Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Hofstra Pride took control in the second half to claim a 66-55 victory over UNC-Wilmington on Senior Day in Hempstead. Shante Evans led the way with 24 points and 15 rebounds. For the Seahawks, Abria Trice had 13 points, and Ayoola Weaver added ten points and ten rebounds.
For a lot of Bellocchios, wrestling moves, body paint, and a desperate agent hiring push, join your intrepid and smug blogger after the jump.
Another day, another game, another Senior Day to celebrate. The Game Notes of Doom wanted to cheer for Hofstra at some point this season, and a good Liberty fan looks for any excuse she can find to boo the living daylights out of Cynthia Cooper-(no, I will not refer to her by her married name).
Hofstra's seniors are one of the managers, transfer center Marie Malone, and guards Nicole Capurso and Candice Bellocchio. The manager and Capurso went up with their respective parents. Malone went up with her parents and a couple of miscellaneous relations. Bellocchio went up with her parents and what appeared to be half the population of Staten Island. Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but she had a group of fifteen or twenty people with her. C'mon. Don't you think that's much of a muchness?
It's halftime, with Hofstra hanging on to a three-point lead. Marie Malone's leading the way with seven points and some great defensive plays. Three players have six each for the Seahawks of Wilmington. The crowd is not thrilled with the officiating. I am included in the crowd.
I did like Candace Brown's anthem, though. She can sing it every night, as far as I'm concerned.
Cynthia Cooper-Bleep has rubbed me the wrong way for a very long time. Having an excuse to boo her is always a bonus for a Liberty fan. Her team rubbed me the wrong way too, getting chippy and downright dirty at some points. They went low a lot, which is a good way to get away with stuff because the points of emphasis are elbows and the head because of concussion fears. I saw a lot of tripping and hip-checks. And then she started complaining to the officials because of foul differential. Tell your players to stop fouling and the refs will probably stop calling fouls on them.
Brittany Gamby played briefly near the end of the game, but didn't make an impact; I'm assuming she's a three-point specialist, since Wilmington was down ten at the time, but she didn't have an opportunity to get a shot off. Jessica Freeman came in off the bench early and often, making good plays driving the lane and making space for her teammates. Theresa Jackson-Henderson gave them decent minutes in the post off the bench- she was one of the most physical players, though I wonder if part of that had to do with this being a homecoming game against familiar faces from Staten Island.
Alisha Andrews has a pretty quick release- have to if you're that small. She's a pretty good playmaker, too. I expected her to be more of a defensive player, due to her size. Unfortunately for her and her team, Candace Bellocchio eats tiny guards for breakfast. Chelsea McGowen showed some moves early in the game, but had to leave in the second half with an ankle injury. (At least, when she went down in a writhing mass of agony, she was holding her ankle. I'm not sure if it was that or an Achilles- I didn't see the whole play.) Tawanna Lee tried to put the team on her shoulders in the second half, being more assertive, or at least more successful, on offense, but even that had mixed results. Abria Trice impressed me- she lists as a guard/forward, but she was doing a lot of interior play for a guard. Ayoola Weaver got things done for her team on the inside, on both sides of the floor. My favorite play of the game for the Seahawks was the pick that Freeman set for her for a jumper in the first half.
I'm not sure tyranny and fear are good bases for a team, but as long as Cynthia Cooper-Bleep doesn't get fired for it, I guess it'll work for her.
Anma Oneyuku had a run where everything on both sides of the floor was going through her. Unfortunately for her and the Pride, she wasn't able to capitalize as well as her team would have liked. I think she had three shot opportunities in that run and missed two of them. Andreana Thomas came off the bench as a counter to Andrews, and though her effectiveness was mixed for most of the game, the bucket she came up with late was an important part of the momentum turning towards Hofstra. Deven Green played early in the second half, and she wasn't as bad as I had expected from the last couple of time I've seen her play- she mixed it up a little inside and forced a held ball. Katelyn Loper came off the bench for this game in order to allow Marie Malone to start, and while I love how quick her release is and how easy it is for her to get her shot in line, I'm not as thrilled with her insistence on trying to bank every shot she takes. There are no degree of difficulty points in basketball.
Marie Malone took the opportunity given to her and took full advantage of it. She played like a post who had spent time under the tutelage of Mike Carey. She had a couple of beautiful blocks and was fighting for every rebound she was in position to try for. Her teammates seemed to enjoy testing her ability to go for passes, too; Bellocchio threw one best described as, well, a “Hail Marie” that Malone corralled and eventually turned into points after a couple of misses. Candace Bond didn't have her head as in the game as I've become accustomed to- not always in the right place at the right time, not taking the best shots, not making all of the defensive plays. Candice Bellocchio matches up well with Wilmington's style, so though she wasn't shooting all that well, she was able to make plays on both ends of the floor for her team. Nicole Capurso mostly stayed outside the arc- a little too far outside the arc, if you ask me. It's really not necessary to take those shots from Staten Island. When they go in, it's amazing, but when they don't go in, that sets up the opponent with a long rebound. I can't believe I'm about to complain about a 24/15 game, but I'm about to complain about a 24/15 game, because Shante Evans needs to figure out what kind of player she's going to be. If she's going to use her body the way she seems to prefer most of the time- if she's going to be a short but strong bruiser like DeTrina White and the young Le'Coe Willingham- then she needs to be more assertive in the post, hang on to rebounds better, and stop taking that dribble before she puts up the putback. If she wants to take off-balance outside jumpers, and if she wants to try and make herself into more of a three, then she's going to have to slim down. But she's a tank, and when she puts her mind to it, she's an unstoppable force- 9/20 from the field is unacceptable for a player of her talent.
Credit to the Hofstra student section for getting into the game. I'm not sure whether it's appropriate to distract free throw shooters with a large ¡DERP!, though. (During the rest of the game, they were PRIDE!, with the I being lower case so he could use it as an exclamation point for free throws.) They were respectful of their seniors, and showed class when McGowen went out with the injury. I like the enthusiasm- they just need a little more creativity.
I think the referees got a little starstruck by Cooper. There were a lot of reaches that weren't called.
We got to the game later than is our wont, so we didn't get to comment on all the Family Fun stuff, but your intrepid blogger always appreciates cheap tickets. Thanks for the discount!
Traveling to Hofstra after the change to NICE is a little more complicated than Long Island Bus. That might put a wrench in any future trips, which is a shame- we all know how much I love the Mack.
It was a good game, and a necessary game for the Pride. I like to see seniors sent off well, especially ones who've played well for a long time.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
February 26th, 2012: UNC-Wilmington at Hofstra
Saturday, February 25, 2012
February 25th, 2012: Villanova at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Red Storm protected Tesia Harris and Da'Shena Stevens's Senior Day with a 69-49 win over Villanova. Stevens led all scorers with 21 points, one of four St. John's players in double figures. Lindsay Kimmel led Villanova with 11 points, nine in the first half, while Emily Leer's 10 were all in the second half.
For flowers, free throws, signs, Philadelphia sports fans, free throws, the false assurances of the Missouri Tigers, and bobble-heads in high heels, join your intrepid and slightly melancholy blogger after the jump.
The end of the season brings with it a sense of fading. It starts slowly, with the ticket pile dwindling and talk about the tournaments ramping up. The last this, the last that; the last weekday game, the last TV game, until on a blustery, cloudy Saturday you reach into your Shock Wheaties box and realize that the rubber band is around a single lonely ticket. And that's it. That's the last home game. It might not be the end of the ride, or even the end of the season, but it means the lights go out.
I'm honestly not sure what to say about Tesia Harris. We've only really had her for one year, so she hasn't had as much of a chance to make an impression on us as her classmate has. But in this one year, she's been a crucial piece off the bench, bringing well-timed shots and impressive offensive rebounding for a guard of her slim build. We had the opportunity to see her get her 1000th career point, and that was awesome. I think she was expecting more of a role with St. John's, but she's played the role that she needs to play. We're happy to have her, and I sort of wish we'd gotten her the first time around.
