HARTFORD, Conn. (February 22, 2011) – It’s one of the most emotional moments of the UConn basketball season: Senior Night. This is the evening that gives University of Connecticut women’s basketball seniors the opportunity to join their family on the court for a special presentation by Coach Geno Auriemma and offer their official good-bye to the fans before they play their last home game.

Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) will broadcast an entire evening of UConn programming devoted to the incredible #1-ranked team and its two extraordinary seniors: Maya Moore, one of the greatest players in NCAA history, and Lorin Dixon, the ultra-speedy guard who has provided leadership and spark off the bench throughout her career. CPTV will showcase all the special moments of the evening and offer unique programming on Monday, February 28 starting at 6 p.m.:

6 p.m. – A Tribute to the Class of 2011 – Maya Moore and Lorin Dixon reflect back on their many unforgettable moments over their past four years at UConn, including two NCAA championships and the historic 90-game winning streak. This CPTV Original documentary features interviews with the seniors as well as their teammates; Coach Geno Auriemma; CPTV’s Meghan Culmo and Bob Picozzi; and a variety of coaches from other schools who have coached against Moore and Dixon over the years.

7 p.m. (approx.)  – UConn Senior Ceremony – Coach Geno Auriemma takes to Gampel Pavilion’s center court for a special presentation to seniors Maya Moore and Lorin Dixon as an arena full of Husky fans join the celebration.

7:30 p.m.  –  UConn vs. Syracuse – Live from Gampel Pavilion in Storrs

9:45 p.m. (approx.)  –  UConn Women’s Basketball: A Tribute to the Class of 2011 (encore presentation)

11 p.m.  – The Geno Auriemma Show: Special Edition – Taped earlier this month at the Rocky Hill Marriott, head coach Geno Auriemma and players Maya Moore, Tiffany Hayes and Kelly Faris are interviewed by host Meghan Culmo in front of an audience of Husky fans.

UConn Women’s Basketball on CPTV is made possible with support from our Founding Partners: Big Y World Class Markets and Yankee Gas, and additional Signature Sponsors: St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, New York Life and People’s United Bank.

The NCAA has finally handed down the penalties from the whole Nate Miles fiasco on the UConn Huskies men’s basketball program. And while UConn self-imposed some sanctions, the NCAA made a few changes to them.

First off, UConn Huskies men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun has been suspended for the first three Big East games of the 2011-2012 season. This is because the NCAA found that Calhoun failed to create a culture of compliance at UConn.

Secondly, the instead of two years probation as UConn self-imposed, the NCAA has placed them on three years probation. Thirdly, instead of two years with a reduction of one scholarship, UConn will have to go three years with one less scholarship.

The good thing out of all of this is the fact that there won’t be a postseason ban. This is huge because the UConn men are in the midst of a special season, a season which nobody saw coming.

Now the penalties from the NCAA have been handed down from this mess, it’s time to move on.

A full look at the NCAA sanctions along with reactions from UConn can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Here’s the full list of NCAA sanctions:

• Public reprimand and censure.
• Three years of probation from February 22, 2011, through February 21, 2014. The public infractions report further details the conditions of this probation.
• The head coach must be suspended from all coaching duties for the first three conference games of the 2011-12 season. He cannot be present in the arena where the games are played and cannot have contact with the coaching staff or student-athletes during the games.
• Two-year show-cause order for the former operations director (Beau Archibald) (February 22, 2011, through February 21, 2013). The public report further details the conditions of this penalty.
• Permanent disassociation of the involved booster. The public infractions report includes further details.
• Reduction of men’s basketball athletics scholarships from 13 to 12 for the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.
• Ban on men’s basketball recruiting calls during the 2011-12 academic year until 30 days after the first day that phone calls are allowed.
• Reduction in the number of men’s basketball coaches allowed to make phone calls from three to two, not including the head basketball coach, for six months after the university’s response to the notice of allegations (self-imposed by the university).
• Reduction of the number of men’s basketball off-campus recruiting days by 40, from 130 to 90, for the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 recruiting periods.
• Limit of five official paid visits for men’s basketball for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years.
• The head coach, assistant coach and all members of the compliance staff must attend the NCAA Regional Rules Seminar.

