Bluefish Seek Host Families

The Bridgeport Bluefish, charter members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, are currently seeking community members that are interested in becoming host families for a Bluefish player during the 2017 baseball season. The Atlantic League is widely accepted as the No. 1 independent baseball circuit in the United States.

Hosting a player has many benefits to a family. It is a valuable way to provide a player with a home while keeping them involved in the community and also gives you the opportunity to be involved with the Bluefish on a personal level. For many families, hosting a player has made a special impact on their lives as well as their “adopted” family member.

“Becoming a host family is a great way for fans to connect with the Bluefish,” said Bluefish General Manager Paul Herrmann. “It also allows the members of the team to truly be immersed in the city they represent and play for with a comfortable place to call home for the season.”

The Bluefish will be holding a Host Family Open House informational session on Thurs., March 16, from 5:30–7 p.m. at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard. Bluefish staff members and current Host Families will be in attendance to share their experiences and answer any questions. Anyone planning to attend, should RSVP by calling 203-345-4800 or by emailing community@bridgeportbluefish.com.

The requirements for becoming a host family include the ability to provide a private bedroom and access to a bathroom, kitchen and washer/dryer. If you wish to include any other amenities for your host player, it would be greatly appreciated by the player.

In return for becoming a host family, the Bluefish will give you the opportunity to attend every home game during the 2017 regular season. You will also be invited to many special events throughout the year, including a picnic event at the end of the season where your family will be able to take live batting practice on the field.

Other benefits for becoming a Bridgeport Bluefish host family include:

• 10% discount at the Bluefish Gear Shop
• Four (4) complimentary tickets to every regular-season home game
• One (1) Luxury Suite night, which includes 25 tickets (any Monday-Thursday game, based on availability)
• One (1) parking pass, valid for all regular-season home games and events
• Four (4) complimentary tickets to all regular-season Bluefish Special Events
• Four (4) complimentary suite tickets to Opening Day (Fri., Apr. 28)
• Up to four (4) members of each family will be invited to throw out the on-field ceremonial first pitch at a regular-season home game
• Each family member (ages 10 and up) will have the opportunity to be the official Bluefish batboy or batgirl for one regular-season home game
• Preferred choice of playoff tickets prior to public sale (all parking passes valid for playoff games)

For more information, contact Herrmann at 203-416-1715 or pherrmann@bridgeportbluefish.com.

—Staff Reports

 

Huskies Survive HUGE Scare With Three-Point Win Over Tulane

By Bob Phillips

Napheesa Collier had a double-double as the Huskies survived a huge
scare from Tulane to win their 101st straight game on Saturday.

NEW ORLEANS—Geno Auriemma has long maintained that his team would eventually lose a game. Last night, his UConn Huskies did everything in their power to prove him prophetic. But in the end, sanity prevailed—as it seems to always do with this team.

Behind Napheesa Collier’s double-double (26 points, 12 rebounds), the top-ranked Huskies held off Tulane, 63-60, before 2,218 fans at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in New Orleans on Saturday. Katie Lou Samuelson added 17 points for the Huskies, who won their 101st consecutive contest. Gabby Williams turned in a solid effort with nine points, 14 boards and five assists while playing all 40 minutes for Connecticut. Kolby Morgan led the Green Wave with 19 points, while Leslie Vorpahl had 16, and Tene Thompson chipped in with 14.

The Huskies opened the game with a 10-0 run, but by the end of the first quarter, the Green Wave had cut the UConn advantage to seven, 18-11. Connecticut led 28-18 at intermission, but Tulane won each of the final two periods—24-20 in the third, and 18-15 in the fourth—to account for the final three-point margin of victory.

“We’re not as good as everybody thinks we are, and today was a perfect example of that,” said a smirking Auriemma after the game. “They think that every shot that they take is supposed to go in, and then when it doesn't go in they pout and they feel sorry for themselves and act like 12-year-olds and that's exactly what happened today.

