NCAA Men’s Hockey Regionals Coming To Connecticut

By Bob Phillips

BRIDGEPORT—Sports-starved Connecticut sports fans finally got a bit of good news today when it was announced that the Webster Bank Arena will host a NCAA Division I men’s hockey regional tournament in 2023. The WBA is also slated to host a men’s hockey regional in 2021, and a women’s basketball regional in 2022, although whether or not the 2021 tournament will be played—and if so, whether fans will be allowed to attend—is a matter of conjecture. Without fans, it is highly unlikely the venue, the home for the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, will serve as home site. Owned by the City of Bridgeport, operated by Harbor Yard Sports & Entertainment, LLC and managed by Oak View Group, a Los Angeles-based entertainment and sports facilities company, the facility if heavily reliant on ticket sales, parking and concessions to generate operating revenue.

Yale and Sacred Heart will serve as host universities for the 2023 tournament. Webster Bank Arena is also slated to host the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball East Regional Tournament.

“We are proud to partner with Webster Bank Arena and Yale University to host the 2023 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Regional,” Sacred Heart deputy director of athletics of external operations Charlie Dowd said. No stranger to the Webster Bank Arena, Dowd served stints as SVP of Operations for Harbor Yard Sports & Entertainment and as general manager for the late, great Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League. The Bluefish played for 20 seasons at the former Ballpark at Harbor Yard, which sits adjacent to the WBA and is currently being converted into an outdoor amphitheater which will one day host music concerts, although given today’s COVID-19 environment, when that might actually happen is anyone’s guess.

“We’ve had a great relationship with OVG Facilities for a number of years and I know we’ll be able to put on a first-class experience for the student-athletes and fans,” Dowd continued. “The building has a long, successful history of hosting and we look forward to creating new memories. It is an honor for our program and institution to bring this great event to Bridgeport.”

The NCAA hockey tournament is broken into four regional sites, with four teams playing single elimination games against each other at each site. The winner of each regional advances to play in the Frozen Four, held at a neutral site. Webster Bank Arena has hosted five NCAA regional hockey tournaments in the past; 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2018.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be selected by the NCAA to host the Division I Men’s Regional here in Bridgeport,” Mayor Joe Ganim said. “Many visitors will come from around the region to experience Bridgeport as an emerging entertainment hub with terrific restaurants. We look forward to working with the Oak View Group team and the New York Islanders at Webster Bank Arena, in addition to Yale and Sacred Heart University, for what will be a fantastic experience for student-athletes, families and fans.”

—With Staff Reports

Huskies a No-Go at XL

UConn announced that all regular season home basketball games (men's and women's) will be
played at Gampel Pavilion this coming season. Hockey games will be played at Freitas Ice
Forum. Both venues are on the UConn Storrs campus.

By Bob Phillips

STORRS—Add the XL Center to the list of COVID-19 victims. The state's largest indoor sports and entertainment venue announced on Wednesday that it will not host UConn men's and women's basketball games and UConn hockey games for the 2020-21 season. Gampel Pavilion will host all home games for basketball, and Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum will be home for all UConn hockey games this season. Both venues are located on the UConn campus. Whether or not fans will be allowed to attend—and if so, how many and under what kind of conditions—is a matter of conjecture.

In the end, the decision to move the 2020-21 home season to Storrs was pretty simple. It came down to money.

“We have to pay rent if we use that facility, and I don’t think that financially it makes sense for either one of us if we’re in the situation that we currently are, which is if there’s going to be very few fans allowed to attend games,” Benedict said. “It just doesn’t make financial sense for either one of us.”

The decision to play all home games in Storrs comes as a disappointment to many Connecticut basketball fans who were looking forward to the return of the Huskies to the Big East this season—particularly at the XL Center, which serves as home court for several Husky games each season and is far more accessible than Storrs to fans in most parts of the state.