The members of the Committee on Infractions who reviewed this case include Dr. Dennis Thomas, the commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and chair of the Committee on Infractions. Other members are Britton Banowsky, commissioner of Conference USA; John S. Black, attorney; Eleanor Myers, faculty athletics representative and law professor at Temple University; Josephine (Jo) R. Potuto, the Richard H. Larson Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law; Roscoe C. Howard, Jr., attorney; and James O’Fallon, law professor and faculty athletics representative for University of Oregon

Timeline of the NCAA investigation

Reactions from UConn:

Statement from President Philip E. Austin:

This is deeply disappointing to the UConn community. Let me be very clear, we will comply fully with the NCAA’s sanctions and work with great resolve to restore the luster to our men’s basketball program.

Statement from Director of Athletics Jeffrey A. Hathaway:

We have worked closely with the NCAA from the time we learned of the allegations.

When we submitted our response to the NCAA Committee on Infractions acknowledging violations in the men’s basketball program, we immediately self-imposed a series of penalties and corrective measures that are included as part of the NCAA Committee on Infractions report. We are disappointed that the Committee determined that additional penalties needed to be imposed.

We value the principles of the NCAA and fully recommit ourselves to running a program of impeccable integrity.

Statement from Head Basketball Coach Jim Calhoun:

I am very disappointed with the NCAA’s decision in this case. My lawyer and I are evaluating my options and will make a decision which way to proceed.

In the meantime, I will not make any further statements about the case as our program prepares for what I hope will be an exciting and successful postseason.

During his morning briefing with the assembled media in Ft. Myers, FL, Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona announced how the pitching will shape up over the course of the first four games.

Courtesy of Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe, here’s how it stacks up:

• Saturday vs. Boston College (1:05 p.m.): RHP Stolmy Pimentel, RHP Michael Bowden, RHP Jason Rice.
• Saturday vs. Northeastern (6 p.m.): RHP Kyle Weiland, RHP Alex Wilson, LHP Rich Hill
• Sunday at Twins (7:05 p.m.): RHP Josh Beckett, RHP Clay Buchholz, RHP Brandon Duckworth.
• Monday vs. Twins (1:05 p.m.): Daisuke Matsuzaka

The first televised game doesn’t happen until March 4th against the New York Yankees but you can listen to the following games this weekend:

• Feb. 26: Boston College, 1:05 p.m., WRKO 680 AM
• Feb. 26: Northeastern, 6 p.m., WEEI 850 AM
• Feb. 27: @Twins, 7:05 p.m., WEEI 850 AM

2011 Red Sox Spring Training Broadcast Schedule

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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.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

It’s game day for the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team as they’ll host the Seton Hall Pirates tonight at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be televised locally here in Connecticut on CPTV. The game is also available for a fee online at Hoop Streams. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the WTIC/UConn Radio Network.

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

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Bria Holmes update [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Dixon making most of UConn opportunities [CT Post]

UConn Women Return To No. 1, But With A More Determined Approach Than The ’95 Team [Hartford Courant]

Maya Moore and Kelly Faris working well together [New Haven Register]

Hartley is past the pouting [The Day]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

NCAA Decision to be Announced Today [David Borges – New Haven Register]

UConn To Hear NCAA Findings Today; Sources Say Jim Calhoun Will Be Cited [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Emeka Okafor Feature on CNN [UConn Huskies Basketball]

UConn Football links

Monmouth QB Alex Tanney: Better Than Johnny Mac? [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

Q & A With Paul Pasqualoni [Hartford Courant]

Pasqualoni On The End At Syracuse And Much More [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

Other UConn related links

Field Hockey. Melissa Gonzalez Rounds Out Play With USA Field Hockey at Four Nations Tournament [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Ice Hockey. Garcia Picks Up WHEA Defensive Player Of The Week Honors [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Lacrosse. Lapham Named To BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll [UConnHuskies.com]