penalty minutes. At the time of his trade, he ranked fourth on Worcester’s all-time goals list and seventh on the team’s all-time points list. Mashinter has also skated in 13 career NHL contests with the San Jose Sharks, making his NHL debut on December 29, 2010, at Minnesota. He was originally signed by San Jose as an undrafted free agent on March 3, 2009.

Ferriero, 25, tallied one assist in four games with the Rangers following his recall on January 25. He made his Rangers debut on January 26 against Toronto, and recorded his first point as a Blueshirt with an assist in the next game on January 29 against Philadelphia. Ferriero returns to Connecticut where he has registered one assist in one game, after tallying an assist while making his Whale debut in a 4-1 win on January 25 against Manchester.

The Rangers acquired Ferriero from Pittsburgh in exchange for forward Chad Kolarik on January 24. Prior to the trade, Ferriero registered four goals and 14 assists for 18 points, along with 14 penalty minutes in 34 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL). He ranked third on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in assists, was tied for fifth on the team in points and ranked second in shots on goal (97) at the time of the trade.

The Boston, Massachusetts native was originally selected by the Phoenix Coyotes as a seventh round choice (196^th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He signed as a free agent with the San Jose Sharks on August 23, 2009.

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2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Rankings – Week 14 (Feb. 4)

AP & USA Today Coaches Polls

The NCAA men's basketball rankings are out and we find the UConn Huskies back among the others receiving votes but just in the AP Poll.

There's no split No. 1's this week as the Indiana Hoosiers return to the top of the polls. They are followed by the Florida Gators, Michigan Wolverines, Puke Blue Devils and Kansas Jayhawks in the top five of both polls.

Syracuse is the highest ranked Big East team in both polls at 9/9 and are they joined by the Louisville Cardinals (11/12), Cincinnati Bearcats (17/17), Georgetown Hoyas (20/21) and the Pittsburgh Panthers (23/25).

The Marquette Golden Eagles are ranked No. 24 in the AP Poll and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are No. 25. They are both among the others receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

For a full look at the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Rankings – Week 14 (Feb. 4), please click on the continue reading button below if you're on the home page.

AP Top 25					USA Today Coaches Poll
RK	TEAM	REC	PTS	PVS	RK	TEAM	REC	PTS	PVS
1	Indiana (58)	20-2	1,615	3	1	Indiana (25)	20-2	766	3
2	Florida (7)	18-2	1,536	4	2	Florida (6)	18-2	742	4
3	Michigan	20-2	1,490	1	3	Michigan	20-2	690	2
4	Duke	19-2	1,413	5	4	Duke	19-2	683	5
5	Kansas	19-2	1,350	2	5	Kansas	19-2	654	1
6	Gonzaga	21-2	1,249	7	6	Gonzaga	21-2	614	7
7	Arizona	19-2	1,248	8	7	Arizona	19-2	601	8
8	Miami (FL)	17-3	1,132	14	8	Michigan State	18-4	518	9
9	Syracuse	18-3	1,091	6	9	Syracuse	18-3	514	6
10	Ohio State	17-4	1,033	11	10	Ohio State	17-4	502	11
11	Louisville	18-4	1,018	12	11	Miami (FL)	17-3	485	15
12	Michigan State	18-4	994	13	12	Louisville	18-4	470	13
13	Kansas State	17-4	782	18	13	Creighton	20-3	369	17
14	Butler	18-4	774	9	14	Butler	18-4	325	10
15	New Mexico	19-3	660	20	15	Kansas State	17-4	314	21
16	Creighton	20-3	578	21	16	New Mexico	19-3	295	22
17	Cincinnati	18-4	552	24	17	Cincinnati	18-4	265	23
18	Minnesota	17-5	454	23	18	Minnesota	17-5	194	24
19	Oregon	18-4	390	10	19	Oregon	18-4	179	12
20	Georgetown	16-4	364	NR	20	Missouri	16-5	143	18
21	Missouri	16-5	245	17	21	Georgetown	16-4	138	NR
22	Oklahoma State	15-5	235	NR	22	Wichita State	19-4	83	14
23	Pittsburgh	18-5	207	NR	23	Ole Miss	17-4	69	16
24	Marquette	15-5	137	25	24	Oklahoma State	15-5	57	NR
25	Notre Dame	18-4	132	NR	25	Pittsburgh	18-5	54	NR
–					25	San Diego State	16-5	54	20
Dropped from rankings:					Dropped from rankings:
Wichita State 15, Ole Miss 16, North Carolina State 19, San Diego State 22					North Carolina State 19, Marquette 25
Others receiving votes:					Others receiving votes:
Ole Miss 75, North Carolina State 64, Colorado State 49, Wichita State 49, Memphis 44, Wisconsin 28, Saint Mary's 27, Louisiana Tech 24, Kentucky 21, San Diego State 17, UNLV 13, UCLA 8, Saint Louis 8, Virginia Commonwealth 8, Virginia 4, Akron 4, Connecticut 2, Belmont 1					Notre Dame 47, Colorado State 38, Marquette 38, Virginia Commonwealth 33, Wisconsin 25, North Carolina State 24, Memphis 19, Saint Mary's 18, Southern Miss 13, UNLV 12, Belmont 7, Louisiana Tech 6, Middle Tennessee 4, Kentucky 4, UCLA 4, Oklahoma 2, Akron 2, Saint Louis 1