“For us and our student-athletes, when we do go down there we don’t control all the staffing and what their testing protocols are going to be,” continued Benedict. “Certainly there’s a significant concern, and we’re doing a lot to minimize exposure or risk to our coaches and student-athletes coming in contact with people. We’re already doing all those things on our campus.”

Benedict hopes to have a better idea of what the schedules will look like for his men’s and women’s basketball teams in the next couple weeks.

“In this case, I think we both agreed it made the most sense to play our games on campus at this point,” he said.

The Big East men's and women's basketball championship tournaments have not yet been affected by COVID-19. The men's tournament is scheduled to be played at Madison Square Garden as usual, and the women's tournament is slated for the Moehgan Sun Arena in March.

—with staff reports

Maya Moore Honored with Jack Kelly Fair Play Award

 

Former UConn great Maya Moore has been named the 2020 Jack Kelly Fair Play Award winne.

 

Colorado Springs, Colo.–In recognition of her selfless act to defer her athletic career to pursue criminal justice reform, former UConn star Maya Moore has been named as the recipient of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s 2020 Jack Kelly Fair Play Award.

The Jack Kelly Fair Play Award, established in 1985, annually recognizes an athlete, team, coach or official for an outstanding act of fair play and sportsmanship. Moore, who won Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016, made the decision in 2019 to step away from the court as a member of both the USA Basketball National Team and the Minnesota Lynx to focus on criminal justice reform and advocate for a wrongly convicted man, Jonathan Irons, who was successfully released from prison in July 2020. The couple was recently married and together, they continue the pursuit of justice, reform and educating on the critical role elected prosecutors play in our justice system through their organization, Win With Justice.

The award will be presented virtually as part of the 2020 U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Assembly on Thursday, Oct. 8.

“USA Basketball is proud to have Maya Moore as a part of its family, and to see her honored by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee with the Jack Kelly Fair Play Award” said Jim Tooley, USA Basketball CEO. “She has always been an incredible ambassador both on and off the court for the USA, and her integrity and commitment to everything she has done has been 100%, which was why none of us were surprised when she opted to step away from basketball and pursue the freedom of Jonathan Irons.”

“Maya Moore has been an integral part of the women’s national team program since 2006, and I can’t imagine anyone more deserving of this award than Maya,” said Carol Callan, USA Basketball Women’s National Team director. “She has always been strong in her convictions, never wavered between right and wrong, and her decision to step away from basketball was an incredibly selfless thing to do. I couldn’t be more proud that she is a part of the USA Basketball family and appreciate that the USOPC recognizes her work by presenting her with the Jack Kelly Fair Play Award.”

After being a member of three gold-medal winning USA junior teams from 2006-09, Moore was called up to the USA National Team in 2009 to participate in its fall training camp. Since officially being named to the USA National Team in 2010, Moore helped U.S. squads to gold medals at the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Cups (15-0) and 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games (16-0), while aidint the USA National Team to a 17-1 exhibition mark. In all, USA Basketball teams with Moore on the roster have compiled seven gold medals and an overall record of 51-0 in official international competitions.

Moore starred at the University of Connecticut where she captured a pair of NCAA titles in 2009 and 2010. She was the No. 1 selection in the 2011 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx, and she has helped lead the Lynx to the 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 WNBA championships.

–Staff Reports

Sun Stop Aces, Take Control of Series

The Connecticut Sun celebrate Game 3 victory over Las Vegas Aces as clock runs down. 

By Bob Phillips

BRADENTON, Fla.—After leaving Game 2 of the WNBA semifinal series against the Las Vegas
Aces with what was later diagnosed as a dislocated shoulder, not much was expected from Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas--certainly for game three. But you know what they say about assuming something...

Thomas scored 23 points, knocking down 10 of 21 shots with a sore shoulder, and led the Sun to a 76-68 victory over the Aces on Thursday night. The victory gave the Sun a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series meaning Connecticut needs just one win in the next two games to advance to the WNBA Finals against the winner of the Seattle-Minnesota series, while Vegas must run the table.