“Not every shot is supposed to go in,” continued the Hall of Fame coach who re-upped for five more years with the Huskies earlier this week. “God isn’t punishing you. Figure out a way to help us win the game.”

Make no mistake: Tulane is not a bad team. Just average. Very average. The Green Wave are 16-11 overall and 7-7 American Athletic Conference play. Even playing on their home court, in no way were they expected to hang around until the very end of the game. And yet, that is exactly what happened.

“We played everybody, and everybody gave us something,” explained Tulane coach Lisa Stockton. “This team was focused and didn't let anything get them down and they kept battling.”

The Green Wave trailed by 17 points early in the third period, and it looked like just another game with the Huskies on cruise control. But after Tulane pulled within two points three times in the fourth, even the most ardent Husky fans were on the edge of their seats. Indeed, the Green Wave had a chance to tie the game as time expired, but a desperation three-point attempt by Thompson fell short, and the Huskies escaped with their historic winning streak intact.

“What happened today is the wrong team won,” said Auriemma after the game. “We had them down 17 and our guys are used to the other team maybe missing shots or struggling, and this team decided to fight back. We had no business winning that game.

“[Tulane coach Lisa Stockton] missed out on a chance to be Coach of the Year,” he continued. “If a couple of more shots go in she wins it. Traditionally the team that beats us gets Coach of the Year. It was within Lisa's grasp and she missed it,” joked Auriemma.

“This was a wakeup call,” added UConn guard Crystal Dangerfield, a former Morgan Wootten High School Player of the Year Award winner who would be starting for any other team in the country. Normally a reserve, Dangerfield started in light of Nurse’s injury, and will likely continue to do so until the surefire first-team All-American returns to action. “If we don't bring it every night things like this can happen,” said Dangerfield, who scored five points in 33 minutes of play.

Indeed, things won’t be getting any easier for the Huskies, who return home to host 20-5 Temple Wednesday night at the XL Center in downtown Hartford. Top- ranked Connecticut will once again without the services of Nurse, who will likely not return to the Huskies’ lineup until the American postseason tournament at the Mohegan Sun Arena in two weeks. Tip-off is at 7 p.m., and the game will be televised on SNY and streamed on ESPN3.

In ‘Transition Year,’ Huskies Attain Immortality

By Bob Phillips

Gabby Williams (16 points) led the way for the Huskies
in their 66-55 win over sixth-ranked South Carolina.

It’s official: UConn women’s basketball is the greatest program in the history college athletics.

Period.

Last night, the Huskies won their 100th straight game—a resounding 66-55 win over No. 6 South Carolina—before a raucous sell-out crowd at Gampel Pavilion and a national television audience on ESPN2.

Want proof of the opening statement? Try these on for size.

During the current streak, the Huskies have:

* 15 wins over Top 10 teams
* 98 wins by double digits (both single-digit wins coming this season)

In addition, they have:

* 11 straight 30-win seasons
* Two streaks including 90-or-more straight wins
* 873 straight games without back-to-back losses


* 6 of the 12 longest winning streaks in NCAA women’s basketball history

And let us not forget that the Huskies have not lost since Nov. 17, 2014—an overtime loss to Stamford in Palo Alto, Calif.

Did I say period?

Ironically, everyone watching the game at home got a little gypped on this one. The Deuce cut to the UConn-SC game a little late because Texas-Florida State game went into double overtime. No. 11 Texas emerged the winner—92-88—the 19th straight win for the Longhorns. And to put the Huskies’ streak in perspective, that 19 straight is the second-longest current winning streak in women’s college basketball.

As hard as it might seem to believe, the Huskies down 29-28 with 1:57 remaining in the half. But a 7-0 run to end the first half sent UConn into the locker room leading 35-29 at intermission—and they never looked back.

Gabby Williams who, though just a junior is a leading candidate for the John Wooden National Player of the Year Award, led the charge with 16 points and nine boards at halftime. Going into the game, she had 30 blocks, 63 steals and 129 assists.

