HuskyBlog.com

Coaching's Lucrative

As reported on TheDay.com on January 31st - Full story

The University of Connecticut has just completed negotiations with coaches Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma that will make them, shall we say, well compensated. Mr. Calhoun will receive $1.4 million to $1.6 million a year for the next six years. Mr. Auriemma will get from $825,000 to $1.12 million a year over the next six years.

Football coach Randy Edsall signed a multi-year deal at $900,000 a year.

Taxpayers should understand that no state tax dollars will pay for the coaches' salaries. All that money comes from funds pledged to the athletic foundation or from gate receipts.

Is there a correlation between big-time athletics and fund-raising? You be the judge. From the beginning of the university through a period that ended five years ago, UConn raised about $235 million total. In the past five years alone, the university has raised $460 million.

The Frontcourt Is Taking Its Lumps

As reported on CTNow.com on January 31st - Full story

With 10 games to go and the Huskies falling into a sixth-place tie with Villanova in the Big East, no one game is more important than another.

They're all important.

But put a little asterisk next to Feb. 21. That's when the big-talkin' - and on Sunday, big-gamin' - Irish frontcourt will try to prove again that it is up for the challenge with the UConn unit it dominated in Notre Dame's 78-74 victory at the Joyce Center.

"I don't really have any thoughts about that now," said Torin Francis, Notre Dame's 6-foot-11, 252-pound junior center who had 19 points and seven rebounds. "We're just going to focus on our next game against Syracuse next Saturday. When the time comes, we'll worry about that. But I'm pretty sure we're going to have the same game plan we had tonight - be physical."

As for Sunday's game, "basically, we just brought it to them," Francis said. "We were physical with them, attacked them on the boards. They're big, but they're not really that strong. They're kind of skinny. They're skilled, but we just attacked them. They beat up on a lot of teams, but we have the ability to, too, and that's what we did tonight."

The UConn frontcourt, expected to be dominant this season, hardly looked it Sunday.

Also:

• Huskies miss opportunities, sink to middle of league pack - Rep-Am.com
• Notre Dame beats UConn men - The Advocate
• Brey issues challenge, team responds with win - The Observer
• Latimore finds an answer for Irish - South Bend Tribune
• Notre Dame Edges Men's Basketball, 78-74 - UConnHuskies.com
• Iron Curtain - CTNow.com

Black Sunday For State U; Today, The Sky May Fall

As reported on TheDay.com on January 31st - Full story

And so today we sit in the wake of an Irish wake, the day after the defending college basketball national champions of both genders lost to the same team on the same day.

The last time that happened ... oh, you're going to hate this. Hate, hate, hate. But, according to Leigh Torbin of UConn sports information, the last time the basketball teams of State U lost to the same team on the same day was Jan. 26, 1985, against (gulp) Boston College. Icky, rotten Boston College.

Oh, those cagey Catholics.

And so today we sit in the wake of an Irish wake, the end of an eight-day period when infidels from Pittsburgh and South Bend burst into the champions' living room, Gampel Pavilion, and cut the legs off the sofas, smashed the television screen, knocked over the plants and spilled coffee on the coffee table.

Also:

• Big East home streak ends at 112 - NewHavenRegister.com
• RUTGERS: Jett says bring on UConn - The Star Ledger
• Gampel Gloom - NewsTimesLive.com
• Allen Writes New Ending - CTNow.com
• Poor guard play dooms UConn - Rep-Am.com
• UConn Home Schooled - CTNow.com
• Irish women end UConn's Big East home win streak - SI.com
• No. 6 Notre Dame 65, No. 9 UConn 59 - CTNow.com

Men's Alumni - Update

Games of January 31st:

• Kevin Ollie: Did not play (injured list) for the 76ers in a 89-88 win over Indiana.
• Ray Allen: Did not play (viral infection) for the Supersonics in a 103-84 loss to San Antonio.

Also:

• Sonics could be without McMillan & Allen - HeraldNet
• Okafor out for game Tuesday - Charlotte.com
• Butler, Lakers top Bobcats 101-90 - JournalNow.com
• Butler, Atkins help Lakers hold off Bobcats - The Desert Sun

Notre Dame 65 - UConn Women 59

As reported on UConnHuskies.com on January 30th - Full story

The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team suffered its first conference loss and also saw its 55-game win streak at Gampel Pavilion snapped as it dropped a 65-59 decision to BIG EAST rival Notre Dame on Sunday night.

With the loss, the Huskies fall to 13-5 (6-1 BIG EAST) on the season while the Fighting Irish improve to 18-3 (6-2 BIG EAST).

UConn’s last lost at Gampel came via a 72-71 loss to Tennessee on Feb. 1, 2001. The loss also snaps the Huskies’ 112-game home-court winning streak over BIG EAST opponents.

Junior Ann Strother (Castle Rock, Colo.) tied a career high as she drilled seven three-pointers and scored a season-high 25 points. Freshman Charde Houston (San Diego, Calif.) added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Boxscore - UConnHuskies.com

Men's Alumni - Update - Okafor Injures Ankle Versus Lakers, Caron

Games of January 30th:

• Donyell Marshall: 12 minutes, 1-4 FGs, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 points for the Raptors in a 123-105 loss to Phoenix.
• Jake Voskuhl: 5 minutes, 0-1 FGs, 2 rebounds, 0 assists and 0 points for the Suns in a 123-105 win over Toronto.
• Emeka Okafor: 28 minutes, 2-10 FGs, 10rebounds, 1 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks and 7 points for the Bobcats in a 101-90 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Caron Butler: 45 minutes, 6-11 FGs, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals and 20 points for the Lakers in a 101-90 win over Charlotte.

