UConn Women Dominate AAC Women’s Basketball Major Awards

From the American Athletic Conference-

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – UConn junior forward Breanna Stewart was named the American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, the league announced on Friday. UConn rookie Kia Nurse took home American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors while head coach Geno Auriemma received Coach of the Year accolades.

The awards were voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.

Stewart, the American Preseason Player of the Year and AP Preseason All-American, averaged 6.7 rebounds and a team-best 17.1 points per game in conference play. The junior was a unanimous all-conference first team selection and helped lead her squad to the American regular-season championship for the second consecutive season. She is a finalist for the 2015 Naismith, Wade and Wooden Awards.

Nurse has established herself as one of UConn’s most consistent offensive weapons. She has started all but three games this season, is one of five Huskies averaging double figures (10.9 points per game) and is second on the team in assists, averaging 3.3 assists per game. Nurse is also second on the team and 62nd in the nation in assist to turnover ratio, and has received American Freshman of the Week honors twice this season.

In his 30th year of coaching, Auriemma led his team to a 29-1 regular season mark and the American regular-season title for the second consecutive year. His squad is one win shy of their 10th consecutive 30-win season and is ranked No. 1 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls. He is one of 10 finalists for the 2015 Naismith Coach of the Year award and became the fastest Division I coach to reach 900 career wins after topping Cincinnati on February 3.

American Player of the Year

Breanna Stewart, F, Jr., UConn

American Freshman of the Year

Kia Nurse, G, Fr., UConn

American Coach of the Year

Geno Auriemma, UConn

Seven UConn Women’s Players Named To American All-Conference Team

UConn's Morgan Tuck (3), Breanna Stewart (30), Moriah Jefferson (4) and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis all earned First Team All-Conference honors from the American Athletic Conference.

UConn’s Morgan Tuck (3), Breanna Stewart (30), Moriah Jefferson (4) and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (23) all earned First Team All-Conference honors from the American Athletic Conference.

From UConn:

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Seven standouts from the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team earned spots on 2014-15 American Athletic Conference All-Conference teams, the league announced on Thursday. Moriah Jefferson (Glenn Heights, Texas), Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Anaheim Hills, Calif.), Breanna Stewart (Syracuse, N.Y.), and Morgan Tuck (Bolingbrook, Ill.) were placed on the All-Conference First Team, while Kiah Stokes (Marion, Iowa) was named to the Second Team. Kia Nurse (Hamilton, Ontario) and Gabby Williams (Sparks, Nev.) were tabbed as All-Freshman team selections.

In addition to a spot on the All-Conference squad, Stokes was tabbed as the conference’s 2014-15 Defensive Player of the Year, while Jefferson earned Most Improved Player honors. Williams was selected as the league’s Sixth Player of the Year.

Stokes becomes the fifth-ever Husky to earn a conference Defensive Player of the Year and third-straight after Stefanie Dolson grabbed the honor a season ago and Kelly Faris took home the accolade in 2012-13. Stokes (125) is just six blocks shy of Rebecca Lobo’s program single-season blocks record of 131. The senior center leads the Huskies with 7.4 rebounds in just 19.7 minutes per game. Her 5.5 defensive boards per game ranks fourth in the conference and she leads the league with 4.2 rejections per contest.

Jefferson’s Most Improved Player accolade is the third such award in program history and first since Faris earned the distinction in 2012-13. The Texan, who is averaging 11.7 points in 27.1 minutes per game this season, has been one of the Huskies’ most consistent scoring options in In total, she ranks first on the team in assists (139) and steals (79) and is one of seven Huskies shooting over 50.0 percent from the floor (56.4). 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.

Jefferson’s 2.6 steals per game average is tops in the American Athletic Conference. In February, she was selected to the Wooden Award Late Season Top-20 List. Additionally, the guard is among 31 candidates on the 2015 Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List.

Williams earned the Huskies’ third-ever Sixth Player of the Year nod and first since Mosqueda-Lewis in 2011-12. The freshman boasts the conference’s best field goal percentage (.633) and is averaging 8.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in 16.7 minutes off the bench. She was selected as the league’s Freshman of the Week on Dec. 22, Jan. 12 and Feb. 9.