And then there's Da'Shena Stevens, the Connecticut girl whose career has, essentially, been bookended by UConn. Her freshman year, she burst onto the scene with a huge game against the UConn team that had Montgomery, Charles, and Moore, out-dueling her classmate Tiffany Hayes and keeping the game close single-handedly. Her senior year, she came up big, setting the screen for Shenneika Smith and the big three that took down the Huskies at Gampel. She's taken more contact than anyone should ever have to, and every time she gets knocked down, she gets up again. It's rare to find a player whose mean and median are so close together, but Day is that player who can be relied on for a solid eight and four, then built on for much, much more. She's committed to improving and being a leader by example. She's been the face, the star, the center of attention, and she's answered the bell time and time again. She's a gamer, and she's been the crucial player that has made St. John's into a team to be reckoned with.
Senior Day ceremonies were short and sweet. Poor Tesia Harris- it's not like T doesn't have her CAA accolades and stats, but when you're classmates with one of the top players in St. John's history, it's not easy to look good in comparison. (Sort of the problem Jennifer Blanding will have next year.) I'm surprised I didn't cry. I expect to bawl next year.
I refuse to applaud a recorded version of the anthem, but the band didn't really have a chance to get set up, so I'll give them a pass. And I'll give the band props for speeding at the speed of light from the Garden game that ended at 2 to get in before tip-off. They're awesome people and they get into the game. They've taught us a lot.
I was very, very impressed with Emily Leer off the bench for Villanova, especially in the second half. I've never seen a player that young with such a beautiful and consistent hook shot- she put up a sky hook that reminded me of Elena Baranova. An inside player? For Harry Perretta? Do you think she'll finish her career at Villanova? I wasn't thrilled with the forearm to Amber Thompson's throat, though. Taylor Holeman committed a lot of fouls. That's about all I remember of her. Kendall Burton got going a little near the end of the game, as did Emily Suhey, just to give the Villanova fans something to celebrate. You'd think I'd remember more about Megan Pearson, given how much she played, but mostly I remember the back of her jersey as she tried to work on defense.
Laura Sweeney looked good early, but didn't necessarily play well, if that makes any sense. In the second half, she got frustrated and started fouling Da'Shena Stevens. Lindsay Kimmel got hot very early, but we switched our defense up (for some reason 5-7 on 6-0 just doesn't work) and we shut her down afterwards, except for one lay-up in the second half. Rachel Roberts is always a threat, but she only hit one today. Jesse Carey made more of an impact on defense. I don't even remember Lauren Burford.
Villanova, it's a lot easier to remember individual players if you aren't all doing the same thing. Live by the three, die by the three. Or the Leer hook shot, I suppose.
Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin! Oh my God, it's been forever! She even got to the line and put a point on the board. If Jennifer Blanding had been able to handle the entry pass, or if everyone in the building hadn't known that the team was trying to put her on the board, we might have lit the tree. But Nova went in hard on her, so she didn't score. And we were all sad, because Big Love is a fan favorite. Keylantra Langley helped make a difference by presenting a different look on defense and coming up with a couple of big shots. Her sense of timing is occasionally wonky, but when it's on, she's the one I want taking the shot with 1 on the shot clock. Briana Brown looks like she's trying to become the three-point shooter we need, though I don't know if this is the time to demonstrate it. She got a lot of minutes today for ball-hawking and because Tesia Harris got the start. Amber Thompson brought great rebounding off the bench- she needs to be more assertive as an offensive option, but I absolutely love her work on the boards.
Clearly it's the Queen Mother's fault that Eugeneia McPherson hasn't had her offensive flow going lately. Sorry, Gina. Mom managed to make today's game, and Eugeneia was suddenly hitting all those shots she'd either been missing or avoiding. We need her to be a scorer. That's her best skill, and one that complements her teammates well. Go for the basket, Gina. You can do it! We believe in you! Tesia Harris got the start, not just because it was Senior Day but also because there was an open spot in the lineup thanks to Mary Nwachukwu's nose. She played okay, a little in over her head but she got a couple of baskets to get the crowd behind her, and she did her work on the boards. Shenneika Smith brought a little bit of the flash and a whole bunch of the rebounding- she's improved by leaps and bounds in that category, both literally and figuratively, and I think she realizes that if she's going to be a forward instead of a guard on the next level, she's going to have to be a rebounder (and if she's going to be a guard, being a superb rebounder will be a plus). Nadirah McKenith ran a solid offense, had a nifty pickpocket, hit a big shot while falling down, all of the usual that we've come to expect from her. Nana's really going to have to crank it up next year to top herself this season. But, appropriately enough, the day belonged to the senior called Day, Da'Shena Stevens. She was quietly solid in the first half, with nine points- and then the second half happened and she started getting fouled. More importantly, she hit her free throws. Whatever scouting report Villanova was using where they considered it a good idea to foul her might have been a little out of date. There was no way Da'Shena was losing on her senior day. When she gets that bit between her teeth, she's unstoppable.
I understand that Carnesecca Arena is general admission and that therefore you can sit wherever you want. There is a chasm of difference between “can” and “should”. If you're a visiting fan, and you have been informed that you've just taken up residence in the same section as the home coach's family and the home point guard's family, you can stay where you are. You probably shouldn't, though, not unless you want to be called out, screamed at, surrounded by home fans, yelled at, and have the band playing in your ear the whole time. We were fairly irked at the ones in the next section over, which was close to center but on the STJ side of the midline- but the ones in our section had both of us seeing red, and not in a Storm kind of way. The fact that most of the seats across from and behind the Villanova bench were empty proved to us that they weren't interested in following the usual rules of engagement that occur in college basketball, rules that Rutgers and most Notre Dame fans followed.
I'd make a comment about Philadelphia sports fans here, but there might be kids reading this, and we've already taught too many kids bad words.
The Kim Barnes Arico bobble-head looks more like Megan Duffy, but it's still pretty cool. Mine is currently chilling out with Johnny Thunderbird, while my husband's bobble-head is having a coaching conference with Richie Adubato and Brian Giorgis. (The consensus: stop going baseline.)
I know the ride isn't over yet. We're going to the Big East tournament, and I'll be there with my team and my laptop, writing about all the Sunday games. And I know now that my team will be in the Big Dance. So I can't truly say goodbye to Tesia and Da'Shena yet. I can't write the usual soppy farewell to the team, because this isn't the last game.
But I can write a fond farewell for the 2011-12 season to Carnesecca Arena, my home away from home. I will miss row JJ, where we have stomped many a stomp and cheered many a cheer, where I have dug my phone out from behind HH and fished out my things from KK. I will miss my guys at security, Phelan and the rest, who send us through with flying colors and ignore the occasional escaping sandwich, who ask after the team before games and wish us well after them. I will miss Angela Clark and Justin Burrell's jerseys in the dress and dribble contest, and ducking flying pink žducks for charity. Carnesecca is home away from home, and the lights go down on it for the season. We'll see you in November, for all of the games, all the way through to the Big Dance.
But the ride's not over yet.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
February 21st, 2012: West Virginia at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Red Storm led wire to wire in their 63-54 win over the Mountaineers of West Virginia. Nadirah McKenith filled the stat sheet, leading all players with 26 points and adding six rebounds, five assists, and five steals. Ayana Dunning led West Virginia with 21 points and 16 rebounds, with the 14 second half points of Christal Caldwell the only other double-digit output for the Mountaineers.
For heart, soul, Valentines, the crazy things we do for love, scheduling conflicts, and really bad choices of phrase, join your intrepid and drained blogger after the jump.
It's hard to describe a game that St. John's never trailed as having two fatal flaws for the Red Storm. But they were there, and they were glaring, and if Mike Carey had pulled this rabbit out of his hat, I would be ranting about them like a talk radio caller.
Got in late, so I missed the anthem. In fact, I arrived just in time to see the video tribute to Kim Barnes Arico's 169th win, including pics of the sign my husband made. They also had replicas of the sign available for fans (which we suspected, since they asked us for the master file). Coach signed one for us, which is going to take pride of place in the apartment. Amazing. I am full of glee and squee.
