Just the Facts, Ma'am: 33 points from Elena Delle Donne and a fierce second-half comeback weren't enough for Delaware to come from behind, as Kentucky claimed the victory 69-62. Jennifer O'Neill led the Wildcats with 19 points, and A'dia Mathies added 16.
For honor, stuffed birds, inconvenient tubas, drives, and shades of blue, join your intrepid and mildly embarrassed blogger after the jump.
Your intrepid blogger was bound and determined to go to Bridgeport, whether or not her team made the trip, so here we are three rows back in the endcourt behind where the bands will be, watching as the arena starts to fill up in shades of blue. Unsurprisingly, the dominant groups are UConn and Delaware. Delaware brought at least three buses, and it pleases me that they're genuine Delaware...ites. Ians. Ers. Whatever one calls a person from Delaware. I'm pretty sure a couple of folks from the men's basketball team are here, and I saw someone in a jersey that wasn't 11.
There appears to be some sort of strategic alliance between some of the Delaware fans and the Maryland fans. I find that fascinating. I guess regional loyalty beats out the mutual tie of Delle Donne.
If someone behind me doesn't stop spreading pistachio shells around the section like an ill-mannered health-conscious baseball player, I'm going to have to go Noo Yawk on them. Really, people.
My husband and I are the only people wearing St. John's gear, and yes, we've gotten some peculiar looks, but I don't actually care. I'm going to represent my team even if they're not here.
Delaware band is in front of us. Love the guy with the YouDee on his trumpet. Will have to acquire a foam YouDee at some point to add to the souvenir collection. They did a good anthem with a very colonial feel to it (which makes sense, since they have the Revolutionary-era name history).
It's 41-27 Kentucky at halftime, and so far only Elena Delle Donne and Danielle Parker have looked capable of playing at Kentucky's level. I'm impressed at Delle Donne's speed and ability to absorb contact, something which she seems to have improved upon. Parker is rebounding like crazy. These may be the worst officials I have ever seen- at the beginning, everything was a jump ball, then everything was against Kentucky, then everything was against Delaware- and by everything I mean leg whips and forearms to the face. We're lucky no one got seriously hurt.
Kelsey Buchanan really mixed it up on the inside with the Kentucky posts, and then acted surprised when she got called for a foul. Aww, that's cute. Jaquetta May came off the bench first in the first half, and from what I can glean from the box score and my obstructed view from around the stanchion, she worked loose a lot of offensive boards (I think two or three of the were on a play near the end of the game, when Delaware had four chances at the basket and couldn’t come away with a basket). Trumae Lucas was an offensive catalyst in the second half, and had some great defensive plays too. Stephanie Leon's minutes were near the end of the first half- I think she was just there to fill time.
I loved watching Danielle Parker rebound. Loved it. She was tough. Couldn't shoot (though the rim in front of the Kentucky/Maryland bench wasn't kind to anyone), but I loved her rebounding. Lauren Carra got in foul trouble early, and though her three at the end of the first half was cold-blooded and key to keeping the Blue Hens in it, she didn't wake up until the second half. I think I remember Kayla Miller bringing up the ball every so often, but also that she didn't seem to be bringing it up as often as one would expect from a point guard- the responsibility for that seemed to fall to everyone else on the floor (Parker, Delle Donne, Carra, etc.). I think Delaware would have needed her to be more of a factor to survive. Same for Akeema Richards. I think she was in for her defense, but I'm not sure.
Elena Delle Donne took over the game for Delaware, for both good and ill. She was spectacular, and she's been working on the parts of her game that were weaknesses when she was younger. She'll always be a step slow on defense, but she's been improving on the offensive end, and when she decides she's going to get aggressive, no power on this earth is going to get in her way. She deserved every moment of the standing ovation she received, and I wish her all the best. She seems like a really sweet kid.
Azia Bishop gave some good minutes in the lane. Brittany Henderson got on the boards, and even if she didn't pull the rebounds down, she made room for her teammates to get them. Bria Goss was solid, especially on defense. For me, the real defensive star was Jelleah Sidney, who drew the unenviable task of having to guard Elena Delle Donne when Plan A didn't work. She was also a constant presence on the boards, especially on the offensive end. I remember seeing her under the basket a lot. They also got good if unremarkable minutes from Janee Thompson.