“They made a couple of threes that changed everything, obviously,” said UConn head coach Geno Auriemma in deference to his competition. “Their two big kids are just too big for us; we can’t handle them. And [South Carolina] has done a pretty good job, but they still only have 29 points. So our defense was pretty good, and for us to have 35 points... They’re really physical with her, so we’ve just got to be a little more patient, and running her more off screens.”

Because of the Gamecock’s size, the Huskies were forced to play far more zone than they are accustomed to in the first half. And that didn’t bode particularly well for Connecticut. But midway through the second period, with the game still very much competitive, Auriemma showed why he is in the Hall-of-Fame by shrinking the court—that is, leaving selected Gamecock players unguarded in order to focus on 6-5 junior forward A’ja Wilson. The results were immediate. The Huskies also sandbagged the zone, which they had played throughout most of the first two periods, for their acclaimed man-to-man defense.

“[South Carolina] has done a much better job against zones this year,” said ESPN commentator and UConn women’s basketball legend Rebecca Lobo. “UConn went back to a man-to-man in the last three minutes; that’s when they went on their 7-0 run.”

The biggest negative for the Huskies in the first half was the play of Katie Lou Samuelson, who was held scoreless in the first half.

“Whoever’s coaching Lou is doing a really bad job,” said Auriemma, sardonically. “I coached her last game when she could miss anything.”

Samuelson, the Huskies’ leading scorer, missed her first eight shots before finally got her first points—on a 15-foot jumper—with 6:54 left in the third quarter. It was her ninth attempt. She came in averaging 21.4 points, but finished with just six points, going 2-for-12 from the floor.

After a competitive first half, UConn pulled away in the third period. The Gamecocks cut the deficit to 40-37 midway through the third quarter, but consecutive layups by Williams started an 11-2 run to close the period. That allowed the Huskies to take a commanding 51-39 lead heading into the fourth. Needless to say, they never looked back.

“I need to stop trying to be somebody I’m not,” said Williams, who scored 26 points and also added 14 boards and four steals to her stat line. “I just have to play the game I know how to play, because that’s what I do best. I get my points off defensive stops. This crowd, this energy is really something special. I’m just happy to be here.”

“Our team did a good job with doubling and forcing them the way that we wanted them to go instead of the way they like… things like that,” added sophomore forward Napheesa Collier, who added 18 points for the Huskies.

The question now is will this team ever lose again? Consider that this was thought to be a “transition year” for the Huskies.

Last season, the top three overall picks in the WNBA Draft were from Connecticut (Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck). Next year, the Huskies will add transfers Azura Stevens, a 6-6 superstar in waiting, who averaged 16.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in two seasons at Duke, along with Batouly Camara, a 6-2 forward from Kentucky. Both will be sophomores next season, with three years of eligibility remaining. And let us not forget Megan Walker, the top-ranked high school senior in the country from North Chesterfield, Va., as well as three other high-profile incoming freshman—Andra Espinoza-Hunter, Lexi Gordon, and Mikayla Coombs. You know that quote from Auriemma about UConn losing not being a matter of “if,” but only ‘”when”? Well, if he keeps recruiting like this, that next loss will likely come after Geno retires.

“I hope we can focus on the season and what's coming up next and whatever's in store for this team,” said Auriemma after the game. “Let's get it over with and move onto the next thing which is more important in the big scheme of things for these players anyway.

“This 100-win streak isn't theirs but if they win a national championship… that's all theirs,” he continued. “That means a lot more if we're able to do that down the road.”

The Huskies will look to extend their historic streak on Saturday when they travel to New Orleans to take on Tulane. Tip-off is at 7 p.m., and the game will be televised on SNY and streamed on ESPN3.

Huskies Steamroll SMU for 99th Straight Win; South Carolina, History Await

By Bob Phillips

Katie Lou Samuelson overcame health challenges to lead the Huskies
past SMU for their record-breaking 99th straight victory.