Also:

• Okafor sidelined with ankle injury - SeattlePI.com

Notre Dame 78 - UConn Men 74

As reported on ESPN.com on January 30th - Full story

It was supposed to be a mismatch up front when Connecticut faced Notre Dame. It was -- only it was the Irish who dominated.

Torin Francis had 19 points and seven rebounds and Dennis Latimore added 12 points as the Irish outscored Connecticut (No. 16 ESPN/USA Today; No. 19 AP) 38-20 inside en route to a 78-74 victory on Sunday.

"Latimore and Torin Francis were a little too much to handle," UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. "They completely dominated our frontcourt."

The game wasn't decided, though, until the closing seconds. After shooting 50 percent for most of the game, UConn missed its final five shots, including a breakaway layup by Marcus Williams that would have tied the game at 76 with 15 seconds left. Instead, Williams' shot came up short and he fouled Chris Thomas on the rebound. Thomas made two free throws to give the Irish the four-point lead.

"No excuses. I think I was going too fast," Williams said. "I thought he was going to foul me to make the free throws, but there's still no excuse."UConn (12-5, 4-3 Big East) missed its final two 3-point attempts as time ran out, giving Notre Dame its first win over a ranked team since beating the ninth-ranked Huskies a year ago.

Denham Brown led the Huskies with 20 points, while Rudy Gay had 16. Williams had 10 points and tied the school record with 16 assists. Josh Boone UConn's leading scorer at 14.8 points a game, had six points on 3-of-6 shooting, and Charlie Villanueva, who averages 12.6 points, had six points on 2-of-8 shooting.

Boxscore - Sportsline.com

 

Huskies Seek Repeat Performance

As reported on CTNow.com on January 30th - Full story

It was just three weeks ago that UConn was preparing to face Notre Dame for the first time this season. The Huskies, ranked a season-low 16th Jan. 12, were still desperately searching for an identity, a swagger befitting a three-time defending national champion.

With four losses in their first 12 games, the Huskies needed a victory over then-No. 7 Notre Dame in the worst way.

UConn got it and then some, blowing out the Irish on their formidable home floor, 67-50. Since then, UConn has slowly developed that look so familiar to the rest of college basketball.

It is an air of confidence the Huskies have incubated over the course of five straight victories, putting them alone atop the Big East at 6-0.

"There was never a doubt in our minds that we [were] contenders," senior Ashley Battle said. "Right now, we're starting to play like it."

Also:

• No. 6 Notre Dame At No. 9 UConn - CTNow.com
• Can the Irish stop what they started - South Bend Tribune
• Frontcourt gives UConn confidence - NewsTimesLive.com
• Huskies Begin Brutal Stretch With Visit To Sixth-Ranked Irish - CollegeSports.com
• Stern tests upcoming for Huskies - NewHavenRegister.com
• Notre Dame 1st in crucial stretch for Huskies - Rep-Am.com
• UConn looks to stay on roll - record-journal.com
• Another Proving Ground - TheDay.com

Perimeter Defense Key For UConn

As reported on NewHavenRegister.com on January 30th - Full story

Jim Calhoun needs two questions answered in the affirmative today if his University of Connecticut men’s basketball team wants to beat Notre Dame at the Joyce Center (3:45 p.m., WCBS-2, WFSB-3).

"Can we get the ball inside better than we have the last two games?" Calhoun asked. "Can we play defense on the perimeter the way I’d like it?"

The second question by Calhoun may be the more important for the 19th-ranked Huskies (12-4, 4-2).

The Irish backcourt of senior Chris Thomas, junior Chris Quinn and sophomore Colin Falls combines for nearly 60 percent of the Notre Dame offense.

A potential problem for the Huskies is the backcourt matchups. Sophomore point guard Marcus Williams will get the crafty Thomas, while Calhoun will have to play 6-foot-6 Denham Brown on the 6-2 Quinn, who is shooting 41.5 percent on 3-point attempts. That leaves 6-9 freshman forward Rudy Gay to cover the 6-4 Falls.

"They can all shoot it," Williams said. "And Thomas is one of the best point guards in the country. He’s their leader."

Notre Dame (12-5, 4-3) has made 144 3-pointers, 65 more than UConn.

Also:

• No. 19 UConn At Notre Dame - CTNow.com
• Huskies hoping to keep pace - NewsTimesLive.com
• UConn gets point of drill - South Bend Tribune
• Calhoun looking for answers today - NewBritainHerald.com
• Next For 700: Boeheim, Calhoun - CTNow.com
• Huskies, Irish desperate teams - Rep-Am.com
• Crunch Time Has Arrived - TheDay.com
• Unbalanced Schedule Still A Hot Topic - TheDay.com

Huskie Heroes

As reported on ChicagoSports.com on January 27th - Full story

Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon dined together Wednesday night in Chicago as Gordon served as tour guide for the city. Gordon was repaying Okafor, who talked frequently to his former Connecticut teammate as he endured a horrible season-opening slump.

"We talked a lot, but we didn't really talk about that," Okafor said. "We'd talk about the lifestyle, stuff like that."

Told that Gordon planned to dunk on him, the leading candidate for rookie of the year smiled.

"Oh, yeah?" Okafor said. "I guess he also plans on being disappointed, right?"