A'dia Mathies seems to have decided that she needs to take over for her team. This is both good and bad- good because they need her not to have a game like she had against Navy, bad because her judgment is not necessarily the greatest. Jennifer O'Neill missed her first three shots badly, I started swearing, and then she started hitting everything in sight, so I shut up. She was a little careless with the ball, but she was the offensive catalyst they needed her to be. It was great to see Kastine Evans starting to look more like herself. Her three at the end of the first half was cold-blooded, and she hit a second big one in the second half as well. Love it when a player's moments are choice. DeNesha Stallworth spent most of the game on the bench because of early foul trouble. When she was in the game, she mostly stuck to turnaround moves with limited success. But the foul trouble really got to her. Samarie Walker was fierce on the boards. She really went after it, though she came up oddly short on some of her shots.
The referees were... oh, let's just call them interesting and decide that they hope to stay home for Monday's game. The Delaware fans were complaining that they were biased towards Kentucky, the Kentucky bench was screaming at the differential, and I was screaming that maybe they should figure out how to call something other than a jump ball.
Really liked YouDee's performance. So far, he's the best mascot I've seen in the
tournament and the redheaded guy who plays him is, like, way hot omg. Also seriously impressed by the biceps on the male cheerleaders for Delaware. Those three guys could probably in combination bench-press the team bus.
Lots of Delaware fans there, and I think most of them were actual-facts Delaware fans, not UConn fans flying false colors because OMG ELENAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. And they got loud. And I hope to God they stay loud without Delle Donne.
I think every man in the SEC is required to slick back his hair with industrial-grade gel unless physically impossible. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.
Very surprised that Kentucky's defense wasn't more frenetic. They seem to have been sitting back more. They're going to need to ratchet it up against UConn.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
March 30th, 2013: Delaware at Kentucky
March 30th, 2013: Maryland at Connecticut
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Breanna Stewart each had 17 points to lead Connecticut over Maryland, 76-50. Alyssa Thomas had 13 for the Terrapins, while Tianna Hawkins and Chloe Pavlech added 11 each.
For chanting, tricks, blood relatives, the wrath of Geno, accidental deflections, and bodies all around, join your intrepid and sleep-deprived blogger after the jump.
Being at a game in Connecticut is sort of like being in the middle of Beatlemania. It's intimidating, and not entirely pleasant. They don't understand why you'd root for any team but UConn. (I'm from Queens, this is how I roll, deal with it.)
Maryland, I love you, but really, this obsession with the state coat of arms has to stop before it leads you into any more bad fashion choices. However, bringing a state flag is cool.
UConn up 35-26 at the half, and I think UConn smells blood in the water. The officials have been a bit strict about travels and VERY loose about everything else. Geno got his T for arguing for a call on what looked like a body slam by Hawkins. And the crowd had his back all the way. That was a truly deplorable and dangerous non-call. Maryland's chucking a lot of shots. UConn's had some bad luck with the rim, but that'll change in the second half; that rim's been messed up all game.
I think Elena Delle Donne accidentally set a screen for Stefanie Dolson; while Dolson was down and hurt, Delle Donne got up and drew the attention and cheers of the crowd in the endcourt section, so they weren't staring at Dolson until she was up.
Malina Howard, if you're going to call and flail for the ball as if your very life depended on receiving the pass right that second, you don't immediately pass off the ball as if it grew spikes and stabbed you in the palms. It is very hard to take you seriously when you tend to disappear. Sequoia Austin got in at the very end of the game. Sparkly Brenda Frese mostly went with Howard and the starters.
Does Alicia DeVaughn always try to make with the three-pointers? I don't expect a tall, long-armed rebounder to decide that she's going to put up long shots when she doesn't to my knowledge do it all that frequently. She had her hands in on a lot of plays, but I think she went over the line on her physical play. Katie Rutan is automatic from those corners, and while she's not a great defender, she does work hard on defense. Tianna Hawkins consistently got on the boards, but also got beat to them by good Connecticut boxouts. She made her presence felt on defense, but not on offense. Chloe Pavlech looked like a freshman out there, though she got her long-range shot going in the second half. At times, it almost looked like Maryland was taking their cues from Delaware and making everything about Alyssa Thomas the way Delaware made everything about Delle Donne. Thomas has a decent handle for a woman of her build, and I understand the exigencies that led her to playing the point for the Terrapins, but I think Maryland would be better off with her not bringing the ball up as much and being able to get herself into position instead of having to bring the ball up, dish off, and then get in position. She played well, but she couldn't do it all herself no matter how hard she tried.
Maryland just didn't seem to know how to get out of the trouble they were in, but that might be because they were short-handed and because when UConn smells blood that's the end of the game.
