Friday, June 16, 2023

Dream Snaps Seven-Game Skid vs. Sun

By Bob Phillips

UNCASVILLE—
Allisha Gray had a career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds, Cheyenne Parker forced overtime with a last-second shot and the Atlanta Dream beat the Connecticut Sun 92-88 on Thursday night to snap a seven-game losing streak in the series.

The Sun were led by Brionna Jones who tallied a double-double with a season-high 28 points and 13 rebounds, along with one assist and two steals.

Atlanta outscored Connecticut, 15-11, heading into the first media timeout of the contest. Jones and Alyssa Thomas each notched four points in the opening minutes to lead the Sun. Connecticut finished the quarter on a 17-5 run to take an eight-point advantage into the second, 28-20. Jones tallied 11 points, three rebounds and one steal to lead the Sun after ten minutes.

The Dream opened the second quarter outscoring the Sun, 10-4, to cut the lead to two, 32-30, with 6:33 remaining in the half. The Sun finished the half on a 20-8 run to take their largest lead of the contest, 50-40, into the locker room at intermission. Jones tied her season-high in scoring in the first half alone with 21 points, along with seven rebounds, one assist and one steal to lead Connecticut at the break.

The Dream opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run to cut the Sun lead to one, 50-49, with 7:47 remaining in the quarter. The Sun were held scoreless until the 6:31 mark in the third quarter when Jones sank a mid-range jumper to make it 52-51. Each team notched 10 points the rest of the way, with the Sun taking a one-point lead into the fourth, 62-61.

After 10 lead changes in the fourth stanza, the Sun and the Dream were knotted at 80 points apiece, sending the contest into overtime. Thomas notched nine of her 23 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Sun.

Atlanta outscored Connecticut, 12-8, in the overtime period to hand Connecticut their second home loss of the season, 92-88. The Dream were led by Allisha Gray who tallied a career-high 27 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Connecticut shot 42.9 percent from the floor on 33-for-77 shooting, while Atlanta shot 51.4% (36-for-70) from the field. The Sun outscored the Dream in the paint (52-48), on second chance opportunities (17-12) and on the fast break (21-2).

The Sun now travel to Los Angeles where they will take on the Los Angeles Sparks headed by former Sun head coach and GM Curt Miller on Sunday. Tip-off at Crypto.com Arena is at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT and the game will be televised on NBC Sports Boston and streamed on the NBC Sports app.

    Sun Spots:

    • With 23 points on the night, Alyssa Thomas eclipsed 3,000 points in her career (3,011). She also moved into fourth all-time in franchise history in scoring, passing Katie Douglas.

    • With two three-point field goals in the game, DeWanna Bonner moved into 14th all-time in league history in made threes, tying Allie Quigley (510).

    • With five assists on the night, former UConn star Tiffany Hayes now has 700 career assists.

    • The Sun scored a season-high 50 points in the first half. However, they also tied a season-low with 12 points in the third quarter.

    • Alyssa Thomas (23), Brionna Jones (28) and DeWanna Bonner (20) combined for 71 of the Sun’s 88 points.

    Team Score Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT PTS REB AST CON 88 28 22 12 18 8 Jones- 28 Jones- 13 Thomas- 7 ATL 92 20 20 21 19 12 Gray- 27 Gray- 10 Jones- 6

—With Staff Reports

STORRS—UConn head football coach Jim Mora announced the Huskies have added seven transfer student-athletes who will join the Huskies for the the upcoming 2023 season. The newest Huskies are:

Armauni Archie – Defensive Back

6-0/183, Vallejo, Calif. / El Cerrito HS (Washington State University)

Transfers to UConn from Washington State University…In four seasons at WSU, played in 17 games with 15 total tackles, 12 solo…Coming off a 2022 season where he appeared in 11 games, one as a starter at the nickel…Made 11 tackles on the year...Suffered a season-ending injury in 2021…Saw majority of time early in his career on special teams…Prior to WSU, attended El Cerrito High School and was rated a three-star prospect by ESPN.com, 247sports.com and Rivals.com.

