Earlier in the day on Saturday, the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team met with the media at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO before their matchup tomorrow against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 2012 NCAA Women’s Final Four.

Here are the quotes from UConn head coach Geno Auriemma as well as Tiffany Hayes and Kelly Faris.

Transcript courtesy of ASAP Sports

THE MODERATOR:  We’ll begin with an opening statement from Coach Geno Auriemma.

COACH AURIEMMA:  We got here Thursday night, and we still have to wait another 24hours or something to play, and I think the hardest thing about‑‑ the only hard thing about being at the Final Four is how long you have to wait to play the actual game.

After we won Tuesday night, I wished we could have played Thursday, because we’re playing so well and we have such a good feeling about our team.

But at this point I’m sure all four teams feel the same way and are anxious to get going tomorrow.  And as I told the players, it may not happen this way, but I know they do and I know I do, I think we’re about as prepared, we’re about as ready to play tomorrow as we’ve ever been.  So I’m really anxious to get going.

THE MODERATOR:  Questions for the student‑athletes.

Q.  What were the things that you did differently as a team in the last time you played Notre Dame that you didn’t do the first two games?

KELLY FARIS:  I think one of the big things is that we had a bunch of individuals step up at different times.  And I think we’ve been doing that a lot more recently in the last few games.
But, specifically, I think it started in that last Notre Dame game, we just had‑‑ like I said, it was just each individual at different pivotal points in the game just stepped up and we didn’t rely on just one person.

TIFFANY HAYES:  I agree with Kelly.  I also think we just wanted it more.  We were tired of losing to the same team over and over again.
And I definitely think we hustled a lot more in that game, a lot more hustle plays, a lot of togetherness in that game.  So I think that definitely helped us out a lot.

Q.  Kelly, Notre Dame said about 25minutes ago how you guys know each other inside and out and the biggest thing is the hustle plays, and that really tomorrow night will probably come down to that because you know the plays, you know the personnel.  But the thing that you can control more than anything else is how much you guys hustle and make the loose balls and whatever it may be.  Can you talk about how important that’s going to be and how the familiarity‑‑ there’s probably not much you don’t already know about each other.

KELLY FARIS:  I definitely agree.  When you play a team that many times, like you said, you start to know every player in and out, the plays, their tendencies, that type of thing.  So it does‑‑ it will come down to effort and the hustle plays.
And I think, like Tiffany said, we’ve been doing a lot better job of that recently.  So if we can keep that up, it will be good.

Q.  Connecticut, the UConn brand is so huge.  This is my fifth Final Four and this is your fifth for the school.  But it’s not the same team this year.  It’s been a little bit more vulnerable than it has when Maya’s been there.  How has that been as far as the mindset, not‑‑ maybe Baylor is the big dog now and you guys aren’t?

TIFFANY HAYES:  I think it’s good for us that all of us are able to step up in one night and we don’t just have one person doing everything.  So there’s no superstars on our teams.  We’re all superstars, because any given night one of us could score 20 if need be.
So I think it works out in our favor.

KELLY FARIS:  I agree.  I think it took us a little bit to kind of grasp that concept that we don’t have the superstar on our team that we can rely on.  I think we’ve been kind of used to that the last few years.

So it’s good, though.  I think it’s all coming together at the right time.  And, like Tiffany said, it definitely works out to our advantage, I think.

Q.  Has it been easier with this team because of the kind of tenacious defense that you play, that that starts, that ignites everything else that goes on with the rhythm of the game?

KELLY FARIS:  Well, ever since I got here, defense is obviously what we take most pride in.  So I think that’s every year day in, day out we work on defense.  And especially this year, I think a lot of our offense we try to get it to stem from our defense, whether we get a lot of pressure and turnovers and get out in fastbreak.

So it’s good because we play‑‑ obviously we play a lot of 4 guards, and we can be a faster team, get up and down the floor a lot quicker.

Q.  It seems like a different role for you guys this year.  The underdog, so to speak.  You’re No.1 seed, but you weren’t the team that everyone’s talking about coming in here:  Baylor, Baylor, Baylor, Notre Dame winning the Big East regular season.  Is it a little bit easier in a sense that there isn’t that overwhelming pressure of UConn is supposed to win this year?  I mean, I know at this school you’re supposed to win every year, but there isn’t that coming in, that, wow, UConn is the favorite and if you don’t win it’s a terrible year for UConn basketball?

TIFFANY HAYES:  I don’t know, being the underdog, it’s okay, because it’s not as much‑‑ like you said, you don’t have a target on your back.  That was cool and everything the first two years, but I guess now we gotta take on another role with being the underdog.
Like I said, it’s fine with us.  It just gives us a chance to prove people wrong.

KELLY FARIS:  Basketball’s basketball in my mind.  So whether you’re the top dog or the underdog, it’s still going to be the same game.  When you come to Connecticut, there’s always going to be expectations.  And we have them of ourselves.  Our fan base has them.  It’s not easy to live up to them, but that’s what you come here for.