Hello, Moriah Jefferson! You are tiny, but you are fast and sneaky and slice through the lane like a hot dagger through butter! She had one beautiful steal and fast-break lay-up (I think Thomas was the victim) in the second half that set off the crowd. She actually got the start in the second half, because she was playing that well. Morgan Tuck looked a little slowed up by her knee brace, but she bulled her way into the lane and along the backdoor cuts with great efficiency. Geno probably wants to see her get more comfortable with her off hand, though. Kiah Stokes got time near the end of the game and got in on the boards. Bria Hartley was... well, I think I understand why Geno exiled her to the bench.
Which I'm pretty sure is also the only reason why Caroline Doty was getting the start. I really don't remember her doing anything. Kelly Faris didn't necessarily make much of an impression, but at the same time, always just seemed to be there. Her two-pointer in the second half came off a gorgeous look-away pass from Jefferson. Breanna Stewart actually looked comfortable for the first time that I can remember when seeing her. If she's starting to settle into her height, it's going to be a long three years in the Big Metro American However Many. She was blocking shots not just on the perimeter but on the inside. Stefanie Dolson had a quiet night offensively, but she was a monster on the boards and in the paint. The final rebounding numbers don't reflect how hard Connecticut was working to seal off the glass. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis was using that strong build of hers to create space in the first half, going closer to the basket before unleashing the jumpers in the second half. She was good.
There were flashes of that terrifying UConn tendency to immediately create offense from their defense- Stewart blocked a first-half shot, and two passes later she drained a three from the right side. Jefferson had a sweet steal and a lay-up. UConn basketball, in its purest form.
These officials were not particularly interested in calling fouls until the second half, and it did not make them popular with either team and either coach. A lot of bodies were hitting the floor with very few calls being made.
I'm impressed with the Maryland cheer squad's strength. It takes a lot for an all-girl team to pull off some of those stunts. And you've gotta love a band that uses the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme as an alternate fight song. Their version of "All of the Lights" pales in comparison to DePaul's, though.
Sitting low in the endcourt is a very bad combination, especially when coupled with barriers for the band sections. You see virtually nothing, between distance and the stanchion and the barriers. I have to remember that for next time.
If Kentucky is as lax as they were today, UConn will run all over them. If UConn takes their foot off the pedal as early as they did today, Kentucky will rip them to shreds.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
March 26th, 2013: Dayton at Kentucky
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A'dia Mathies had 34 points, and Kentucky used a small first half run to take control of their second round NCAA tournament game, beating Dayton 84-70.
For MOAR hats, free drinks, bendy cheerleaders, redemption, and grabby hands, join your intrepid and clock-racing blogger after the jump.
Good evening, everyone! We're coming to you for the last time this season on the usual tape delay from Carnesecca Arena on the grounds of St. John's University, in some-yet-to-be-identified neighborhood of Queens, New York. Second-seeded Kentucky and seventh-seeded Dayton will be squaring off for the dubious pleasure of going to Bridgeport; on one hand, woo-hoo, it's the Sweet Sixteen, but on the other hand, it's Bridgeport. Hard to get excited about that city. (Sorry, Nutmeggers.)
The bands have officially opened battle. Dayton's band did "Crazy Train". Kentucky's band immediately followed up with "Crazy Train". The Dayton band did not look amused. Their version was better, anyway.
A fair amount of St. John's fans stuck around for this one. I'm impressed and pleased.
I also really want Ukari Figgs's shirt, but that's because I really like royal blue, though that is not why I am leaning towards Kentucky in this one.
At halftime, it's Kentucky, 40-31, and A'dia Mathies lives, with 15 points. They keep leaving her open in the corner, and she keeps hitting threes. Kentucky went on a huge run to bust open a14-all game, but Dayton's hanging tough. Andrea Hoover has 13 for the Flyers. Dayton is having a lot more trouble finding the open man than they did against us.
I think Kentucky missed the game tape from Dayton-St. John's on Sunday. They seemed inclined to let Dayton get back into it for a while, but then A'dia Mathies happened, as she did quite a bit that night.
Brittany Wilson played a little bit in the first half, but not again in the second, which surprised me; I would have thought Jabir would use her to bang with Stallworth and Walker a little bit and try to wear them out. Kelley Austria committed an exceptionally stupid foul and somehow missed the scouting report that getting trapped in the corner against Kentucky is a recipe for disaster. I did like the offensive rebound she sneaked out of the pack with on a Hoover miss, though. Olivia Applewhite at least brought good physical defense, even if she couldn't get her shots to fall. I like the way she plays, though she does have to work on her shooting.
