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UConn’s Breanna Stewart Wins 2015 Naismith Trophy

From UConn:

TAMPA, Fla. — Hours before tip off at Amalie Arena for the 2015 national championship game, University of Connecticut junior forward Breanna Stewart was tabbed as the winner of the 2015 Naismith Trophy, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Tuesday.

UConn's Breanna Stewart (30) gets ready to shoot a three during the game between the UConn Huskies and Maryland Terrapins at the 2015 NCAA Women's Final Four at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL.

UConn’s Breanna Stewart wins her second straight Naismith Award to add to her collection.

UConn has won more Women’s Naismith Trophies than any other school — now with a total of nine. Stewart, who won the award in 2014, becomes the third Husky to win the award in multiple seasons, joining Maya Moore (2009, 2011) and Diana Taurasi (2003, 2004).

Stewart was announced as the award winner from among a field of finalists that included University of Notre Dame junior Jewell Loyd, University of South Carolina junior Tiffany Mitchell, and University of Minnesota sophomore Amanda Zahui B.

“We’d like to congratulate all of this year’s finalists, whose individual and team successes have been inspiring to fans across the country — especially those that voted to select the winner,” said Jamie Kerr, director, AT&T Corporate Sponsorships. “By winning her second straight Naismith Trophy, Breanna Stewart joins a very elite group of college athletes, and we applaud her for all of her accomplishments.”

Stewart was selected as the Associated Press, USBWA, and WBCA National Player of the Year this week during the Huskies’ trip to the Final Four.

At 1,952 career points Stewart stands at No. 11 on the program’s all-time scoring list. Additionally, she ranks fifth in Husky history with 284 career blocks. Since Stewart joined the program in the 2012-13 campaign, Connecticut owns a 112-5 (.957) overall record, including a 17-0 record in NCAA Tournament play, and has won two-straight national championships.

The Huskies and Irish will square off in the NCAA title game on Tuesday, April 7 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Video: There’s Nothing Else Like The Culture Around UConn Women’s Basketball

One of the perks of playing for the UConn women’s basketball team is the fact that there are so many great alumnae. But what makes it even more special is the fact that they come back to Storrs, CT to practice with the team or just hang around.

Sue Bird, Kalana Greene and Kelly Faris to name just a few have come back to practice. The likes of Rebecca Lobo, Kara Wolters, Meghan Pattyson, Swin Cash, etc, etc are around the program at different times. Some are around all the time, some at different points of the season.

All of those names are iconic in UConn women’s basketball lore. They were all a part of something special at UConn. They are sisters, a family. That’s what UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma and his consigliere Chris Dailey have established at UConn.

When you listen to them talk when they are together, it’s like none of them have left. I was able to listen to Swin Cash tell a story about Auriemma and CD while in Albany. And the way they all interacted, it was like they were never apart at all.

It’s not the nine National Championships that makes UConn women’s basketball special. Of course they help.

It’s the culture that’s built there. There’s nothing else like it.

Watch and/or listen below as members of the current UConn women’s basketball players talk about what it is like when the former players come back to practice:

Video: KML Has Survived Geno’s Prodding

If you’ve been around UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, you know he can be quite witty or even sarcastic at times.

Whether it be yesterday when he made a joke about Kia Nurse knowing more about the Yukon then UConn as a kid or saying Breanna Stewart wasn’t the best player in the country during the Albany Regional, he does it because he cares.

The UConn women’s basketball coach does it to motivate his players or even shield his players.

The joke about Nurse was more so to get the spotlight off her. The Stewart quip was said to wake her up and get her going. It worked.

He even poked fun at Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis during the media festivities on Monday saying she was pretty good at playing fake defense.

Of course when Auriemma wasn’t around, KML got the last laugh in, for now at least.

Watch and/or listen as KML talks about Auriemma’s sarcasm and how she’s learned to give it back:

Video: UConn Women Talk About Facing Notre Dame

Ho hum, just another meaningful game where the UConn women’s basketball team and Notre Dame Fighting Irish are playing.

That’s what the casual fan is thinking. Sure it would have been nice if Maryland maybe played South Carolina for the title on Tuesday night or even South Carolina getting another chance at the UConn women’s basketball team.

The serious fan though knows that this game between UConn women’s basketball and Notre Dame is very good for the game. All eyes will be on this matchup. The casual fan will still tune in.

This is what is good for women’s basketball. Two great teams playing each other.

May the best team win (UConn).

Watch and/or listen below as members of the UConn women’s basketball team talked after Sunday night’s game against Maryland about facing Notre Dame for the title on Tuesday night.

