Player of the Week

UConn Sr. All-American C Stefanie Dolson was named the American Player of the Week after she averaged 18.5ppg, 12rpg and 5.8apg and helped lead UConn to a 4-0 week. On Nov. 20, she recorded only the second triple-double in UConn history with 26 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in a win against Oregon. Dolson followed that performance with two double-doubles in three games for the Huskies in the Hall of Fame Classic.

Naismith Award Watch List

Four standouts from the UConn women’s basketball team earned spots on the 2013-14 Naismith Award Early Season Watch List, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club today. UConn All-Americans Sr. C Stefanie Dolson, Sr. G Bria Hartley, and Jr. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis along with All-American candidate So. F Breanna Stewart all received recognition, making UConn the most represented school on the list along with Duke. The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T is awarded annually to the men’s and women’s college basketball players of the year. The voting academy bases its criteria on player performance throughout the season. The Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors will narrow the 50 pre-season watch list down to a midseason team comprised of 30 candidates, which will be announced in February. From there, four finalists will be selected to the final ballot in March. The Naismith Award winner will be announced on April 7, 2014.

1/1 Connecticut Huskies (8-0)

Results: Connecticut 88, St. Bonaventure 39
Player of the Game: Jr. C Kiah Stokes (19p, 8r, 1a, 4b, 25m)
Def. Player of the Game: Sr. C Stefanie Dolson (11dr, 4b, 30m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. G Saniya Chong (6p, 2r, 2a, 1s, 28m)
Stat of the Game: Fast Break Pts.: UConn 17, St. Bonaventure 2

Summary: UConn Jr. C Kiah Stokes is finally showing her coach and the world what she's capable of by taking advantage of the opportunity given to her during the stretch run for the Huskies without 2 of its stars. Stokes scored a career-high 19 points and added eight rebounds and four blocks and scored in double figures for a career-high fourth straight game (after never scoring in double figures in back to back games prior to this 4-game stint) as she led the Huskies in a blowout win over St. Bonaventure, 88-39, on the final day of the Hall of Fame Classic on Sunday. UConn scored 31 consecutive points in the first half and UConn All-American Sr. C Stefanie Dolson had another double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds for UConn (8-0), which won all three game of the round-robin tournament by an average of 54 points. The Huskies beat Boston University on Friday and Monmouth on Saturday. UConn So. G Moriah Jefferson had 14 points, a career-high seven assists, six rebounds, and a career-high five steals while All-American Sr. G Bria Hartley had nine points, nine assists and no turnovers.

Game notes (pdf) for today's game vs. St. Bonaventure Bonnies (6-1).

Event: 2013 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Challenge
Location: XL Center (Hartford, CT)
Time: 5:30pm (ET)
TV: SNY
Internet: ESPN3
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

1/1 Connecticut Huskies (7-0)

Results: Connecticut 100, Monmouth 46
Player of the Game: So. F Breanna Stewart (24p, 8r, 6a, 4s, 2b, 28m)
Def. Player of the Game: So. F Breanna Stewart (6dr, 4s, 2b, 28m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. G Saniya Chong (7p, 1r, 1a, 1s, 29m)
Stat of the Game: Pts. Off TOs: UConn 32, Monmouth 8

Summary: UConn All-American candidate So. F Breanna Stewart scored 24 points to lead five players in double figures as top-ranked UConn cruised to a 100-46 win over Monmouth in the second day of the Hall of Fame Challenge on Saturday. Stewart added eight rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocks. It was the third straight game that she scored at least 20 points and fourth time she has eclipsed that total. She is averaging 20 points in seven games. The Huskies (7-0) shot 62 percent in the first half and led 64-24 at the break. It was the most points in a half by UConn this season, surpassing the previous mark of 62 in the first half against Oregon on Nov. 20. The Huskies opened the second half with a 21-0 run that stretched the lead to 61 points, the largest of the game before turning to its bench for the rest of the game. UConn So. G Moriah Jefferson tied her career-high with 17 points on 3 for 3 from 3pt. range. The Huskies shot 58. percent (35 of 60) and were 10 of 18 from the 3-point line. So. C Kiah Stokes added a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds while All-American Sr. G Bria Hartley had 14 points.

Game notes (pdf) for today's game vs. Monmouth Hawks (0-4).