Brett Buckman – Wide Receiver

6-1/200, Park Ridge, N.J. / St. Joseph Regional (Delaware)

Transfers to UConn from the University of Delaware where he appeared in 33 games in four seasons for the Blue Hens…He had 61 career receptions for 763 yards and a touchdown…Had his best season in 2022 where he caught 39 balls in 13 games for 470 yards, a touchdown, all career-high marks…He had a season high of six catches for 76 yards against Rhode Island…Off the field, he was selected to the 2021 Fall CAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll.

James Burns – Wide Receiver

5-8/155, Charlotte, N.C. / Rocky River HS (Austin Peay)

A transfer to UConn from Austin Peay State University where he played one season in 2022…In nine games last fall he caught 39 passes for 517 yards and five touchdowns…Finished second on the club in catches and receiving touchdowns…Prior to Austin Peay he played three seasons at Miami University (OH)…He had his best season in 2019 where he played in 12 games, making three starts…Finished the year with 20 catches for 506 yards and one touchdown…Ended the season with 25.3 yards per reception, tops in the nation among freshman wide receivers.

Alex Honig – Tight End

6-6/265, Bavaria, Germany / Schwäbisch Hall (TCU)

Transfers to UConn from TCU…In 2022, played in 12 of 15 games in his r-freshman season, primarily on special teams...Named to the 2022 first team Academic All-Big 12 team…Redshirted in the 2021 season…Prior to TCU was rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals…The No. 27 pro-style quarterback in the 247Sports composite rankings…Rated the No. 1 quarterback and overall player in Germany…Excelled for the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns, one of the top American football youth teams in Germany.

Amir Renwick – Defensive Back

6-1/200, Baltimore, Md. / Milford Mill Academy (Coffeyville CC)

Transfers to UConn after two seasons at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas…In his two seasons, saw action in 17 total games with 111 total tackles, 6.5 for a loss, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions, two pass break-ups and two forced fumbles…In 2022, helped lead Coffeyville to an 8-3 overall record, finishing with 99 total tackles, 57 solo tackles and 5.5 tackles for a loss and two picks…In conference action, he finished with 60 total tackles, while averaging 10 tackles per game.

Torion White – Defensive Back

6-2/170, Long Beach, Calif. / Long Beach Poly (Southern Utah)

Comes to UConn after transferring from Southern Utah University…Played two seasons for the Thunderbirds and appeared in 10 total games…Coming off a 2022 season where he played nine games and had 22 total tackles, 16 solo and one for a loss. He also recorded an interception and had four pass break-ups on the year.

R.J. Wilkins – Defensive Line

6-3/315, Chicago, Ill. / Mount Carmel (Illinois)

Transfers to UConn after a season at the University of Illinois where he played in five games…Prior to Illinois played two-years at Vanderbilt where he saw action in 19 games in two season…In 2021 finished with 13 tackles, five solo, in 12 games (10 starts)…In 2020, started all nine games and had eight tackles, 2.0 for a loss, and a fumble recovery…Had 2.0 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery against South Carolina…Had playing stops at Monterey Peninsula (Calif.) College (2019) and at Wisconsin-Stevens Point (2018) .

—Staff Reports

Huskies, Tar Heels To Tangle in WBB at Mohegan Sun

UNCASVILLE—The University of Connecticut women's basketball team will take on North Carolina in the 10th annual Basketball Hall of Fame Invesco QQQ Women's Showcase on Sunday, Dec. 10, at Mohegan Sun Arena. UConn is 7-5 all-time vs. North Carolina. The teams last faced off in Storrs on Jan. 16, 2012. The Huskies have won the last five meetings vs. the Tar Heels. UNC is coming off a 22-11 season which featured an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

The Showcase will also feature Florida State vs. UCLA and South Carolina vs. Utah. Game times and television broadcast details will be released at a later date.