The pink shirts are moderately acceptable. They are more team-oriented than usual, which is a relief. I still didn't wear it, but that's because if you want me to take off my Red Storm jersey at a St. John's game, you're going to go explain to Joy McCorvey why you asked me to take off her jersey. There is one potential exception.
Brooke Hampton is a shooter. We left her open too many times for my comfort- though it helps that West Virginia sets good screens. Fortunately, her shot was off. Akilah Bethel got on the boards, but was high risk/high reward with foul trouble. Averee Fields needed to do a little less talking and a little more everything else. Props for a pretty head fake in the first half, though. Froze her defender solid. Taylor Palmer also needed to concentrate more on her game than on her mouth.
Ayana Dunning was the only reason West Virginia had a chance in this game, and the only reason that that chance went through their hands. She was hitting everything she looked at, no matter where it was on the floor, and pulling down every rebound, and blocking shots, and using that considerable posterior to move defenders and would-be seekers of position out of her way. But that was pretty much all West Virginia had to offer. Christal Caldwell scored all her points in the second half, but never felt like she was a major factor. Asya Bussie got busy with the elbows and the hips, but that was the most impact she had on the game. Ditto for Linda Stepney, who was involved in the play that got Mary Nwachukwu's face broken. Take that ish outta here. I can't remember anything of note that Jess Harlee did. To be fair to the other Mountaineers, in a backhanded way, Ayana Dunning was so dominant that it's hard to pick out anything that wasn't done by #33.
Tesia Harris went in briefly, but she did not match up well with West Virginia at all- a slim guard whose most consistent strength is offensive rebounding will get mashed by the Mountaineer posts. Briana Brown got more minutes than usual because of the injury to Nadirah McKenith, and she took advantage of them with a couple of quick hits and great on-ball defense. She's got to hit her free throws, though. Keylantra Langley was better on defense than on offense- she serves as a point guard, but she's not a point guard. She's much more Ashley Battle than she is Essence Carson. Amber Thompson got a lot of extra time when Mary Nwachukwu's face got rearranged, and when she's a sophomore she'll hit the shots that rim out or the shots that she backed down from taking tonight. She brought some of the presence in the middle that we needed to back down some of the crap that West Virginia was dishing out.
Eugeneia McPherson, I can't really bring myself to be as enraged at your timidity in shooting and your all-around invisible game (save the deflection on West Virginia's last shot). If it had been a closer game, I would probably go back in time and whack her over the head with my clipboard. Mary Nwachukwu did what we needed her to do up until the point where she got hit in the face, came away holding parts of it in place, and was summarily escorted off the floor and never seen again. Feel better, Mary. We miss you and we need you. Shenneika Smith, while occasionally guilty of questionable shot selection, brought the rebounding and defense with those go-go gadget arms- she had one that looked straight out of the NBA. She's a matchup nightmare in college- bet more than one BEast coach will be glad to see her graduate next year. Da'Shena Stevens couldn't get the scoring opportunities she's been getting lately- this is not a good matchup for her, even though she plays well against bigger posts. I think she got tired of getting hit by Asya Bussie's... um, bustle. But when she gets knocked down, she gets right back up and gets back into position. She makes things happen.
And once more, there was Nadirah McKenith, who is apparently not one of the best eight point guards in the country, but is the one I would take if I needed a point guard who could carry my team in any category on either side of the floor, including the non-statistical. If I want a scorer, a distributor, a thief, a spearhead to my defense, a playmaker, a leader, a rebounder, a competitor, I will take her over all of the decorated and hyped guards you can name today. She knew how important this game was and she played like it.
Free throw shooting. Dear sweet heaven. I don't even. 18-34 is unacceptable. Subtract the more than acceptable 11-13 from Nadirah, and you get 7-21, which is somewhere between abysmal and horrific. Neither Eugeneia nor Briana hit a free throw in seven combined attempts. This made the game more interesting than it needed to be.
Play of the game- Tesia Harris misses the shot. Two West Virginia players go for the rebound. Nadirah McKenith weaves her way through their feet, comes up with the rebound, snags it, dishes it to Da'Shena Stevens.
It is not recommended to headbutt your opponents, West Virginia, even if it's an accident. Overall, this game was called loosely. In the first half there were a lot of calls that came up with the right result but for the wrong reason- an out of bounds signaled as a travel, a trip called as a block. Even that pretense of competence fell apart in the second half. We're lucky no one got coldcocked at center court this time 'round.
While this was PinkZone, it was also tied to the fund for Clare Droesch, who spent some time on the St. John's staff. I agree with the Jumbotron people that “Friends of Clare Droesch Crush Clare's Cancer Fund” is way too long, but I don't think a lot of people wanted to donate to the “Crush Clare Fund”. (That may not be the exact shortening, but it definitely included the phrase “Crush Clare”.)
Nothing's scarier than an opponent going on a big run and your point guard clutching her knee. Glory and blessed be, it was just a high cramp. She was in and out and working the bike, but she came back.
Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin, I know you're easily amused, and heaven knows my husband's an attention-getter. (Leos.) And if I've misinterpreted you, I humbly apologize. But if I see you stop, stare, smirk, poke Jennifer Blanding, and point up at him with a smirk, I'm going to assume you're making fun of him. And if I were an expressive, emotional player whose celebratory reactions on the bench are always demonstrative, I might reconsider that.
Major props to the sorority sister in the far student section. I think she, her streamer, and her foam finger induced three missed free throws from West Virginia in the second half. She left early, so I couldn't salute her. Instead, I salute her on the Internet, where tens, maybe hundreds, of strangers, will know of her work. Credit to the RedZone guys in the near student section, too- they weren't in RedZone gear, but the sped-up “DE-FENSE” chant is almost exclusive to RedZone. As soon as I caught the tempo, I knew.
About a thousand words ago, I said that there was only one way I would take off my beloved #25 jersey for the sake of PinkZone... and that's if I get my fannish little hands on the pink #25 jersey used in the Dress and Dribble contest at halftime. I am indifferent as to the fate of Coco Hart's #30. But I have blogged hundreds, if not a thousand or so, words as to why Joy McCorvey is my most favorite Johnnie, and I would pay for that pink jersey. Any BHA organization short of Susan G. Komen. I'd write out the check in a second.
Tonight's game, combined with the later loss by DePaul, clinched a double bye in the Big East Tournament. Translated to those outside Big East country, that means at least fourth in the conference. Third or even second isn't out of the picture.
This is so surreal. In a good way. I'm a little relieved, to be honest. My team needs a break, my coach needs a break, and I need a break. Five games, five venues, four conferences, nine days- you're probably sick of me.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
February 19th, 2012: Towson at Hofstra
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A three-pointer off the glass and high off the back rim by Hofstra's Nicole Capurso gave the Pride a 69-66 win over the Towson Tigers. Shante Evans led all players with 29 points, 21 of those in the second half, and 20 rebounds. For Towson, Deree Fooks's 20 points led four Tigers in double figures.
For exhaustion, Hail Mary shots, nip-and-tuck, boors, history, and why basketball is amazing, join your intrepid and still dazed blogger after the jump.
Good afternoon, everyone! We're coming to you once more, because you just haven't had enough of us this week, on tape delay from the Mack Sports Complex on the grounds of Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York!
We had Hofstra and Towson circled in red on our schedule even before it became a game for CAA seeding- Towson forward Sheree Ledbetter is a transfer from St. John's, and we wanted to see her off right. It helps that we like Hofstra and what Krista Kilburn-Stevesky is doing there, though it does present the awkward situation of not knowing who to root for beyond the obvious.
Hofstra's arena is one of my favorite medium-size arenas, though the passageways can get a little twisty. It's worth the three buses and the occasional dashes across traffic to get to. (The Hempstead Turnpike/Uniondale Avenue intersection is not very well handled by the lights. It also doesn't help when someone signals right and goes straight.)
Hofstra is wearing home pink, Towson road black. The pink socks do not go well with the taxicab yellow of some of the Tigers' sneakers. Trust me, guys, you can never go wrong with black.
We're wearing our St. John's gear, partially because we told Sheree we would, and partially because St. John's did notch a rather big win last night. Don't know if you heard about it.