So I don’t know that we’re going to necessarily go into the game thinking that we’re the underdog or all that type of stuff.  In the end, it’s just another basketball game.

Q.  How important are these guard matchups, especially since you guys do, like you said, play four guards sometimes, how hard are the matchups going to be tomorrow?  And, Tiffany, what have you specifically learned against the last two games against Brittany?

TIFFANY HAYES:  I definitely think it’s important.  Like she said, we run four guards.  So it’s big on the defensive end and leads to more scoring on the other end.  And, I mean, I’ve learned a lot from everybody on that team.  You just know that the whole team is a fighting team.
And she’s definitely a great player.  She puts the team on her back sometimes and carries them.  So we definitely gotta watch out for everybody.

We just can’t focus on one person. 

To see what Auriemma had to say, please click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

THE MODERATOR:  Questions for Coach.

Q.  So much to talk about familiarity and how you guys know each other inside and out and eight times in two years and whatever it may be.  But what’s the biggest thing for you guys to win tomorrow night?  Because it’s probably not going to be the plays, because you know what you run; you know what they run.  But what’s the biggest thing you guys have to do to be successful and get to the championship again?

COACH AURIEMMA:  Notre Dame has three losses this year.  And I don’t know the other two, the box score.  But I know in a game where we played at their place, in the game we played in the Big East championship game, we rebounded the ball and we kept them off the free‑throw line.  And I think if we do those two things well tomorrow night, then we’ll be in good shape.

Notre Dame is maybe the best team in the country at getting to the free‑throw line.  And I would think that more than anything else that might be the key to the game; to make sure that they have to make shots rather than just give them free throws.

And offensive rebounding and shooting free throws go hand in hand, because every time you give up an offensive rebound, you end up fouling the guy who is going back up with it.

So those two things in my mind are going to be the keys for us anyway.

Q.  Looking back at the box scores, Natalie Novosel went to the line 11 times, nine in the second.  I know she had some foul trouble the last game, but it was also caused by a couple of charges by her, and she ended up with only a couple of free throws.  What do you hope to happen?  Because she initiates contact just about every time she has the ball.  What, from your standpoint, do you hope happens tomorrow night?

COACH AURIEMMA:  I hope the referees don’t show up (laughter) and just let the kids play basketball for 40minutes and don’t blow the whistle at all.  If the game is a parade to the free‑throw line, like the Kentucky game, it’s going to sting for everybody.
I think there’s a fine line between knowing how to draw a foul and just mindless blowing of the whistle because you just anticipate that somebody’s going to draw a foul.

And I know what it’s like to be on the other end of that, because Shea Ralph was the same way.  If Shea Ralph had a wide‑open layup, she’d wait until you got near her and then punch you and shoot a layup and go to the free‑throw line.  It’s just the way it was with Shea.  And I think Natalie is a lot similar.  Very similar to Shea.

So we’ve got to be smart enough to make sure that every shot that Notre Dame makes is contested.  But, at the same time, you can’t not play hard.  You can’t not be aggressive.

And really, really good offensive players, they’re just hard to stop.  I mean, it’s not like we’re going to keep them from getting some of the shots they want.  But the way you get a really good offensive player out of their rhythm is you make them play defense and you turn whatever they’re using against you against them.

So depending on how the game’s being called, we’re going to have to do as good a job as they do at getting to the free‑throw line.
We’re just not as good at it as they are.  That’s the biggest problem.

Q.  How confident or not confident were you through the course of the season that you guys would end up here?

COACH AURIEMMA:  Well, before the season, at Connecticut, it’s kind of tantamount to treason if you say we’re not going to win a national championship.  And it’s something even worse than that if you say I don’t think we can get to the Final Four.
So I actually thought when the season started, that when practice started, anyway, that a lot of things would have to go right for us to get to this point where we are right now.

And in November I thought we had a chance.  And in December I thought we had a chance.  And as January and February came around, I thought we had no chance, because our immaturity just kept popping up.

I mean, every time we had a chance to prove how mature we were, we were immature.  But, unlike other places, we just kept winning.  So it added to the frustration.  I knew we were immature, I knew we were doing lots of things we’re not used to seeing at Connecticut, but we were was winning, and it took a couple of losses for us to finally understand that we needed to grow up and we needed to grow up quickly.

So it wasn’t until the Big East tournament that I really, really thought we had a shot at this thing.  And once the Big East tournament ended, I thought we’ve got as good a shot as anybody of winning this thing.

Q.  Just wanted to see about talking about your relationship with Muffet and even in the face of some of the things‑‑ I know in the Media Day you talked about Notre Dame football kind of imploding the Big East and how many points they scored against Pittsburgh this year and that sort of thing, and how that all fits in the relationship.

COACH AURIEMMA:  My relationship with Muffet goes back to the mid‑’70s when I left St.Joseph’s University to go coach on the men’s side and she took my place at St. Joe’s.  And I’ve had a great relationship with Muffet all this time.  And that hasn’t changed.  That hasn’t changed one bit.  And the people on her staff as well.  Love every one of them.  Have tremendous respect for all of them, as friends and as professionals, as colleagues.