Thomas, who was injured in the first quarter of Tuesday night's game won by the Aces, was originally listed as "out" for Game 3 before her status was upgraded to "questionable." She came roaring out of the gate, scoring 13 points in the first two periods, giving the Sun a 56-53 lead at intermission.

But the Aces came roaring back in the third, outscoring the Sun by a 24-15 margin, taking a 56-53 lead into the fourth quarter.

Thomas, the wounded warrior, ended up with a double-double after hauling down 12 boards. She also turned up the volume in the closing minutes of the contest, scoring eight points in the final 180 seconds of regulation. The last basket came after a steal with 45 seconds left and gave the Sun an insurmountable seven-point advantage.

“I’m just doing me,” Thomas said. “I’m a tough person. I can handle a lot. I know what I’m capable of. I just want to be out there fighting with my team.”

While that might seem possible to overcome in some instances, the Sun's calling card is a ferocious defense. Case in point: Connecticut forced 15 Vegas turnovers; five came in the game's final 2:50, allowing the Sun to finish the game on a 10-2 run.

But this one was anyting but a blowout. Indeed, the top-seeded Aces were up seven midway through the fourth quarter and eyeing a chance to take the lead the series. But Connecticut, which opened the season at 0-5 before finally getting their legs and qualifying as the No. 7 (out of 8) seed in the tournament, put the pedal to the metal and closed out the game with a 20-4 run the that puts them one victory from reaching the finals for the second straight season.

Thomas scored eight points during that run. She also scored six of Connecticut’s final 10 points and had two steals during that game-ending run.

“I’ve known AT a long time,” Sun Brionna Jones said. “No matter what, injured or not, she’s going to play hard.”

“I’ve never dislocated it like that (on Tuesday),” AT said. “It was very painful going out and putting it back in. [Wednesday] I was super-sore, as to be expected.

“I’m used to it." she continued. "I knew what to expect. That wasn’t going to stop me. I think we have a great opportunity in this series, and I want to be a part of it. Once I heard it was up to me, I knew I’d be out there.”

The loss puts the top-seeded Aces one loss away from an extended vacation.
“A lot of stuff that wins playoff games, they were able to do and we weren’t,” Vegas coach Bill Laimbeer, a key member of the Detroit Pistons' "Bad Boys" team in the late '80s and early '90s, said. “That’s the difference in the ballgame.”

Brionna Jones had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and DeWanna Bonner 12 points and 10 boards for the Sun. It's the first time in league postseason history a team had three players with double-doubles in points and rebounds. Bonner moved up to 12th in career playoff points, passing Taj McWilliams-Franklin.

A'ja Wilson led the Aces with 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Angel McCoughtry added 16 points. Las Vegas had 15 turnovers to four for the Sun, who won despite going 1 of 11 from 3-point range.

While Sun fans may have been surprised with Alyssa Thomas's quick return, Laimbeer was not.

“This is something that happens to her all the time,” Laimbeer said. “[The shoulder] pops out, [and] it pops back in. It was clear [Wednesday] she was going to play. We were prepared for that. We had the game in our hands in the fourth quarter.”
The Sun now will try to close out the series on Sunday. Game 4 tips off at 1 p.m. (ET) and will be televised live on ESPN.
                                                                                                                                    —with staff reports

Wilson Leads Aces Over Sun, Series Tied 1-1

A'ja Wilson took control to lead the Las Vegas Aces over the Connecticut Sun in
Game 2 of the WNBA semifinal series Tuesday night.

BRADENTON, Fla.—A'ja Wilson scored 29 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and had a career-high seven blocked shots to lead the top-seeded Las Vegas Aces past the Connecticut Sun 83-75 on Tuesday night.

Wilson converted a three-point play with 1:03 remaining to break a 75-75 tie. Then, following Connecticut's 17th turnover, Wilson drove the lane and made the layup while being fouled. She missed the free throw, but Angel McCoughtry grabbed the rebound and Dearica Hamby made 1 of 2 free throws for an eight-point lead. McCoughtry, Hamby and Kayla McBride each added 11 points for Las Vegas. It was Wilson's 16th game with 20-plus points this season. 