Mosqueda-Lewis, who owns the program record with 371 made 3-point field goals, became the eighth member of UConn’s 2,000-point club when she notched 21 points against Memphis on Senior Day (Feb. 28). The senior forward leads the country with a .539 shooting percentage from beyond the arc this season. Her 3.2 made 3-point field goals per game ranks first in The American and she also stands at sixth overall in the conference in total scoring at 14.6 points per game. 

At 17.4 points per game, Stewart is third in the conference and also ranks in the top-10 in field goal percentage (.540), blocks per game (2.5) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6). This season, the junior forward has notched 10 20-point games and has reached double figures in 26 of UConn’s 30 games.

Last month, she was selected as a member of the Wooden Award Late Season Top-20 and earned a spot on the 2014-15 Capital One Academic All-America Second Team.

Stewart is currently tied with former standout Stefanie Dolson (1,797) for 13th on the Huskies’ all-time scoring list. Additionally, she stands in fifth on the program’s all-time blocks list with 259 career rejections.

Tuck, who holds the nation’s eighth-best field goal percentage (.578), has put together a breakout season after being limited to just eight games in 2013-14. The forward ranks third on the squad at 13.4 points per game and holds a stellar 1.65 assist-to-turnover ratio this season.

Nurse, who has helped the Huskies earn 29 wins in their first 30 games, has established herself as one of UConn’s most consistent offensive weapons. The guard is one of five Huskies averaging double-digit points (10.9) and ranks second on the squad with 99 assists. The Canadian  was tabbed as the league’s Freshman of the Week on Dec. 1 and Dec. 29.

The league will announce its selections for Player, Coach, Freshman and Scholar-Athlete of the Year at a press conference on Friday, March 6 at 2 p.m.

2015 American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Regular Season Awards

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The American Athletic Conference announced its annual women’s basketball awards to cap the 2014-15 season and kick off the American Women’s Basketball Championship in Uncasville, Conn., March 6-9.

The All-Conference First Team includes student-athletes from three schools and is highlighted by four unanimous first team selections: Breanna Stewart (UConn), Courtney Williams (USF), Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (UConn) and Moriah Jefferson (UConn).

UConn senior Kiah Stokes earned American Defensive Player of the Year honors while teammate Moriah Jefferson was chosen as the American Most Improved Player of the Year. Freshman Gabby Williams (UConn) and junior Ashley Clark (Tulsa) shared American Sixth Player of the Year accolades while Temple senior Tyonna Williams earned the league’s Sportsmanship Award. East Carolina junior I’Tiana Taylor was tabbed Newcomer of the Year.

Stokes ranks fourth nationally in blocks per game (4.17) and is one of four UConn players in program history with 300 career blocks. Jefferson leads the league with 2.6 steals per game, ranks first on the team in assists (139) and is one of seven Huskies shooting over 50-percent from the field. Williams is a two-time American Freshman of the Week selection and leads The American in field-goal percentage (.633), while Clark averages a team-best 14.0 points and 7.4 rebounds off the bench for Tulsa.

Williams has participated in many community service initiatives during her four years at Temple and was named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for the past three years. Taylor, in her first year with the Pirates after transferring from Weatherford College, has seven double-doubles this season and four 20+ point performances under her belt.

The awards were voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches. Ties were not broken. The American Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Coach of the Year will be announced at a press conference on Friday, March 6 at Mohegan Sun Arena at 2 p.m. ET. The event will be streamed live at www.theamerican.org/dn.