And then there was one…

The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team, which has become the most dominant team in the history of women’s basketball, as very little left to prove. National titles? Been there, done that, with 11. Final fours? Nada. The Huskies have made it to an incredible 17. All-Americans? Way, way too many to mention.

But now, after destroying the Southern Methodist Stags, 83-41, on Saturday afternoon before a sellout crowd at Gampel Pavilion, the Huskies do, indeed, have an historic milestone staring them in the face—the possibility of winning 100 straight games.

The Huskies, of course, already own the longest winning streak in women’s college basketball history; every game they win simply tacks on to that total. In men’s basketball, the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton UCLA Bruins hold the record with 88 straight wins. In college football, the record is owned by the Oklahoma Sooners, who won 47 straight games between 1953 and 1957.

In pro football, the gap is even greater. The New England Patriots hold the record, winning 23 consecutive regular- and post-season contests between 2003 and 2004. In Major League Baseball, the longest winning streak ever recorded came in 1935 by the Chicago Cubs. (Editor’s note: the statistical information found in this, and the preceding paragraphs, were found in Wikipedia, which may not be the most reliable source in the world.)

But this afternoon, the UConn women’s basketball team found themselves on the precipice of breathing some rarified air shared by only—well, no one else, actually, unless you include a 110-game winning streak by Mount Union College, a Division III football team, according to Sports Cheat Sheet.

The last time UConn and SMU met was on Jan. 14 in Dallas. That game marked the historic 91stt-consecutive win for the Huskies, when the bested their own then-best 90-game winning streak, with an 88-48 blowout in Dallas. Napheesa Collier and Gabby Williams put up double-doubles in that game, while Katie Lou Samuelson led the way with 28 points.

As is often the case, this game was over by halftime, with UConn doubling up on SMU, leading 44-22 at intermission. Indeed, this was the 23rd consecutive game that Connecticut went into the locker room leading at half. The last time the Huskies trailed after two periods was on Nov. 14, when they were down 34-30 to No. 12 Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla. Connecticut ended up winning that game by only two points, 78-76, largely thanks to the effort of reigning Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Week Napheesa Collier, who put in a 28-point effort, and contributed a key blocked shot down the stretch to lead the UConn charge. (Editor’s note: The Huskies were ranked No. 3 in the nation at the time.)

This afternoon, Connecticut dominated from start to finish. By halftime, the Huskies led in shooting percentage (48% as opposed to 26% for the Mustangs), in three-point shooting (3-for-9, or 33.3%, while holding SMU to 1-for-12 from beyond the arc), and in turnovers (15 SMU miscues, which the Huskies converted into 19 points, as opposed to seven Husky oopsies, which the Mustangs could turn into just two points.)

Katie Lou Samuelson, Connecticut’s best player and leading scorer, has not felt 100 percent if a few weeks, and her stat-line as reflected that. The Huntington Beach, Calif. Native has been shooting just 28 percent from beyond the arc over the last five games. She also did not practice yesterday or on Thursday. But today, she brought her “A-Game” to Gampel, regardless of how she may have felt. The sophomore superstar led all scorers at intermission with 19 on 7-for-9 shooting. She also played in all 20 minutes in the first half—as did teammates Collier and Kia Nurse. For the game, Samuelson was 8-for-13 from the floor.

“She’s the only one who can make any shots,” said UConn head coach Geno Auriemma at halftime. “Whether she’s under the weather, besides the weather or over the weather, it doesn’t matter. Until someone else starts knocking down shots in the second half…we need someone else to step up.”

If you had just tuned in, you’d never have any idea that the Huskies were up by 22 points.

“You don't want your teammates to ever worry that if Lou's not feeling that great—what are we going to get from her?” said Samuelson, referencing her health in the third person. “I wanted to
show them that no matter what's going on, I'm still going to be able to be out there and give 100 percent and do something to contribute to the team.”