UConn donors and season ticket holders will have an exclusive ticket pre-sale opportunity prior to the public sale. Public ticket sales will begin Friday, Sept. 8.

Uconn’s 2023-24 non-conference schedule will also include previously announced games vs. Ball State (home), Dayton (home; originally slated for 2020-21 season), Louisville (home), Maryland (home), Notre Dame (home), Minnesota (road), NC State (road), South Carolina (road) and Texas (road). The Huskies will also play two games in the inaugural Cayman Islands Women's Basketball Tournament.

—Staff Reports

Yale Cops Y-H Regatta

GALES FERRY—It was an especially momentous time to be on the Thames River last Saturday (June 6) as the Yale heavyweight crew team took down Harvard in three of the four races at the 156th Yale-Harvard Regatta. With more than just pride on the line, the Bulldogs persevered through unusual weather conditions that consisted of sun and clouds, rain and choppy waters. On Friday, the fourth varsity boat took a deciding nine-second victory over Harvard. Then on Saturday, despite the third varsity falling in the first race, the second varsity battled to a come-from-behind victory, while the first varsity absolutely dominated the four-mile-long marathon race.

“I feel so happy for the guys. All the races were contested,” said Steve Gladstone, Craig W. Johnson ’68 Head Coach of Heavyweight Crew. “It really was a great day. Nothing more satisfying than seeing the people you have worked with and trained demonstrate their speed. What's more satisfying than that? That is what we work for.”

In speaking on the 1V Crimson boat, Gladstone noted, “Harvard never let go once. That is four long miles, and they were on it and after it all the way up the course.”

Gladstone acknowledged that in a long race, truly anything can happen, but the Bulldogs were poised and paced by an experienced coxswain in Harry Keenan.

"Going into the race, we knew we were just going to do our thing; stick to our race plan, be prepared to battle to the end. It was a long race, it hurts a lot, so mentally going in there and preparing for that," said captain Fergus Hamilton on their preparation heading into the weekend.

It was a bittersweet day for not only Gladstone, who coached his final race at Yale before retirement, but also the senior class.

“It was Steve's last race and I think we had that in the back of our minds all week. We really wanted to get this one for him,” noted Hamilton. “There was also a moment for the seniors as well when you know you'll pass the rock for the last time and then you realize these are your last 20 strokes wearing a Y. It was definitely special, especially when you hear from your first year that you want to beat Harvard. No matter what results you get during the season, as long as you beat Harvard, you've had a successful season.”

With Gladstone at the helm, the first varsity boat has not lost a Yale-Harvard Regatta race since 2014. With IRA National Championships, Eastern Sprints and Ivy League titles under his belt, as well as numerous Coach of the Year honors, Gladstone will certainly go down as one of, if not, the best coaches in rowing history.

    Final Results

1V

Yale –
19:14.9

Harvard – 19:26.6

2V

Yale –
14:29.4

Harvard – 14:33.3

3V

Harvard –
9:55.0

Yale – 9:57.3

4V

Yale –
9:54.2

Harvard – 10:03.1

—Staff Reports

Young, Cameron To Play In Travelers

CROMWELL—Max Homa and Cameron Young will play in the 2023 Travelers Championship. Homa is a six-time winner on the PGA TOUR who is currently No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking, while Young is the reigning PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year and ranked No. 15.

“Max and Cameron give us two more highly ranked players in this year’s field,” said Travelers Championship Tournament Director Nathan Grube. “Whether it’s someone who has played in our tournament before, like Max, or a first-timer like Cameron, we want their experience with us to be world class. We feel the same way with our fans and volunteers. It promises to be a great week.”

