Wednesday, November 07, 2012

2/2 Connecticut Huskies (0-0)

Results: Connecticut 119, Holy Family 50
Player of the Game: So. G Brianna Banks (20p, 5r, 5a, 23m)
Def. Player of the Game: So. C Kiah Stokes (6dr, 1s, 7b, 20m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. F Breanna Stewart (21p, 4r, 2a, 2s, 2b, 25m)
Stat of the Game: 3pt. FGs: UConn 18-34, Holy Family 8-21

Summary: Let's face facts people, 18 three's made in one game by 7 different players no matter who the opponent, is just plain sick. Especially when you are playing without your All-American PG Bria Hartley. Without the "eldest" Bree (ankle) for the 2nd game, it was the "other" Bree's, Fr. F Bree Stewart and So. G Bree Banks, who helped UConn pull away late in the 1st half to turn the game into a blowout. Each scored 21 and 20 pts., respectively as the Huskies steam-rolled the Tigers 119-50. Now the team turns its attention to the "real" season as they begin their quest for their 8th NCAA Championship against the College of Charleston on Sun., Nov. 11th at 1:30pm ET on their new network, SNY. Check local listing or subscribe to watch online.

Be sure to tune into SNY’s premiere of Huskies All-Access tomorrow night - Thurs., Nov. 8th at 8pm ET for a behind-the-scenes look at the UConn Women’s Basketball team. Prior to the show, SNY will also preview the season at 7:00pm ET with the UConn Women's Basketball Preview show. This one-hour special will feature Head Coach Geno Auriemma live in-studio along with former UConn greats and current analysts Meghan Culmo and Kara Wolters, play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon, John Altavilla of the Hartford Courant and host Gary Apple. The show will take an in-depth look at the upcoming season, and include exclusive interviews with players as well as provide analysis of the key storylines and players to watch.

The Sophomores









#13 G Brianna Banks

The coaching staff has raved about the player Brianna Banks has been so far this preseason and that's a great sign. Even Bri, herself, says she's a completely different player from last season after deciding in the offseason that she was going to stop worrying about messing up and just play. Sometimes players are instinctual players rather than IQ players and it would seem that Brianna is just that. Her instincts are what led her to UConn and not using them is what almost led her to leave unexpectedly. So it's great to hear that she didn't give up on herself and instead put in the time and effort necessary to be successful at the nation's top women's basketball program. While I've heard reports that her shooting has improved, I believe it when I see it because last year she couldn't buy one - outside of a lay-up. Offensively, look for her to slowly build on the glimpses of success she showed us last season (i.e. - scoring off fast breaks and beating defenders off the dribble) while hopefully making teams pay this year for leaving her wide open on the perimeter. Defensively is where she will shine the most. She will be the head of our full-court press, play the passing lanes, rack up steals, and try to overtake Faris as the team's best one-on-one stopper.









#23 W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis

"Girl can shoot!" That's what Kaleena has heard all her life and frankly, she's sick of it. Why would a player ever be sick of hearing that compliment, you ask? Because she's driven to be the best and the best do more than just shoot. Kaleena has set out to prove to all the critics out there that she is more than just a lights-out shooter. She wants to be an all-around player who can shoot the lights out! And if her coach knows a thing or two about what he's seen so far this young season (and I'm going to go out a a very short limb and say he does!) then UConn and women's basketball fans everywhere are in for a real treat. Last season's leading scoring (as a freshman, no less), Kaleena is an All-American in waiting and I expect nothing less than that type of play this season (even if the accolades don't follow). I also expect her to lead the team in scoring once again. As a spot-up shooter, she is money from outside at nearly 1 out of every 2, which is phenomenal. If she can start being that accurate when she takes people of the dribble or pulls up for a jumpshot, she will be unstoppable. Rebounding numbers will increase this season as well since she should be more comfortable playing the 4 at times. Getting to the FT line at a much high clip is a must this season especially on plays where she is posting up smaller defenders and/or finishing through contact for And-1's. Her coach also challenged her to get better defensively and so far he likes what he sees.