Nurse and Saniya Chong each scored 13 points, while Gabby Williams had 11 points and nine boards. The win was UConn's 126th straight against an unranked opponent (talk about winning streaks!) and its 75th in a row in the American Athletic Conference, where they have never lost a game.

SMU trailed just 9-8 early in the game before a trey by Samuelson from the top of the key started a 13-4 UConn run. Then, in the second quarter, the Huskies outscored the Mustangs by a 22-8 margin.

Good night, Irene.

Collier, meanwhile, is on an incredible run herself. In her last outing—a 96-49 Connecticut victory over Cincinnati in the Queen City—the O’Fallon, Mo., native was a perfect 10-for-10 from the field, finishing with 24 points and 12 boards. Today, the reigning American Athletic Conference Player of the Week had 10 points and 13 boards—her ninth double-double of the season.
“It’s just incredible what [Collier] can get done in a short period of time,” said UConn head coach

Geno Auriemma after that game. “She’s incredibly efficient. She gets great shots. I obviously knew she was a great player when I recruited her in high school, but the improvement she’s made from last year to this year is absolutely remarkable. She’s playing about as well as anyone in the country at this point.”

Indeed, over the past five games, Collier has been averaging 20.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.6 blocked shots per game. Overall, she is shooting 78 percent in those contests. And, incredibly, her shooting percentage is significantly better in her last three games: 32-for-37, or 86 percent. Collier, quite literally a whirling dervish on the court, came into college with an amazing skill set—and continues to improve each and every game. On Saturday, she scored 10 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season.

As tempting as it may have been for a “normal” team to overlook such a non-competitive opponent with such an historic game coming up in two days, the Huskies are anything but “normal.”

“Monday didn't exist until right now,” said Kia Nurse, who played against Auriemma in the 2016 Olympics as a member of the Canadian national team. “That's how you stay focused.”

And then there’s Auriemma, who does his best at every corner to downplay his team’s amazing success. Often it amazes me how he can keep doing it with a straight face. Immediately after the game on Saturday, he was asked about South Carolina’s chances of ending UConn’s winning streak at 99. “Even the sand on the beach, eventually loses to the ocean, because the ocean just keeps coming,” he said, flipping on his inner philosopher switch.

“I could be Monday. It could be next weekend. It could be the following weekend,” he continued. “We're going to lose. It's not if. It's just when.”

Auriemma, of course, is right. The Huskies will lose again. It’s just at this rate, it might not happen for the rest of this decade.

ON DECK

With the win, UConn improves to 24-0 overall, 12-0 in the Atlantic Athletic Conference. Next up, the Huskies will face their biggest test of the season when they entertain No. 6-ranked South Carolina on Monday night. The Gamecocks are 21-2 after beating Auburn 60-41 on Thursday night. Tip-off at the XL Center will be at 9 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN2.

Friars Come Up Short, Drop 72-70 Decision to Seton Hall in OT

The Friars gave it all they had, but dropped a 72-70 decision in OT to
Seton Hall. The loss may have been a serious blow to PC's postseason hopes.

By Bob Murphy

This was a game the Providence College Friars had no business even being in. And, in the end, the game played out the way it ultimately was supposed to. Myles Powell hit the game-winning layup with less than 10 seconds left in overtime to lead the Seton Hall Pirates to a 72-70 victory over the Friars before 7,024 fans at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Wednesday night.

Seton Hall junior guard Khadeen Carrington led all scorers with 21 points. Junior forward Angel Delgado, who entered the night as the top rebounder in country, scored 19 points and grabbed 15 boards to aid the Pirates’ cause. Powell chipped in with 14 points, including the game-winner.

In the Big East, the rule is that home teams do not lose. Indeed, this season, home teams have won at a 101-33 clip. That’s a little more than a 75 percent advantage. Add to that the fact that the Friars blew 11 layups—gimme’s—and all the ingredients for a Seton Hall blowout were in place.

But that’s not what happened.

