Today the Big East Conference just announced its schedule grid for the upcoming 2012-13 Big East regular season. UConn will play a home and home series with Notre Dame for the fourth straight season. With West Virginia leaving for the Big 12, each team will now play two teams twice. In a little bit of a surprise, Marquette was the team chosen to play the Huskies twice in the 2012-13 season. UConn will host DePaul, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, Syracuse and Villanova and will play on the road against Cincinnati, Georgetown, Providence, Rutgers, St. John's and South Florida. Unlike past seasons when the Big East announced grids for multiple years, with the expected departures and arrivals of teams this schedule formula is good for only the upcoming season.

Here is a look at who the teams will play twice during the 2012-13 season:
(The dates and times of the game are expected to be announced around Labor Day.)

Cincinnati: Marquette, Rutgers
Connecticut: Marquette, Notre Dame
DePaul: Louisville, Pittsburgh
Georgetown: Pittsburgh, Syracuse
Louisville: DePaul, South Florida
Marquette: Cincinnati, Connecticut
Notre Dame: Connecticut, Providence
Pittsburgh: DePaul, Georgetown
Providence: Notre Dame, Villanova
Rutgers: Cincinnati, St. John's
St. John's: Rutgers, St. John's
Seton Hall: St. John's, South Florida
South Florida: Louisville, Seton Hall
Syracuse: Georgetown, Villanova
Villanova: Providence, Syracuse

Today UConn received its first oral commitment from  HS player in over a year, but it was from a top player in the Class of 2014, not Class of 2013 which the Huskies still have no commits from. Courtney Ekmark, a 6'0 G/F from the nation's #1 Girls HS Basketbal Team, undefeated (30-0) St. Mary's HS (Phoenix, AZ), verbally committed to UConn over Arizona State, Duke, North Carolina, and Stanford. Ekmark, who played a big role in St. Mary's finishing as the No. 1-ranked high school girls team in the country last season, is ranked 13th overall and 3rd at her position by ESPN HoopGurlz and 9th overall by All-Star Girls Report. Welcome to the UConn family, Courtney (see you in a few years...lol!!!)

Today UConn's entire #1-ranked recruiting class was named to the 2012 U18 FIBA Americas National Team. Incoming Freshmen Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson, and Morgan Tuck all made the 12-player squad which is set to regroup at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., for its first training camp from May 28-June 1, 2012. The USA squad will then return to the USOTC for its final training camp Aug. 4-12, 2012, prior to traveling to Puerto Rico for the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship. The U18 Championship, held in Gurabo, Puerto Rico, Aug. 15-19, 2012, will see the three medal-winning teams secure a berth in the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women. The 2013 U19 Worlds will be hosted by Lithuania, July 18-28, 2012. The FIBA Americas U18 Championship will feature eight national teams from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. Players eligible for this competition must have been born on or after Jan. 1, 1994.

Who says 13 is the luckiest number? 12 is looking pretty good to former UConn Star Asjha Jones. Today the USA Women's Basketball Selection Committee named her the 12th and final member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball Team roster. The 6-3 forward from the WNBA's Connecticut Sun was a member of the 2010 USA World Championship Team. A 10-year WNBA veteran, Jones is a two-time WNBA All-Star and was named to the 2008 All-WNBA second team. She competes professionally in Europe and after helping propel her Rivas Ecopolis (Spain) squad to the 2012 EuroLeague championship game, Jones was named the 2012 EuroLeague Final Eight MVP. She closed out the season averaging a EuroLeague career-high 17.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game for Rivas in EuroLeague games. Jones becomes the 6th member from the University of Connecticut named to this year's squad (record for one school on one U.S. Olympic Team roster, men's or women's basketball). In her four-year (1999-2002) collegiate career Jones, who played for USA Head Coach Geno Auriemma at the University of Connecticut, aided the Huskies to a 136-9 record (.938), won a pair of NCAA crowns (2000, 2002) while advancing to four NCAA Tournaments, including the 2001 Final Four, and earned four Big East regular season and tournament titles.

Jones is joined on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team roster by LSU's Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), UConn's Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), UConn's Swin Cash(Chicago Sky), Tennessee's Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), UConn's Tina Charles (Connecticut Sun), LSU's Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky), Louisville's Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), UConn's Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx), Tennessee's Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks), UConn's Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), and Minnesota's Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx). The well-balanced and talented U.S. squad will compete for the USA’s fifth-consecutive Olympic gold medal in London this summer. Auriemma will be assisted 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.

