UConn sports

Sorry for the late post.

I’ve been on a train all afternoon with no service (cell phone or waitress, in case you were wondering).

As you probably have heard, Maurice Harkless has given the UConn basketball team a verbal commitment.

A 6-foot-7 small forward from Queens, just a junior, announced his college choice on SNY Wednesday afternoon. Harkless is ranked 50th by Rivals.com in the Class of 2011.

He chose the Huskies over Seton Hall, St. John’s, Fordham and Kentucky.

- Neill

Guard Zach Hurd, defensive end Lindsey Witten and linebacker Lawrence Wilson were named All-Big East first team Wednesday,

Running backs Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon, along with linebacker Greg Lloyd and cornerback Robert McClain were all named to the second team.

The late Jasper Howard was named the honorary captain of the 2009 All-Big East teams.

“We regard the Big East Conference as the biggest family in collegiate athletics,” said Commissioner John Marinatto. “As a family, we wanted to respectfully remember Jasper Howard and honor his memory. In naming him the honorary captain of the 2009 All-Big East team, we have memorialized his name in Big East Conference history.”

Pittsburgh freshman running Dion Lewis was named offensive player of the year and rookie of the year, becoming just the second player in conference history to win both awards in the same season. Michael Vick did so in 1999.

Lewis’ teammates, defensive end Greg Romeus and defensive tackle Mick Williams, were tabbed as co-defensive players of the year, marking the first time that players from the same team shared that award.

Cincinnati wide receiver Mardy Gilyard and head coach Brian Kelly were repeat winners as special teams player of the year and coach of the year, respectively. Kelly was honored by his peers for the third consecutive season.

A few notable omissions?

How does Marcus Easley not make one of the two teams?

And Desi Cullen has a bit of a gripe, too.

- Neill

If you are a UConn football fan who is definitely not headed to Birmingham for the PapaJohns.com Bowl, and if this information matters to you, we just learned who will be calling the game for ESPN.

Dave Neal and Andre Ware will be in the booth for ESPN with Cara Capuano on the sidelines.

Pam Ward and Ray Bentley will call the game for ESPN Radio.

I would, of course, recommend Joe D’Ambrosio and Wayne Norman on the ole’ UConn Radio Network for any game, and the UConn-South Carolina matchup at Legion Field is no different.

- Neill

The Big East’s weekly awards.

BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Tony Pike • Sr. • QB • Cincinnati • Cincinnati, Ohio

Pike overcame a slow start to throw for 302 yards and three second-half touchdowns to help Cincinnati to a 45-44 win at Pittsburgh, giving the Bearcats their second straight outright BIG EAST championship. Pike threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including the decisive score with 33 seconds left, as the Bearcats erased a 21-point deficit to earn the Big East’s Bowl Championship Series bid.

BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Reed Williams • Sr. • LB • West Virginia • Moorefield, W.Va.

Williams had nine tackles, two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup as West Virginia closed the regular season with a 24-21 win at Rutgers, lifting the Mountaineers to their eighth consecutive finish in second place or better in the BIG EAST standings. Williams, a two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America selection, led a West Virginia defense that held Rutgers to 218 yards of offense and limited an opponent to fewer than 100 rushing yards for the fifth time this season.

BIG EAST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Mardy Gilyard • Sr. • WR • Cincinnati • Bunnell, Fla.

Gilyard set Big East records with 381 all-purpose yards and 256 kickoff return yards to lead Cincinnati to a 45-44 win at Pittsburgh, giving the Bearcats their second straight outright Big East title. Gilyard had a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter to start Cincinnati’s comeback from a 31-10 deficit. He also had a game-high 118 receiving yards, including a 68-yard touchdown reception.

WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

Aaron Webster, Cincinnati — Had nine tackles, two forced fumbles, a pass breakup and a 31-yard interception return in a 45-44 win at Pittsburgh.

Zach Frazer, QB, Connecticut — Completed 20 of 30 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns in a 29-27 win against USF.

Scott Lutrus, LB, Connecticut — Had a game-high 11 tackles with 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery in a 29-27 win against USF.

Dave Teggart, K, Connecticut — Hit the game-winning 42-yard field goal as time expired in a 29-27 win against USF .

Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh — Rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns on 47 carries in a 45-44 loss to Cincinnati.