Samantha MacKay, what are you even doing fouling a three-point shooter? This was not the greatest game she's ever played, to be polite about it. She was careless with the ball (which is never a good plan against Kentucky) and just threw up some very bad shots. Amber Deane looked like she was in a little over her head (which, since she's a freshman and Kentucky is kind of vicious, doesn't surprise me). She had one brilliant save on the baseline- she pulled off the "throw it off the opponent" move perfectly. Andrea Hoover did pretty much the same thing to Kentucky as she did to St. John's, only more inside the arc. Cassie Sant started off hot for Dayton, with midrange jumpers and moves on the baseline, but she got into a little bit of first half foul trouble, and I think that might have affected her confidence in the second half. Ally Malott was solid, but Dayton needed her to be more than solid if they wanted to spring the upset.
In general, Dayton looked rattled by the Kentucky defense, and hopeful when Kentucky overreached or slipped an assignment. Jabir was getting frustrated, too. "STOP FOULING!" he yelled at one point in the second half, when they went into the penalty.
Azia Bishop played very briefly, but I think she might have either gotten hurt during the game or been injured beforehand; she was holding her left arm tight against her body during the handshake line. Janee Thompson got minutes as part of the hockey-style line changes, but didn't make much of an impact. Jelleah Sidney mixed it up in the lane and got into a little bit of shoving with Dayton players. Brittany Henderson gave them some very good minutes off the bench as a tough, physical guard who boxed out well- if Pinkett had hit the three off that pretty pass she threw, the place would have gone off even more than it already was during that run. Bria Goss gave Kentucky the bulk of their bench minutes and was a spark on both ends of the floor.
We saw more frequent substitutions from Kentucky tonight, both in quantity and frequency. And Matt Insell is probably going to be gone in no more than two years. He did a lot of the yelling on the sideline, to the point where I thought the officials were going to remind him of his role and tell him to sit down.
Another questionable game from Kastine Evans, though she was better on the defensive end than she was against Navy. She still seemed to be the target of most of Matthew Mitchell's criticism, though we caught a couple of other Wildcats being hollered at. Samarie Walker drove the lane well- except that any top-10-team level starter should be able to hit a lay-up from the left side. She blew one shot by forcing herself to go right and take the shot with her right hand. But she's a tough rebounder, and I guess I can give her a little bit of a pass, given what I later heard was the reason she had to switch into a throwback #22. (We didn't see her barfing, which I'm okay with, since seeing players barf at two games is more than enough for my history.) Jennifer O'Neill's passing was not particularly crisp, and she did seem to enjoy taking shots from somewhere in the vicinity of the Whitestone Bridge, but I still like how she runs her team. I'm sort of a sucker for floor generals who run their team with unmistakable authority, I don't know if you've noticed. And she did come up with a couple of big plays in the second half. DeNesha Stallworth was a stalwart in the post, plus she brought her jumper to this game.
And then there was A'dia Mathies, who seemed to have taken the lousy game from Sunday to heart and roared back to life with a vengeance, going down the lane for lay-ups and hitting three after three from the corner. She looked like the first round pick she has been touted to be. (Oh, and Bill Laimbeer was in the audience...)
The people around me who were cheering for Kentucky- both the Kentucky fan base and the St. John's fans who returned for the second round- were extremely upset at the officials for what they perceived to be unfair calls. The fact of the matter is that, yeah, Kentucky holds and reaches a lot as part of their defense, and if they get the wrong crew, they're going to be in a lot of trouble. The refs let everyone play in the first half, then tightened up in the second. (Not that there weren't bad calls against Kentucky; O'Neill has a case.)
Dayton added another hat to the band collection, a flight cap. Also, the band director's jacket was red and blue striped, with sequins and flashing lights. Seriously, Kim Mulkey would have thought it was over the top and a touch ostentatious.
Great fan support for Kentucky and from the Dayton band. I am all in favor of stomping on the bleachers.
Thank you for the free Diet Coke, person who got busted at the gate. I took it home with me afterwards.
On to Bridgeport!
Monday, March 25, 2013
March 24th, 2013: Navy at Kentucky
Just the Facts, Ma'am: DeNesha Stallworth had 18 points and 11 rebounds to help Kentucky win their first round game over Navy, 61-41. Jennifer O'Neill added 12 points, 9 in the second half, and five steals. Jade Geif and Alix Membreno each had 9 points for Navy.
For dancing, gyrations, dress uniforms, souvenirs, sloppiness, and many cerulean hues, join your intrepid and apologetic blogger after the jump.
Good morning, everyone! We're coming to you on tape delay from Carnesecca Arena on the campus of St. John's University in Queens, New York, for first-round NCAA tournament action between the Patriot League champion Navy Midshipmen and SEC powerhouse Kentucky.