#41 Kiah Stokes

If Kiah Stokes ever reaches her potential and the physical gifts she was born with, we may be looking at the next Lisa Leslie. That's how much raw talent and skill resides in her bones. She is a shot-blocking machine and with more effort, heart, and desire could become a rebounding machine (ala Tina Charles, Cheryl Ford, or even Courtney Paris). She has the face-up game, the post moves, can finish with either hand, and can take people off the dribble. However, offense will always just be an added bonus from Kiah so long as she's content with it being that way. When your coach was just the head coach of the gold medal winning USA Senior National Women's Basketball Team, and he says you are a player who could average 15/10 a night and you only average just under 5/5 then you are 1) not playing up to your potential (duh!) but 2) going to spend a lot of time in his doghouse. And that my UConn friends is where Kiah is going to spend a lot of time this season if she doesn't (play to her potential). He may go easy on her at first as she has only been cleared to play since August after having offseason foot surgery, but once Big East play rolls around there will be no more Mr. Nice Guy. The parts are all there for Kiah. The wheels are on (the bad one has been fixed), there's fuel in the engine, and the keys are in the ignition. Now it's up to her to start the car and let Geno teach her how to become one of the world's greatest drivers!!
Game notes (pdf) for today's exhibition game vs. 9 Holy Family Tigers (DII).

Location: XL Center (Hartford, CT)
Time: 7:00pm (ET)
TV: none
Internet: HuskyVision
Radio: UConn Student Radio
Live Stats: GameTracker

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

The Juniors









#31 C Stefanie Dolson

There's losing weight and getting into better shape and then there's Stef Dolson. According to Geno, the press, the camera, the fans, and my own godmother/aunt, she is an entirely new person. Stef has transformed herself and her body into a work of art: strength, muscle, and energy. Those who questioned if she could ever play sustained minutes in college have all crawled back under their rocks. The disappointment of the last two Final 4's are fresh in Dolson's mind maybe more than anybody else's on this team. Plagued by foul trouble her freshman year, her team fell behind too far to catch up to Notre Dame even with Magnificent Maya's huge second half, and her coming out party during her sophomore year still wasn't enough to power her team past Notre Dame in to the title game. Stef Dolson is on a mission this season. That mission is UConn's 8th National Championship, and Baylor, Griner, Notre Dame, Diggins, and all the rest of the teams/players out there in the NCAA are going to have to pry it from her cold, dead fingers to get it from her. She can finish with either hand, has face-up ability, and has almost every post move in the book. And now that she finally has talented post players by her side in the paint, she won't be forced to deal with double- & triple-teams on a nightly basis. Look for her to lead the team in FG %, average a career-high in points/rebounds/assists, and be in the discussion for All-American honors come seasons end. She is already the Best Passing Center in the country, but Geno's proclamation of Dolson being the 2nd Best Center in the country from last season is about to come true. He's already warned the officials that they better start treating her better, which must mean he sees it coming as well. So watch out America, Momma Stef is on the prowl.









#14 G Bria Hartley

The lone All-American on the squad is slowly but surely creating her own legacy here at UConn. Fresh off her 3-on-3 Gold Medal, the one missing piece of her Husky legacy is a NCAA Championship and if last year was a sneak preview to just how good Bria Hartley truly is then Huskies fans better buckle up and enjoy the ride she is going to take us and her teammates on this season. Bria lives for the big games, the big moments, and the big shots. Unfortunately, last season it was the big shots that failed her, but 2012-13 is a whole new season and a whole new opportunity to show America what we UConn fans already know...the girl is a BIG TIME!! Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins may get all the pub and the subsequent accolades, but in my opinion, Hartley is better and will show it this season. She can pass, defend, handle the rock, score any way she wants and finish through contact (maybe she'll finally start getting "Diggins" calls). There will be no month-long shooting slump this year. Bottom line, Bria has all the tools of an All-American (which is why she is one). Problem was last year's honors felt more like some of the voters said, "We need to pick a UConn player, I guess we'll go with Bria since she scored a lot in games vs. ranked opponents" rather than all of the voters saying, "Bria Hartley is unquestionably UConn's best player and there aren't 10 players in the country better than her". This season, if her troublesome ankle ever fully heals, she will once again be an All-American. This time though, voters will be unanimous in their opinion and if she is left of the AP 1st team All-American list it will be because of numbers (due to UConn's balance and depth), not value! UConn will go only as far as Bria will take them, and I have no doubt she will do everything in her power to take them to Bourbon Street this year to celebrate #8.