Event: 2013 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Challenge
Location: Gampel Pavilion (Storrs, CT)
Time: 4:30pm (ET)
TV: SNY
Internet: ESPN3
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

1/1 Connecticut Huskies (6-0)

Results: Connecticut 96, Boston 38
Player of the Game: So. F Breanna Stewart (25p, 7r, 6a, 4b, 33m)
Def. Player of the Game: Sr. C Stefanie Dolson (5dr, 2s, 2b, 30m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. G Saniya Chong (15p, 2r, 3a, 3s, 2b, 24m)
Stat of the Game: Pts. in the Paint: UConn 52, Boston 8

Summary: Injuries have left top-ranked Connecticut with just 3 frontcourt players for the next month or so. Fortunately for the Huskies, they are 3 pretty good ones. The frontcourt trio of UConn Sr. All-American C Stefanie Dolson, So. All-American candidate F Breanna Stewart and Jr. C Kiah Stokes combined for 58 points on Friday as the Huskies routed Boston University 96-38 in the opening round of the Hall of Fame Challenge tournament. Dolson followed up the first triple-double of her career with a double-double 23-pt & 10-reb. performance against the Terriers. Stewart avoided 1st half foul trouble for the first time since the Hartford game and led the Huskies with 25 points while adding 7rebs. and 6asts. and Stokes chipped in with 10pts. and 8rebs. UConn Fr. G Saniya Chong added 15pts. off the bench and was a lights out 4 of 6 from 3pt. range.

Game notes (pdf) for today's game vs. Boston Terriers (1-3).

Event: 2013 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Challenge
Location: Gampel Pavilion (Storrs, CT)
Time: 7:30pm (ET)
TV: SNY
Internet: ESPN3
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

1/1 Connecticut Huskies (5-0)

Results: Connecticut 114, Oregon 68
Player of the Game: Sr. C Stefanie Dolson (26p, 14r, 11a, 1s, 3b, 31m)
Def. Player of the Game: Jr. C Kiah Stokes (10dr, 1s, 6b, 21m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. G Chrishae Rowe, Oregon (27p, 4r, 3s, 32m)
Stat of the Game: Dolson's Triple-Double (26p, 14r, 11a) 1st in 24 years, 2nd ever in UConn history!

Summary:  The Greatest to Play At UConn, Diana Taurasi, never had one, neither did Ms. Do-It-All, Maya Moore, nor did Husky Great, Rebecca Lobo, or a myriad of other former UConn superstars. But UConn Sr. All-American CENTER Stefanie Dolson just did!!! Dolson recorded just the 2nd triple-double EVER (Laura Lishness, 1989) in Connecticut women's basketball history Wednesday night, with a career-high 26 points, 14 rebounds and a career-high 11 assists as the top-ranked Huskies (literally) ran away from Oregon, 114-68. UConn So. All-American candidate F Breanna Stewart added 28 points and 8rebs while UConn Sr. All-American G Bria Hartley had 17pts., 6rebs., and 6asts. UConn again dressed just nine players due to injuries, however six Huskies scored in double figures. Oregon Fr. G Chrishae Rowe was nearly unstoppable and definitely unconscious when it came to taking shots finishing with 27pts. on 27 shots for the Ducks who came into the game leading the nation in scoring by averaging almost 110 points a game this season with Oregon Head Coach Paul Westhead's run-and-gun style of play. But the Huskies held the Ducks to 31 percent shooting, blocked 12 shots and outscored Oregon in the paint 64-28. Many UConn fans may remember this is the same Paul Westhead who used his style of run-and-gun play while coaching former UConn Great Diana Taurasi in Phoenix and helped guide them to their first-ever WNBA Championship back in 2007.

UConn Inks 4

The nation's #1 team in America, the UConn women's basketball team, announced today that they had received National Letters of Intent from four student-athletes in the early signing period, as announced by Head Coach Geno Auriemma. The Class of 2018 includes 5'10 G Sadie Edwards (Meriden, CT), 6'0 G Courtney Ekmark (Phoenix, AZ), 6'0 G Kia Nurse (Ontario, Canada) and Gabby Williams (Sparks, NV) will all join the Huskies for the start of the 2014-15 season. Currently, the UConn Class ranks #1 according to All-Star Girls Report, #2 by BlueStar Media, and #3 according to Prospects Nation and HoopGurlz, however, UConn is still in the running for the #1 player in the class 6'5 F A'ja Wilson (Hopkins, SC).

Game notes (pdf) for today's game vs. Oregon Ducks (2-1).

Location: XL Center (Hartford, CT)
Time: 7:00pm (ET)
TV: SNY
Internet: ESPN3
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

Player of the Week

UConn Sr. All-American G Bria Hartley was named the first EVER American Player of the Week after she averaged 19.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in three wins for UConn over ranked opponents last week. Hartley's 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists led UConn against No. 3/3 Stanford last Monday, followed by a 10-point, six-assist performance against No. 8/7 Maryland on Friday. She matched her career-high with 29 points against No. 13/15 Penn State on Sunday, which included five three-pointers, and added six rebounds and four steals.

