Author Archives: ianbethune

Photos: 2015 UConn Football Dog House Party

While the photo gallery below shows the UConn football team practicing, the spirit of Wednesday night’s “Dog House Party” was for the students.

It was a chance for the UConn students to watch how hard the student-athletes are working as they look to bring UConn football back to the top.

So keep in mind as you look at the photo gallery that there were over 400 students at the Mark R. Shenkman Training Center watching the UConn football team go through a practice.

To see full size picture or slide show, please click on image
(mobile/tablet users: to scroll through photos, you can swipe left or right; to remove caption, tap photo.)

photo credits: ©2015 Ian Bethune

Video: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis Breaks All-Time NCAA Three-Point Record

UConn women’s basketball player Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis needed four three-pointers on Monday night to tie the NCAA record of made three-pointers in a career. A fifth would give her the record held by Laurie Koehn of Kansas State and Heather Butler of Tennessee-Martin (392).

KML would end up with seven on the night.  But each one she made ended up being important in the final outcome of the game.

The tying one put UConn up eight early in the second half after they had found themselves trailing to the Dayton Flyers at halftime. A few minutes later, her fifth, the record breaker, pushed UConn’s lead to 13.

Watch and/or listen below as KML talks about what the record means to her as well thoughts from her teammates Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck.

Video: The UConn Women Only Cherish The Final Net

The main goal of the UConn women’s basketball team every season is to win the national championship. As we’ve seen, they’re pretty good at doing that having won nine national championships, including four of the last six.

So when the UConn women’s basketball team wins a conference tournament title or a regional final to send them to the Final Four, they don’t cut the nets down.

The reason, the UConn women’s basketball team savors the moment of being able to cut down the final net of the season which would be when they win the national championship.

In a bit of irony after they beat the Dayton Flyers in the Albany Regional final, the UConn women’s basketball team was given t-shirts, made by Nike for the NCAA, that said “Cut The Net“.

Watch and/or listen below as UConn women’s basketball players Morgan Tuck, Moriah Jefferson, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Breanna Stewart talk about why they don’t cut the nets down.

Photos: 2015 UConn Football Pro Day

Here is a photo gallery from the 2015 UConn Football Pro Day held at the Mark R. Shenkman Training Center on campus in Storrs, CT.

29 NFL teams and two CFL teams as well as ESPN, NFL Network and local media were on hand. Included in those 29 NFL teams were two head coaches in Chip Kelly of the Philadelphia Eagles and Mike Zimmer of the Minnesota Vikings.

To see full size picture or slide show, please click on image
(mobile/tablet users: to scroll through photos, you can swipe left or right; to remove caption, tap photo.)

photo credits: ©2015 Ian Bethune

2014-15 AP Women’s Basketball All-American Team

From UConn:

STORRS, Conn. — For the second-consecutive season, University of Connecticut junior forward Breanna Stewart was unanimously selected to the Associated Press All-America First Team, as announced on Tuesday. Additionally, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) and Moriah Jefferson (Glenn Heights, Texas) earned spots on the AP All-America Second Team, while Morgan Tuck (Bolingbrook, Ill.) was an honorable mention.

UConn's Breanna Stewart (30) puts a shot up over Dayton's Amber Deane (2) during the 2015 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Elite Eight game between the UConn Huskies and Dayton Flyers at Times Union Center in Albany, NY.

UConn’s Breanna Stewart named unanimous AP All-American for the second straight season.

Stewart becomes the first Husky player since Maya Moore to earn multiple AP First Team selections. In total, the Connecticut program boasts 11 First Team selections by six different players.

The Husky forward was named as the Albany Regional’s Most Outstanding Player after averaging 27.0 points and 14.0 rebounds in a pair of UConn victories. Earlier on Tuesday, she was one of three Huskies to earn an All-America nod from the USWBA. The 2014-15 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year has reached double-figure points in 14 of her 15 career NCAA Tournament games.

At 1,927 career points, Stewart stands at No. 11 on the program’s all-time scoring list. Additionally, she ranks fifth in Husky history with 280 career blocks.

Mosqueda-Lewis earns her second career Second Team honor in the midst of a stellar senior season. The Anaheim Hills, Calif. native owns the NCAA all-time record for most made three-point field goals (395) and was selected to the All-Regional Team on Monday night.

Jefferson, one of five finalists for the 2015 Nancy Lieberman Award, became the first Husky since Kelly Faris in 2012-13 to earn the conference’s Most Improved Player accolade when she earned the distinction on March 6 . The guard has enjoyed a stellar junior campaign, averaging 12.3 points in 28.2 minutes per game. In total, she ranks first on the team in assists (181) and steals (91) and is one of six Huskies shooting over 50.0 percent from the floor (59.5). She provided a spark in UConn’s 87-62 victory over No. 1 South Carolina on Feb. 9, notching 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting to go along with a game-high six assists.