My relationship with the University of Notre Dame, that’s a different story.  Goes back to when I was a kid, probably, going to Catholic school all my life.  And not being able to get into Notre Dame, that probably missed me off, too.  And it just escalated from there (laughter).  Because I had a couple of friends that went to school there and played there, and you want to kill yourself every time you came home for vacation.

Q.  Wanted to follow up with what Michel was asking you.  Since the Big East Tournament, in the last three weeks, what have you really liked about how the team has responded to what you wanted all season?

COACH AURIEMMA:  The number one thing that a player has to have to be successful is confidence.  And the one thing this team lacked was confidence.  They pretended and they acted like they had it, but it was fake.  And every chance I got in practice I wanted to kind of try to shake their confidence.  And I always kept winning.  And it bothered me that this year more than other years I kept winning more than I normally win, and I usually win all the time in practice.

But at least the other teams got sick and tired of me winning and would fight back.  This team just kind of took it on the chin and just said, okay, Coach you win, fine.  The more they did that, the more I got pissed.  I’m like, How are we ever going to get beyond just being mediocre, just being good?  We can’t operate like this.

These guys just‑‑ they take getting beat at practice.  They take it way too casually.  There isn’t this‑‑ they’re not incensed about losing.  And I’ve had teams in the last four, five, 15, 20years that if they didn’t get a question right on a crossword puzzle before you did, they want to choke you.

So I wasn’t used to this.  And it wasn’t until, again, that last week of the season that it started to affect them.  And after we won the Big East Tournament, they don’t react that way anymore.  Something clicked that week between the last regular season game and the start of the tournament.

And what we did during that week was we went to practice and I made them force the issue, so that for the next five days everything we did was about building confidence in ourselves and in each other to the point where we could trust ourselves and trust each other.

When you had this many young players‑‑ I don’t know how many sophomores are starting tomorrow for either team.  We have two.  And I don’t know how many freshmen are coming off the bench and playing huge roles tomorrow.  We have two, maybe three.

So we’re counting on people that haven’t done all the things that they hope to do.  And with that comes, as I said, a lot of immaturity and a lot of mistrust.  If you’re Kelly Faris and you operate at a certain level from having won a national championship and being undefeated and now you’re having to deal with players who just don’t understand what it takes to do that, I think it creates a little bit of doubt in your mind about whether you can trust your teammates.

And, like Kelly said, ever since the first game of the Big East Tournament, that’s gone.  And I think you’ll see that tomorrow.

Q.  You’ve played both Baylor and Stanford; want to offer a little expert analysis on the second game tomorrow?

COACH AURIEMMA:  The big kid at Baylor is really good.  She’s really good.  I don’t know why, but I think this is a good matchup for Stanford.
And I think it’s good because they haven’t played each other.  So Brittney and Odyssey Sims and Baylor, they don’t know anything about how to defend Stanford.  And Stanford’s big kids don’t know anything about playing against somebody like Brittney Griner.

So I really like this matchup.  I really do.  And all the people that are saying this is a walk for Baylor, I don’t think they’re right.  I’m not saying they’re not going to win.  I don’t know who is going to win.  But those people that say Baylor’s got an 80percent chance of winning tomorrow night, I think they’re dead wrong.  They might, but it’s not going to be as easy as they think.

Q.  When you’re talking about building the team’s confidence during that five‑day stretch, I wonder if you can offer a specific example of what you or the coaches did to do that.  How do you do that in practicality?

COACH AURIEMMA:  Well, think about this.  I’ll go back to my father, God rest his soul.  He only knew how to drive‑‑ he got his license, I think, when he was 60 because all the guys who used to drive him around died, I think.  So he needed a way to get around, and I left home, so he was stuck.  And he only knew how to drive from my house to where he worked and my house to where he went to hang out with the guys on Friday nights and drink coffee.

So when my mother would ask him to take him someplace, he would refuse, and then she would make him because it was someplace where he didn’t know how to get to.  So he would eventually get to an intersection, stop, three or four lights would go by, people were honking, everything, he would turn around and go home.

When you’re scared and you don’t know what to do, you just stop and stand there and you don’t want to make any moves.  You don’t want to make any decisions because you’re afraid to make the wrong one.  So you go back to what is safe for you.

And that’s what my team had become during the whole month of February.  During the whole month of February we were a team that stood around and waited for something to happen because we started to be afraid.

So those five days of practice, every practice was about us attacking things rather than waiting.  So the way you saw us play in the Big East Tournament, first couple of rounds of the NCAA Tournament, the Regionals, we were constantly on the attack.  We were constantly the aggressor.

So what we did as a coaching staff, we took the thought process out of it and just put the action back into our team instead of the thinking.
And I’m hoping that tomorrow we can carry through on that.  Because the worst thing for a young kid to do, all the young kids we have on our team, is to be thinking about what to do.  And I thought that’s where we were.