In multiple match-up of All-Americans, Connecticut's Bria Hartley held both Maryland's do-it-all Alyssa Thomas and Penn State's sharpshooter Maggie Lucas well below their season average. Hartley's stellar defense along with her 19.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in three wins for UConn over ranked opponents last week helped the Sr. All-American Husky earn the first espnW National Player of the Week honor for the 2013-14 season.

1/1 Connecticut Huskies (4-0)

Results: Connecticut 71, Penn State 52
Player of the Game: Sr. G Bria Hartley (29p, 6r, 4a, 4s, 39m)
Def. Player of the Game: Sr. G Bria Hartley (3dr, 4s, 39m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. G Saniya Chong (16p, 6r, 2a, 1s, 27m)
Stat of the Game: Pts. Off TOs: UConn 19, Penn State 6

Summary: Make it 3 for 3 against the Top 15 for UConn, even short-handed. The #1-ranked Huskies breezed through ranked teams this week like they were lightweights on the schedule, leaving no doubt they are the best team in the land at the moment. UConn Sr. All-American G Bria Hartley tied a career-high with 29pts. on 5-10 shooting from 3pt. range (after going 0-11 against Maryland on Friday) and Fr. G Saniya Chong came out like gang-busters in the first half off the bench scoring 13 of her career-high 16pts. to help the undermanned Connecticut beat scrappy #13/15 Penn State, 72-51, snapping the Lady Lions' 22 game home-court winning streak.

Game notes (pdf) for today's game at 13/15 Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0).

Location: Bryce Jordan Center (University Park, PA)
Time: 12:00pm (ET)
TV: Big 10 Network
Internet: n/a
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

1/1 Connecticut Huskies (3-0)

Results: Connecticut 72, Maryland 55
Player of the Game: So. F Breanna Stewart (26p, 7r, 2a, 1s, 2b, 34m)
Def. Player of the Game: Sr. G Bria Hartley (3dr, 2s, 40m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. G Lexie Brown, Maryland (7p, 2r, 3a, 1s, 1b, 26m)
Stat of the Game: Pts. in the Paint: UConn 48, Maryland 10

Summary: Even down to only 7 scholarship players and playing on the road against a Top-10 opponent with a 1st team All-American Senior on its roster, UConn got contributions from everyone save their freshman as they pulled away midway through the second half despite foul trouble as they rolled to their first road victory of the season at #8/7 Maryland, 72-55. UConn So. All-American candidate F Breanna Stewart was on fire in the first half scoring 19pts. on 7-9 shooting (3-3 from 3pt. range) in 14mins. before heading to the bench with 2 fouls. Stewie finished with a season-high 26pts. and 7rebs. while UConn Sr. All-American C Stefanie Dolson also battled foul trouble to finish with a double-double on 10pts. and 12rebs. while adding 5blks. Defensively, UConn Sr. All-American G Bria Hartley held Maryland Sr. All-American Alyssa Thomas to 6pts. in the 2nd half after she had 14pts. in the 1st. and So. G Moriah Jefferson played back-court thief throughout the 2nd half finishing off all 3 of her steals with lay-ups.

Game notes (pdf) for today's game at 8/7 Maryland Terrapins (2-0).

Location: Comcast Center (College Park, MD)
Time: 6:00pm (ET)
TV: ESPN2
Internet: ESPN3
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

Tuck out 4-6 weeks; KML out indefinitely

Today UConn announced that So. F Morgan Tuck would be out for 4-6 weeks after undergoing successful arthroscopic knee surgery and Jr. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis would be out indefinitely with a nerve contusion of the right elbow. Mosqueda-Lewis will be re-evaluated next week when it is likely a time frame for her return will be more clear.

1/1 Connecticut Huskies (2-0)

Results: Connecticut 76, Stanford 57
Player of the Game: Jr. C Kiah Stokes (10p, 13r, 1a, 1s, 6b, 24m)
Def. Player of the Game: Jr. C Kiah Stokes (8dr, 1s, 6b, 24m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. G Saniya Chong (6p, 3a, 2s, 17m)
Stat of the Game: Blocks: UConn 9, Stanford 1

Summary: UConn Jr. C Kiah Stokes had what her Head Coach Geno Auriemma called "her best game in a UConn uniform" as she came off the bench midway through the first half of what was then an 8-6 contest where no one could hit a shot and helped change the complex of the game. Stokes would end up with 8pts, 8rebs, and 5blks. alone in the first half as UConn opened up the game to 39-26 by halftime. She would finish with a double-double on 10pts. and career-highs of 13rebs. and 6blks. as UConn pulled away to easily defeat #3 Stanford, 76-57. UConn All-American Sr. G Bria Hartley led the way with 20pts., 8rebs., 6asts., and 2stls., but at the beginning of the 2nd half lost fellow All-American teammate Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis to a right elbow injury. The team reports there will be an update provided tomorrow after they run more tests.