Homa has two wins and four other top-10 finishes this season. With victories at the Fortinet Championship and at Torrey Pines, in addition to a second-place finish at The Genesis Invitational, a tie for third at Kapalua and a T6 at THE PLAYERS Championship, Homa is in third place in the FedExCup points standings. Homa’s first win on TOUR came in 2019 at the Wells Fargo Championship, a tournament he won again in 2022. He played on the U.S. Presidents Cup team in 2022, going a perfect 4-0 in the Americans’ victory.

Young was named top PGA TOUR rookie last year in large part due to his strong play in the major championships. He finished T3 at the PGA Championship and was second at The Open Championship, one of five runner-up finishes throughout the season. This year, Young finished second in the World Golf Championships – Dell Technologies Match Play and was T7 at the Masters. Young was also a member of the victorious 2022 U.S. Presidents Cup team. This will be his first appearance at TPC River Highlands.

“Max and Cameron have been playing excellent golf and it’s exciting to hear that they’ll be joining us for this year’s tournament,” said Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Travelers. “We’re the only PGA TOUR event in New England this year, and this competition involving the TOUR’s best players always delivers magical moments and supports hundreds of local charities.”

Homa and Young join a player field that includes Scottie Scheffler (No. 2 in the OWGR), Rory McIlroy (No. 3), Patrick Cantlay (No. 4), defending champion Xander Schauffele (No. 5), Collin Morikawa (No. 13), Justin Thomas (No. 14) and Tony Finau (No. 16).

The 2023 Travelers Championship will be held June 19-25 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, and fans are welcome on-site beginning Wednesday, June 21. For tickets and tournament updates, please visit TravelersChampionship.com. Fans can also follow the tournament’s social media channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok for news and information.

—Staff Reports

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Sun Win Second Straight Over Mystics

Photo By Bill Harper

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Connecticut Sun stopped the Washington Mystics for the second straight time, putting up an 88-81 victory at Entertainment and Sports Arena in our nation’s capital on Tuesday night.

After the Mystics raced out to an early 14-9 lead five minutes into the contest, the Sun responded with a 12-3 run to close out the period, taking a 21-17 at the first pole. Alyssa Thomas led all scorers with eight points after 10 minutes of play.

The Mystics came back in the second quarter, cutting the Connecticut lead to one, 43-42, at intermission. Thomas led the Sun with six points, one rebound, two assists and one steal in the quarter. Natisha Hiedeman added four points and one steal, while Tiffany Hayes, Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Ty Harris each added three points in the second.

The Sun charged out of the locker room in the third period and upped their advantage to four, 63-59, heading into the fourth. DeWanna Bonner led the Connecticut surge, putting up seven points of her 15 points in the quarter. Connecticut continued to push pace offensively in the fourth stanza, outscoring the Mystics, 25-22, to seal the deal. Brionna Jones, who started slow, ended the contest with eight points, including her first three-point field goal since the 2020 season, to lead the Sun in the fourth.

With the win, Connecticut improved to a perfect 3-0 on the young season while Washington fell to 1-2. The Sun were led by Alyssa Thomas who tallied her fifth-straight double-double, dating back to the 2022 season, with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and also had five assists and two steals. The Mystics were led by Elena Delle Donne who put up a season-high 27 points, grabbed seven boards, dished out four assists and had one blocked shot on her stat line.

Connecticut shot a season-high 47.5% (29-61), while holding Washington to 41.5% (27-65) from the field on the night. The Sun dominated the paint, outscoring the Mystics, 40-26.

SUN SPOTS

*Tiffany Hayes dished out a career-high tying eight assists.

*All five Sun starters finished in double figures for the first time this season.

*The Sun finished with season-highs in points (88), assists (21) and three-point field goals (8).

*DeWanna Bonner moved into 18th all-time in games played in league history, tying Tully Bevilaqua (425).

*With one block in tonight’s game, Brionna Jones moved to No. 13 all-time in blocked shots in Connecticut Sun history, tying Brooke Wyckoff (61).

*Natisha Hiedeman eclipsed 800 career-points in tonight with 13 points (804).