Q.  Every time you look up there’s different men’s basketball players who leave after their freshman or sophomore years to go to the NBA.  In the WNBA, you either have to be 22 or play four years.  One, do you think that’s fair for women?  And, two, with all the All‑Americans that you’ve had over the years, has that ever been an issue with some of the players that may have wanted to turn pro early?

COACH AURIEMMA:  Yeah.  Is it fair?  I’m on both sides of that fence.  If you go to college, supposedly you’re going to college to prepare yourself for a career.  So if you go to college and your career presents itself to you after your first year and you have an opportunity to start a career that you’ve always wanted and it’s something that’s going to be financially and other ways rewarding, why shouldn’t you go ahead and do it?

I always use this example:  If you’re a music major and you go to college and you play the guitar and the E Street Band and Bruce Springsteen shows up on campus and the guy says, Oh, man, you’re pretty good, do you want to travel with us?  No, I’m sorry, I want to finish my college education.  Yeah, right.

So from a basketball standpoint, I think it hurts the college game that kids can come for one year and leave, because I don’t think they put their heart and soul into going to that school.  They’re just drive‑bys, you know?  And I hate that.  I hate it with a passion.

It hurts those kids.  They leave after one year and they think they’ve got it all figured out.  And maybe 2 out of every 200 make it.  The other ones end up regretting it.

I wish on the men’s and women’s side we had the baseball thing; either go right from high school, God bless you, don’t set foot on our campus because you don’t want to be there.  Or if you make a commitment, you’re there for three years.  Then after your third year, God bless you, you’re free to go.

But‑‑ there’s always a but‑‑ but, on the other side, you wouldn’t have the four best teams in the country playing in the national championship in women’s basketball almost every year.  So that’s the plus side of it.

Q.  Muffet was asked earlier about her relationship with you and whether you got under her skin and she said no, because having grown up in the Philly area as a coach you’re supposed to be flamboyant and sarcastic, so for her it’s easy to let it roll.

COACH AURIEMMA:  Was she talking about herself?

Q.  She’s talking about every coach in Philadelphia.

COACH AURIEMMA:  About being flamboyant and sarcastic?  Is she talking about Tara?

Q.  She said it’s easy to let it roll off her back because you’re supposed to be like that if you’re from Philadelphia.  Do you notice you can’t get under her skin because she’s from that area and she knows, you know, no coach from Philly is going to be a wallflower?

COACH AURIEMMA:  Come on.  You know, Muffet and Kim Mulkey are pretty much of the same era, I think, and they’re what women’s basketball coaches are supposed to be like.

They’re tough.  They’re competitive.  They have a unique style about them.  They can give it right back to you as well as take it.
I don’t think I’ve ever consciously tried to get under Muffet’s skin.  I do that at the meetings, I do that privately, where we have fun with it.  But I don’t think publicly I’ve ever tried.  I bet you if she wasn’t at Notre Dame I probably wouldn’t try as hard to get under her skin, but the fact she’s at Notre Dame it’s easy.

And I think that goes with the territory.  It’s like I’m the coach at Connecticut.  So there’s a lot of things that go along with that.  If I wasn’t the coach at Connecticut and we weren’t this successful, nobody would care, nobody would say a word.

But the fact that Muffet’s from Philly and I’ve known her for 35years and she’s at Notre Dame, and if they keep beating us, we’re in for it.  She’s in for it, big time.  She’s going to need more than a leather skirt.  She’s going to have to wear body armor.  I’m coming after her.

THE MODERATOR:  Thank you, Coach.

Click on the link to see the Notre Dame Fighting Irish pregame quotes.

It’s the last day in March and with Opening Day 2012 around the corner, we still only know 3/5 of the Boston Red Sox rotation.

The four left in the battle have all pitched this week and pitched well for the most part. Daniel Bard was the last of the four to take the mound and he did so yesterday.

Bard went six innings yesterday, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks but did have seven strikeouts. Matt Albers followed him by allowing two runs on three hits and three walks in 1.2 innings of work. Mark Melancon got the save despite allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits in 1.1 innings of work.

For arguments sake, let’s look at the numbers of the four involved:

• Aaron Cook – three games (two starts), 9.1 innings pitched, 1.93 ERA
• Felix Doubront – four games (three starts), 16.2 innings pitched, 2.70 ERA
• Alfredo Aceves – five games (three starts), 18 innings pitched, 5.50 ERA
• Bard – six games (five starts), 24.2 innings pitched, 6.23 ERA

Based on those numbers, Doubront is a lock to make the rotation. Cook still needs some more innings to build up his arm strength but presents an interesting option because he’s a sinkerballer. Aceves is more valuable, at least to me, in the bullpen. Bard could go either way right now.

Conceivably, the Red Sox don’t need a fifth starter right away. But with Beckett lined up to pitch the home opener, they will more than likely need a 5th starter on April 10th.