Video: How Is Geno Auriemma Going For His 10th Title at UConn?

The answer to the question of the title of this post is quite simple. UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma gets the best players.

He also gets the best out of his players. There’s reasons beyond winning national championships that players want to play for the UConn women’s basketball coach.

The UConn women’s basketball coach makes them into the best player they can be. Now who doesn’t want that.

Watch and/or listen below as the UConn women’s basketball coach talked after the win over Maryland on Monday night as to why his team is playing for the 10th title in program history:

Video: UConn’s Geno Auriemma on His Junior Class

Let’s take a look at the UConn women’s basketball junior class.

You have Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck (redshirt sophomore). In that have you have a consensus first-team All-American, a first time All-American and winner of the Nancy Lieberman Award as a point guard and you have someone who missed last season with a knee injury who should have been an All-American this season.

Oh yeah, let’s not forget that the junior class is a perfect two-for-two when it comes to winning National Championships. Now on Tuesday night, they’ll look to make it three in a row.

Watch and/or listen below as UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma talked after Monday night’s win over Maryland about how dynamic his junior class is:

Video: UConn’s Geno Auriemma Talks About Pregame Speeches

When you tune into the UConn women’s basketball game in the NCAA Championship against Notre Dame on Tuesday night, don’t expect to see Geno Auriemma giving a pregame speech.

It’s not that he doesn’t do them. It’s that the UConn women’s basketball coach doesn’t like them to be filmed.

Watch and/or listen below as the UConn women’s basketball coach talked on Monday night after the win over Maryland about why he doesn’t let his pregame speeches be filmed.

Video: UConn’s Geno Auriemma Has Been In Notre Dame’s Shoes

UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma has been in Muffet McGraw’s shoes before. No, he hasn’t literally been in her shoes. It’s more of a metaphorical thing.

When the UConn women’s basketball program started to get really good, all eyes were on Pat Summitt and the Tennessee Volunteers. But as time went on, more attention was paid to the UConn women’s basketball team.

And it’s only grown from there.

So you can understand if there was a rift between the two head coaches before. It wasn’t personal. It was just basketball.

Watch and/or listen below as the UConn women’s basketball coach talked after the win over Maryland about being in the shoes of Notre Dame in the past:

Video: Geno Auriemma On Breanna Stewart’s Growth as a Player

UConn’s Breanna Stewart has won National Player of the Year honors two years in a row from some outlets. There’s no doubt she’s a special player. And being as good as she is, it brings attention to her from defenses.

When she was younger, Stewart would be fouled hard and not be the same player. But as she has matured as a basketball player, it seems now doing that just fuels her.

Watch and/or listen below as UConn head coach Geno Auriemma talks about Breanna Stewart’s growth as a basketball player after his team beat Maryland on Sunday night.

Video: Five Homers, Buchholz Power Red Sox To 8-0 Opening Day Win

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 06: Carlos Ruiz #51 of the Philadelphia Phillies kneels as Hanley Ramirez #13 of the Boston Red Sox gets congratulated by teammates Mike Napoli #12, Mookie Betts #50 and Allen Craig #5, after hitting a grand slam against the Philadelphia Phillies during Opening Day at Citizens Bank Park on April 6, 2015 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Red Sox won 8-0. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 06: Carlos Ruiz #51 of the Philadelphia Phillies kneels as Hanley Ramirez #13 of the Boston Red Sox gets congratulated by teammates Mike Napoli #12, Mookie Betts #50 and Allen Craig #5, after hitting a grand slam against the Philadelphia Phillies during Opening Day at Citizens Bank Park on April 6, 2015 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Red Sox won 8-0. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

There was a lot of talk over the offseason on how weak the Boston Red Sox pitching staff might be especially with Clay Buchholz as the anchor of the rotation. If Buchholz’s opening day start is any indication of how things may go, the Red Sox are definitely in good shape.

Behind seven shutout innings from Buchholz and five home runs, the Red Sox beat Cole Hamels and the Philadelphia Phillies 8-0 to open up the season.

Hanley Ramirez made his return to the Red Sox an eventful one as he had two home runs, including a broken bat grand slam in the 9th inning. Dustin Pedroia homered in his first AB of 2015 and added another as part of his three hits.

The hot hitting of Mookie Betts carried over into the regular season as he had two hits from atop the Red Sox lineup, including a home run as well.

MOBILE/TABLET LINK (full game highlights)

For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSN New England, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.

And if you must check out the enemy news, head over to the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News and CSN Philly

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