Fairly good crowd this early, though I think a fair number of them are Bellocchios, judging from the #10s abounding among them.
We're right where I wanted to be, dead-red center, a few rows up, just to the Towson side of halfcourt. A good place to cheer both teams, assuming I don't choke to death on this damn cough I've had since St. Francis.
My thanks to Hofstra- and Columbia, belatedly, for open wireless- useful when the arena's too far underground or otherwise won't let me get a connection with my wireless.
Halftime, and we got us a game. It's 34-30 Towson, with big shots going back and forth, Candace Bond being answered by Tanisha McTiller. There's a lot of contact. It's a game that's being played like it means everything, and for two teams jostling for position in the CAA and the pipe dream of an at-large bid, maybe it does.
Hofstra's pink uniforms look good. They've got the color scheme for it, and they left out the yellow (which would clash horribly).
Balanced scoring for both teams- Fooks has 12 to lead Towson, Bond and Evans each with eight for Hofstra.
What a game. Holy Toledo Rockets, Batman, what a game and what a finish! Punch and counterpunch- almost literally, at one point, when Krystal Parnell and Candice Bellocchio almost got into it.
Excellent anthem by the Girl Scout chorus with the ceremonial unit. There was a lot of impressive fruit salad on display on those vests and sashes. I was a Girl Scout- I know what it takes to get a lot of those stars and badges.
Sheree Ledbetter was the reason we came in the first place, and she brought the infectious grin and energy that made us love her at St. John's. She played well defensively, though she's not going to have a lot of success defending the tank that is Shante Evans, and her passing has improved since her Red Storm days. I'm not sure what she was thinking with the foul with a minute left in a one-possession game, though. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting Baltimore's Ciara Webb to a) be pronounced Sierra, b) be copper-haired and porcelain-pale. Ah, to expectations. She did not make a lot of smart plays. Don't get fancy with the ball when you've got a ball hawk defending you. Nyree Williams played a lot off the bench, and I assume the only reason she's not starting right now has to do with that giant pink cast on her hand. I would not have had her in with four fouls late in the game- she could not play defense. Most sophomores don't know how to play tough D with four fouls. Destiny Shearin found herself playing more post than I think she was comfortable with.
Deree Fooks did work on the boards, and slithered herself into the paint for her shots. She was carrying Towson for fair parts of the game. Michelle Peebles started presumably because Nyree Williams wasn't for some reason- whether it was disciplinary or injury related or because Mathews likes having a threat off the bench, I can't judge properly. Krystal Parnell definitely runs her team- she has that kind of leadership and personality, but her court vision is shaky and so is her ballhandling. Not traits you want in a point guard. Krystin Fields did a nice job sneaking in for offensive rebounds and making plays in the paint. Tanisha McTiller got a beautiful and-1 in the first half, and I like her knack for making the right play at the right time.
Towson really needs an outside sniper, someone who can open things up from beyond the arc so teams can't pack it in against them.
Krista Kilburn Steveskey got a little too sub happy for my liking in the second half, blowing two timeouts to make subs. Deven Green played very briefly and proved why she shouldn't have been. Anma Onyeuku brought good defensive positioning. Andreana Thomas tried to be a spark off the bench, but I'm not sure that worked. She was trying a little too hard. Marie Malone came off the bench briefly to try and get some height in there.
But this was the starters' game, and maybe that's the Pride's Achilles heel. If they can't go deep into their bench without a significant dropoff, they're doomed. Candice Bellocchio's on-ball defense was tighter than spandex, but I might have liked it, and her, better if she hadn't been doing a lot of diving and running her mouth- and if her family hadn't been behaving boorishly in the stands. She made a lot of good plays. Katelyn Loper couldn't get her shot to fall most of the day, so she spent a lot of time as the offense/defense switch. Candace Bond made the right plays at the right time- she started the play of the first half with a baseline heaving save to Bellocchio, who set up Nicole Capurso for a three. Shante Evans ran amok in the second half, with 21 points and 15 rebounds- and as dominating as she was in that second half, she could probably have worked her way to 35 or 40 points if she didn't put the ball back down. Go up strong, Shante- you're a tank, own it. She worked Nyree Williams in the second half, especially late in the game.
And then there was Nicole Capurso, whose shot was off for most of the day, but who came up with the big shot at the end of the game. I don't know if she called glass and back rim, but it doesn't matter. That was one of the most amazing shots I've ever seen actually go down, and if I had any faith in ESPN to not be a bunch of misogynist brats, I'd suggest it as a Top Ten play, but if you can't get a game with two buzzer-beaters in over horse racing...
Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox.
Refereeing was... interesting. It looked like they were trying to get things back under control in the second half, but they took the calls to extremes- and then tried to balance them back out again. Fans, especially the Bellocchio contingent (identifiable by their #10 shirts, in case you thought I was stereotyping or assuming) were not pleased.
Hofstra honored their 1981-82 AIAW divisional championship team during the game, which was awesome. I love an appreciation of history.
Girl Scouts everywhere, and no cookies? Granted, the banner contest had as its prize the right to sell cookies at a future game, but unless they were down on the concession level, I am disappointed. MOAR THIN MINTS.
The crowd really got into the game late when it got close. And someone appears to have suggested that wiping one's crotch with one's t-shirt is not acceptable behavior when the arena is full of Girl Scouts. I also do hope that one of the Bellocchio contingent did not, in fact, call Janice Aliberti a dumb b*tch, because that is wrong and inappropriate on so many levels.
What a game. What a clutch win for Hofstra (which helps my Johnnies). What a heartbreaker for Towson.
This is why we watch. This is why we play. This is why we love the game.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
February 17th, 2012: Princeton at Columbia
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Columbia Lions scored the first basket- then never led again as the Princeton Tigers rolled to an 86-46 win. Lauren Edwards led four Tigers in double figures with 13 points, while Niveen Rasheed narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. Tyler Simpson was the only Lion in doubles with 10. Princeton dominated the boards 52-27, including 23 offensive rebounds.
For ennui, a distressing lack of dorkiness, a studied lack of Wizard of Oz puns, and lots of tapped-around rebounds, join your intrepid and tardy blogger after the jump.
I'm not sure, but I may be a masochist. This is my third venue in six days, with two more to come.
I've been curious about Princeton all year, but Princeton Junction is a fair piece away from where I live in Queens, and Hofstra played their home game against Princeton in the middle of the afternoon (as the Guest Notes of Doom can attest to). Their home visit to Columbia was the only shot I had to get a look at the Tigers
Of course, Columbia is a fair piece away from where I am in Queens too, so I only made it to my seat at tip. Columbia's band is not in attendance, which makes me a sad fan. No Korobeiniki for us tonight.
At half, Princeton is up 45-23, and it could easily be more if Princeton could hit their free throws. The Tigers' rebounding has been astonishing, and they've hit some ridiculously long threes- Lauren Edwards ended the half with one that was approximately from Princeton Junction.
The scary part is that Niveen Rasheed can't shoot straight tonight.
So it was the whipping we expected, but that's okay, because we didn't come to see a competitive game, and we didn't expect a competitive game. It's a little sad to see how far Columbia's fallen since they were contending with Judie Lomax, but these things come in cycles.
We got to see lots of bench players today- Princeton carries thirteen, all of whom played; Columbia carries seventeen, twelve of whom played. That's a lot of players.
Princeton's deep reserves seem to be three-point specialists. There were a lot of long shots being hoisted in the second half. Blake Dietrick looked like she was scoring for playing time- she came off the bench in the third wave and just kept firing away, even when the original plan was clearly to get it to the one player who hadn't yet scored. Jess Shivers never did get to score, but she got a couple of blocks and a rebound, and did nice work on the defensive end. Mariah Smith, wearing a different number than the one on the program, for reasons that even the Princeton folks next to us didn't understand (as she was apparently in the proper uniform the last time they wore the road orange) had a beautiful steal and fast break lay-up in the first half, but showed a disturbing propensity to commit stupid fouls. They were not the stupidest fouls on the floor, but they were not of the caliber that would be expected of an Ivy League student. Kristen Helmstetter got on the board late, but was working hard on the boards. It's actually a fairly safe assumption that if a player was wearing the orange and black, they were working hard on the boards. Megan Bowen was first off the bench and established herself as a defensive presence in the middle. Nicole Hung shows the signs of being able to run this offense when Princeton runs out of Laurens- good, solid player who stil needs some of the rough edges taken off her. She gambles a lot on defense; against a team like Columbia, it works, but against better teams, I'm not sure it will.