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Brianna Banks Out for Season With Torn ACL

Sophomore guard Brianna Banks winces in pain after injuring her right knee against St. John's

Bad news for the UConn Huskies women's basketball team and backup guard Brianna Banks.

After an MRI of her knee for an injury suffered in Saturday's win, it was revealed that she tore her ACL and is out for the season.

Here's the release from UConn:

STORRS, Conn. – University of Connecticut Sophomore guard Brianna Banks suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the Huskies’ 71-65 victory over St. John’s on Saturday, February 2. Banks will miss the rest of the year.

Banks, a native of Newnan, Ga., will undergo surgery to repair the injury in the coming weeks and will begin the rehabilitation process.

“I am extremely disappointed for Brianna,” head coach Geno Auriemma said. “She had shown great improvement and has been a big part of our success this season. I know she will work extremely hard to get back on the floor as soon as possible.”

Banks was enjoying a solid season, averaging 7.3 points and 1.7 assists while shooting 47.9 percent from the field. Banks averaged 3.6 points per game during her freshman season.

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photo credit: ap photo

Hank Hughes Named Defensive Coordinator at UConn

With Hank Hughes being named defensive coordinator, a position he once held under Randy Edsall, UConn Huskies head football coach Paul Pasqualoni has completed his coaching staff for the 2013 season.

UConn Huskies football Here's how his staff breaks down courtesy of UConn:

STORRS, Conn. – University of Connecticut head coach Paul Pasqualoni has finalized position responsibilities for the 2013 season on his coaching staff.

George DeLeone-Associate Head Coach, Offensive Line

T.J. Weist-Offensive Coordinator, Wide Receivers

Hank Hughes-Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Line

Kermit Buggs-Special Teams Coordinator, Running Backs

Matt Cersosimo-Cornerback, Recruiting Coordinator

Shane Day-Quarterbacks

Mike Foley-Tight Ends Darrell Perkins-Safeties

Jon Wholley-Linebackers

Hughes returns to the Defensive Coordinator spot after serving as Defensive Coordinator from 2002-04 and Assistant Head Coach for Defense from 2005-10. Cersosimo had coached wide receivers from the time he joined the UConn staff in 2006.

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Shabazz Napier Named Big East Player of the Week

For the second time this season, UConn Huskies men's basketball point guard Shabazz Napier has been named Big East Player of the Week.

Here's the release from UConn:

STORRS — After leading the UConn men’s basketball team to a pair of overtime victories last week, junior guard Shabazz Napier (Roxbury, Mass.) has been selected as the BIG EAST Player of the Week for Feb. 4.

Shabazz Napier It is the second time this season that Napier has earned the league honor. He was also named BIG EAST Player of the Week on Nov. 19 after leading the Huskies to a 4-0 start to the season. In addition, Napier has been named to the BIG EAST weekly Honor Roll on three separate occasions.

Last Thursday, Napier scored 8 points in overtime, including a three-pointer, to spark UConn to an 82-79 win at Providence. For the game, Napier scored 18 points and handed out 3 assists as he shot 4-of-5 from the floor and a perfect 3-of-3 from three-point range.