Led by junior forward Rodney Bullock, the Friars actually led by five points, 41-36, at halftime. Bullock scored 13 of his team-leading 19 in the first half. But they also proved to be their own worst enemy, ending the contest shooting 38.5 percent from the field—hindered greatly by the 11 blown shots in transition. Seton Hall shot 42.6 percent from the floor.

A back-and-forth contest for most of the game, Carrington, who scored the final seven points for Seton Hall, gave the Pirates a 70-68 lead on a layup with 1:04 left in OT. A foul by Pirates’ star Angel Delgado on the ensuing possession sent Emmitt Holt (14 points) to the line, where the junior banged in two clutch free throws to tie the score.

Seton Hall held the ball on its last possession, before Powell drove the lane and hit the game-winner with nine seconds left. Kyron Cartwright threw up a prayer—which would have tied the game—but fell short.

The loss could prove critical for the Friars’ postseason hopes. Providence fell to 14-11, 4-8 in Big East play, and their sub-par conference record now has the Friars’ season on life support. The Pirates, meanwhile, improved to 15-8 (6-6) and remain on the postseason bubble.

“We understand what’s in front of us and the challenge that we have, and also the opportunity that we have,” said relieved Seton Hall head coach Kevin Willard.

“Another Big East battle,” said Friar head coach Ed Cooley, repeating an increasingly popular refrain. “I think Seton Hall was gritty. We had opportunities in regulation and overtime. This is the fourth game we’ve lost in our league with basically a minute to play.”

Unfortunately, close only counts in horseshoes—and certainly will not mean much for the Friars come postseason selection time. The Dance is now virtually out of the picture for Providence—short an improbable run in the Big East Championship tournament. The Friars remain in contention for NIT consideration, but their aforementioned 4-8 conference record has them on the bubble for that tournament as well, with precious little wiggle room for the remainder of the regular season.

Speaking of which, it doesn’t get any easier for the Friars. Next up will be a match-up with No. 22 Butler, which has an impressive 5-3 record on the road this season. Tip-off on Sat., Feb. 1, is slated for 4 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports 1.

Sound Tigers, T-Birds Set for Rematch Tonight

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers will look to avenge Saturday's 5-2 loss to
the Springfield Thunderbirds tonight at the Webster Bank Arena.

BRIDGEPORT– The Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders, will have revenge on their minds when they host the Springfield Thunderbirds at the Arena at Harbor Yard this evening. The Tigers will be hoping to avenge a 5-2 loss to the T-Birds at the MassMutual Center in Springfield on Saturday. To follow the game live online, please click here: Watch/Listen - Twitter

Tonight’s game will conclude an eight-game homestand for the 26-16-1-1 Sound Tigers. In Saturday’s matchup, Springfield’s Kyle Rau recorded the first hat trick in T-Birds’ history. The loss snapped Bridgeport’s eight-game win streak. Tanner Fritz and Kyle Burroughs each scored for the Sound Tigers. Bridgeport enters tonight’s game in fifth place in the Atlantic Division, just .003 percentage points behind the Hershey Bears. Springfield is 17-20-6-2.

HOCKEY HAPPY HOUR

Fans 21 and older are invited to take advantage of $5 beers at all first floor concession stands during tonight’s game. In addition, $1 hot dogs will be available, and a $2 discount on game tickets will be offered to those fans showing AAA membership cards. Doors open at 6 p.m.

SEASON SERIES

Tonight’s game marks the ninth of 12 meetings between the Sound Tigers and T-Birds this season, and the fifth of six matchups at Webster Bank Arena. Bridgeport has registered points in five of the previous eight meetings (4-3-0-1), including a 5-3 win on Jan. 20. Bracken Kearns leads the Sound Tigers effort vs. Springfield with nine points (six goals, three assists) in the eight previous meetings.