 “We were going to win this game,” said Wilson , the rising superstar out of South Carolina—Wilson was the 2018 Rookie of the Year and was named this season's Most Valuable Player. “I didn't want to be down 2-0.Got to find ways to make it happen," Wilson said. "Tried my best to do it.”

DeWanna Bonner popped in 23 points and grabbed seven boards for Connecticut, which led throughout most of the game, and Briann January added 20 points. Alyssa Thomas, averaging 15.5 points and nine rebounds, left the game in the first quarter after injuring her right shoulder and did not return. The full extent of her injury has not yet been announced, although the former Maryland star has been ruled out of Game 3.

Connecticut coach Curt Miller said he didn't know what Thomas' status was for the rest of the series. "I will find out more," he said. "Dislocated shoulder is the rumor that's floating around the bench, but it's not confirmed."

Jasmine Thomas, who scored a career-high 31 points in Game 1, was held to 10 points. With Jonquel Jones opting out of the entire season over COVID-19 concerns, and Alyssa Thomas's availability uncertain, the Sun will need Jasmine Thomas to step up her game in order to be competitive against the tournament's top seeded team.

The series resumes Wednesday night for Game 3. Tip-off is slated for 9:30 and the game will be televised on ESPN2.

Staff Reports

Sun Shock Aces To Open WNBA Semifinals

By Bob Phillips BRADENTON, Fla.—Wow. Just Wow. The Connecticut Sun, who were within five minutes of claiming their first-ever WNBA title last season before eventually

falling to the defending champion Washington Mystics, weren’t supposed to make much noise this year. Gone from last year’s team are Shekinna Stricklen, who signed a free-agent contract with the Atlanta Dream, Courtney Williams (traded to Atlanta), former UConn star Morgan Tuck, who was traded to Seattle, and especially Jonquel Jones, Connecticut’s top player who opted to sit out this season because of COVID-19 concerns. After starting the 2020 season 0-5, the Sun gradually gained their footing and qualified for the postseason as the No. 7 seed (out of 8), As such, they weren’t expected to make much noise. Guess what? They are. After eliminating the Chicago Sky and the LA Sparks in the first two rounds—both of the one-and done variety—the Sun were not expected to give the tournament’s No. 1 seed, the Las Vegas Aces (coached by “Bad Boy” Bill Laimbeer, a four-time NBA ALL-Star and three-time NBA champion with the Pistons, who also owns three WNBA championship rings as a coach—all with the former Detroit Shock who moved first to Oklahoma City and then Dallas where they currently play as the Wings) much of a challenge. Aces who obviously were dealt a bad hand. Regular season MVP A’ja Jones led all scorers and was one of five Aces in double-digits (Jackie Young and Dearica Hamby both with 20 off the bench, Kayla McBride with 14 and Angel McCoughtry with 11). Young and Hamby’s play off the bench offset the miserable performances by Vegas starters center Carolyn Swords two points, two rebounds and point guard Lindsay Allen with no points and three assists. Yes, you heard that right. The vaunted Connecticut defense held the Aces’ starting center and point guard to two points. Total. The Sun were led by Jasmine Thomas who threw down a career-high 31 points, Thomas was dealing with a plantar fasciitis (a foot irritation). It didn’t slow her down, though. Thomas shot 9-for-12 from the field (75 percent) with 22 points in the first half as the Sun took a commanding 36-25 lead at intermission. For the game, Thomas finished 13-for-18 (72 percent). “I knew the pull-up would be there,” said Thomas. “I just took the first few without a conscience and with confidence.” Can you say en fuego? “She was on fire today,” said Sun guard Natisha Hiedman, who scored 14 off the bench for Connecticut. “She was just going crazy the whole game!” “I called less plays tonight than I have for weeks,” said Sun head coach and general manager Curt Miller, who is largely responsible for constructing the team as it currently exists. “Just stay out of their way and let them feel the game. It’s fun to watch a player like Jas tonight. She just got into her rhythm.” For the game, the Sun held the Aces to 33 percent shooting from the field, including an abysmal 1-for-14 from beyond the arc. The 62 points was the lowest Las Vegas output all season. “Just a credit to our players’ tenacity and toughness,” Miller said. “Vegas can really bully you [remember who they’re coched by, afterall] and can really play excellent basketball. That was about 14 or 15 fewer field goals than they madein a [regular-season] game against us in the bubble. “Everything tonight was energy, effort and tenacity.” Besides Jasmine Thomas’s 31 points, Alyssa Thomas had 18 points, five assists and five steals. The two teams go at it again tomorrow (Tuesday) night in Game 2. Tip-off is at 9 p.m. on ESPN2. —with staff reports