And with the 14th pick in 2012 WNBA Draft the Atlanta Dream select...

Tiffany Hayes from the University of Connecticut

Today UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma announced So. F Michala Johnson will be transferring to the University of Wisconsin after the completion of the Spring 2012 semester. Johnson cited a desire to play closer to her home (Bellwood, IL) and a chance to play with her young sister Malayna, who has verbally committed to playing for the Badgers in the Fall of 2013. Best of Luck and continued good health, Michala!! We will miss you!!

Good Luck and good-bye Tiff, we will miss you!!!

Sr. G Tiffany Hayes graduates this season having proved a lot of critics wrong along the way. Was she perfect? No. Was she the best every night? No. Did she play her butt off for her team every second she was on the court? Yes. But she leaves us as one of the best all-around, do a little-bit-of-everything players.

During her 4-year career, she helped UConn win two NCAA Championships while playing in 154 games in a Husky uniform (with a final record of 147-7) and finishes in the Top 10 in scoring (1,801). She also finishes her career in the Top 10 of the UConn record books in a host of other catergories: Free Throws Made (431, 2nd), Games Played (154, t-2nd), 3-pt. FGs Made (186, 8th), and Assists (483, 9th). She is also 12th all-time with 223 steals. In her senior season, Hayes established career-highs in scoring (14.7), rebounding (5.8), steals (2.3), FG shooting (50.3%) and 3-pt. FG shooting (40.7%) on her way to being named an AP All-American (3rd team), the Most Outstanding Player of the 2012 NCAA Kingston Regional, and selected as an unianimous All-Big East First Team member. She is also averaged 3.3 assists and 30.2 minutes. Hayes ranked second on the team is scoring, rebounding, and minutes and first in steals. The highlight of her senior season was when she set the UConn 2-game scoring record with a combined 68 points at Syracuse Jan. 25 (career-high 35) and against South Florida Jan. 28 (33). Other honors for Hayes include being named to the All-Big East First Team (10-11), Second Team (09-10), All-Rookie Team (08-09), and was 2010-11 All-American Honorable Mention.

We will truly miss you Tiff! Most notably, we will miss your heart, your passion, your committment, your determination, your loyalty, and your teamwork!! You make us very proud to call you one of "Our Girls"!!! We all wish you the best of luck on your future, whereever it may take you (and I believe it will be on a WNBA roster)!!!! Stay healthy and take care of you mind, body, and spirit!!!!!

1-seed (3/3) Connecticut Huskies (33-5, 16-3 BE)

Results: Notre Dame 83, Connecticut 75 OT
Player of the Game: Sr. G Natalie Novosel, ND (20p, 7r, 4a, 1s, 38m)
Def. Player of the Game: Jr. G Skylar Diggins (2dr, 3s, 2b, 44m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. W Kaleena M. Lewis (13p, 7r, 1a, 1s, 1b, 36m)
Stat of the Game: Off. Rebs.: UConn 15, Notre Dame 20

Summary: One of the best games ever played, so if you didn't watch it, that sucks for you because I'm too exhausted to summarize it. Suffice it to say, our UConn girls played their butts off and deserved to win. It just was not meant to be this year. Next year, women's college basketball --- WATCH OUT --- UConn will be back and back with avengence!!!!!!!

Lost in the disappointment of losing in the Final 4 was newly crowned UConn So. All-American G Bria Hartley scoring her 1,000th career point (making her only the 3rd UConn to ever accomplish the feat - Maya Moore and Svetlana Abrosimova). Congratulations, Bria...you make us proud to call you one of "Our Girls"!!!

Game notes (pdf) for today's NCAA Final 4 game vs. 1-seed (4/4) Notre Dame Fighting Irish (34-3).

