December 29th, 2010: Liberty at LaSalle (Terrapin Classic)

Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Lady Flames of Liberty rode 19 points from Devon Brown and a double-double for Avery Warley to a 73-53 win over the LaSalle Explorers in the consolation game of the Terrapin Classic. Ebonee Jones of LaSalle led all scorers with 20 points, and got 19 from Ashley Gale, but no other Explorer cracked double digits.

For disappearing fans, lots of threes, and disappointingly light observations, join your intrepid and grungy blogger after the jump.
This might be the most pointless game of the day. Most of the Maryland fans left for various reasons, the championship trophy was awarded with about as much fanfare as one lonely kazoo in a forest, and as of 19 minutes before tip-off, LaSalle has not been seen. But we're still here. Somehow. For some reason. I think I might love this game a little too much.

Already Terrapins have slipped out of the tunnel. Natasha Cloud and Alyssa Thomas have been circulating, along with the alumnae. Our fellow Johnnies have pretty much all packed up and headed home. I guess not everyone's into getting their money's worth.

At half, Liberty is up 10 after fending off a small LaSalle run. I'm starting to think that there's some weird cultural quirk in Maryland, some perverse combination of DC gossip-mongering and Southern aggressive friendliness, that causes everyone around you to take the slightest sign of friendliness as an excuse to talk at you incessantly about things that are not necessarily related to the game, even during game play, even when your goddamn point guard is lying on the floor clutching her leg, no, I really don't care about your experiences as a St. John's men's fan in the Lapchick days, my starting point guard is in the ACL position, SHUT UP OKAY?

Emily Frazier got things started for the Lady Flames, hitting their first five points. Devon Brown had the game I was finally expecting her to have, but most of her drives and shots were in the second half, when Liberty had a big lead. I still love her mohawk. Why does such awesome hair have to represent such a reprehensible school? WHY? Jalena Antic was active on the boards, though she didn't bring a lot of offense. Off the bench, Dymond Morgan worked her way down the lane for some nice baskets. Avery Warley had some nice moves in the paint, and a couple of emphatic blocks.

Play of the game had to be Nikki Ortiz's block on Avery Warley. I don't care that she had brought it down low, when a 5-5 player gets a block on a 6-3 player, it's the play of the game. I don't care that that's the only really good thing she did that game, it's the play of the game. She and Michele McCaughern were the only two players to come off the bench for the short-handed Explorers.

Ebonee Jones still needed a lot of shots and free throws to get her points, so her numbers don't impress me as much as they should. Ashley Gale found her shot in this game. She was just putting in three after three after three. It was crazy. That was really the only offense they could get going for much of the game. Jess Koci let her drive get the better of her, and she fouled out of the game without being able to get going. Chelsea Conner got a lot of encouragement from her teammates and coach, but her shot was really heinously off line.

The guy in front of us was hilariously not impressed with some of the referees' calls, usually on travels and out-of-bounds calls.

Since these notes are a bit light, I'll take the opportunity to thank the Maryland fans and staff for being gracious hosts. People were a little too friendly to the point of cloying sometimes, but we appreciated the well wishes for next year, and extended them back to the Terps.