Sunday against the University of South Florida, Napier started the overtime session with three straight three-pointers and scored 11 points in the extra 5:00 to lead the Huskies to 69-64 victory at Gampel Pavilion. For the game, he played 43 minutes and scored 24 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, handed out 4 assists, and had 3 steals.

For the two games combined, Napier shot 11-of-19 overall and 8-of-13 from three-point range.

For the season, Napier is leading the 15-5 Huskies in scoring at 17.2 points per game and is the top three-point shooter at 40.2 percent. He is also the team’s second-leading rebounder at 4.4 per game.

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photo credit: john woike – hartford courant (no. 14 in gallery)

Kelly Faris Added to State Farm Wade Watch List

Here's a press release from UConn about UConn Huskies women's basketball player Kelly Faris being added to the State Farm Wade Watch List.

ATLANTA (February 4, 2013) – Senior guard Kelly Faris was added to the 2012-13 State Farm Wade Watch list as announced by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association on Monday morning. UConn now has four Huskies on the list as Faris joins teammates Stefanie Dolson, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Bria Hartley. Faris was one of eight additional student-athletes added to the list by the WBCA.

Kelly Faris Faris has had an outstanding senior campaign as she is averaging 10.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game. She is currently sixth in the nation in assist/turnover ratio at 2.57.

Joining the preseason list of 25 “Wade Watch” hopefuls are Kelsey Bone of Texas A&M, Gennifer Brandon and Layshia Clarendon of Cal Berkeley, Kelly Faris of Connecticut, Tianna Hawkins of Maryland, Chelsea Hopkins of San Diego State, Niveen Rasheed of Princeton and Meighan Simmons of Tennessee.

State Farm and the Wade Trophy Coalition present The State Farm Wade Trophy to the nation’s most outstanding NCAA® Division I women’s basketball player each year – one who not only excels athletically but also serves as a positive role model both on and off the court. The acclaimed Wade Watch list, from which The State Farm Wade Trophy recipient is chosen, consists of players selected on the basis of game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.

The State Farm Wade Watch list will be trimmed to 12 finalists in mid-March. State Farm and the Wade Trophy Coalition will officially announce the State Farm Wade Trophy winner during the WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women’s Final Four® in New Orleans.

For a full look at the 2012-13 State Farm Wade Watch list, please click on the continue reading button below if you're on the home page.

2012-13 State Farm Wade Watch list

Name	School	Pos	Year
Alex Bentley	Penn State	Guard	Senior
Kelsey Bone	Texas A&M	Center	Junior
Gennifer Brandon	Cal Berkeley	Forward	Junior
Heather Butler	UT Martin	Guard	Junior
Layshia Clarendon	Cal Berkeley	Guard	Senior
Carolyn Davis	Kansas	Forward	Senior
Elena Delle Donne	Delaware	Forward	Senior
Skyler Diggins	Notre Dame	Guard	Senior
Stefanie Dolson	Connecticut	Center	Junior
Kelly Faris	Connecticut	Guard	Senior
Christina Foggie	UCLA	Guard	Junior
Chassidy Fussell	Texas	Guard	Junior
Angel Goodrich	Kansas	Guard	Senior
Chelsea Gray	Duke	Guard	Junior
Brittney Griner	Baylor	Guard	Senior
Bria Hartley	Connecticut	Guard	Junior
Tianna Hawkins	Maryland	Forward	Senior
Tayler Hill	Ohio State	Guard	Senior
Jordan Hooper	Nebraska	Forward	Junior
Chelsea Hopkins	San Diego State	Guard	Senior
Maggie Lucas	Penn State	Guard	Junior
Anna Martin	DePaul	Guard	Senior
A’dia Mathies	Kentucky	Guard	Senior
Lindsey Moore	Nebraska	Guard	Senior
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis	Connecticut	Forward	Sophomore
Chiney Ogwumike	Stanford	Forward	Junior
Niveen Rasheed	Princeton	Guard	Senior
Sugar Rodgers	Georgetown	Guard	Senior
Shoni Schimmel	Louisville	Guard	Junior
Meighan Simmons	Tennessee	Guard	Junior
Odyssey Sims	Baylor	Guard	Junior
Alyssa Thomas	Maryland	Guard	Junior
Elizabeth Williams	Duke	Center	Sophomore