March 21st, 2005: NCAA tournament

travels among the pod people

Like hell are the Game Notes ever going back to Storrs.


Went to Storrs yesterday with my bf. Having done it, I would need to be paid handsomely to go back there, and even then only if it were a truly neutral game.

Temple-LA Tech- 66-61, Temple. The Lady Techsters got up big early, but couldn't hit lay-ups for love or money. Candace Dupree turned it up in the second half, and they took control late. Horrible refereeing, horrible game. It was almost more painful than Villanova and BC in the Big East Tourney. Dawn Staley looks quite, QUITE different with her hair down and styled. She got T'd up because of one of the MANY blown calls in that game. If Erica Taylor (formerly Smith-Taylor) isn't careful, she's going to end up playing the wrong role in a redux of LJ and LL in the 2000 Olympics- she's got hair to her waist, and it looks like extensions.

Rutgers-Hartford- 62-37, RU. *fist pump* When are UConn fans- oh, sorry, I must have meant Hartford fans who just "happened" to be wearing Husky colors- going to learn that booing someone like Cappie Pondexter pisses her off and makes her play better? I'm sorry that the Hawks got stuck in the middle of this stupid grudge match UConn and Rutgers have going on. They played hard, but they didn't have the speed to keep up with the Knights, and this with Matee Ajavon having a bad game.

UConn-Dartmouth- 95-47, UConn. Dartmouth came in like they knew they were just sent there to give UConn an opponent. They didn't play like they cared, and that's sad. The young'uns looked good for Connecticut. Turner was less of a focus of the offense than I remembered. UConn fans seem to be a bloodthirsty bunch; up 35 and they're screaming for the team to shoot when it's clear that they're under orders to pass as much as they can. It also struck me as tactless that a starter was shooting a 3 with under 6 minutes to go, or even that the starters were still in. Maybe I'm just embittered because some of the fans felt the need to scream "Rutgers has no class!" at me and my bf, or because someone asked me where my conference loyalty was when I applauded the men's team losing to NC State- someone who then turned around and cheered against a Big East representative.

(This is NOT meant as a rant against all UConn fans, just the ones who taunted us or shot us dirty looks for wearing our team's gear. Some of them were nice. One of them even gave us directions to a Chinese restaurant.)

Richmond-Florida State- Florida State whomped Richmond. We left before halftime.

Celebrity sightings: Manute Bol, folded over several chairs; the Diana in the stands, schmoozing with various and sundry; possibly Patty Coyle (definitely one of the Coyle sisters, but there are three of them who all look alike).