According to a press release on the UConn Huskies website, UConn men’s basketball point guard Shabazz Napier has undergone surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot.

Here’s the release:

STORRS, Conn. — University of Connecticut junior guard Shabazz Napier (Roxbury, Mass.) will be out of action for the next several weeks as he recovers from surgery on his right foot to repair a bothersome stress fracture.

Napier, the Huskies’ most experienced returning player, had a right fifth metatarsal internal fixation performed Friday at John Dempsey Hospital at the UConn Health Center, basically meaning that a screw was inserted to promote healing of the fracture.

The fracture has been causing Napier discomfort for a few months and was the reason Napier decided to leave the Puerto Rican National Team after making the squad last spring. Rather than play hard on it all summer and possibly jeopardize his upcoming college season, Napier returned home for treatment.

According to the UConn medical staff, conservative treatment did not improve Napier’s condition, leading to the decision for surgery. Doctors said the operation was successful and Napier is expected to make a full recovery. He will be in a walking boot for a few weeks, but should be 100 percent healed by the time official practice begins on Oct. 13.

Napier played in all 34 of UConn’s games last season, starting 31, and averaged 13.0 points, 5.8 assists, and 35.0 minutes per game. In his two-year UConn career, he has scored 761 points and handed out 322 assists.

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photo credit: bettina hansen – hartford courant

It turned out to be the worst case scenario for the Boston Red Sox this weekend. Be swept by the Toronto Blue Jays and occupy the AL East basement all by yourself.

Yes folks that’s how far the once mighty Red Sox have fallen. Or as Steve put in a post on Sunday, “From Champions to Laughingstocks“.

The Red Sox had a chance to win this one but one bad inning from Clay Buchholz turned out to be the difference in the Jays 4-3 win in front of announced sell out crowd of 37,226 at historic Fenway Park. There was definitely not that many people there though as it was also the opener for the New England Patriots and judging by the crowd shots through out the game, most were home watching it.

Yes the Red Sox are now playing second fiddle to the Patriots during a month where they used to share the spotlight. Now no one even seems to care about the Red Sox (yes I watched the Patriots game while flipping to the Red Sox at commercials until the Pats game was over).

I know I’ve said it before but they aren’t even fun to watch even when a guy like Buchholz is having a good game.

I don’t think any of us ever expected this from the Red Sox. After all, the ownership group when they took over promised us good teams and championship baseball. I’m pretty sure they weren’t talking about winning the basement championship.

There’s a lot of clamoring on Twitter for them to fire manager Bobby Valentine, myself included. It’s obvious that he won’t be here in 2013 so why even let him finish the season. I figured if they were swept by the Jays (which we know happened) that the Red Sox would use this day to can Valentine and let Tim Bogar finish out the song.

As of right now, there’s nothing brewing on that front yet. But the day is the young so we’ll see what happens.

Anyways, the Red Sox are off today before they welcome the New York Yankees to town. The Yanks are in the fight of their lives for a playoff spot right now and it would be great to see the Red Sox have some fun against them in this three game set.

We’ll be back in a a bit with the pitching matchups for the Yanks series.

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 Toronto Star and Toronto Sun websites.

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photo credit: ap photo

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.

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

UConn Football links

Big East bowl projections: Week 3 [andrea adelson – espn.com]

Big East power rankings: Week 3 [andrea adelson – espn.com]

Report Card: UConn Vs. N.C. State [desmond conner – hartford courant]

UConn Coach Paul Pasqualoni Post N.C. State Presser And A Look At Maryland Deal [desmond conner – hartford courant]

DC answered a few questions in his mailbag [desmond conner – hartford courant]

Pasqualoni: Offensive line still be evaluated [jim fuller – new haven register]

The Morning After [john silver – sny.com]

Sunday teleconference [john silver – sny.com]

Defense Is The Bright Spot For The Huskies [uconnhuskies.com]

Offense struggles [ct post]

Loss Behind Them, Huskies Eyes Are On Terps [hartford courant]

UConn Football: 5 Things We Learned [hartford courant]

A date with Edsall, Maryland up next for Huskies [new haven register]

Edsall has Maryland moving forward [the day]

Other UConn related links

M. Tennis. Connecticut Men Take Two-of-Three Flights at Fairfield Doubles Festival [uconnhuskies.com]

Field Hockey. Field Hockey, Make it 5-0 [uconnhuskies.com]

W. Soccer. Schulmann Tallies Seven Points to Give Huskies 4-1 Win at CCSU [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Soccer. No. 4/1 Huskies Tie Boston University, 1-1 [uconnhuskies.com]

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

After losing 9-2 last night, the Boston Red Sox look to avoid being swept this afternoon in finale of a three-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays in the “Battle For The Basement” at historic Fenway Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Blue Jays television market, you can catch the game on Rogers SportsNet.  If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

Clay Buchholz makes his 25th start of the season this afternoon. In his previous 24 starts, Buchholz is 11-5 with a 4.47 ERA. He picked up the win in his only start of 2012 against the Jays after allowing two runs in eight innings of work back on June 1st. He’s made 13 career appearances (12 starts) against Toronto and is 8-3 with a 2.55 ERA. Four of those starts have come at the Fens where he is 2-1 with a 4.26 ERA.