Game notes (pdf) for today's game vs. 3/3 Stanford Cardinal (1-0).

Location: Gampel Pavilion (Storrs, CT)
Time: 7:00pm (ET)
TV: ESPN2
Internet: ESPN3
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

1/1 Connecticut Huskies (1-0)

Results: Connecticut 89, Hartford 34
Player of the Game: So. G Moriah Jefferson (17p, 5a, 3s, 25m)
Def. Player of the Game: So. F Breanna Stewart (3dr, 1s, 5b, 19m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. G Saniya Chong (8p, 4r, 2a, 23m)
Stat of the Game: A/TO: UConn 22/8, Hartford 5/22

Summary: This one was over after the 1st timeout. I know, I was in the building. UConn used an 18-0 run to go from up 9-7 to 27-7 and won easily going away against Jen Rizzotti's Hartford Hawks, 89-34. UConn So. G Moriah Jefferson scored a career-high 17pts. and All-American Sr. C Stefanie Dolson added 16pts.

Game notes (pdf) for today's game vs. Hartford Hawks (0-0).

Location: XL Center (Hartford, CT)
Time: 4:00pm (ET)
TV: SNY
Internet: ESPN3
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

2013-14 ESPN Women's College Basketball

Season Preview

2013-14 ESPN WCBB Preseason Player of the Year:
So. F Breanna Stewart, Connecticut

2013-14 ESPN WCBB Preseason All-American Teams:
First Team:
Sr. G Odyssey Sims, Baylor
Sr. G Chelsea Gray, Duke
Sr. F Alyssa Thomas, Mayland
Sr. F Breanna Stewart, Connecticut
Sr. F Chiney Ogwumike, Stanford

Second Team:
Sr. G Kayla McBride, Notre Dame
Sr. G Maggie Lucas, Penn State
Jr. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Connecticut
Sr. C Stefanie Dolson, Connecticut
Sr. C Elizabeth Williams, Duke

2013-14 ESPN Top 5 Players Per Position:
Point Guard:
#1: Sr. G Odyssey Sims, Baylor

Shooting Guard:
#1: Sr. G Kayla McBride, Notre Dame

Small Forward:
#1: Sr. F Alyssa Thomas, Maryland

Power Forward:
#1: So. F Breanna Stewart, Connecticut

Center:
#1: Jr. C Elizabeth Williams, Duke

Preseason AP All-America

UConn All-American Jr. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and  So. F Breanna Stewart were selected to the five-member 2013-14 Associated Press Preseason All-America Team, as announced by the AP on Tuesday. The last time UConn had multiple Preseason AP All-America Team selections was when Tina Charles and Maya Moore were each selected to the team prior to the 2009-10 season. Along with Stewart and Mosqueda-Lewis, UConn All-Americans Sr. C Stefanie Dolson and Sr. G Bria Hartley received votes for Honorable Mention honors; marking the first time a team has four players earn All-America honors. Tennessee has had three players twice and UConn did it in 2008.

2013-14 AP Preseason All-America Team:
Jr. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Connecticut
Sr. F Chiney Ogwumike, Stanford
Sr. G Odyssey Sims, Baylor
So. F Breanna Stewart, Connecticut
Sr. F Alyssa Thomas, Maryland

Preseason #1

The University of Connecticut women's basketball team will open the season as the nation's No. 1 team for the ninth time in the program's history, as announced by the Associated Press in its 2013-14 Preseason Poll, which was released Friday. Duke is ranked second while Stanford, Tennessee and Louisville round out the top-five. The other years in which UConn opened the season as the AP’s No. 1 team were 1995-96, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2003-04, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11. UConn has gone on to capture the NCAA National Championship in five of the previous eight seasons in which it opened the season ranked No. 1, most recently in 2009 and 2010. The Huskies have gone on to qualify for the NCAA Final Four in each of the previous eight seasons they have begun as the nation's top-ranked squad. This year marks the 15th time UConn has been included in the top-five of the Preseason Poll. Connecticut, which is also ranked No. 1 in the 2013-14 Preseason USA Today Coaches Poll after receiving 31 of the 32 possible 1st-place votes (Tennessee received the lone other), posted 35-4 mark in 2012-13 en route to winning the program's eighth NCAA National Title. UConn has been ranked No. 1 for a total of 159 weeks in the program's history, the most of any team nationally. It's the sixth time out of a possible eight that UConn has been voted No. 1 in the preseason following its winning the national championship.