Angel McCoughtry, the former Louisville All-American, has led the Atlanta Dream into the WNBA finals the last two seasons. And in July, she will play for the 2012 Olympic team in London.
She said Monday she has been very impressed with Dream rookie Tiffany Hayes, the former UConn guard, who was taken in the second round of the April 16 draft.
“From I remember of her in college, she has definitely gotten a lot better,” McCoughtry said. “I’ve been very impressed with her defense and she has been shooting the ball very well. I’ve tried to take her under my wing, help her get adjusted to the WNBA from college.
“If I was to give her a grade from 1 to 10 thus far, I would say Tiffany has been an 8. I’m very proud of her.”
Hayes broke her nose before the Dream’s first preseason game and has played sparingly in the preseason.
The WNBA’s Tulsa Shock released free agent guard Lorin Dixon, the former UConn player, on Monday. Dixon did not play in the league last season after graduating with Maya Moore following the 2010-11 season.
Tulsa first-year coach Gary Kloppenburg said Dixon impressed him in camp, but since only 11 players can make the final roster, there was no room for her.
“She did a really nice job for us,” Kloppenburg said. “We brought her to camp because Temeka Johnson was late coming back from Europe, but we actually kept her with us four or five days after [Johnson] arrived. We saw her play at the WNBA free agent camp in Denver and she did a tremendous job for us. I really liked her energy. She battled and defensively she was as good as any of the point guards we had. She got better as camp went on and this will help her land herself a spot in Europe [in the winter]. She did what we asked her to do, come in, compete, work hard and that’s what she did. My hat is off to her.”
Dixon played in three preseason games, averaging 7 minutes. She missed her only two shots [both threes] and scored just two points. She had four rebounds and three assists.
The Connecticut Sun will host a food drive at its home opener on May 20 as they take on the New York Liberty at Mohegan Sun Arena at 5 p.m.
The Sun ask fans to bring non-perishable food items to the game, which will then be donated to the New London Community Meal Center. Bins for food collection will be available on the concourse just inside both entrances of Mohegan Sun Arena. The entire team will be volunteering at the Community Meal Center the following week as part of the WNBA’s Week of Service.
The New London Community Meal Center was established in 1985. It was created to respond to the needs of New London’s most vulnerable residents by providing nutritious meals in a kind, hospitable and clean environment. The organization currently provides lunch five days a week and dinner six days a week, including Saturday dinner served by a downtown New London church.
The New York Liberty will hold their season home opener at Madison Square Garden vs. the Connecticut Sun. The New Jersey Devils will play host to New York at The Prudential Center in game three of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Season ticket holders and additional fans who have purchased tickets to the Liberty’s home opener will be contacted directly with information on how to receive their new tickets for the game now being played at The Garden on May 19 at 4 p.m. Fans can also visit NYLiberty.com or call (212) 465-6766 for more detailed information. Individual tickets for the May 19 game at Madison Square Garden will go on sale on Monday, May 14 at 4:00 p.m.
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There is little idle time for the world’s elite women’s basketball players. One day they are in the WNBA, the next flying to Seattle to slip on the USA jersey for 72 hours.
iN the winter, they are off to the world capitals of Europe and Asia, hanging out in Prague or embarking on a 22-hour trip from Spain to Ekaterinburg, Russia for just one EuroLeague game.
Still, this is the best time ever for players like Minnesota’s Maya Moore, the former UConn All-American, and Lindsay Whalen, the former Connecticut Sun all-star. They are spanning the globe, maximizing their inherent skill – taking breaths whenever possible.
“I call this time of year, May Madness,” said Moore Thursday, after Minnesota, the defending WNBA champion, opened the 2012 preseason with a win over the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Casino.
Maya Moore is off to Seattle with USA Basketball teammates Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, Asjha Jones and Tina Charles in the morning. She shouldn’t be too tired after playing only 19 minutes, 20 seconds of the Minnesota Lynx first preseason game Thursday at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
Miss Maya, the former UConn national player of the year and its all-time career scorer, had six points and four assists in the 87-85 win over the Sun.
“Getting some time off after the WNBA season before going to Spain [this winter] really was helpful,” Moore said. “I went in January. I was able to give my mind and my body some rest. Now I’ve experienced my first overseas season. I’m going to continue to take each year as it comes, evaluate what’s best for me and the timing of my career, on and off the court.”
Moore has already resigned next season with Ros Caseras, the team she played for last winter and helped lead to a EuroLeague championship.
Now she is ready for her second WNBA season after helping the Lynx to the league title as its rookie of the year,
“I love the challenges of the WNBA,” Moore said. “There is always something to get better at.”