It's nice to have a big solid post in the middle who presents herself as a target when all the fancy passing is said and done. Devona Allgood was that player for the Tigers in the first half- at least two of her baskets were wide open and uncontested because the Columbia defense couldn't chase the ball around any longer. Niveen Rasheed handles better than I expected from someone who had previously been doing a lot of her play inside; I wonder if she's trying to transition to the three for a longer pro career. Lauren Edwards showed off her range a little bit and got things done when her team needed her to. Lauren Polansky ran the show, though the numbers won't show it because of all the offensive rebounding. Kate Miller was solid but unremarkable.
I suspect, though without adequate data or ways of finding that data, that a lot of the Princeton players also played volleyball. Their offensive rebounding, especially backtaps, was amazing. Their passing was also exceptionally crisp at times- sometimes they tried too hard and the extra pass got picked off, but they did a great job finding the open player.
Taylor Ball, breathe. Two fouls, and both of them rough fouls- the first an intentional after a steal by Polansky, the second a trip on Rasheed near the end of the game. It's only a basketball game. No need for all of that. Campbell Mobley reminds me a little of Kristen Mann around the eyes. I like her communication on the floor. Miwa Tachibana has the same dynamo energy as Sara Yee, who we used to call 'ten pounds of crazy in a five pound bag', though with a good bit less terrifying intensity. Nicole Santucci got things done in the second half- her batles with Rasheed were interesting. Amara Mbionwu reminds me a little of Judie Lomax in build- unfortunately, not in rebounding skill or shooting ability. Taylor Ward played good defense, helping set up a nice steal by Agata Jankova in the first half.
I love Tyler Simpson's defense! Hands everywhere! Agata Jankova had some passing issues, but otherwise had a solid game for the Lions. Melissa Shafer scored her points early, but then got in foul trouble and was pretty much a non-factor from the second quarter on. Courtney Bradford established herself well in the post in the second half, but got into foul trouble trying to deal with the Princeton posts. I was impressed with Jazmin Fuller, but I can't necessarily put my finger on statistically why, though that might be because it's been a while and I was a bit sleep deprived last night. She gave off a general sense of 'gets things done'.
The box score says that one of the officials in this game was Cynthia Brook, but she looked an awful lot like Denise Brooks, so either the GNoD's favorite ref has a sister, or someone screwed things up in the box score. I rather liked how the crew ran the game- crisp communication, everything clear and precise- but there were a lot of what our colleague Ray has referred to as “game management” calls. Columbia received the advantage on most fifty-fifty calls and a couple of other ones besides. Not that it made a difference in the game, but it was a good close-up look at how officials try to handle a game that's wildly unbalanced between two teams who don't necessarily like each other.
Columbia was almost actively dissuading students from going to this game. I'm not sure what to think about that. I mean, yes, it probably doesn't do a lot for school spirit to watch your team get crushed like bugs, but at the same time, you shouldn't be telling people not to go to games.
It might have been a bad sign that Roar-ee was out of uniform, wearing instead a referee's stripes. When even the mascot doesn't support you, you might have a problem.
It hurts to see how far Columbia's fallen since they were at least a middling team in the Ivy a couple of years ago. On the other hand, it's good to see the promise of Princeton, in both its stars and its freshmen waiting their turn- but how long will a coach as good and well-rounded as Courtney Banghart stay in a one-bid league, even if that league is the Ivy?
Thursday, February 16, 2012
February 15th, 2012: Long Island at St. Francis
Just the Facts, Ma'am: True to their name, the Terriers of St. Francis College never gave up, cutting a 12-point halftime lead to one late in the game, but ultimately the Blackbirds of Long Island took the Battle of Brooklyn in Brooklyn Heights, 60-53. Ashley Palmer of Long Island led all scorers with 20 points, adding seven rebounds; she was named the Most Valuable Player of the game. Jasmin Robinson led the Terriers with 17 points, 16 in the second half, while Sarah Benedetti had 11, nine of them in the second half.
For heart, telegraphed passes, wild passes, flying forwards, stupid fouls, and a distinct lack of discipline, join your intrepid and belated blogger after the jump.
And now for something completely different... coming to you on tape delay from Peter Aquilone Court on the grounds of St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, New York, it's the Battle of Brooklyn! For pride! For glory! For... one team hoping and praying to win a game and another hoping to build something in conference play.
St. Francis's facilities are not as bad as I remembered. Chairback seating is very much appreciated. It still does look like a glorified gym.
I think we're sitting behind Ashley Palmer's mom. Which would be awesome if true, because Palmer is having herself quite a game. Kiara Evans is also running a very nice offense. It's 32-20 Long Island at the half, and that's with St. Francis College scoring the first four points of the game. Unlike the PA announcer, I will not be calling them St. Francis College at every occasion. I understand why he does it- they share a conference with St. Francis University- but it's really annoying.
They played Whitney Houston's version of the anthem. Very nice.
So far the play of the game, for good or for ill, has been Mary Ann Abrams getting hit in the face with a rebound. Using your head, you're doing it wrong. Palmer and her amazing arcing shot have 17 points.
One of their guys is collecting pennies for a cause. I don't know what cause it is, but it's only pennies, what's the worst that could happen? The label on the jar is pink, so BHA is our guess.
I think we also found our St. Francis equivalents in the front row- there's a young woman who's been cheering the entire game. There's always one... not that that's a bad thing. The sport needs more passionate and committed fans of the sport.
It may be rude of me to call something a stupid, stupid foul, but if you commit a ticky-tack reach-in for no discernible reason 85 feet from the basket for your team's seventh foul, I will call it a stupid, stupid foul every single time and twice on Sundays. I don't play nice.
This wasn't St. Francis's BHA game (which is, in fact, not a PinkZone/Play4Kay game), so I'm not sure why Long Island had the pink t-shirts. Whatever floats your boat.
Gail Streigler, why in the nine classical circles of Dante's Inferno would you call a timeout with your shooter at the line? And why in the nine spheres of Paradiso would you do that with your last timeout? It's a good thing that it was a two-score game at the time- Pat Coyle got fired for a move that stupid! It was such a stupid move that the scoreboard operator initially thought it was St. Francis's timeout! Why? WHY would you do that? WHY?
I think I'm done with that. Moving right along.
Letava Whippy needs to figure out how to run backwards. Once she does that, her defense will improve by leaps and bounds- she's got good instincts for a freshman, and a pretty good idea of how to use her long limbs. Marika Sprow is still a defensive specialist, and that's okay. Ebony Davis did a nice job on the boards, but she was the one committing the fouls that put LIU in a bad way in the second half- the seventh deadly sin, the tenth team foul, and a foul in the last ten seconds. To say that she had lousy timing would be an understatement. Tiffany Patterson played briefly, and was mostly inconveniently tall and raw. Tamika Guz brought size, but I thought she played an awful lot around the perimeter, which is... not her strength. It's not like the Terriers have a lot of size; I'm surprised they didn't try to feed her more. MaryAnn Abrams (who apparently showed up way late, what gives?) was a hot mess, and didn't play in the second half. I still can't get past getting hit in the face with a rebound.