Cook could be ready by then but probably wouldn’t be able to give them more than 5-6 innings. And since you don’t know how the other four games will go before that and how much the bullpen is used, I’m not sure that’s a chance you take.

If I were a betting man, I’d put my money on Doubront as the fourth starter and Bard as the fifth starter. And if either of them don’t work out, you have Cook waiting in the wings. Cook does have an opt-out clause in his contract but that’s not until May 1st and my best guess is that he’s in the rotation by then.

For a look at the links from the media as well as the lineups for today’s game against the Rays, please click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

After beating the Twins yesterday 9-7, the Red Sox make the trip up I-75 to take on their AL East rivals the Tampa Bay Rays.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. and the game will be broadcast nationally on the MLB Network. If you live in the Boston area, you can also catch the game on your radio dial at WEEI 93.7 FM/850 AM.

Here are today’s lineups:

1. Pedro Ciriaco	SS	1. Desmond Jennings	CF
2. Nate Spears	2B	2. Luke Scott	DH
3. Darnell McDonald	LF	3. Evan Longoria	3B
4. Mauro Gomez	RF	4. Ben Zobrist	RF
5. Kelly Shoppach	C	5. Carlos Pena	1B
6. Jason Repko	CF	6. Matthew Joyce	RF
7. Dan Butler	DH	7. Jeff Keppinger	2B
8. Daniel Nava	RF	8. Jose Lobaton	C
9. Jonathan Hee	3B	9. Sean Rodriguez	SS
Ross Ohlendorf	SP	Kyle Farnsworth	SP

Ohlendorf will be followed by RHP Michael Bowden and LHP Franklin Morales.

Farnsworth will be followed by RHP Joel Peralta, RHP Burke Badenhop and LHP Jake McGee.

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

Ross has spring in his step again [Boston Globe]

Bard starts to put it together [Boston Globe]

Something to prove [Boston Herald]

Lucchino: Sox, Cubs have talked [Boston Herald]

Name Bard a starter [Boston Herald]

Calm before storm [Boston Herald]

Recapping the Red Sox regulars day in the minors [Clubhouse Insider]

Bard makes his final pitch to join the rotation [CSN New England]

Ross making his mark with Red Sox [CSN New England]

Lester sharp in final spring outing [CSN New England]

Bard excels, Valentine equivocates [ESPN Boston]

Larry Lucchino thinks Cody Ross will be Boston Red Sox fan favorite [ESPN Boston]

Boston Red Sox ‘exploring’ Theo Epstein compensation issue after Chris Carpenter surgery [ESPN Boston]

Lester tunes up for opener with 57 pitches [Extra Bases]

Carpenter denies any pre-existing injury [Extra Bases]

Rich Hill feel great after first game [Extra Bases]

Valentine makes rotation decisions; announcement Sunday [Extra Bases]

Cody Ross likes hitting home runs and playing for the Red Sox [Full Count]

Daniel Bard Ready For Decision On Starting Future, Says He Would Be ‘Not Surprised’ If He Isn’t Selected [NESN.com]

Jenny Dell Explains Why She’s Working Her Dream Job, Discusses Life Away From Covering Red Sox [NESN.com]

Director of Player Development Ben Crockett Encouraged by Lars Anderson, Impressed With Alex Wilson [NESN.com]

Chris Carpenter to Miss Six to Eight Weeks After Surgery, Insists He Was Healthy Before Coming to Red Sox [NESN.com]

Bard strong in final audition for starting rotation [Projo Sox Blog]

Ciriaco shows off speed in scoring run [Projo Sox Blog]

Work on swing — baseball, not golf — paying off for Cody Ross [Projo Sox Blog]

Slugging prospect Bryce Brentz headed to Double-A [Projo Sox Blog]

Chris Carpenter on elbow surgery: “I think everybody’s surprised” [Projo Sox Blog]

Lester tunes up for Opening Day against minor-leaguers [Projo Sox Blog]

Kalish to stay behind when Red Sox go north [Projo Sox Blog]

Valentine to announce starting rotation Sunday [Projo Sox Blog]

Bard grows as starter with fate undetermined [RedSox.com]

Rejuvenated Ross feeling good at the plate [RedSox.com]

Ellsbury fine after fouling ball off right knee [RedSox.com]

Miller set to resume game action Monday [RedSox.com]

Valentine comfortable with outfield alignment [RedSox.com]

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.