Monday, November 05, 2012

The Seniors









#32 C Heather Buck

This 5th-year Senior knows her role and knows it well. At this point in her career, Heather is UConn's 11th man and is strictly on the court to play defense, rebound, set screens, and get the Huskies second chance opportunities. The CT native is most comfortable doing all the "dirty, little" things for her teammates and we(and her teammates) love her for it. I don't think there is another player on this roster that has more fans rooting for good things to come her way than Buck. Scoring will always be just a bonus and usually will likely only come off second chance opportunities or late in blowouts. However, for her to get more court time this season, she needs to continue to do all those "dirty, little" things but also consistently hit 10-15 foot wide-open jumpers that opponents will dare her to take. 










Who doesn't love this 5th-year Senior (besides bitter Duke fans)? Caroline's season will come down to this very simple fact...staying healthy enough to play! When healthy, Sweet Caroline is as good a shooter as any in the country. And the girl is as tough as nails and loves to play. So you know when she's out, it is killing her. She is the emotional leader of this team and will play a large role in instilling confidence in her teammates as the competition gets tougher. If healthy enough to play, she is Geno's choice to start in the backcourt (has started 92 of her 93 career games at UConn) and rightfully so despite many fans thinking otherwise. She knows the system, has a great basketball IQ, is a great ball-handler, and has Championship experience. I (and Geno) will take those any day over raw talent. Look for her to play 18-20mpg against inferior competition but 25-28mpg against better competition because Geno loves her on the floor (even if she isn't scoring) when the going gets tough. And if the reports are correct, Geno says she is whole different player this year - more confident, mentally stronger, and understands she has to be cerebral.









#34 G Kelly Faris

Does anyone not think that if Geno had to play one person 40mpg every night, it would be Miss Kelly Faris? As the team's lone true Senior, Kelly is the clear leader and MVP of this UConn squad and the epitome of work ethic, heart, and drive. She is the very definition of an all-around player. She can score, pass, rebound, defend, and lead. She is by far the team's best one-on-one defender and would/could defend all 5 positions on the court, if her coach asked her to. Prior to her freshman season, Geno said she would never play a bad game at UConn and boy, if he was a betting man, he should have bet the farm. While she may have, in fact, had a few bad games along the way over the past 3 years, I wouldn't want any other player on our team in replacement of her even if you paid me (and we're taking about a career 6ppg scorer here folks). She's just the valuable!! Her shot needs to get much more consistent and she needs to look to score more when open, but other than that she's well on her way to what I predict to be her most impactful season yet.
Today SNY, the official television home of the UConn Huskies Women's basketball program, announced its all-access programming lineup for the 2012-13 UConn Women's basketball season. Featuring an unprecedented 340+ hours of exclusive programming, SNY will tip off its comprehensive coverage this Thursday, Nov. 8th at 7:00pm ET with the UConn Women's Basketball Preview show, presented by Connecticut Lighting Centers. This one-hour special will feature Head Coach Geno Auriemma live in-studio along with former UConn greats and current analysts Meghan Culmo and Kara Wolters, play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon, John Altavilla of the Hartford Courant, and host Gary Apple. The show will take an in-depth look at the upcoming season and include exclusive interviews with players as well as provide analysis of the key storylines and players to watch. Immediately following the UConn Women's Basketball Preview show on Nov. 8th, SNY will premiere Huskies All-Access at 8:00pm ET. Huskies All-Access takes a behind-the-scenes look at the UConn Women's Basketball team during the intense first week of practice. SNY's cameras follow the team and coaches on and off the court, offering fans an insider's view of the nation's top women's basketball program. Founded by Sterling Entertainment Enterprises, Time Warner and Comcast, SNY is available to viewers throughout New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania, and nationally on DIRECTV, Verizon FiOS, Comcast Cable and AT&T U-Verse. For additional details on the network including channel line-ups, visit SNY online.

2012-13 UConn WBB Season Preview

And for those who enjoy visiting this blog, here's a new treat. Player previews and season predictions. Enjoy!!