Krystal Wells got things going for the Blackbirds, but I got the sense that she was trying to force things too much, pressing too hard and going for the big play when she just needed the right play. I like her and always have, but she might be one of those players who's more suited to a bench role. Cleandra Roberts did a good job getting to the rack, but couldn't finish. At least she got her free throws to drop. A quiet game from She'Tiarra Pledger. Kiara Evans ran the offense, and as she went, so went LIU- for good and for ill. It looked like she was losing her composure near the end of the game, and as that happened, the team started to unravel. But when she was on point, so was LIU- she has such a beautiful lookaway pass, and a definite sense of command that a good point guard has. And Ashley Palmer did that thing where she threw up shots that almost scraped the ceiling that fell through the net with a splash, and somehow powered her way up and through for rebounds, and generally decided that her team was not losing this game. She was the finisher, both inside and out. I rue the day that she faces one of the really huge shot-blockers, though. She's going to get swatted, and it will be brutal.
In general, Long Island tried too hard to make the flashy play, the showy play, the highlight reel play. Don't do that. Make the play that will win the game.
Stefanie Bingham didn't impress me. Kim Snauwaert did fairly well in the middle, setting picks and generally being a space filler. Colette Hounshell was much the same. In general, the St. Francis posts were more involved in the offense as screeners and passers than as targets.
Jasmin Robinson plays like someone who's watched a lot of streetball and knows all the moves, but can't quite pull them off- okay, except for the beautiful steal on a sure fast break by LIU. She came up big in the second half, getting to the line and converting. Jaymee Vecey was the story of the first half for the Terriers- she got shut down in the second, though that might have had to do with the foot to the ribs she took- she hit a shot after that, but I'd be a little shy after that too. Sarah Benedetti's range impressed me for a woman of her build, and when she was hot in the second half, she was hot- she and Robinson spearheaded the comeback. There's something to be said for that kind of play from young players- there are no seniors on this St. Francis team, and only two juniors. Katie Fox did a good job drawing fouls, and generally looking like more of an offensive threat than she turned out to be- whether that was because she was a good player having a bad game, or because she was a good player being well-defended, or because LIU had a bad scouting report, I don't have enough of a sample size to judge.
Brenda Milano has never impressed me as a coach- my first impression of her was “crazy screaming person” and she has done nothing to persuade me otherwise. If she can work with these freshmen, really let them develop, by the time this big class hits their senior year, they can at least be mediocre instead of embarrassing. They put up a good fight in this game, but this kind of thing happens in rivalry games. I'd have to see them in a non-rivalry game, and trying to figure out my way around St. Francis is not worth it.
Dear referees, I am fairly certain that if a player is smushed among three opponents and hits the deck, the call is probably not a travel without some assistance. There were a few calls of that nature, and an elbow by Ebony Davis that we're all fortunate didn't connect, but otherwise it was a decently called game. I expect that from Kathy Lonergan, one of the few refs whose name I recognize without a flinch.
No, just no, to the St. Francis dance team.
We came hoping to see a good game, and we got a closely contested game. That's a plus- but it was closely contested due to unforced errors by the Blackbirds and sloppy passing by the Terriers. I'll give St. Francis- and Ashley Palmer on the other side- credit for heart and tenacity, but that game should not have been as close as it was.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
February 12, 2012: St. John's at Rutgers
Just the Facts, Ma'am: St. John's led almost wire to wire, despite a big run by Rutgers, to sweep the Scarlet Knights with a win at the RAC, 61-52. Nadirah McKenith led all scorers with 18 points, while Da'Shena Stevens had 16 points and eight rebounds. For Rutgers, Khadijah Rushdan had 17 points, 15 in the second half, while Monique Oliver posted 11 points and 14 rebounds.
For guards with big hearts, towels, road trips, magic numbers, and questionable palettes, join your intrepid and exhausted blogger after the jump.
On the road again... on the road again... what I love is watching my team in road uniforms again... can't wait to get on the road again.
Say what you will about New Jersey Transit, and there are a lot of things you can say about New Jersey Transit, we managed to get to the RAC before the St. John's bus. There resulted a bit of miscommunication due to that, since a lack of Red Storm meant that there was a lack of list of people who get tickets from the team. Credit to the Rutgers staff, though- they were nice and patient with both us and the people messing things up.
Rutgers is in pink, St. John's is in red, and someone's in a sling. I think, by process of elimination, it's Mallory Jones, but since she doesn't play anyway I'm not going to get too worried. I'm going to feel sympathetic, though. Keylantra Langley's back, which helps our guard rotation.
Seriously, it looks like someone barfed up a Valentine's display in here. If it weren't for the gray t-shirts, it might be worse; at least the warm-up tees aren't pink this year. And at least we don't have to explain to some unlucky marketing staffer why we don't want Rutgers-logoed breast cancer tees. If anyone gets after us for a lack of pink, first, they can stick it up their expletive deleted; second, I will shake my pink streamer at them angrily. (Thanks, Sky! Even years later!)
I don't know if I like being this close to the action, but I'm not going to look gift tickets in the mouth. I am nowhere NEAR that stupid, no matter what anyone might think. I think that was also a product of being among the first people here.
Looks like Mallory and Coach Duffy are having a bonding/teaching moment. That's always a good sign for the future.
Someone needs to bring the RAC into the twenty-first century. Y U NO let me find signal, Rutgers?
It's 32-19 St. John's at the half, and the Storm are looking good. I don't want to jinx anything. But the defense is on point and Rutgers can't hit the broad side of the barn. Come on, Storm, let's go. We've got your back. And towels. And signs. We brought signs.
I don't necessarily believe in numerology. But from reading Standing Tall, I know that Stringer believes in 55 like a totem. So I started biting my nails when the clock stopped at precisely 5:55. And I kept biting my nails when we got stuck on 55 and couldn't get a free throw to drop while Rutgers made a run and got it closer and closer and closer... believe me if you want, but I first became sure we would win when Da'Shena Stevens hit the free throw that got us to 56.
Excellent anthem. Color guard was presented oddly, though. Poor kids were all the way in the corner. (Girl Scout love. Troop 4839 up in here.)
Sometimes I think Stringer doesn't use practice to figure out what she's got in her freshmen, she throws them in during games to see what they have. That's an interesting approach, but I would think that Rutgers has enough players that they don't have to do that. Erica Wheeler played a lot down the stretch, but didn't come in until nearly the second quarter. Her shot took some time to adjust, but she looked better as the game went along. Not as smart defensively as I expect from Rutgers. Shakena Richardson committed three exceptionally stupid fouls- two dead ball fouls off the ball and one reach-in that could have been put in a textbook. And then she complained about the call- child, your arm is practically in Nadirah's waist, your argument is invalid. Syessence Davis didn't have much of an impact, but I think she's got potential. I don't know if 15 is a great omen for her. She shoots a bit like Kia Vaughn did from distance. Christa Evans is the kind of post who's out there to do one thing and one thing only- set picks and screens, and if she shoots, it's by accident. Briyona Canty did a great job rebounding- but that's because she couldn't hit a lay-up to save her life.
Khadijah Rushdan, you are amazing. I love her heart and her hustle- and when her team needs her the most, that's when she steps up her game and puts aside her fear. She's faster than I expect from her build, and tough as nails. If she had pulled this game out the way she pulled DePaul out, I would still be writing about her. Monique Oliver was a force on the boards, but between one thing and another, she didn't get the kind of shots she should have. We covered her well, but not that well. Nikki Speed was... the Nikki Speed I remember from when I was still following Rutgers. Lives up to her name and not much else. Betnijah Laney has an impressive ability to get to the line, and a very nice first step- she'll be something special for the Knights one of these days, but she's going to have to finish at the rack to get there. April Sykes came on late, but while she did a great job rebounding her own misses, she couldn't get her shot. We've always played her well, and today was no exception.
Briana Brown for three! Oh, she's definitely growing on me. Sticky on-ball defense, and if she adds even a little consistent offense I'll be really happy. Keylantra Langley didn't look completely recovered from her eye injury, or maybe just like she was out of condition slightly. Maybe she missed more practice than we realized. It wasn't Tesia Harris's day. I think this is the first time I've seen her not get a rebound in a game. Amber Thompson brought the grit we needed off the bench, and even if she wasn't making some of the shots, she was going at Oliver without fear, helping establish our attitude.