Event: 2012 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
Location: Pepsi Center (Denver, CO)
Time: 6:30pm (ET)
TV: ESPN
Internet: ESPN3
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

Today UConn So. G was named to the 2011-12 WBCA/State Farm D1 Coaches' All-America Team at a ceremony during the 2012 Final 4 in Denver, CO. Hartley becomes the 14th Husky to be honored on the WBCA/State Farm (formerly Kodak) All-America squad and Connecticut now has 26 selections all-time. Hartley is only the fourth UConn sophomore to be named to the team along with Svetlana Abrosimova (1998-99), Diana Taurasi (2001-02) and Maya Moore (2008-09). She averaged 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists during her sophomore campaign. She was tabbed an All-Big East First Team selection a year after being named the Big East Rookie of the Year. She has also earned a spot on the Big East All-Tournament squad in each of the last two seasons.

2011-12 WBCA/State Farm D1 Coaches' All-America Team:
Jr. F Elena Delle Donne, Delaware
Jr. G Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame
Jr. C Brittney Griner, Baylor 
So. G Bria Hartley, Connecticut
Sr. F Glory Johnson, Tennessee
Sr. G Shenise Johnson, Miami
So. F Chiney Ogwumike, Stanford
Sr. F Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford
So. G Odyssey Sims, Baylor
So. F Alyssa Thomas, Maryland

UCONN = EXCELLENCE

There's really no other way to describe it especially since today USA Basketball named the first 11 members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team and five of them (not to mention the team's head coach Geno Auriemma) are UConn Huskies alumni at a press conference live from the 2012 Women's Final 4 in Denver, CO. The five former Huskies named to the final roster are Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Tina Charles, Maya Moore, and Diana Taurasi.

The well-balanced and talented core of the U.S. squad 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. They along with the final athlete to be named at a later date 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. Named to their third Olympic team were Bird (Seattle Storm), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), and 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 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 Charles (Connecticut Sun), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), Moore (Minnesota Lynx) and Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx). Those still in the running for the 12th and final Olympic roster spot include former Huskies Renee Montgomery (Connecticut Sun) and Asjha Jones (Connecticut Sun).

Denver, here we come...

Time to party "Mile High" style at the 2012 NCAA Women's Final Four!!!

National Semifinals: Sunday, April 1, 2012
Game 1: 1 Notre Dame vs. 1 Connecticut, 6:30pm ET, ESPN
Game 2: 1 Bayor vs. 1 Stanford, 9:00pm ET, ESPN

1-seed (3/3) Connecticut Huskies (33-4, 16-3 BE)

Results: Connecticut 80, Kentucky 65
Player of the Game: Sr. G Tiffany Hayes (22p, 8r, 2a, 3s, 37m)
Def. Player of the Game: So. C Stefanie Dolson (3dr, 3b, 38m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. W Kaleena M. Lewis (18p, 7r, 2a, 1s, 30m)
Stat of the Game: Free Throws: UConn 30-35, Kentucky 21-22

Summary: Today UConn Sr. G Tiffany Hayes was named to the 2011-12 AP All-American (3rd) Team and she played every bit the All-American leading the Huskies to their 5th-straight Final 4 finishing with 22p/8r/2a/3s as UConn pulled away halfway through the 2nd half against and defeated Kentucky 80-65. With UConn only leading 48-47 early in the second half, the Huskies turned up its defense bigtime. The Huskies used a 21-4 spurt to take command. Hayes, the lone senior on the team, was the catalyst, scoring seven points during the run. Then the Huskies started a parade to the free throw line, with whistle after whistle. The Huskies converted 12 free throws during the game-changing run. She was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the Kingston Regional. UConn So. C Stefanie Dolson was also named to the Kingston All-Regional Team. UConn All-American HM Fr. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis caught fire in the 2nd half scoring 12 of her 18pts. after being cold in the 1st half (only 6pts. on 2-10 shooting) and added 7rebs. while UConn All-American HM So. G Bria Hartley shoke off 1st half foul trouble to score 11 of her 13pts. in the 2nd half as well. UConn will now face Big East rival Notre Dame for the 4th time this season in the first semifinal game of the 2012 Final 4 in Denver, CO at 6:30pm ET on ESPN.

And awards season has officially begun...

Today UConn Sr. G Tiffany Hayes was named as a member of the 2011-12 AP All-American Third Team. She becomes the 13th UConn player to make one of the 3 AP All-Americans in the history of the honor. UConn So. G Bria Hartley and Fr. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis were named AP All-American Honorable Mentions.