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 some of the other sports. 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 Women’s Basketball links

Swin Cash realizes dream of returning to Olympics [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Auriemma has reason to be proud of Olympic team [CT Post]

Experts Agree: A Masterful Coaching Job By UConn’s Auriemma [Hartford Courant]

Former UConn Great Ann Strother Still Has The Moves [Hartford Courant]

Group effort [Journal Inquirer]

Bria Hartley at her best in biggest games [New Haven Register]

Swin: Expect Bears, Huskies To Battle [Slam Online]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

CNN Examines College Basketball – And Spotlights UConn’s Academic Troubles [Dom Amore – Hartford Courant]

What will UConn’s roster look like next year? [Kevin Duffy – CT Post]

Lamb weighing options at his own, cool pace [The Day]

UConn Football links

Big East transfers to watch [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

Video: Former UConn DB Robert McClain Talks About NFL Experience [Jeff Smith – Hartford Courant]

Video: Former UConn PK Dave Teggart And The Bench Press [Jeff Smith – Hartford Courant]

Show of support [Journal Inquirer]

Other UConn related links

M. Tennis. Men’s Tennis Drops Match At St. John’s, 7-0 [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Lacrosse. Women’s Lax Falls At No. 13 Georgetown, 21-11 [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Track. Huskies Open Outdoor Season With Two First Place Finishes [UConnHuskies.com]

Baseball. Baseball Walks-Off Game One; Trails in Game Two Before Darkness Falls [UConnHuskies.com]

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

UConn Huskies and USA Olympic Women’s Basketball coach Geno Auriemma will have a few familiar faces with him this summer in London as five former Huskies were named to the first 11 of the 12 roster spots on Friday afternoon.

Here’s the full release from USA Basketball:

DENVER, Colo. (March 30, 2012) – The first 11 members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team were announced today by USA Basketball and features a trio of two-time Olympic gold medalists, four athletes who have each earned one Olympic gold medal and four newcomers to the Olympic stage. The well-balanced and talented core of the U.S. squad will compete for the USA’s fifth-consecutive Olympic gold medal in London this summer. The athletes were selected by the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee, approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors and are pending final approval by the U.S. Olympic Committee. One slot remains for the eventual 12-member U.S. squad and the final athlete will be selected at a later date.

Named to their third Olympic team were Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), and Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), all of whom won gold medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. Competing in her second Olympics after winning gold in Athens in 2004 is Swin Cash (Chicago Sky); while Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky) and Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks) captured their Olympic gold medal in Beijing in 2008. Playing on the Olympic stage for the first time will be Tina Charles (Connecticut Sun), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx) and Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx).

“The USA Basketball Women’s National Team program has been able to sustain an unparalleled level of success in Olympic competition,” said Jim Tooley, USA Basketball executive director/CEO. “That is due, in part, to the continuity of its players. We believe we have selected the best core group possible to continue our success on the international stage. These 11 players include a great mix of international veterans, whose leadership is invaluable to the team, and we have young players who have proven themselves and who are hungry for this opportunity.

“The selection process was not an easy task. There were a number of athletes in consideration for a spot on the Olympic team, and it was difficult to pare the team down from the 21 finalists. We believe we have assembled a solid core group that will help continue USA Basketball’s string of gold medals. I extend my thanks and appreciation to our USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee for the time and effort they put into the selection process.”

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“I think anytime you’re choosing a team made up of the best players, not only the best players in the country, they’re some of the best players in the world, it’s very difficult to come to a team of 12. While 11 players have been selected to be a part of the 2012 Olympic Team, some really, really good players are still in the mix for that final spot,” said Geno Auriemma, 2009-12 USA National Team and University of Connecticut head coach. “I think for the 11, the committee took into consideration what the competition is and who we’re going to have to beat, and put together a really incredible group of players that is not only highly skilled and competitive, they’re proven winners. You have Olympic gold medal winners, World Championship gold medal winners, NCAA champions, WNBA champions, European champions. It’s just a group of unique individuals that I’m really, really looking forward to coaching.

“Anytime you coach USA Basketball, there’s inherent pressure,” added Auriemma when asked about the added pressure of being the four-time defending Olympic champion. “Pressure on you as a coach to make sure you do a great job with your team, make sure you’re prepared and that the players are ready for whatever comes your way and we’re committed to one goal as a team. So, there’s that pressure. There’s the pressure that the players put on themselves because they’re winners. They’re used to winning. There’s pressure in the fact that the United States has won four gold medals in a row. That’s a good kind of pressure. To me, that’s the kind of pressure that makes you even better, because the bar’s set really, really high. Knowing the competitive nature of the group and the coaching staff, the higher the bar, the better we like it. I’m thrilled that we won four in a row. I have a tremendous admiration for the coaches who have coached in those four gold medal games and those players who have played in them. I hope we can continue to add to that legacy.”

In addition to the combined 10 Olympic gold medals, all 11 players have won a FIBA World Championship medal. Bird and Catchings, both of whom were on the 2002 USA World Championship Team that won gold, were joined on the gold medal winning 2010 USA World Championship Team by Cash, Charles, Fowles, McCoughtry, Moore and Whalen; while Augustus, Bird, Catchings, Parker and Taurasi returned with the bronze medal from the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

Three U.S. team members have earned USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year honors, including two-time winner Taurasi (2006, 2010), Augustus (2007) and Charles (2009).

All eleven athletes compete professionally in the WNBA and most continue to hone their games during the winter in China or Europe.

Auriemma will be assisted in the USA’s quest for a gold medal by DePaul University head coach Doug Bruno, 1988 Olympic gold medalist and Washington Mystics assistant coach Jennifer Gillom and Atlanta Dream head coach Marynell Meadors.

The USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee is comprised of WNBA representatives Reneé Brown, Chief of Basketball Operations and Player Relations; Dan Hughes, head coach/General Manager of the San Antonio Silver Stars; and Chief Operating Officer/General Manager of the Indiana Fever Kelly Krauskopf; athlete representative and five-time Olympian Teresa Edwards; and USA Basketball Women’s National Team Director Carol Callan.

2012 Olympic Games
Four-time defending Olympic gold medalists, the U.S. will look to capture its fifth straight and seventh overall gold medal and extend its 33-game Olympic winning streak at the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London. The Olympic women’s basketball competition will be held July 28-Aug. 11 in the Olympic Park Basketball Arena (preliminary round and quarterfinals) and North Greenwich Arena (semifinals and finals).
The draw to determine the two preliminary round pools of six teams each is scheduled to be held April 28 at the FIBA Central Board meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The preliminary round, played July 28-Aug. 5, will feature a round-robin schedule and the top four finishing teams will advance to the Aug. 7 quarterfinals. The semifinals are scheduled for Aug. 9, and the finals will be played on Aug. 11.

Seven countries have claimed spots in the eventual 12-nation field, including host country Great Britain; the United States, which earned its berth by virtue of earning the gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship; and five nations which earned the gold medal at their respective FIBA zone qualifying tournaments, including Angola (FIBA Africa), Australia (FIBA Oceania), Brazil (FIBA Americas), China (FIBA Asia) and Russia (FIBA Europe).

The final five teams will earn their spots at the 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament (June 25 – July 1 in Ankara, Turkey), which will feature 12 nations from each of the five 2011 FIBA zone qualifying tournaments as follows: two from FIBA Africa, including Mali (bronze medalists) and Mozambique (fifth-place finisher); three from FIBA Americas, including Argentina (silver medal), Canada (bronze medalist) and Puerto Rico (fifth-place finisher); two from FIBA Asia, including South Korea (silver medalist) and Japan (bronze medalist); four from FIBA Europe, including Turkey (silver medalist), France (bronze medalist), Czech Republic (fourth place) and Croatia (fifth place); and New Zealand (silver medalist) from FIBA Oceania.

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Do you know who the final two spots are going to in the 2012 Boston Red Sox rotation? Yeah, I didn’t think so. If Bobby Valentine knows, he sure isn’t telling us.

But with spring training winding down very quickly here, we should get the answer to that question sooner rather than later.

Aaron Cook pitched well the other day, Daniel Bard pitches today and Felix Doubront and Alfredo Aceves threw yesterday and threw well according to the media reports since there was no television or radio coverage.

Valentine may have tipped his hand though by having Doubront pitch in a minor league game while Aceves threw to the Blue Jays “big league” squad. I say “big league” because their lineup on Thursday was mostly minor leaguers with some major league reserves.

After a bad outing his last time out where he got shelled, Aceves pitched much better yesterday.

He went six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks while striking out four. Meanwhile on one of the practice fields, Doubront threw six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out four.

No matter what, Aceves will be on the 25-man roster. Doubront is out of options and I just don’t see the Red Sox letting him go through waivers since it’s likely someone will snatch him up. The bullpen is always a possibility for Doubront but something tells me he’ll be one of the five starters in the rotation.

My best guess is that after Bard pitches today, we’ll get our answer to who the final two will be in the Red Sox rotation.

To see the lineups for today’s Mayor’s Cup game against a split-squad from the Minnesota Twins as well as the links from the media, please click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

After falling to the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 yesterday, the Red Sox make a short trip across Ft. Myers to take on their spring training rivals, the Minnesota Twins.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. and there is no television or radio coverage for today’s game.

Here are today’s lineups:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF	1. Denard Span	CF
2. Dustin Pedroia	2B	2. Brian Dozier	SS
3. David Ortiz	DH	3. Joe Mauer	C
4. Kevin Youkilis	3B	4. Justin Morneau	DH
5. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C	5. Josh Willingham	LF
6. Cody Ross	LF	6. Sean Burroughs	3B
7. Ryan Sweeney	RF	7. Luke Hughes	1B
8. Mike Aviles	SS	8. Trevor Plouffe	RF
9. Nick Punto	1B	9. Mike Hollimon	2B
Daniel Bard	SP	Nick Blackburn	SP

Bard will be followed by RHP Mark Melancon and RHP Matt Albers.