Statistically Mary Nwachukwu didn't have a great game, but she brought the defense. If she can keep doing that, and set screens, and maybe bring that little outside jumper every so often, I think I can find it in me to be satisfied. Da'Shena Stevens, whose solid performance I woefully forgot to write about last time out, came up big for us again with the right play at the right time. She's working on her speed, I think, which will be crucial if she wants to play after college. Eugeneia McPherson wasn't as aggressive as we (or KBA) would have liked. Sometimes you just have to shoot the open jumper that the Rutgers defense allows you. She's bringing the defense, which makes me happy. Shenneika Smith was all over the boards- I love watching those go-go gadget arms extend and snag balls or deflect them away from the opposition. She made a huge play near the end of the game to help force a fumble by Rutgers that got us the ball back for two more free throws. She hurried her offense a little bit, but came up with big shots. But I can't say enough about Nadirah McKenith's composure- as she went, so went the team, and that was the key to winning this game. She got to the line and hit her shots, she ran the offense solidly, she picked her moments, she filled the stat sheet. She doesn't actually wear the captain's C, but she totally should.
The Rutgers fans started leaving during that run. Shame on you. I know we were up big, and I know it's hell on earth getting out of the parking lots at the RAC, but that was a motivational tool. With an arena like the RAC, this kind of thing is noticeable.
Dear refs, please to be calling tackles. Overall it was all right. Both teams had reason to be enraged, both teams got away with calls.
We brought towels. Mike Thibault got soda all over one of them. :( (It's okay, Coach T. We still love you.) We also brought signs to commemorate Kim Barnes Arico going for 169, but we didn't take them out and pass them around until the last minute of the game, it got that close. Prepared fans are prepared!
Shoutout to St. John's ROTC, and thanks for the ride! Very much appreciated- I think we'd be on the Q46 right now otherwise. (Also, thank you for saving us $26- you thought we were exaggerating about train fare, right?)
This was an important game, not just for today, not just for this season, but for the area. St. John's needs to keep establishing itself as the top program in the area to make sure they're the priority for recruits. Beating Rutgers and Syracuse does that.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
February 8th, 2012: South Florida at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: St. John's opened the second half with eight straight points to break a 29-all tie and kept South Florida at bay the entire way to win 67-57. Da'Shena Stevens led all players with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Shenneika Smith had 16 points for the Red Storm. Sasha Bernard led the Bulls with 14 points; she and Andrell Smith (12 points) were the only two USF players to score in double figures.
For inconveniences, blatant lies, knowing where your towel is, accidental assists, and snow flurries, join your intrepid and deafened blogger after the jump.
Well, I am suddenly reminded why I abhor days built around stuffing the arena full of little kids. We got here at 10:30, and our entire section was already full; not only that, but one of the staff told us that the field trip groups had already been seated for an hour, which directly contradicts what we were told by St. John's. I appreciate the efforts of the staff to try and accommodate us- it's not your fault we got told contradictory things. In the end, we're sitting over by the band, who we've befriended over the months of loud support.
My ears are going to be useless by the end of the day, between the squealing kids (WHY would you mention Justin Bieber in front of children unless you wanted to transfer to Gallaudet?) and sitting right next to the band.
Keylantra Langley is in street clothes after that hit to the eye/head at Seton Hall. Neutral but nice.
The kids get the “True Fan” towels? NOT FAIR. Send us towels, St. John's. We're the ones who took time off work to come to this game. We're the ones who go to Hofstra, to Seton Hall, to Rutgers (though the latter is due to a little help).
In general, field trip days give me the strong feeling that women's sports aren't supposed to be for adults, and I know that can't be what they're trying to do, right?
29-all at the half, and I'm about ready to take my clipboard to these refs. They're making absolutely ridiculous calls on the Red Storm, especially on rebounding. Everyone except Briana Brown has at least one foul, and Shenneika Smith is the only starter with just one foul. We're playing tentatively because of it, and it's hurting us. Everyone's routines are also thrown off, so it's an ugly game, which is the other thing about these stupid day games. That, and the next kid who cheers for South Florida is going to be beaten with my clipboard and have all their towels stolen.
My favorite play so far is Tahira Johnson's beautiful interception which resulted in a basket by Tesia Harris. I'd give her an assist, personally, teams be damned. If Shenneika Smith had hit that tip-in at the end of the first half, it might be a different story.
Shoutout to St. John's men's soccer, the Big East champions, several of whose members have joined us in refuge by the band.
So if there's one thing I sense about this team, it's that they're seriously a second half team, almost to the point where having a halftime lead might not be a good thing. That says a lot about their intestinal fortitude and the team's leadership.
Why would you have the band there and not have them do the anthem? It was kind of cool to hear the more talented kids singing along. I think one school brought a music class. But it's not rocket science. Get up and shut up (or sing).
Akila McDonald looks to have a bit of a temper- she spiked the ball after a call went against her. Big presence in the middle, but they didn't get the ball to her. Aleshia Flowers got in long enough for a foul, and not for me to remember anything else about her. I was impressed with the outside shooting of Tiffany Conner- can't leave her open, she's a long-range sniper.
Inga Orekhova could have been a much worse mismatch for us than she was- she's a big guard, but she's a European big, so she floats around the perimeter and throws up threes from the vicinity of Kiev. We took advantage of her questionable ballhandling to slap the ball away from her. I get the sense that if I were a Floridian, I would be screaming at her the way I once screamed at Elena Baranova (since if I were a Floridian, I would have been a Miami Sol fan). Tahira Johnson seemed... I don't know, maybe a little tight playing in her home borough? She had a lot of easy shots she could have hit, but overall she played all right. I can't help but like a Queens kid, though. Caitlin Rowe couldn't throw it in the ocean. I think she was trying to, too. She's very physical to make up for it. Reminds me of a poor man's version of the lower-level Aussie posts- not quite Batkovic, but you get the idea. Andrell Smith was solid for her team- I seem to recall that she's a redshirt because of an injury, and she and her twin are coming back next year? In any case, she's a steadying influence for her team. If I were a USF fan, my favorite player would be Sasha Bernard. She executed some beautiful fakes, and one of the finest jab steps I've ever seen on the college level. She's a bit of a diver and a whiner, but she's the kind of player you're going to like if she's on your team, not so much if she's on the other team.
I was disappointed in Jose Fernandez's tie. It was... bland. Just plain mint green.
Oh, Jennifer Blanding. Only in the game for a minute, and she managed to blow a rebound and commit a foul. It's okay, Big Love. We love you anyway. Briana Brown got her points at the end of the game, which made us happy- she didn't have a chance to do much else. Tesia Harris mostly got Keylantra Langley's minutes, and did well on the boards- even if she wasn't able to pull down the rebound, she made South Florida work for it. Amber Thompson still needs to work on her shooting, but that'll come with time. When she's a sophomore or a junior, she'll be hitting those lay-ups that are now bouncing off the rim. It helps when one of the assistants is a former post with, um, similar issues. (Said with love. A lot of love. Rummage through a pile of jerseys love.)
Mary Nwachukwu, I am getting tired of asking you to rebound. At least she's improved her rebounding ability to the point where she's at least in the mix, even if she can't hold onto the ball. Hold on to the ball, Mary, at least until you have claimed the rebound- then give it up so the guards can get it back to you for that pretty elbow jumper. Nadirah McKenith seems to have awakened this morning thinking that she was five-nine- she gave insufficient ups on a few shots and plays. Ran a good offense, though, and she and Shenneika Smith were clicking on all cylinders. If Shenneika didn't play the three in our offense, they'd have a shot at being one of the best backcourts in the Big East, and one warranting national attention. Shenneika put on a show for the little kids- those go-go gadget arms were making all kinds of plays on both ends of the floor. She had one amazing shot that most coaches would have screamed at her for if it hadn't found its way into the basket. Eugeneia McPherson's offense was not as on point as I think she would have liked or expected, but she found the basket when she needed it- that three was well-timed- and was after every loose ball and tight on defense. Love it. That's the Gina I remember from freshman year.
I think Kim Barnes Arico got after the refs somewhere in the corridors, because they reacted the way they usually do after she goes after them on the floor. The first half... I don't even know what some of those calls were. A lot of strange calls on the glass. There also seemed to be some communication breakdowns between the refs and the scorer's table, or between the scorer's table and the announcer, because there were more corrections and miscounts than usual. I guess they're not morning people.