2011-12 AP All-American Teams:
First Team:
Jr. F Elena Delle Donne, Delaward
Jr. G Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame
Jr. C Brittney Griner, Baylor*
Sr. F Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford
So. F Alyssa Thomas, Maryland

Second Team:
Sr. G Shenise Johnson, Miami
So. F Chiney Ogwumike, Stanford
Sr. G Samantha Prahalis, Ohio State
So. G Odyssey Sims, Baylor
Sr. F Julie Wotja, Wisconsin-Green Bay

Third Team:
Sr. G Tifffany Hayes, Connecticut
Jr. G A'dia Mathies, Kentucky
Sr. W Shekinna Strickland, Tennessee
Fr. C Elizabeth Williams, Duke
Sr. G Riquana Williams, Miami

* - unanimous selection

Game notes (pdf) for today's NCAA Elite 8 game vs. 2-seed (12/11) Kentucky Wildcats (28-6).

Event: 2012 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
Location: Ryan Center (Kingston, RI)
Time: 7:00pm (ET)
TV: ESPN
Internet: ESPN3
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

1-seed (3/3) Connecticut Huskies (32-4, 16-3 BE)

Results: Connecticut 77, Penn State 59
Player of the Game: Jr. G Kelly Faris (15p, 7r, 5s, 3s, 1b, 25m)
Def. Player of the Game: Jr. G Kelly Faris (5dr, 3s, 1b, 25m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. W Kaleena M. Lewis (12p, 11r, 31m)
Stat of the Game: Rebounds: UConn 44, Penn State 30

Summary: UConn used a little bit of offense and a lot of defense to pull away for good late in the 1st half and early in the 2nd half to get past Penn State, 77-59. Led by UConn All-American candidate So. G Bria Hartley's 20pts. and 4asts. and So. G Kelly Faris' 15pts., 7rebs., 5sts., and 3stls. (as well as one monster block on PSU's Maggie Lucas' 3-pt shot attempt late), the Huskies played one of its most complete games (according to UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma). UConn All-American candidate Fr. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis registered her 1st career double-double, finishing with 12pts. and a career-high 11rebs. off the bench to help lead her team into an Elite 8 match-up vs. 2-seed Kentucky on Tuesday night (3/27) at 7pm ET on ESPN.

Game notes (pdf) for today's NCAA Sweet 16 game vs. 4-seed (11/12) Penn State Nittany Lions (26-6).

Event: 2012 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
Location: Ryan Center (Kingston, RI)
Time: 4:30pm (ET)
TV: ESPN2
Internet: ESPN3
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

1-seed (3/3) Connecticut Huskies (31-4, 16-3 BE)

Results: Connecticut 72, Kansas State 26
Player of the Game: Fr. C Kiah Stokes (13p, 9r, 1s, 3b, 18m)
Def. Player of the Game: So. C Stefanie Dolson (3dr, 3s, 3b, 28m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. C Kiah Stokes (13p, 9r, 1s, 3b, 18m)
Stat of the Game: Bench Pts.: UConn 32, Kansas State 4

Summary: To say UConn played as close to a perfect defensive game as possible would maybe be an understatement. The Huskies played such amazing defense against an opponent worthy of an 8-seed and from the Big 12, that the same team said after the game that it was like there were 7 them out there against their 5. UConn not only held Kansas State to 10 first half points (and it was a buzzer-beating shot in the 1st half which allowed KSU to not tie for the record for fewest points (8) in the 1st half of a NCAA Tournament game), but they held also held them to 16 second half points for a total of 26 points for the game which is now the all-time record for fewest points in a NCAA Tournament game (previous was 27).

Game notes (pdf) for today's NCAA 2nd-Rd game vs. 8-seed Kansas State Wildcats (20-13).

Event: 2012 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
Location: Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard (Bridgeport, CT)
Time: 7:05pm (ET)
TV: ESPN2 (Locked into CT only - Wrap-around rest of country)
Internet: ESPN3
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

1-seed (3/3) Connecticut Huskies (30-4, 16-3 BE)

Results: Connecticut 83, Prairie View A&M 47
Player of the Game: So. G Bria Hartley (18p, 5r, 3a, 36m)
Def. Player of the Game: Jr. G Kelly Faris (3dr, 3s, 31m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. W Kaleena M. Lewis (19p, 8r, 1s, 30m)
Stat of the Game: Bench Pts.: UConn 37, PV A&M 12

Summary: Still to come...