Season Preview:
Monday: The Seniors
Tuesday: The Juniors
Wednesday: The Sophomores
Thursday: The Freshmen
Friday: Predictions

Friday, November 02, 2012

2/2 Connecticut Huskies (0-0)

Results: Connecticut 105, Indiana (PA) 28
Player of the Game: So. W Kaleena M. Lewis (24p, 9r, 4a, 2s, 31m)
Def. Player of the Game: So. G Brianna Banks (2dr, 7s, 1b, 21m)
Fr. Player of the Game: Fr. F Breanna Stewart (15p, 8r, 2a, 2s, 4b, 24m)
Stat of the Game: Steals: UConn 21, IUP 3

Summary: Even playing tonight without Jr. All-American G Bria Hartley (ankle) and 5th-year Sr. G Caroline Doty (knee), all 5 starters (including the Fr. duo of G Moriah Jefferson and F Morgan Tuck) along with Fr. sensation Breanna Stewart (off the bench) scored in double figues led by So. W Kaleena M. Lewis as the Huskies cruised to a 105-28 exhibition victory over Indiana (PA) tonight in Gampel Pavilion. The Huskies dominated on the defensive side of the ball holding the Crimson Hawks to just 21% shooting while turning them over 28 times (including 21 steals) and blocking 11 shots.
Game notes (pdf) for today's exhibition game vs. Indiana (PA) Crimson Hawks (DII).

Location: Gampel Pavilion (Storrs, CT)
Time: 7:00pm (ET)
TV: none
Internet: HuskyVision
Radio: UConn Radio Network/WTIC
Live Stats: GameTracker

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Today the 2012-13 Preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll was released and the UConn  Huskies are ranked #2 behind unanimous #1 choice Baylor, just like they were in the preseason AP poll. Duke, Stanford, and Maryland round out the rest of the Top 5.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Today UConn All-American Jr. G Bria Hartley and So. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis were selected as 2012-13 Preseason AP All-American Honorable Mentions. Both Huskies were also named to the 2012-13 Preseason Wade Trophy Watch List along with teammate Jr. C Stefanie Dolson.

2012-13 AP Preseason All-America Team^:
Sr. F Elena Delle Donne, Delaware*
Sr. G Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame*
Sr. C Brittney Griner, Baylor*
Jr. F Chiney Ogwumike, Stanford
Jr. G Odyssey Sims, Baylor
Jr. F Alyssa Thomas, Maryland

* - unanimous selection
^ - 6 players selected due to a tie in voting

Saturday, October 27, 2012

With the season less than one week away, the 2012-13 Preseason AP Poll was released today and the UConn Huskies are ranked #2. The defending champion Baylor Lady Bears were the unanimous choice as #1. Led by 6-foot-8 senior center and reigning national Player of the Year Brittney Griner and junior All-American point guard Odyssey Sims, the Lady Bears return all five starters from last season’s 40-0 team. They also return 90.4 percent of their scoring and 86.8 percent of their rebounding. UConn coach Geno Auriemma has a lot of optimism about his team this season that has lost in the Final Four the last two years. He's telling anyone who will listen that his team is "really, really, really good," and he believes they can win it all. The Huskies return four starters, including junior All-American Bria Hartley, junior Stefanie Dolson and sophomore Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, and usher in talented freshmen Breanna Stewart, Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson. The Lady Bears and Huskies will play in Hartford at the XL Center on Feb. 18, 2013. The Lady Bears’ winning streak could stand at 65 at the time of the meeting. Duke, Stanford and Maryland round out the top five.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Today the Big East WBB Coaches picked the UConn Huskies as their favorite to win 2012-13 Big East Conference Regular Season Title at Big East Media Day in NYC. It was the 19th time since the 1992-93 season the Huskies were selected as the favorite in the Big East. Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins was chosen as the 2012-13 Preseason Big East POTY (2nd straight season), while Connecticut's Breanna Stewart was unanimously selected as the 2012-13 Preseason Big East FOTY. The trio of UConn's Bria Hartley, Stefanie Dolson, and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis were all selected to the 2012-13 Preseason All Big East Team.