Carlos Villanueva makes his 13th start (35th appearance) for the Jays. In his previous 34 appearances (12 starts), Villanueva is 7-5 with a 3.42 ERA. He’s made two appearances (one start) against the local nine this season and is 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA (4 ER/7.1 IP). Villanueva has made seven career appearances (two starts) against the Red Sox and is 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA. In three appearances (two starts) at the Fens, he is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA.

Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the overnight and day if you’re on the home page.

Here are today’s lineups:

62-75		63-76
1. Brett Lawrie	3B	1. Ryan Kalish	RF
2. Colby Rasmus	CF	2. Scott Podsednik	LF
3. Edwin Encarnacion	DH	3. Dustin Pedroia	2B
4. Adam Lind	1B	4. James Loney	1B
5. Rajai Davis	LF	5. Cody Ross	DH
6. Anthony Gose	RF	6. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
7. Jeff Mathis	C	7. Mike Aviles	SS
8. Omar Vizquel	2B	8. Ryan Lavarnway	C
9. Adeiny Hechavarria	SS	9. Pedro Ciriaco	3B
Carlos Villanueva	SP	Clay Buchholz	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared against today’s starting pitchers:

NOTES: Daniel Nava has been activated from the disabled list.

REFRESH OR CHECK BACK OFTEN AS MORE LINKS WILL BE ADDED BEFORE GAMETIME IF/WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND WILL BE BOLDED

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

Doubront is game to keep helping Sox [boston globe]

Take me out to the (foot)ball game [boston globe]

Dice-K can’t halt skid [boston herald]

The Dirty Dozen [boston herald]

When darkness falls [boston herald]

In Sox’ blame pie, Theo’s just a slice [boston herald]

Seasons gone south-paw [boston herald]

Lackey passes first BP exam [boston herald]

Bobby V: Ortiz likely to be shut down, Dice-K in limbo [clubhouse insider]

Dice-K, Sox washed away, 9-2 [csn new england]

Daisuke douses Red Sox chances [csn new england]

Fallen down, and can’t get up [espn boston]

Slumping Ellsbury dropped to 6 hole [espn boston]

Has Matsuzaka made his last start in Boston? [espn boston]

Could these be Matsuzaka’s last days in a Sox uniform? [extra bases]

Red Sox may dump Dice-K from rotation [extra bases]

Clayton Mortensen Eyeing Full-Time Roster Spot With Red Sox in 2013 [nesn.com]

Daisuke Matsuzaka Doesn’t Want to Run Away From Problems, Acknowledges Burden on Team [nesn.com]

Matsuzaka could be removed from Red Sox rotation [projo sox blog]

Daniel Nava activated from disabled list [projo sox blog]

Buchholz looks to put Sox back in win column [redsox.com]

Dealing with sore back, Salty gets a rest [redsox.com]

Doubront hopeful team doesn’t shut him down [redsox.com]

Lackey takes step forward, throws batting practice [redsox.com]

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

photo credits: getty images, getty images

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.

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

UConn Football links

Big East helmet stickers: Week 2 [andrea adelson – espn.com]

What we learned in the Big East [andrea adelson – espn.com]

Offensive struggles sinks Huskies [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConn-N.C State postgame [john silver – sny.com]

Fault in the line [john silver – sny.com]

UConn offense sputters in 10-7 loss to N.C. State [ct post]

UConn awesome on one side of ball, awful on the other [ct post]

UConn Offense Struggles In 10-7 Loss To N.C. State [hartford courant]

Smallwood Leads A Smothering UConn Defense [hartford courant]

The Wrap [hartford courant]

Any Good Lines Lately? [hartford courant]

Huskies fall to North Carolina State [new haven register]

UConn defense dominant, offense non-existent [new haven register]

UConn falls to N.C. State [the day]

North Carolina State holds off late UConn charge to post 10-7 win [the hour]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Sierra Calhoun Gets An Offer – From The Irish [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Other UConn related links

W. Soccer. Women’s Soccer Faces Intrastate Rival CCSU [uconnhuskies.com]

W. Cross Country. Lauren Sara Leads Huskies in Opening Race [uconnhuskies.com]

Field Hockey. No. 7 Field Hockey Beats No. 15 Michigan, 2-1, in Albany [uconnhuskies.com]

W. Volleyball. Volleyball Splits Second Day at MSU [uconnhuskies.com]

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