Tuck has enjoyed a bounce-back campaign after playing just eight games in the 2013-14 season due to knee injuries. An All-American Athletic Conference First Team member, Tuck ranks third on the squad with 14.2 points per game ranks second among all UConn players with a .605 field goal percentage.

The Huskies will take on Maryland in the 2015 National Semifinals set for Sunday, April 5 in Tampa, Fla. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Here is the list of the AP All-American teams

First Team
Jewell Loyd, Notre Dame (35 first-team votes, 175 total points).
Breanna Stewart, UConn (35, 175).
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina (27, 159).
Nina Davis, Baylor (21, 136).
Amanda Zahui B., Minnesota (20, 129).

Second Team
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, UConn (7, 104).
Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State (6, 97).
Elizabeth Williams, Duke (6, 91).
Moriah Jefferson, UConn (6, 87).
Brittany Boyd, California  (3, 48).

Third Team
Lexie Brown, Maryland, (1, 42).
Samantha Logic, Iowa, 5-9 (38).
Jillian Alleyne, Oregon (2, 32).
A’ja Wilson, South Carolina (28).
Ruth Hamblin, Oregon State  (1, 24).
Reshanda Gray, California  (24).

Honorable Mention (in alphabetical order)
Lindsay Allen, Notre Dame; Morgan Bailey, BYU; Adut Bulgak Florida State; Cierra Burdick, Tennessee; Blake Dietrick, Princeton; Lexi Eaton, BYU; Makayla Epps, Kentucky; Tia Faleru, Mississippi; Chelsea Gardner, Kansas; Dearica Hamby, Wake Forest; Alex Harden, Wichita State; Isabelle Harrison, Tennessee; Brittany Hrynko (1 first-team vote), DePaul; Niya Johnson (1), Baylor; Ashia Jones, UT-Martin; Jonquel Jones (1), George Washington; Jordan Jones, Texas A&M; Betnijah Laney, Rutgers; Vicky McIntyre, Oral Roberts. Mariya Moore, Louisville; Amber Orrange (1), Stanford; Kelsey Plum (1), Washington; Aerial Powers, Michigan State; Shereesa Richards, Albany; Porsha Roberts, Stephen F. Austin; Stacia Robertson, High Point; Leticia Romero, Florida State; Ka-Deidre Simmons, Seton Hall; Morgan Tuck, UConn; Brianna Turner, Notre Dame; Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State; Courtney Walker, Texas A&M; Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Maryland; Aleighsa Welch, South Carolina; Courtney Williams, South Florida.

Three UConn Women’s Basketball Players Named USBWA All-Americans

UConn's Moriah Jefferson (4) points to Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (23) after KML broke the all-time NCAA three-point record during the 2015 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Elite Eight game between the UConn Huskies and Dayton Flyers at Times Union Center in Albany, NY.

UConn’s Moriah Jefferson (4) points to Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (23) after KML broke the all-time NCAA three-point record during the 2015 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Elite Eight game between the UConn Huskies and Dayton Flyers at Times Union Center in Albany, NY.

From UConn:

ST. LOUIS — After helping the UConn women’s basketball program to its eighth-straight Final Four appearance, three Husky standouts, Moriah Jefferson (Glenn Heights, Texas), Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) and Breanna Stewart (Syracuse, N.Y.), were named as 2014-15 U.S. Basketball Writers Association Women’s All-Americans, as selected by the entire association membership on Tuesday.

In total, UConn boasts 27 USWBA All-America selections by 16 players. Mosqueda-Lewis and Stewart each earned their second career nods to the squad, becoming the sixth and seventh different Husky players to receive multiple USWBA All-America honors.

Stewart, who was one of three Huskies on the All-America team a season ago, is fresh off a selection as the Albany Regional’s Most Outstanding Player. The junior forward was one of three Huskies to surpass the 20-point plateau (23) in Connecticut’s 91-70 win over Dayton on Monday night. Stewart, named as one of four finalists for the 2015 Naismith Trophy on March 20, earned her second-straight All-Region I Team selection last week. Additionally, she was named as the 2014-15 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year earlier this month.

Mosqueda-Lewis, who last earned USBWA All-America honors in the 2012-13 campaign, became the NCAA’s all-time leader in made three point field goals (395) after connecting on seven against the Flyers. The Husky senior was one of three UConn players named to the All-Regional squad. She became the eighth member of UConn’s 2,000-point club when she notched 21 points against Memphis on Senior Day (Feb. 28).

Jefferson, one of five finalists for the 2015 Nancy Lieberman Award, became the first Husky since Kelly Faris in 2012-13 to earn the conference’s Most Improved Player accolade when she earned the distinction on March 6 . The guard has enjoyed a stellar junior campaign, averaging 12.3 points in 28.2 minutes per game. In total, she ranks first on the team in assists (181) and steals (91) and is one of six Huskies shooting over 50.0 percent from the floor (59.5). She provided a spark in UConn’s 87-62 victory over No. 1 South Carolina on Feb. 9, notching 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting to go along with a game-high six assists.