American Defensive Player of the Year

Kiah Stokes, C, Sr., UConn

American Most Improved Player of the Year

Moriah Jefferson, G, Jr., UConn

American Sportsmanship Award

Tyonna Williams, G, Sr., Temple

American Sixth Player of the Year

Gabby Williams, G, Fr., UConn

Ashley Clark, G, Jr., Tulsa

American Newcomer of the Year

I’Tiana Taylor, F, Jr., East Carolina

All-Conference First Team

*Breanna Stewart, F, Jr., UConn

*Courtney Williams, G, Jr., USF

*Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, F, Sr., UConn

*Moriah Jefferson, Jr., G, UConn

Jada Payne, F, R-Jr., East Carolina

Morgan Tuck, F, R-So., UConn

All-Conference Second Team

Alisia Jenkins, F, Jr., USF

Ariel Hearn, G, Jr., Memphis

Ashley Clark, G, Jr., Tulsa

Zykira Lewis, G, So., UCF

I’Tiana Taylor, Jr., F, East Carolina

Kiah Stokes, Sr., C, UConn

All-Conference Third Team

Erica Covile, G, Jr., Temple

Alliya Butts, G, Fr., Temple

Danielle Blagg, G, Sr., Tulane

Kolby Morgan, G, Fr., Tulane

Kia Nurse, G, Fr., UConn

All-Freshman Team

*Kia Nurse, G, Fr., UConn

*Alliya Butts, G, Fr., Temple

Kolby Morgan, G, Fr., Tulane

Ana Owens, G, Fr., Cincinnati

Alicia Froling, F, Fr., SMU

Laura Ferreira, F, Fr., USF

Gabby Williams, G, Fr., UConn

[*] denotes unanimous pick

UConn looking to get hot before conference tournament, a familiar formula

The highs and lows continue for the UConn Huskies, as the Jekyl and Hyde act continues towards their final two games of the regular season.

Connecticut turned their two game winning streak into a three game winning streak by defeating the conference leading SMU Mustangs at home on March 1st. Ryan Boatright scored 23 points and Rodney Purvis had a career-high 28 and the Huskies (17-11, 10-6 American) beat a ranked opponent for the first time this season, upsetting No. 21 SMU 81-73 on Sunday

UConn has won three straight and six of its past eight. The Huskies are in fifth place in the league, a game ahead of Memphis. The top five teams will get first-round byes when the AAC tournament opens in Hartford, Connecticut on March 12.

UConn heads back to campus to host Memphis at Gampel Pavilion before closing the season next Saturday at Temple. The Huskies lost to both teams earlier this season.

According to SeatSmart, the average ticket price for Connecticut tickets vs. Memphis is $23 with a walk-in price of $8. Tickets for their game against Temple have an average price of $43 with a walk-in price of $9.

On Thursday, Boatright will be honored along with Pat Lenehan, Dan Guest and managers Nick Blanco and Colon Oehrle in Senior Night ceremonies before tip off. Boatright, the leading scorer in the AAC at 17.7 points per game, will leave an impressive mark on the program. He has 1,689 points and 479 assists, joining former teammate Shabazz Napier as the only players to reach the top 10 in program history in both categories. Boatright has played 122 games for UConn and was a part of the 2013-14 National Championship team. He moved in front of Wes Bialosuknia (1,673) and into ninth place on UConn’s scoring list, behind Kemba Walker (1,783).

It’s an omen that UConn is playing their best ball heading into the NCAA Tournament, because everyone remembers how well that worked out for them last time.

American Athletic Conference Weekly Women’s Basketball Honors – March 2

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced winners of the league’s final weekly women’s basketball honors for games ending March 2.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis * F * 5-11 * Sr. * UConn

Mosqueda-Lewis averaged 20.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 63.9-percent from the field in a 3-0 week for the top-ranked Huskies.  She also joined an elite club when she became only the eighth member of UConn’s 2,000-point club on Saturday. Mosqueda-Lewis began the week with a 21-point performance in a win at Tulane on Feb. 23. She followed that up with another 21-point effort in Saturday’s win against Memphis. Her 21 came on 8-11 shooting. The senior ended the week with an 18-point performance in Monday’s win at RV/RV USF.  She was 7-12 from the floor, including 4-9 from long-range, in the win over the Bulls.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

Tanaya Atkinson * G * 5-9 * Temple

Atkinson averaged 12.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 61.5-percent from the field in a 3-0 week for Temple. The rookie had three double-figure scoring games in each contest for the Owls last week. She finished 4-for-7 and posted 10 points and five rebounds against SMU and followed that up with a 5-for-8, 13-point, six-rebound performance against East Carolina. Atkinson scored 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting with eight rebounds, both team-highs, in a win at Houston on Monday.

WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

Kelsee Grovey * G * 5-8 * Jr. * Tulsa

Averaged 16.3 points per game in a 3-0 week for Tulsa, clinched third seed at conference championship with undefeated week

Courtney Williams * G * 5-8 * Jr. * USF

Had 26 points on 13-for-26 shooting vs. No. 1/1 UConn on Monday, posted three 20+ point games last week

I’Tiana Taylor * F * 6-1 * Jr. * East Carolina

Recorded fourth 20-point game of the season at Temple on Saturday, tallied seventh double-double of the year vs. UCF

Laura Ferreira * F * 5-11 * Fr. * USF

Averaged 10.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in a 2-1 week for USF

Jessieka Palmer * G * 6-1 * Jr. * Houston

Pulled down third double-double of the season (16 points, 11 rebounds) in a 56-45 loss to Temple on Monday

Pairings Announced for 2015 American Women’s Basketball Championship

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – UConn earned the American regular-season title and clinched the No. 1 seed in the 2014 American Women’s Basketball Championship, to be held March 6-9 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. All 11 league teams will compete for the championship title and the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The tournament field is based on regular-season league records. The highest five seeds earned byes into the quarterfinals on March 7.

No. 1 UConn (29-1, 18-0 American) clinched the conference regular-season title outright with a win over Memphis on Saturday. The Huskies will open tournament play at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday versus the winner of No. 9 Cincinnati and No. 8 UCF.

No. 2 USF (24-6, 15-3 American) opens tournament play at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday versus the winner of No. 10 SMU and No. 7 Memphis. The Bulls dropped their regular-season finale to UConn on Monday at the Sun Dome.

No. 3 Tulsa (17-12, 12-6 American) defeated Cincinnati, 71-58, on Monday to clinch the tournament’s third seed. The Hurricane is 8-2 over their last 10 games and will open tournament play on Saturday at 8 p.m. vs. the winner of No. 6 Tulane and No. 11 Houston.

No. 4 Temple (16-15, 12-6 American) won its regular-season finale over Houston, 56-45, and will face No. 5 East Carolina in the tournament quarterfinals at Noon eastern on Saturday.

No. 5 East Carolina (20-9, 11-7 American) clinched a quarterfinals bye with a 10-point win over UCF on Monday. The Pirates will face No. 4 Temple on Saturday at Noon ET.

No. 6 Tulane (20-9, 11-7 American) wrapped up regular season action on Saturday with a three-point loss at Tulsa. The Green Wave earned the sixth spot at the conference championship and open tournament play on Friday at 8 p.m. eastern vs. No. 11 Houston.

No. 7 Memphis (13-16, 7-11 American) will face No. 10 SMU in the first round of the conference championship on Friday at 6 p.m. ET. The Tigers will face the Mustangs for the second consecutive time after dropping their regular season finale to SMU on Monday.

No. 8 UCF (9-20, 5-13 American) will take on No. 9 Cincinnati in the first-round of the conference championship on Friday at 4 p.m. ET. The Knights dropped a 10-point contest to East Carolina on Monday.

No. 9 Cincinnati (7-22, 4-14 American) takes on No. 8 UCF in the first-round of the conference championship. Game time is slated for 4 p.m. eastern. The Bearcats fell to Tulsa, 71-58, in their final game of the season on Monday.

No. 10 SMU (7-22, 3-15 American) defeated Memphis, 60-53, on Monday and earned the championship’s 10th seed. The Mustangs will take on the seventh-seeded Tigers on Friday at 6 p.m. ET.

No. 11 Houston (6-23, 1-17 American) opens tournament play at 8 p.m. ET on Friday versus sixth-seeded Tulane. The Cougars fell in their regular-season finale to Temple on Monday.

Package and single-session tickets are still available for the conference championship. To order tickets by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. In addition, tickets can be purchased online by logging on to the Mohegan Sun Arena website at www.mohegansun.com or the Ticketmaster website at www.ticketmaster.com.

Tickets can also be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office. Box office hours are 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily. All ticket purchases are subject to additional convenience fees.