I'm in a chair-back seat. It's kind of disconcerting. I'm usually in the bleachers across from the home bench- I like being across from the bench so I can see a team's interaction. But here I am four rows from center court, facing everything except the logo. I'm so confused. All the advertising is covered up, since the NCAA has all the ad rights, so there are black squares where the bright ad lights used to be, and ribbons on the court where the sponsor logo once was.
Kentucky is very, very blue. It's intensely colored. Navy has a strong base here already, though we're not sure who the guy in the Army cap is cheering for. Kentucky has names on their jackets. I like them already. I have some idea of who they are!
Not buying the swag. $25 for a hat? $10 for a program? Forget it. If I'm buying anything it's going to be in Ne Orleans.
Navy appears to have brought foam goats. I'm going to go make a trade if I can. (I had to lie and say I wanted my husband's bracket to bust to get one.)
Kentucky band is coming in. Bands have been moved to what's normally the student section instead of the angled corner next to it where they usually are.
Mystics coaching staff is in attendance- Marianne Stanley and both Thibaults.
At halftime, Navy is up one on Kentucky, 26-25, but I don't think it's sustainable. Navy's been letting themselves get rattled by Kentucky's pressure, making bad passes and completely losing clock awareness in the last ten seconds- first not calling time to avert the five-second call, then not getting off a shot when they got the ball back after a really bad shot by Kastine Evans. Alix Membreno is playing really well for the Mids, with seven points and some great hustle. Jade Geif is rebounding all the things and bringing the body. For Kentucky, DeNesha Stallworth has started to get hot with her jumper, and they're killing the offensive boards.
There is a... gentleman... in a UConn shirt objecting to our discussion of our brackets. Sir, you are in a UConn shirt. You are lost. Be thou silent or GTFO.
Kentucky band did the anthem. They did a great job of it, but I do wonder why they didn't let the Naval band do it.)
Kentucky and Jennifer O'Neill opened up a can at the start of the second half, and it was pretty much downhill from there for Navy.
M.L. Morrison brought a little bit of offense off the bench in the first half, along with a body on the Kentucky posts, especially DeNesha Stallworth. Erin Meador committed some really stupid fouls, especially her third and fourth ones. The rest of the bench mostly played spot minutes, not really much of a factor in the game.
Audrey Bauer, I am not sure why you persisted in shooting threes from somewhere in the vicinity of Annapolis, but after the third or so miss, you should have realized that this was not a good plan and gone away from it. It's okay to take another step towards the line, not a step back. Chloe Stapleton picked up two quick fouls and then a third one near the end of the first half, so whatever it is she usually does for Navy, she didn't have much of a chance to do it. Jade Geif killed the boards in the first half, and I love how she was able to body up on the Kentucky posts, but she has got to hit her chippies. She had a lot of shots right at the rim that rolled off. She has to go up with more authority, though she did a better job of that in the second half. Alix Membreno played out of her mind in the first half- hitting shots, going for steals- but I think she ran out of gas. Kara Pollinger wasn't much of a factor. I remember her hitting a three, but that's about it.
Kentucky brought in a wave of reserves all at once very early in the first half, but went back to a more traditional substitution pattern for most of the game. Jelleah Sidney got away with quite a bit of shoving that I felt was quite uncouth; I don't care if your sister was a Johnny- she was epic fail, anyway- you don't get to do that at Carnesecca. Azia Bishop is one heck of a big body in the middle- surprised they didn't use her more. She got more time in the second half, because Stallworth was starting to wear down, and I think she helped wear at Navy's confidence by wearing them out in turn. Bernisha Pinkett gave them good defensive minutes off the bench. I remember seeing a lot of the back of her jersey on traps. Same for Bria Goss.
A'dia Mathies had one of the most awful games I've ever seen from her. She kept leaving her shots either short or off the side of the rim, she couldn't get on the boards- I think Navy's gameplan hinged on doubling and tripling her because they could, and in that regard, they were victorious. Granted, it was the only regard in which they were victorious, and there are no moral advances in the NCAA tournament. DeNesha Stallworth showed off a surprisingly pretty jumper from all over the floor, but she slowed up in the second half. I think stamina was getting to her. Samarie Walker attacked the rim in the second half with verve and vigor, cutting through the lane and the defense. Jennifer O'Neill was fairly quiet in the first half, and then the second half started and she was a firecracker- her points came in a fast spurt, along with a couple of nifty steals. She propelled Kentucky on to get their act together. Kastine Evans didn't play well- Mitchell was not happy with her.
Kentucky fans turned out in force; it truly was a sea of blue. I salute the cheerleader who carried blue and white streamers in his megaphone to hand out to fans- love the ingenuity. And I knew gymnastics was serious business in the SEC, but wow, the Kentucky male cheerleaders were spectacular with their flips and the fast spelling out of C-A-T-S.