VIEW FROM I-91N

Geordie Kinnear’s club has dropped three of its last four games. The T-Birds currently rank sixth in the Atlantic Division, and 11th in the Eastern Conference. Besides Kyle Rau, Juho Lammikko and Anthony Greco also scored in Springfield’s 5-2 win on Saturday, while netminder Reto Berra turned 25 Bridgeport shots to pick up his team-leading 10th victory of the season. Springfield’s leading scorer, Chase Balisy, was quiet for the sixth straight game, but continues to pace the club with 16 assists and 23 points.

INSTA-GRAHAM

Third-year defenseman Jesse Graham was reassigned from the Missouri Mavericks (ECHL) by the New York Islanders on Monday, which became Bridgeport’s first transaction since Scott Mayfield was recalled to the Islanders on Jan. 12—a 25-day stretch. Graham returns to the Sound Tigers with seven points (one goal, six assists) in seven AHL games this season, and is on a team-high four-game point streak (Nov. 29 - Dec. 11, 2016).

FRITZ HEATING UP

Ohio State University product Tanner Fritz has scored in back-to-back games for the third time this season, and will look for his first career three-game goal streak tonight. The second-year pro currently ranks third on the Sound Tigers in goals with 13, and fifth in points (26) this season. 


Kyle Burroughs (pictured) will be looking to play in his 100th professional
game on Saturday night when the Sound Tigers host the Providence Bruins.

HITTING THE CENTURY MARK

Islanders prospect Kyle Burroughs is likely to play in his 100th game of his professional hockey career this Saturday when the Sound Tigers play host to the Providence Bruins. The second-year defenseman scored his first goal of the season last Saturday in Springfield vs. the Thunderbirds, and is now on a three-game point-scoring streak (one goal, two assists). Burroughs is second among Sound Tigers’ defensemen with 11 assists this year. He has 29 points (four goals, 25 assists) in 97 pro games since his debut on Apr. 1, 2014 against Springfield. 

COMMANDING THE CREASE

Veteran goaltender Jaroslav Halak has started six of Bridgeport’s last eight games dating back to Jan. 20.  During that span, the 31-year-old is 6-0-0 with a 1.95 goals-against-average and .927 save percentage. Halak, a 2015 NHL All-Star, has also allowed just two goals or less in each of his last four starts.

THINK PINK

The Sound Tigers will honor and pay tribute to those affected by breast cancer at this Saturday’s game against Providence. Many breast cancer survivors will be recognized throughout the night and the first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a free Pink in the Rink rally towel. In addition, a special wine tasting event will take place from 5-6:30 p.m. at Webster Bank Arena benefiting the American Cancer Society and Cancer Couch Foundation. The pregame event includes access to the tasting party, a ticket to the game and a souvenir Sound Tigers tasting glass. Players and their families will also be putting together baskets to raffle off on the concourse with proceeds going back those charities. Click here for more information. Doors open at 6 p.m. For additional details or to reserve seats for any of the 2016-17 giveaway and theme nights, please call the Sound Tigers’ front office at (203) 345-2300.

QUICK HITS

Travis St. Denis leads the Sound Tigers with four game-winning goals, which also places him in a tie for the league lead among rookies… Devon Toews is tied for second among AHL rookies with 23 assists and tied for 12th among league defensemen with 27 points… Steve Bernier is tied for third in the AHL with nine power-play goals. 

AFFILIATE REPORT

NHL: New York Islanders (23-18-9): Next at Philadelphia - Thursday, 7 p.m. ET

ECHL: Missouri Mavericks (20-19-2-5): Next vs. Wichita - Tonight, 8:05 p.m. ET

UConn’s Collier Named American Player of the Week

By Bob Phillips

Napheesa Collier, a 6-1 sophomore forward for UConn, has been named
the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week.

UConn’s Napheesa Collier has been named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday, Feb. 5. The 6-1 sophomore forward averaged 24.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game while shooting 82 percent (22 for 27) from the field in leading the No. 1-ranked Huskies to a perfect 2-0 week.