In addition to their All-American selections, Stewart and Mosqueda-Lewis were tabbed as finalists for the 2015 Wooden Award.

The USBWA Women’s All-America Team is the nation’s best ten players, regardless of position, as selected by the USBWA membership based on regular-season performance. These ten standouts are finalists for the USBWA’s Ann Meyers Drysdale Award as the national player of the year, which will be announced Sunday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla., prior to the start of the NCAA Women’s Final Four.

Following is the complete 2014-15 USBWA Women’s All-America Team:

2014-15 USBWA WOMEN’S ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Player, School Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown
Nina Davis, Baylor F 5-11 So. Memphis, Tenn.
Moriah Jefferson, Connecticut G 5-7 Jr. Glenn Heights, Texas
Samantha Logic, Iowa G 5-9 Jr. Racine, Wis.
Jewell Loyd, Notre Dame G 5-10 Jr. Lincolnwood, Ill.
Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State G 5-8 Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina G 5-9 Jr. Charlotte, N.C.
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Connecticut F 5-11 Sr. Anaheim Hills, Calif.
Breanna Stewart, Connecticut F 6-4 Jr. North Syracuse, N.Y.
Elizabeth Williams, Duke C/F 6-3 Sr. Virginia Beach, Va.
Amanda Zahiu B., Minnesota C 6-5 So. Stockholm, Sweden
By conference: American Athletic (3); Big Ten (3); ACC (2); Big 12 (1) SEC (1).
By class: Seniors (2); Juniors (5); Sophomores (2); Freshmen (1).

Photos – NCAA WBB: UConn Huskies vs Dayton Flyers – 3/30/15

Here is a photo gallery from the UConn women’s basketball game versus the Dayton Flyers in the Elite Eight of the 2015 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in Albany, NY. The UConn Huskies won the game 91-70.

To see full size picture or slide show, please click on image
(mobile/tablet users: to scroll through photos, you can swipe left or right; to remove caption, tap photo.)

photo credits: ©2015 Ian Bethune

Video: UConn’s Jefferson Earns Rare Praise From Auriemma

When UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma has something to say about one of his players, sometimes it’s a snarky comment. Now that isn’t the norm.

But he rarely dishes out praise about his players. He doesn’t want it going to their heads.

During the UConn women’s basketball press conference for the Elite Eight game versus the Dayton Flyers, Auriemma said that Moriah Jefferson was the best point guard in the country. She just happens to be one of the five finalists for the 2015 Lieberman Award which goes to the top PG in women’s basketball.

Watch and/or listen below as both Auriemma and Jefferson talk about her improvement this season:

Video: UConn Women Like To Play Quickly

When the UConn women’s basketball team and the Dayton Flyers get together on Monday night in the Albany Regional final of the 2015 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, it may resemble a track meet. Both teams like to play quickly.

There is a difference though when the UConn women’s basketball team plays at their rapid pace. They are very much under control. There hasn’t been a team that’s been able to keep up with them.

And even when teams try to slow the UConn women’s basketball team down, it doesn’t usually last that long because of their outstanding defense.

Dayton head coach Jim Jabir hopes to be able to slow them down a little. But with his team playing a similar style, he just has to hope they don’t turn the ball over.

Watch and/or listen below as Jabir talks about how he plans to slow the pace down, if at all and the UConn women’s basketball starting five talk about what it’s like for them to play the swift pace.

McShay’s Latest Mock NFL Draft Has UConn’s Byron Jones Going In 1st Round

ORLANDO, FL - OCTOBER 26: Jeff Godfrey #2 of the UCF Knights attempts to run past Byron Jones #16 of the Connecticut Huskies during the game at Bright House Networks Stadium on October 26, 2013 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

ORLANDO, FL – OCTOBER 26: Jeff Godfrey #2 of the UCF Knights attempts to run past Byron Jones #16 of the Connecticut Huskies during the game at Bright House Networks Stadium on October 26, 2013 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

UConn football cornerback Byron Jones made a huge splash during the 2015 NFL Combine when he broke the world record for broad jump at 12 feet 3 inches. He also turned heads with his 44.5 inch vertical jump.

For UConn football fans, this wasn’t anything they hadn’t seen before. He jumped on to an almost four foot box during a Women’s 101 Football Clinic in June of 2014.

In Todd McShay’s last mock draft on ESPN Insider, he had Jones listed in the next four top prospects. Now in the latest mock draft, McShay has Jones going at 32nd to the Patriots.

Byron Jones

Jones will get a chance to show the scouts even more during the UConn Huskies Pro Day tomorrow (March 31). It is NOT open to the public but I will do my best to provide any coverage I can.