Fans can watch the entire tournament on the ESPN family of networks. The first round and quarterfinal games on March 6 and 7, respectively, will be carried live on ESPN3. The semifinals on March 8 will be televised on ESPNU while the championship game on March 9 will air on ESPN.

For more information on the American Women’s Basketball Championship, please visit championship central at www.theamerican.org/wbb.

American Athletic Conference Weekly Men’s Basketball Honors – March 2

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly men’s basketball honors for the week ending March 1.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Rodney Purvis • So. • G • UConn

Purvis helped UConn to two wins last week as the Huskies moved into fifth place in the conference standings, giving them the inside track on a first-round bye in the American Athletic Conference Championship. He led all scorers with 28 points to go with three assists and three steals in an 81-73 win against No. 21/21 SMU and had 12 points in a 60-49 win at East Carolina. Purvis averaged 20.0 points and 2.5 assists in the two games and is averaging 10.5 points per game for the season.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Daniel Hamilton • Fr. • F/G • UConn

Hamilton averaged a double-double of 12.5 points and 12.0 rebounds to help UConn to a 2-0 mark last week to extend its winning streak to three games. Hamilton had nine points, 17 rebounds and five assists in a 60-49 win at East Carolina and had 16 points with seven rebounds in an 81-73 win against No. 21/21 SMU. Hamilton is second on the Huskies in scoring at 10.8 points per game.

WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

Octavius Ellis • Jr. • F • Cincinnati

Averaged 17.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in a 1-1 week. Shot .667 from the field (14-of-21).

Devonta Pollard • Jr. • F • Houston

Averaged 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.5 steals in a 1-1 week.

Quenton DeCosey • Jr. • G • Temple

Scored 16 points with nine rebounds and three assists in a 66-54 win against Houston.

Louis Dabney • Jr. • G • Tulane

Averaged 25.0 points and shot .515 from the field in two games. Scored 32 points in a loss at Tulsa.

Shaquille Harrison • Jr. • G • Tulsa

Averaged 14.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in a 2-0 week.

Video: UConn Men Flex Muscles In 81-73 Win Over SMU

UConn G Rodney Purvis (44) flexes his muscles after making layup and being fouled in the second half against the SMU Mustangs at the XL Center in Hartford, CT.

UConn G Rodney Purvis (44) flexes his muscles after making a layup and being fouled in the second half against the SMU Mustangs at the XL Center in Hartford, CT.

The UConn men’s basketball team has not beaten the SMU Mustangs since the two teams joined the American Athletic Conference. For whatever reason, the UConn Huskies don’t match up well with them.

The last time these two teams faced each other, the Huskies were embarrassed in Dallas, TX. This time, head coach Kevin Ollie came up with a different game plan.

It was executed to perfection by his charges.

Rodney Purvis, who played perhaps his finest game in an UConn uniform, paced the Huskies to an 81-73 win over No. 21 SMU in front of 15,564 at the XL Center in snowy Hartford, CT.

UConn improves to 17-11 (10-6 American) while SMU falls to 23-6 (14-3 American).

Purvis led the way with 28 points and the 46% foul shooter hit all seven of his attempts. Ryan Boatright added 23 points and five assists while Daniel Hamilton had 14 of his 16 points in the second half. Hamilton also led the team with seven rebounds.

Markus Kennedy was the high scorer for the Mustangs with 18 points and had a game-high nine rebounds. Yanick Moreira had 14 points while Sterling Brown had 13 points.

The UConn men’s basketball team is back in action on Thursday night when they’ll host the Memphis Tigers on Senior Night at Gampel Pavilion. Tip is scheduled for 9 p.m.

SMU Mustangs @ UConn Huskies 3/1/15 box score

Here are the postgame quotes.

Here are UConn’s postgame notes.

photo credit:  ©2015 Ian Bethune

Photos-WBB: UConn Huskies vs Memphis Tigers – 2/28/15

Here is a photo gallery from the UConn women’s basketball game versus the Memphis Tigers at Gampel Pavilion on February 28, 2015. The UConn Huskies won the game easily, 87-24.

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