Don't ask trivia questions with open-ended answers. The correct answer to “how many minutes are there in a college basketball game” is “at least 40”, not 40. This goes double when you ask the question while the game is tied! (Also, when this is one of the trivia questions at the half, leaving after the half is just ironic in an Alanis kind of way.)
Major congratulations to Kim Barnes Arico on tying the program record for wins by a coach. She can break it at Rutgers on Sunday. Oh, hey, that game's on ESPN2 at 5PM! How 'bout you guys watch? Let me know how the broadcast is- I'll be at the RAC with all of the towels we scavenged from the kids who left early (and the nice guy who gave us one of the red ones from the pile he was carrying). If she doesn't do it there, her next realistic chance is West Virginia on the 21st. I... do not think she's going to win the game in between, against UConn... at Gampel... on Senior Night. I mean, if she did, that would pretty much be the most awesome thing in the history of St. John's basketball, but I'm not betting the farm on it.
This game shouldn't have been as close as it was, and I'm sorry, South Florida, but most of it was not credit to you.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
February 4th, 2012: St. John's at Seton Hall
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A record-setting defensive performance by the Red Storm, punctuated by an 18-0 run to open the game, set St. John's up for a 55-25 win at Seton Hall. Shenneika Smith led all scorers with 15 points, adding seven rebounds and six assists. For Seton Hall, Jasmine Crew had 14 points and six rebounds.
For car rides, traumatized Pirates, accidental sex changes, spin moves, and broken bulbs on the tree, join your intrepid and celebratory blogger after the jump.
Good afternoon, everyone! We'll be coming to you on tape delay from Walsh Gym on the campus of Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, once I get the smell of chlorine out of my nostrils. Seton Hall's not the only place where you have to pass the pool to get to the basketball court, but it's one of the larger ones.
It's a lot faster to take a cab from South Orange station... if you can find one. I've never seen a station in New Jersey where it's so hard to find a taxi. But we did, and they didn't rip us off too badly, so that's a plus.
Om nom nom burgers at Stony's. Definitely a good place to stop for lunch, especially if you're one of the few and the proud who roots for Seton Hall- they're very proud to be Pirate blue, and they gave us some good-natured grief when we walked in in our St. John's gear.
Um. Seton Hall SID? Please do not give our players unasked for sex changes. I can understand misspelling Shenneika as Shanneika; that's closer to the pronunciation and it's not exactly a common name. But, um, I think you accidentally a few really important letters in Eugeneia McPherson's name. Proofreading. It's a good thing.
We kept Seton Hall scoreless through the first two media timeouts. A lot of that was good defense; a lot of that was lousy luck on shots. It's 26-12 at the half; Shenneika Smith has 13 points. Alexandra Maseko's elbow brace is not making a lot of fans in red and white after she caught Nadirah McKenith hard in the throat. I don't know if it's going to end well for most folks concerned.
That was one of the better defensive efforts I've seen from St. John's in a while. The rebounding wasn't as strong as it could be, but we went after a lot of loose balls. Hoping all is well with Keylantra Langley after she took that hit to the face/poke to the eye that forced her out of the game, kept her holding a bag of ice to her face the rest of the half, and left her in the locker room for the entire second half.
Seton Hall should have realized that their day was going to go pear-shaped in a hurry when the anthem singer forgot the words and completely lost her composure because of it. Even when she was back on track, she was trying too hard to be Mariah Carey, with the vocal skill of... well, definitely not Mariah Carey, and let's leave it at that for the poor woman's dignity.
I don't even know where to start with Seton Hall. It wasn't all defense, to be fair- they had some horrible luck with balls bouncing out that were halfway down. That would only have made it a twenty-point game, though. The rest of the way... Anne Donovan started throwing spaghetti at the wall fairly early, with mixed success. Nicosia Henry finally got them on the board in the first half, after they generously spotted their guests an 18-0 lead. I like her a lot, and if Donovan's not going to use her, I hope she transfers somewhere nearby and blossoms. She always seems to be in the right place at the right time, even if she does tend to talk after fouls. Tajay Ashmeade seems to have fallen down in the rotation, which surprises me. I always thought Donovan's preference was for taller posts than shorter but bulkier posts like Breanna Jones. Terry Green has discovered the joys of going towards the basket- which I think threw off her shot. She has also discovered the joys of the roll-block, which last I heard isn't even legal in football, much less basketball. We also had a brief cameo by Chizoba Ekedigwe, who didn't impress me.
Whatever that thing is on Alexandra Maseko's elbow, I'm not sure it's legal. Either it's too much armor for her to be wearing or, if she does need it medically, her elbow's in bad enough shape that she probably shouldn't be playing. This thing was in Barry Bonds territory, it was so ridiculous. She couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, and not for lack of trying. Jazzmine Johnson is fast, but she's not necessarily smart about how fast she is. She got beaten pretty bad by Nadirah and our guard corps. I don't even know why Alexis Brown starts, unless Donovan is trying to make a point to Mangina's recruits about whose team this is. Brittany Morris tried to keep her team's heads in the game in the first half, when they made a little run in response to the hole shot by St. John's, but she wasn't all that successful. Jasmine Crew is the show for the Hall, and that's not a good thing. She's not a franchise player. The Pirates are a mess.
Donovan bailed on doing both the radio chat and the press conference after the game, and when the Pirates came out for their post-game autograph session, they looked like they'd had several strips torn out of them. We thought we spotted people crying. I'm not sure if it was because of the bad play or because Donovan didn't like the way they reacted to getting down that much- they got very physical and dangerously so. Ashmeade with the feet, Maseko with that elbow... it got nasty.
Jennifer Blanding! Hit a lay-up, wouldja? We love you, Big Love, but it's hard to show it sometimes. Good to see her get in the game, along with Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin and Mallory Jones, even if the improvised lineup with them, Amber Thompson, and Tesia Harris didn't really work at the end of the game. Kim Barnes Arico's face was the face of “we're up 30, therefore I am not going to KILL YOU ALL right now” after the two consecutive shot clock violations. Tesia's threes were falling, which was nice, and she was amazing on the offensive boards. She reminds me a little of Kelly McManmon on days like these- a three shooter who gives it her all in all other faces of the game and has one unexpected strength that is subtle yet awesome (for Kelly, it was the ability to make big plays on the sideline and baseline). Keylantra Langley played very briefly before getting hurt, and I hope she recovers quickly. (She's got some muscles on her! Someone's been hitting the weight room.) Briana Brown got the minutes, and she impressed on defense. She's very tenacious. I still cringe if she comes in early, but she's growing on me. Amber Thompson was tough on the boards when we needed her to be- she had the grit that we weren't getting from Mary.
Da'Shena Stevens is back. Be afraid, Big East. Be very, very afraid. She's crashing the boards, she's going in against the big posts, she's showing the balanced skill set that makes her one of the most dangerous players in the Big East. Shenneika Smith went from brilliant in one play (forcing a shot clock violation by bailing on a loose ball) to facepalm on the next (yes, Shenneika, if you hop backwards it's a travel), but she was big when we needed her to be. Nadirah McKenith ran a solid offense, and she wasn't asked to do much more than that, though she pulled out a couple of nifty ballhandling moves that had her cheering section going wild. Mary Nwachukwu was a little scared of Maseko- the elbows worked to intimidate her- but she did what she had to do. I find it interesting that she's the player who gets the most attention from the coaches. There's potential there, but she has to do her role. Eugeneia McPherson got past the typo (we showed her later, she found it amusing) and had a great defensive game. She has the most interesting facial expressions when she's on defense. It's fun to watch.
Roll blocks are not legal. Hands to the face are not legal. Brooks, Aldrich, and Sidlasky were on top of most things, but some of the physical play got out of hand.
Good student support, but they left early. Oh, New Jersey.
I was glad we came out. Defense is an amazing thing when it's played well. On to the next one, and let's all bring our earplugs for this one.