After tonight’s game against Minnesota at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Connecticut Sun concludes its preseason May 14 at Washington.
But on Friday, Tina Charles and Asjha Jones, along with Minnesota’s Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen and Seimone Augustus, will leave for Seattle for where they will practice Friday night with the USA Olympic Team, coached by UConn’s Geno Auriemma.
USA will play China Saturday night at the Key Arena, home of the WNBA’s Seattle Storm. The USA will practice Sunday with Japan and Sunday night Jones and Charles will fly to Washington in time of the Mystics preseason games.
As we’ve been telling you, the Connecticut Sun and CPTV Sports have been on verge of a new relationship.
Well, the courtship is now over.
The Sun announced Wednesday a new deal with CPTV Sports that will begin with tonight’s preseason game against the Minnesota Lynx.
Up to 23 broadcasts of home and away Sun games are currently planned with more potential additions to the schedule. Veteran Sun broadcaster Bob Heussler will handle play-by-play duties while former UConn greats Rebecca Lobo, Jen Rizzotti and Kara Wolters will rotate as color commentators. In a creative arrangement that will allow more Sun games to be aired, CPTV Sports will also take advantage of opportunities to utilize the opponent’s broadcast when Connecticut is playing on the road.
“We are very excited for this new partnership with CPTV Sports and the opportunity to broadcast many more home and away games to our fans around the state than ever before,” Connecticut Sun Vice President and General Manager Chris Sienko said. “This is a wonderful chance to give our loyal fans a chance to watch the Sun on the road while also showing those who have not yet attended a Sun home game what they are missing.”
The first independently-owned WNBA franchise, the Connecticut Sun have been one of the most successful teams in the league, advancing to the playoffs seven times in nine years with two trips to the WNBA Finals. Led by league stars Tina Charles, Renee Montgomery, Asjha Jones and Kara Lawson, the Sun posted a 21-13 record that was tied for best in the Eastern Conference. With virtually the entire lineup back from last year, the Sun will be aiming for their first WNBA Championship in 2012.
“With the return of our core players along with the addition of some talented free agents, we feel this team can compete with anyone,” Sienko said. “We are eager to get the season underway.”
A not-for-profit channel owned and managed by Connecticut Public Television (CPTV), CPTV Sports is the new, expanded version of its previous incarnation, the Connecticut Sports Network (CTSN). Launched in November 2011, CPTV Sports is Connecticut’s only 24-hour local sports network broadcasting Connecticut high school, college and professional sports competitions from more than 40 schools and organizations, including the University of Connecticut, University of Hartford, Central Connecticut State University, Quinnipiac University and the state university system. CPTV Sports also brings viewers coverage of unique sporting events like auto racing, roller derby and ultimate frisbee.
CPTV Sports is available on Comcast cable channels 185, 187 and 744; Cox Communications cable channel 805; Cablevision channel 139; Charter Northeaster channel 223; Charter Western channel 224 and Thames Valley channel 87.
“Based on our long tradition of excellence in sports and basketball coverage, CPTV Sports is thrilled to be partnering with the Connecticut Sun to give the team more expanded television coverage than ever before,” said Jerry Franklin, the President and CEO of Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network, which is the parent company of CPTV Sports.
Broadcast Schedule
Thursday, 10 May v. Minnesota, preseason 7pm
Sunday, 20 May v. New York, 5pm
Friday, 25 May v. San Antonio, 7pm
Friday, 1 June v. Minnesota, 7pm
Sunday, 3 June v. Washington, 3pm
Sunday, 10 June v. Atlanta, 5pm
Tuesday, 19 June v. Indiana, 7pm
Thursday, 21 June @ Indiana, 7pm
Friday, 29 June @ Washington, 7pm
Sunday, 1 July v. Seattle, 5pm
Saturday, 7 July @ Minnesota, 8pm
Tuesday, 10 July @ Washington, 11:30am
Friday, 13 July @ Chicago, 8:30pm
Saturday, 18 August v. New York, 7pm
Sunday, 26 August v. Chicago, 5pm
Tuesday, 28 August @ Chicago, 7pm
Tuesday, 4 September @ Washington, 7pm
Friday, 7 September v. Phoenix, 7pm
Sunday, 9 September v. Chicago, 5pm
Wednesday, 12 September @ Phoenix, 10pm
Friday, 14 September @ Los Angeles, 11pm
Sunday, 16 September @ Seattle, 9pm
Sunday, 23 September v. Atlanta, 5pm
..,and it’s not just any camp, it’s the training camp of the Super Bowl champion, New York Giants,
He’s a long-snapper who graduated from Lafayette and Caroline’s twin brother. He is also 6-3, 255 pounds, can also play tight end and is a mechanic engineering major
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