*DeWanna Bonner now has 191 15+ point performances, tying Nneka Ogwumike for 14th most in WNBA history.

—Staff Reports

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Sun Stop Mystics for Second Straight Win

By Bob Phillips

Photos by Bill Harper

UNCASVILLE—
DeWanna Bonner scored 21 points and Alyssa Thomas put up a double-double—14 points and 16 rebounds—to go along with six assists and three steals to help the Connecticut Sun rally from a 12-point deficit to beat the Washington Mystics 80-74 Sunday. Brionna Jones added her own double-double (15 points and 10 boards) for the Sun.

Shakira Austin scored a career-high 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Elena Delle Donne had 19 points and also had 11 boards for the Mystics.

Down by four late in the third period, Tyasha Harris hit a 3-pointer to close out the quarter and pull the Sun within a point. A put-back by Jones early in the fourth stanza gave the Sun their first lead of the game before Rebecca Allen hit a trey to cap a 13-2 Connecticut run to stake the Sun to a 67-60 advantage with just under 6 minutes left in the game, and Connecticut never looked back.

Delle Donne, a two-time WNBA MVP, missed a clean look in the paint that would have made it a one-possession game with 37 seconds left in the contest before fouling out out about 10 seconds later.

Delle Donne, the former UConn nemesis who once committed to play for the Huskies before changing her mind and heading home to become an All-American at Delaware, made a layup to spark a 10-0 run. That spurt gave Washington a 14-3 lead and was capped with a pull-up jumper by Delle Donne midway through the opening period. The Mystics then led for most of the way—until Jones grabbed an offensive rebound and scored in the lane to out the Sun up, 59-58, with eight minutes remaining in regulation.

Referee Kelly Broomfield limped off the court in the third quarter with an apparent ankle injury and did not return, leaving just two officials the rest of the game.

White challenged a foul called on Olivia Nelson-Ododa early in the fourth quarter and won, but the foul was instead assessed to Jones, her fourth personal. Jones, who picked up her third foul with 5:32 left in the first half, fouled out for the second time this season with 17 seconds left.

Sun skipper Stefanie White—who last coached in the WNBA with Indiana from 2015-16 and helped the Fever to back-to-back playoff berths including a trip to the 2015 WNBA Finals—replaced Curt Miller as the Sun’s coach in November. Miller, the former head coach and GM for the Sun, has moved cross-country and is now top dog with the Los Angeles Sparks. In addition, four-time All-Star and 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones—who led the Sun to back-to-back Finals appearances and three straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals—forced a trade in the offseason to the Connecticut’s No. 1 rival, the New York Liberty, giving the Sun roster a virtually complete makeover.

With the win, Connecticut improved to 2-0 on the young season while Washington fell to 1-1. The Sun opened the 2023 season with a 70-61 win over the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Friday. The Sun and Mystics will go at it again on Tuesday at Entertainment and Sports Arena in our nation’s capital. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. and the game will be televised on NBC Sports Washington/Monumental Sports in the metro D.C. market and on NECN in New England.

—with staff reports

Bridgeport Islanders Announce Home Opener, Six Guaranteed Dates for 2023-24 Season

BRIDGEPORT—The Bridgeport Islanders will host their 2023-24 home opener on Saturday, Oct. 21st at Total Mortgage Arena, one of six home dates that have been confirmed by the AHL.

Guaranteed Home Dates:

*Saturday, Oct. 21

*Wednesday, Dec. 27

*Saturday, Jan. 6

*Saturday, Jan. 27

*Sunday, Feb. 17

*Saturday, Mar. 30

Opponents for these six games will be announced later this summer when the complete schedule for AHL’s 88th season is released. While individual game tickets to each of these contests will also be available this summer, Flex Ticket Plans are on sale now.