I forget what the Navy band was playing- something aquatic-themed ("Sea Cruise", maybe?)- but the Kentucky band proceeded to do The Swim to it. I think the Johnnies in the corner were ROBL (rolling on the bleachers laughing).
I love that the first half was competitive; I wish the second half had been just as fierce by Navy.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
March 24th, 2013: Dayton @ St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: St. John's came back from a 13-point deficit with 5:18 to go and forced overtime, but ultimately Dayton came away with a 96-90 win in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Andrea Hoover had 24 points, 16 in the first half, to lead the Flyers; Kelley Austria had 14 of her 21 in the second half and overtime. Nadirah McKenith led St. John's with 22 points, nine rebounds, and 10 assists.
For pride, hats, flags, red, and gutting it out, join your intrepid and serene blogger after the jump.
Why are there so many UConn fans here, omg. You guys had your own pod, stop stalking Samarie Walker already.
Dayton's band is hogging all the airtime. Come on, guys. Let our guys go.
Amber Thompson is probably going to kill her mother for the head-on-a-stick. Our Newark contingent has gone all out (they probably planned for that Trenton regional) with signs and ticket sales. And giant heads on sticks.
Okay, I'm enjoying Dayton's band, but I think I'd like them more if they weren't stepping on our time. I think our band is starting to get annoyed at them.
At halftime it's 43-30 Dayton, and if Joe Tartamella is not ripping his team several new ones based on their inability and/or unwillingness to guard the three-point line, I want his job because he's not doing it. Andrea Hoover has 16 for the Flyers. Shenneika Smith has 10. Dayton has done an excellent job of finding the open man when the double comes.
I'm not disappointed in the team, merely that I don't get to see them again. I'm not angry. I'm not ashamed. I'm sad, but that's it. You can't ask for more than everything, and they left everything on the floor. When I thought they didn't have enough left in the tank, they gutted it out of them somehow, and they never stopped fighting.
I do not know where Assertive, Aggressive Ashley Perez has been all season, but I would absolutely adore it if she stuck around for the next three years instead of Slightly Scared Mouse Ashley Perez. She hustled hard on defense, to somewhat more effect than usual- and then the shots started falling. Turns out the problem was that she was taking them too close to the line; once she took a couple of steps back and started hitting them from Nassau County, she was into her groove. She also was more willing to drive, though her shot selection was a little shakier there. She carried us through the second half and the first overtime, but in the latter part of the overtime, she started to falter. It's been a while since she's had to go that hard that long. She started heaving up panic shots that fell short. Still. Good to have her. Keylantra Langley was a step slow on defense and kept leaving her man open. Not good when one of your primary duties is to play defense. Would have liked to see her be a little more assertive on offense. Mary Nwachukwu played sparingly, just to give Amber Thompson some relief from foul trouble, and was not particularly effective. I'd yell at her that she needs to rebound the ball, but that was the last game of her senior year, so she doesn't have to rebound anything anymore.
Briana Brown kept getting out of position on defense. This was not a good match-up for her, and I think it affected her offensive confidence as well as her defensive confidence. She went to the floor for loose balls as always, though. She's tough. She'll rebound. Aliyyah Handford had some issues with her handle, but when she went hard to the paint, no one was stopping her. If that tip-in had gone in at the end of the first overtime... but it didn't. She played hard. She tried to keep us in it during the second overtime. Amber Thompson had a lackluster first half and then exploded in the second half and overtime. Suddenly the easy shots she'd missed were going in. Suddenly she was pulling down rebounds with authority. She took over in the second half. That's the Amber I know and appreciate and look forward to two years of.
The seniors get their own paragraph, because they were awesome and I'm not going to be able to write about them again, and that makes me incredibly sad. Shenneika Smith put on a show to open the game, countering on seemingly every Dayton run. She was slashing, she was taking jumpers, she was being the star that we knew she could be. Her hands were up and active and moving. And then Nadirah McKenith pretty much took the team on her shoulders. Scoring, rebounding, dishing, stealing, hustling, defense... Nadirah did everything and anything she could to pull St. John's through. When she fouled out on the charge (which was a call I couldn't argue with, though many around me did), she was inconsolable, head buried in her jersey, shoulders shaking, needing to be pulled out of her chair to join the huddle at the next timeout. My heart broke for her. She's been such a rock for us... it hurts when she's hurting. We chanted her name when she went out of the game, and I know it wasn't enough, but maybe she'll n the huddle at the next timeout
Okay, I guess I should talk about Dayton, because they played just as hard and were even better than we were. But it's hard, because they're not my team and I don't know them as well because I didn't have a roster, and I'm still entirely too proud of my team to talk about the team that beat them. But seriously, Dayton and their fans and their band were fantastic, and I look forward to their eventual inclusion in the Big East.