Sun Spank Sparks, Head to WNBA Semifinals Match-Up With Vegas

Sun center Brionna Jones (right) steals the ball from Sparks center Kristine Anigwe
during the first half of Connecticut's second-round victory over Los Angeles.

By Bob Phillips

BRADENTON, Fla.—It was a combination of Bombs Away a stingy defense that ultimately led to a
73-59 win by the Connecticut Sun over the Los Angeles Sparks in second-round WNBA playoff action. In the WNBA’s unique postseason format, both the first and second rounds are one-and-done affairs. That makes it a veritable “survival of the fittest” with virtually no margin of error for the participating teams.

One bad game and it’s “Hasta La Vista, Baby! See you in 2021!”

Before the game it was reported that LA’s star power forward Nneke Ogwumike would sit out the game with migraine headaches. Nneke’s younger sister and teammate, former Sun star Chiney, is taking the season off because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sun’s top player, Jonquel Jones, is sitting out the 2020 season for the same reason.

It was a slow start for Connecticut, which missed its first five shots from the field, before Brionna Jones hit a short jumper in the lane with 6:47 remaining in the first period. Then, however, it was off to the races for the Sun. Connecticut then raced out to a 22-8 lead at the first turn and never looked back. Defense remained the Sun calling card as they held LA to just 21 percent.

The Sparks came roaring back and cut the Sun lead to just six on a 10-0 run in the second period, but the Sun regained control of the game and as the second period ended Connecticut headed into the locker room with a commanding 39-23 lead.

That lead grew to 19 at the end of the third quarter, and when Briann January hit a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter to give the Sun their largest lead of 20.

The Sparks' Candace Parker led all scorers with 22 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds for the Sparks, who were without third-leading scorer Nneka Ogwumike, sidelined with a migraine. But a suffocating Connecticut defense held L.A.'s star guard Chelsea Gray was held to just four points.

Alyssa Thomas led the Sun with 19 points, while DeWanna Bonner put up a Double-Double with a 17-point, 13-rebound effort. Briann January (22) and Brionna Jones and Jasmine Thomas (10 points each) also scored in double digits for the Sun.

The Sparks came into the game as the league's top three-point shooting team at just under 40 percent from beyond the arc, but the Sun played outstanding perimeter defense, forcing the Sparks to miss their first 12 three-point attempts and holding L.A. To just 2-for-18 from beyond the arc. And the Sparks' 59 points were represented their lowest offensive output for the season.

“We have felt at times like we're a top-four team in this league,” Sun head coach and general manager Curt Miller said after the game. “We just haven't been able to put it togeter at the offensive end. But defense, rebounding and low turnovers can carry the day—certainly in a playoff game. [Today] we defended, we rebounded and we controlled the ball.”

The Sun now move on to the semifinals where they will face the Las Vegas Aces in a best-three-of-five series. Game One will be on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET) and the game will be televised live on ESPN.

—with staff reports

Connecticut Sun center Brionna Jones, right, steals the ball from Sparks center Kristine Anigwe during the first half of the Sun's second-round victory over Los Angeles.