– Neill

A few more notes from the UConn football team before we end a long day in Storrs:

– After all the talk of Meineke perhaps skipping Pitt and even a trade that could have sent UConn back to Detroit or Toronto, the Huskies ended up in Birmingham after all. The Huskies are in the PapaJohns.com Bowl and will face South Carolina.

“This is where we thought we would go and we’re glad to be there,” said UConn coach Randy Edsall.

– The Huskies will off from practice over the next few days and the coaches have hit the road to do a little recruiting.

UConn will return to practice Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The players will eventually leave for the holiday break Dec. 23 and are due back on campus Dec. 26.

The team will head to Birmingham on Dec. 29, it appears.

– DE Trevardo Williams (head), FS Robert Vaughn (head) and TE Corey Manning (ankle) were all hurt Saturday in the win over South Florida. None appear to be long-term problems.

“I would expect all those guys to be ready to go for the bowl,” Edsall said.

– Game balls for the USF win: QB Zach Frazer (offense), LB Scott Lutrus (defense), PK Dave Teggart (special teams).

– Edsall was asked again about head coaching vacancies and his candidacy but refused comment.

“I’m not going talk about anything,” Edsall said. “I’m coaching at UConn. I’m here at UConn.

It was his usual non-denial denial speech. (Personally I don’t think Edsall is going anywhere but I can see how some fans doubt that because of the wording of these little rants).

“This is just a press conference about the bowl game,” Edsall also said Sunday. “I don’t think I have to say anything other than that.”

– Oh, in case you didn’t know and are looking for info. www.uconnbowl.com is up and has all your info for trips to Birmingham.

- Neill

We’ll have some UConn bowl news in a little bit (teleconference slated for 6:30) but until then let’s chew on some leftovers from the Husky basketball team’s win over Harvard Sunday afternoon.

– Somewhat lost in how unusual this score looks _ UConn 79, Harvard 73 _ is the fact that Harvard isn’t that bad. And guard Jeremy Lin is very good.

Lin didn’t score for the first 16 minutes of the game then put up 30 after that.

“He reminds me of a little more athletic Doron Sheffer,” UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. “He’s very, very good.”

Lin scored 11 points in the final 1:37 of the game.

– Jerome Dyson had 24 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists, just missing out on the 8th triple-double in UConn history.

Hasheem Thabeet, Marcus Williams, Ben Gordon, Emeka Okafor, Caron Butler, Doron Sheffer and Donyell Marshall have done it for the Huskies.

– For the second time in three games Gavin Edwards was nearly involved in a fight.

Against Duke it was Edwards who was called for the intentional foul (tough call but perhaps the right one).

Sunday against Harvard, Crimson forward Kyle Casey almost looked like he was punching Edwards and was called for an intentional foul (an easy call).

“I don’t know what it is. It’s still football season,” Edwards said. His father is a former NFL player and his brother is an offensive tackle at South Florida.

“I thought it was a little overboard, personally,” Edwards said of the foul. “He grabbed me around my neck.”

Harvard coach Tommy Amaker said his team lost its cool briefly.

“We got frustrated,” Amaker said. “I’m not sure what it did for them.”

– Calhoun was frustrated with the performance of freshman C Alex Oriakhi. And he lamented not giving Charles Okwandu more of a chance to play.

“I should have put Charles back in for Alex,” Calhoun said. “Alex had his worst game in a Connecticut uniform. He couldn’t catch the ball, he couldn’t rebound the ball, he couldn’t play defense. Besides that, he was terrific.”

– UConn has won 19 straight games at Gampel, a record for the building.

- Neill

The UConn football team is headed to Birmingham, Ala., for the PapaJohns.com Bowl. Its opponent has yet to be determined, but the game will also feature an SEC opponent.

The game is Jan. 2 at Legion Field.

It is the third year in a row that the team will be playing in a bowl game.

We’ll have more info soon.

- Neill

Halftime at Gampel between the Huskies, Harvard and a half-dozen or so fans.

OK, there are more than six people here. Still, another small crowd early in the season.

On the court UConn hasn’t pulled away. Jerome Dyson has 16 points and Kemba Walker 12.

But a late charge by Jeremy Lin and the Crimson has things relatively tight.

- Neill