Olivia Applewhite killed us on the boards, and that bucket in the second overtime was a backbreaker. I was very impressed with her, although she's got to be more careful about staying on the bench when she's not in the game. I like her toughness. Kelley Austria was a steady consistent offensive force for the Flyers off the bench, getting the job done on backdoor cuts and drives down the lane. She owned the show in the second overtime. Brittany Wilson was a tank- I still don't know why she set that screen on Nadirah away from the play, but whatever. I wouldn't have expected her to swish that three, though.
We could not get a body on Andrea Hoover for the entire first half. She just kept slipping loose and getting open on the right side. It was exceedingly frustrating. She was less of a factor later in the game, but by then Samantha MacKay was stepping it up. Amber Deane looked like a player with a lot of potential, but I'm not sure if she felt like she was ever in the game. She was steady, but she didn't leave much of an impression. I think the scouting report keyed heavily on Ally Malott, because she didn't get a lot of opportunities. Cassie Sant didn't hit a lot of shots, but the ones she hit were well timed.
It's hard to get a handle on Dayton because of the lack of names on either jerseys or roster. (I need to whip up a scorecard one of these days, for games when a program is $10 and I have no idea who half of these people are.) In general, their passing was sharp and crisp and they were great at finding lanes. Just a very solid team that's run well.
Officiating was interesting. Not necessarily in a good way. To be fair, I thought Dayton got the short end of the stick in regulation (except for getting the timeout granted the second time they tied it up), but I was really not happy with the charge that fouled Nadirah out of the game. Neither was the crowd. But ultimately, the refs didn't decide the game.
The crowd atmosphere was amazing. I wish I could have bottled it and saved it for next year, because it was the kind of cheering we so rarely get at Carnesecca for a women's game. Stomping, cheering, chanting, screaming... can we carry it through without Shenneika and Nadirah?
The Dayton band has a ridiculous number of hats. At least four. We tried to trade with them, but they didn't have any extras. :( I think my favorite was the one with the giant airplane on top. They use the same cheer cadence as Villanova, which is very confusing.
The second half, I thought we were done. Dayton was up 13 at the half, and for most of the half, we'd score a basket, then let Dayton take it right back, then cut it to 6 or 7, then Dayton would pull it back out to 13, wash, rinse, repeat. The last couple of minutes happened in what seemed like a blink.
I'm so incredibly proud of my team and the year they pulled out. It would have been easy to strike the tents after Gina tore her ACL, but we surged back in Big East play. Our young players have gotten valuable experience, and we'll be back.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
March 16th, 2013: St. Joseph's at Fordham
Just the Facts, Ma'am: St. Joseph's overcame an eight-point halftime deficit, turning up the defense and heating up the offense to take the Atlantic-10 title over Fordham, 47-45. Natasha Cloud had 15 points and six assists for the Hawks, and Chatilla van Grinsven had eight points and 10 rebounds. Marah Strickland had 16 to pace the Rams.
For tight squeezes, forgotten souvenirs, horned helmets, hard picks, and pivotal moments, join your intrepid and congested blogger after the jump.
Good evening, everyone! We're coming to you on tape delay from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, host of the A-10 tournament final between Fordham and St. Joseph's.
The A-10 did a pretty good job turning around as fast as they did between the men's semis and the women's final- the men's semis ended about forty minutes before the scheduled tip of the women's game. I think they're encouraging people to stay to make the crowd look bigger- we've already been asked once if we wanted to move down. No, thank you, I like being able to see the big screen and to see the plays as they develop.
So far Fordham's showing great support, which doesn't surprise me, since all you have to do to get here is get on the D and keep going. And I like the arena. There's an abruptness to it that's very New York- once you're through the lines, BANG, the court's right there, so you can get caught up as soon as you walk in the building (though I'm sure that security is a touch more thorough at Nets games).
Great anthem to open things up. The crowd has been loud for both teams. Great atmosphere. Fordham got a 12-0 hole shot on the Hawks, and they're up 24-16 at the half, but I'm worried about the way they ended the half, and the way they've been running the clock down over and over again- Griffin is a good enough coach that I can see her team taking advantage of that in the second half.
Ilze Gotfrida got physical in the post. Surprising from a Euro. I don't remember much of Mireia Vila did other than the one foul.. Cindy Griffin really relied on her starters.