2012-13 Preseason BIG EAST Coaches’ Poll:
1. Connecticut (12) 194
2. Notre Dame (3) 182
3. Louisville 167
4. St. John’s 144
5. Rutgers 143
6. DePaul 138
7. Syracuse 105
8. Georgetown 104
9. South Florida 97
10. Villanova 78
11. Marquette 75
12. Cincinnati 61
t-13. Pittsburgh 31
t-13. Seton Hall 31
15. Providence 25

( ) - First-place votes

2012-13 Preseason Big East Player of the Year:
Sr. G Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame

2012-13 Preseason Big East Freshman of the Year:
Fr. F Breanna Stewart, Connecticut*

2012-13 Preseason All-Big East Team:
Jr. C Stefanie Dolson, Connecticut
Jr. G Bria Hartley, Connecticut*
So. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Connecticut
Sr. G Anna Martin, DePaul*
Sr. G Sugar Rodgers, Georgetown*
Jr. G Shoni Schimmel, Louisville*
Sr. G Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame*
Sr. C Monique Oliver, Rutgers
Sr. G Nadirah McKenith, St. John's
Sr. W Shenneika Smith, St. John’s
Sr. C Kayla Alexander, Syracuse

* - unanimous selection

2012-13 Preseason All-Big East Honorable Mention:
Sr. W Monique Reid, Louisville
Sr. F Laura Sweeney, Villanova

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Finally!!!

Today UConn finally received its first verbal commitment from the Class of 2013. During her official visit to UConn this weekend, 5'9 G Saniya Chong (Ossining, NY) chose UConn over Louisville and Ohio State. As a H.S. prospect, she is ranked 75th overall by ESPN HoopGurlz, 72nd overall by Blue Star, and 20th overall by All Star Girls Report. Chong has been a starter since she was a freshman and topped the 2,000-point plateau this season, leading Ossining to its second straight Section 1 Class AA title. As a junior, she averaged 33.3 points, 9.7 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 5.0 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. In 70 career varsity games, Chong has led Ossining to a 61-9 record and averaged 29.4 points, 6.8 assists, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.2 steals per game. Ossining reached the state semifinal, losing to eventual champ Cicero-North Syracuse and star Breanna Stewart, who's now a freshman at UConn. Welcome to Storrs, Saniya!!!

Sunday, October 07, 2012

Congrats to former UConn Star, Tffany Hayes!!!

Today the 14th overall pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft by the Atlanta Dream was voted onto the 2012 WNBA All-Rookie Team (voting done by the coaches). Hayes received 9 of the 11 possible votes for the team. I'm guessing a lot of coaches especially the ones who are also GMs were pissed at themselves when writing down Tiff's name on the ballot, thinking about how they passed over her in the draft for some young, unproven "big" who might help them down the road when they have to face the new WNBA MVP Tina Charles, Sylvia Fowles, or incoming rookie, Brittney Griner. Oh well, Atlanta knew what they were doing and kudos to them for realizing her talent and potential. The #1 overall pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft, Los Angeles F Nneka Ogwumike (Stanford) was named the 2012 WNBA Rookie of the Year, as expected. It's the 5th consecutive year the #1 pick was named ROY (former UConn All-American's Maya Moore and Tina Charles accomplished the same feat in 2011 and 2010, respectively).

2012 WNBA All-Rookie Team:
G Samantha Prahalis, Phoenix
G Riquna Williams, Tulsa
G/F Tiffany Hayes, Atlanta
F Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Los Angeles
C/F Glory Johnson, Tulsa

Thursday, October 04, 2012

SNY, the official television home of the UConn Huskies Women's basketball program, today announced its on-air talent roster and its exclusive game schedule for the 2012-13 season. The network named former UConn Women basketball greats Meghan Culmo and Kara Wolters as analysts. Meghan will serve as the network's game analyst and Kara as the studio analyst for pre-game, half-time and post-game shows. Joining the veteran UConn voices will be play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon - who recently served as a play-by-play announcer at the London Olympics for NBC - and SNY reporter/anchor Kerith Burke as the sideline reporter. Gary Apple, who hosts SNY's Big East basketball studio shows, will anchor the network's studio coverage alongside Kara Wolters. SNY also announced its UConn Women's 2012-13 game schedule - which will feature 20 live games. All Big East Conference basketball games will be wrapped with comprehensive pre-game, half-time and post-game shows. The network's game schedule will tip-off on November 11th at 1:30pm when the Huskies - eyeing their 17th straight season-opening win - host the College of Charleston Cougars. Prior to the game, SNY will air a special pre-game show featuring in-depth analysis of the upcoming season, including interviews with players and coaches, and highlight key players to watch. As previously stated, SNY will also offer an online streaming package for games airing on SNY. Details regarding the streaming service will be announced shortly.