MORE LINKS WILL BE ADDED BEFORE GAMETIME IF/WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND WILL BE BOLDED

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Schilling behind desk does an about-face [Boston Globe]

New year, new lease on life for Youkilis [Boston Globe]

No recourse in Carpenter case [Boston Globe]

Pedroia manages to adjust [Boston Globe]

Carl Crawford takes time in return [Boston Herald]

Bobby Valentine’s rotation still spinning [Boston Herald]

Cody Ross knows ropes [Boston Herald]

Source: Red Sox still want Cubs to talk [Boston Herald]

How the Red Sox make their decisions [Rob Bradford – WEEI.com]

Setting the Red Sox pitching plan through the end of spring training [Clubhouse Insider]

Valentine: ‘I’m very happy with Doubront’s spring’ [CSN New England]

Aceves: ‘It’s like a dream, to start’ [CSN New England]

Valentine: Sox not ‘best team ever’, but still expect great things [CSN New England]

Doubront, Aceves shine, but nothing set yet [ESPN Boston]

Curses! Musings on the Theo comp saga [ESPN Boston]

A few pregame Red Sox notes [Extra Bases]

Cook paid retention bonus [Extra Bases]

Valentine: Bard is capable of starting [Extra Bases]

Ben Cherington explains what the Red Sox knew about Carl Crawford’s wrist [Full Count]

Felix Doubront Closing in on Starting Job, Pedro Ciriaco Playing His Way onto Red Sox Roster (Podcast) [NESN.com]

Felix Doubront’s Time to Shine in Red Sox Rotation Could Be Now [NESN.com]

Director of Player Development Ben Crockett Encouraged by Lars Anderson, Impressed With Alex Wilson [NESN.com]

As Ross well knows, this time of year means abrupt transactions [Projo Sox Blog]

Aceves, Doubront make cases for spots in rotation [Projo Sox Blog]

Punto giving first base a whirl to be prepared for emergencies [Projo Sox Blog]

Red Sox bringing few regulars to play Rays on Saturday [Projo Sox Blog]

How might the Red Sox roster shape up? [Projo Sox Blog]

Cook being viewed as only starter, not reliever [RedSox.com]

Red Sox don’t want to put pressure on Crawford [RedSox.com]

Valentine expecting club will reach postseason [RedSox.com]

Aceves, Doubront both sparkle in starts [RedSox.com]

AL East again looks to be battle of Big Three [RedSox.com]

2012 Prospect Previews: Jose Iglesias and Ryan Lavarnway [SoxProspects.com]

Who Throws the First Pitch at Fenway’s 100th Anniversary Game? [Surviving Grady]

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.

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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 some of the other sports. 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 Women’s Basketball links

Tuck, Jefferson, Stewart Fare Well At McDonald’s Game [Rich Elliott – CT Post]

ESPN’s Peck, Lobo, Lawson And Burke Weigh In On The Final Four [Rich Elliott – CT Post]

Collective Change After Loss To ND Has Huskies Back In Four Four [Rich Elliott – CT Post]

A Look Back At The NCAA Elite Eight [UConnHuskies.com]

Hayes, Hartley and Mosqueda-Lewis Earn AP All-America Honors [UConnHuskies.com]

Women’s Hoops Arrives in Denver [UConnHuskies.com]

Faris’ message inspired better play from Huskies [CT Post]

Tiffany Hayes’ Up-And-Down Career At UConn Will End After Her Fourth Final Four [Hartford Courant]

Women’s Final Four: Some Things To Know [Hartford Courant]

The Dailey News: She’s The Backbone Of The UConn Women’s Program [Hartford Courant]

Jefferson, Stewart, Tuck made mark at McDonald’s All American Game [New Haven Register]

Dailey and Geno: an incredible team [espnW]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Mark Emmert: Don’t Expect Decision on UConn Eligibility Soon [Dom Amore – Hartford Courant]

If UConn is banned from NCAA tournament, it will miss Big East tournament, too [CT Post]

No Big East Tournament For UConn If NCAA Ban Holds Up [Hartford Courant]

UConn Football links

DC answered a few questions in his mailbag [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

Kendall Reyes chat transcript [ESPN.com]

UConn’s Success Hinges On Offensive Line [Hartford Courant]

Other UConn related links

W. Track. Huskies Open Up Outdoor Season This Weekend [UConnHuskies.com]

M. Track. UConn Begins Outdoor Campaign At Home [UConnHuskies.com]

Baseball. Time Change for Baseball Game at Dodd Stadium [UConnHuskies.com]

Baseball. Baseball to Play Two on Friday [UConnHuskies.com]

Baseball. Huskies Set For BIG EAST Play at Home Starting Today at Noon [UConnHuskies.com]

Softball. Huskies Look to Keep Win Streak Going Against Irish [UConnHuskies.com]

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When the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs finally settled on compensation for Theo Epstein, there was one piece that hadn’t been settled yet. The player-to-be-named-later that was going to the Cubs.

Well that issue was settled on Thursday as the Red Sox sent minor league first baseman Jair Bogaerts to the Cubs. The Red Sox had already received pitchers Chris Carpenter and Aaron Kurcz.

If the last name Bogaerts sounds familiar it’s because his twin brother Xander Bogaerts is one of the top prospects in the Red Sox organization.

Ironically enough, the trade happens one day after Carpenter announced on Twitter that he was having surgery to remove a bone spur from his elbow. And apparently this was a new injury to his elbow as he had passed physicals from both the Cubs and Red Sox.

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