Flexible Ticket Plans offer hockey fans the freedom to choose any number of seats to any number of games that best suit their preferences. With the option to purchase either a 10-pack or 20-pack of undated ticket vouchers, fans can tailor any experience to fit their schedule, whether it's a thrilling rivalry, a popular theme night, or simply a “must-see” game. As a special offer, fans who lock in their flex plans before Jun. 1 will receive two (2) additional complementary tickets to Opening Night on Saturday, Oct. 21.

Pricing for Flexible Ticket Plans starts at $18 per ticket. For more information call 203-579-5230 to reserve your plan for the 2023-24 season. The Bridgeport Islanders are the American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders. Fans are invited to keep up with the latest Islanders news and connect with other fans on Facebook (@AHLIslanders), Twitter (@AHLIslanders) and Instagram (@AHLIslanders).

—Staff Reports

Friday, April 28, 2023

Sun Pre-Season Update-April 2023

By Bob Phillips

UNCASVILLE—
As the 2024 WNBA season rapidly approaches, many members of the Connecticut Sun are wrapping up their overseas obligations before heading back to the Nutmeg State for another season of WNBA action. What follows is a rundown of the most recent overseas reports concerning Sun players.

Mikiah Herbert Harrigan and the London Lions defeated the Caledonia Gladiators, 79-60, on Wednesday, April 19. Herbert Harrigan led her team with 18 points, five rebounds, three assists and one block in the win.

Natisha Hiedeman and Maccabi Ashdod defeated Elitzur Ramla in Game 3 of the WBL Finals series, 96-82, on Thursday, April 20. Hiedeman finished with 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals in the victory. On Sunday, April 23, Hiedeman and Maccabi Ashdod picked up an 81-79 win over Elitzur Ramla in Game 4 of the WBL Finals series. Hiedeman tallied seven points, five rebounds, eight assists and two steals. The series is now tied 2-2.

Lauren Cox and Valencia took home a 58-56 win over Estudiantes in Game 1 of the Spanish League Quarterfinals series on Thursday, April 20. Cox tallied seven points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block. On Sunday, April 23, Cox and Valencia defeated Estudiantes in Game 2 of the Spanish League Quarterfinals series, 77-35. Cox notched 13 points, five rebounds and one block in the win. Valencia won the series by a combined score of 135-91 and will move onto the semifinals.

Brionna Jones, Alyssa Thomas and USK Prague defeated Zabiny Brno in Game 1 of the Czech League Finals, 89-73 on Friday, April 21. Thomas led the team with 25 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists. Jones added 19 points, nine rebounds, one steal and one block in the victory. On Sunday, April 23, Jones, Thomas and USK Prague picked up a 94-71 win over Zabiny Brno in Game 2 of the Czech League Finals. Jones tallied a double-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocks. Thomas filled the stat sheet with 15 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals. USK Prague leads the best-of-three series, 2-0.

Former Uconn star Tiffany Hayes and CBK Mersin fell to Fenerbahce, 75-68, in Game 1 of the Turkish League Finals on Saturday, April 22. Hayes finished with 19 points, six rebounds, one assist and one steal in the effort. On Sunday, April 23, Hayes and CBK Mersin dropped Game 2 of the Turkish League Finals to Fenerbahce, 83-76. Hayes tallied 14 points, two rebounds and three assists in the outing.

Connecticut Sun players are back in overseas action this week beginning with Hayes and CBK Mersin taking on Fenerbahce at 12:00 p.m. ET on April 25. Jones, Thomas and USK Prague play Zabiny Brno at 2:15 p.m. ET on April 26. Hiedeman and Maccabi Ashdod face off against Elitzur Ramla at 10:45 a.m. ET; and Cox and Valencia take on Zaragoza at 2:00 p.m. ET on April 27. To close out the week, Cox and Valencia play Zaragoza at 1:15 p.m. ET on April 30.

For more information on dates and times of all Connecticut Sun off-season play, visit: https://sun.wnba.com/sun-off-season-tracker/ .

—with staff reports