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

The University of Connecticut men’s and women’s basketball programs will tip-off the 2012-13 season with 2012 UConn First Night sponsored by Webster Bank on Friday, October 12. Admission is FREE and open to the public. Gampel Pavilion doors will open at 4 p.m. as the UConn volleyball team takes on Cincinnati in a BIG EAST showdown. Meet the 2012-13 men’s and women’s basketball teams as they sign autographs for Husky fans from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. First Night will feature performances from the band, cheer and dance squads, introductions of the players and coaches, a dunk contest featuring the 2011 winner Ryan Boatright and ultimate prize giveaways (more details to come). The show will end at approximately 8 p.m.

3:00 p.m. – FanFest on Fairfield Way
4:00 p.m. – Doors Open and UConn Volleyball vs. Cincinnati
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. - Autographs
7:00 p.m. – Show Begins

For up-to-date information on First Night follow @UConnHuskies and like on Facebook.com/UConnHuskies.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Happy 30th Birthday to ME!!!

What a great present it was to me to find out today that former UConn All-American and NPOTY and current Connecticut Sun All-Star Tina Charles was named the 2012 WNBA MVP. Charles, who has led the Sun to the best record in the Eastern Conference at 25-9, led the league at 10.5 rebounds per game and was fifth at 18.0 points per contest. Her and her #1 seeded Sun will take on the New York Liberty tonight in the first round of the 2012 WNBA Playoffs at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Earlier this summer, Charles helped lead the USA Basketball National Team to the gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. That team was led by five other former Huskies and head coach Geno Auriemma. Charles becomes the second UConn alum to be named WNBA MVP. Diana Taurasi earned the honor in 2009. Charles finished fourth in the MVP voting in 2011 and earned mention as an All-WNBA First Team selection in 2011 as well. Congrats Tina, on an honor that is hard-earned and well deserved!!!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Today the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced the 2012-13 preseason Wade Watch list of candidates for the prestigious award. Connecticut leads all schools with three players on the 25-member preseason list. The Huskies trio includes 2012 State Farm All-American Jr. G Bria Hartley, Jr. C Stefanie Dolson, and So. W Kaleena M. Lewis. Five schools - defending national champion Baylor, Duke, Kansas, Nebraska and Penn State - are represented by two players each including Baylor Sr. C Brittney Griner, the 2012 State Farm® Wade Trophy winner. The preseason list is composed of top NCAA Division I women's basketball players who best embody Wade's spirit from 18 institutions and eight conferences. A committee of coaches, administrators, and media from across the United States compiled the list using the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.

Thursday, September 06, 2012

The University of Connecticut women's basketball team has finalized its 2012-13 schedule as announced by the team today. The 30-game slate includes 15 games against teams that qualified for the 2012 NCAA Tournament, and eight games against opponents that finished in the top-10 of the RPI (ratings percentage index). In addition to the 30-game schedule, the Huskies will also play a pair of exhibition contests. Highlights include matchups against all 3 fellow 2012 Final Four participants including a much anticipated showdown at the XL Center on Monday, February 18 against the defending national champions, Baylor, who went undefeated and won all 40 of its games last year en route to its second national championship. UConn will play conference rival Notre Dame twice (home and away) as part of its Big East schedule. Non-conference opponents include home games against Duke, Maryland, and Penn State and away games against Stanford, Texas A&M, Orgeon, and Hartford. The Huskies will also compete in the 2012 Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands against Wake Forest, Marist, and Purdue from November 22-24, 2012. Nine UConn games will appear on National TV (CBS & ESPN Networks) and all the remaining games are scheduled to appear on SNY (the Huskies' new broadcast partner).

Season tickets are on sale now. For more information, call 1-877-AT-UCONN or visit UConnHuskies.com.