Collier scored 25 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and added four blocked shots and three steals in Connecticut’s 97-61 win at Temple last Wednesday. In that game, she was 12-of-14 from the floor. The double-double was the O’Fallon, Mo.’s seventh of the season. Collier folloBed that game with a 24-point, nine-rebound, three-assist performance in a 96-50 victory over Tulsa at Gampel Arena on Super Bowl Sunday.

In other American weekly accolades, Tulsa forward Kendrian Elliot was named the conference’s Freshman of the Week. Elliott averaged 17.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game as the Golden Hurricane split a pair of games against East Carolina and No. 1 UConn. Elliott opened the week with a personal-best 27 points and earned her third double-double with 13 rebounds in last Tuesday’s 100-92 victory over the Pirates. She added eight points and five rebounds in Sunday’s loss to the Huskies. 

American Weekly Honor Roll

* Jacqueline Blake, senior center, Houston
Blake scored a career-high 16 points in Saturday’s win at East Carolina, helped lead Houston to a 1-1 week.

* Brea Elmore, junior guard, Memphis
Elmore scored 16 points, and added six rebounds and six assists in a 62-57 win over No. 20 USF.

* Maria Jespersen, junior forward, USF
Jespersen averaged 23.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in a 1-1 week for the Bulls.

* Morgan Bolton, senior guard, SMU
Scored a career-high 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc to lead the Mustangs over Memphis.

* Tanaya Atkinson • Jr. • G • Temple
Atkinson averaged 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds, while shooting 53 percent from the field in two games for the Owls.

—With Staff Reports

Thomas Re-Ups With Sun

Veteran point guard Jasmine Thomas as re-signed a multi-year deal with
the Connecticut Sun.

The Connecticut Sun announced on Thursday that veteran point guard Jasmine Thomas has re-signed with the team. In 2016, Thomas enjoyed her second straight career year with the Sun, setting new single-season averages with 11.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. Her assist average was second in the WNBA last season. She also played a career-high 1,091 minutes.

 
Overall, Thomas reached career benchmarks of 1,500 points, 600 assists and 500 rebounds in 2016. She also extended her streak of consecutive games played to 204. The 27-year-old former Duke star has not missed a game in her WNBA career.

“We are excited that Jasmine has signed a multi-year contract with the Sun,” head coach and general manager Curt Miller said. “She is coming off an outstanding season with career numbers in nearly every statistical category. She is the extension of our coaching staff on the floor and provides needed leadership for the youngest roster in the league. She is a great role model for our young team and I truly admire the work ethic and professionalism she displays on a daily basis.” 

While at Duke, Thomas became just the fourth Blue Devil to notch over 1,300 points, 400 rebounds, 400 assists, 200 steals and 50 blocks, joining Alana Beard, Monique Currie and Katie Meier. She also joined Beard as one of the only two Blue Devils to record 100 or more steals in a single season. In addition, Thomas also scored in the classroom, being named an Academic All-American as a junior and senior.

A first-round pick by Seattle in 2011, Thomas was traded to the Washington Mystics prior to the start of her rookie season. She played for two years with the Mystics before being traded to the Atlanta Dream prior to the start of the 2013 season. After two years in Atlanta, Thomas was traded to the Sun in 2015, where she has started every game for the past two seasons. Last season, Thomas was named the WNBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Sept. 12-18, 2016, averaging 16.3 points and 7.3 assists for the week. That week, a 21-point effort vs. the Indiana Fever matched her career high.

"I'm super excited to be staying in Connecticut,” Thomas said. “Curt and I have developed a good relationship. I believe in his system and I know he can bring championships to Connecticut in the future. I'm happy he views me as a valuable part of that.”

As per team policy, no terms of the multi-year deal were released.

The Sun will open the 2017 season on May 13 when they host Atlanta at Mohegan Sun Arena at 7 p.m. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by contacting a sales representative at 877-SUN-TIXX or tickets@connecticutsun.com or by visiting www.connecticutsun.com.