Ashley Robinson started the second half; I don't remember if she started the first half. She was a long-armed defensive presence who flicked away rebounds and affected shots. I wasn't terribly surprised when the one foul she committed was a stupid one; it does sort of come with the territory of the name. Erin Shields's shots looked good coming off her hands all the time, but she didn’t always get the roll, though sometimes she did. She reminds me a lot of her sister around the face. I think Ashley Prim let the one bad foul call early in the game get into her head a little bit. She still stayed active on defense, though. Chatilla van Grinsven got stopped up by Fordham switches, but on the other end she was a defensive mis-match for pretty much anyone she was up against- they had her on Erin Rooney or Arielle Collins, and you could tell that the extra height was affecting the Rams' view of the court. She's good. She's probably kicking herself about the missed free throws, though. Natasha Cloud ran the offense well, finding her teammates and going for loose balls.
St. Joe's adapted very well in the second half. I think in the first half they remembered they were no longer playing on their home floor and were in fact playing in New York. In the second half, they held it together and made the big plays that their team needed.
Charlotte Stoddart was great on the boards. I like her hustle. I don't know if she was the player on the bench who was getting the defense chant started, but if she was, then I like her even more, because the Fordham bench was really loud. The Rams leaned heavily on their starters- I think Christina Gaskin and Emily Tapio only came in when Arielle Collins and Samantha Clark fouled out.
Erin Rooney had some very good drives that didn't end the way they should have- one rolled off the rim, one got blocked- either of those could have been the difference. I like her instincts but I'm not sure if she's an A-10 player. I really like Samantha Clark, though; she's only a freshman, but there's something in her build and her style of play that reminds me of Erin Buescher. She needs to hit her chippies and stop thinking so much about the three-point line, but it's rare to see a mid-major player be as physical as she is; usually a big player like her ends up at a mid-major because she won't bang. Arielle Collins and Abigail Corning were both very active on defense, with Collins also drawing the duty of pounding the ball for fifteen seconds until Fordham started their offense. Marah Strickland started the game off hot, then drew a lot more defensive attention and started taking some bad shots.
I really don't know what to think about Fordham's offense. It reminds me unpleasantly of Villanova's offense, except that they don't have the three-point shooters that Villanova has. It reminds me just as unpleasantly of Rutgers's offense, but they don't have players who can create their own shots like Rutgers once did. Time of possession does matter in basketball, but not if you don't do anything with the ball after you control it.
The officiating in this game was decidedly interesting. When it starts out with the kind of arm hooking that would make Plenette Pierson blush and ends with an offensive foul called off the ball from across the court, that's the only word I can think of. Both coaches yelled at the refs a bit, and I don't blame them.
People around us kept running away for some reason. Look, I know I'm not in Fordham gear, and I know I'm loud, but I'm going to go hard for my city. Ne York has to represent, especially when dealing with Philadelphia.
A-10 legends honored at halftime, which was cool, followed by Drums of Thunder, which was very cool. I miss those kids.
Got to meet some Butler fans and welcome them to the Big East; should have done the same to the guy in the Xavier cap.
I still don't know what the offensive foul call was on Samantha Clark, but it essentially decided the game, especially when Fordham hesitated on the intentional foul. How you make the call from the other side of the floor, I will never know.
We're watching the awards ceremony now. St. Joe's is running around with their hats and shirts. All-championship team includes a kid from Temple, Rooney and Strickland from Fordham, and van Grinsven and Cloud from St. Joe's. Rooney looks like she wants no part whatsoever of her little trophy. Cloud is MOP of the A-10 tournament. That is a really shiny championship trophy. They announce each member of the winning team, then get their rings. Huh, I didn't think rings were that soon.
Okay, that's the one classy thing the St. Joe's band and students have done all day- they're chanting Cindy Griffin's name as she gets her ring.
And there goes the net, to a chant of "The Hawk Will Never Die!" I think the students are going to chant each player's name as she gets her cut. But we didn't stay for the whole thing, because the first person to go up didn't quite know how to cut the net- she started from the bottom and tried to cut vertically as her team shrieked directions at her.
The rolls in this game were truly bizarre for both teams. I guess you can expect that when two Jesuit schools play shortly after the selection of the first Jesuit pope. Shots were halfway down and went out, shots were all over the rim and in- it was crazy. And it was for both teams evenly, as if God wanted to prove that He didn't play favorites.
It wasn't the prettiest of games, but it was a solid game and worthy of a championship.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
March 4th, 2013: DePaul at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Shenneika Smith notched 22 points on Senior Night, and Amber Thompson added 20 points and 16 rebounds off the bench to help St. John's claim a 67-54 win over DePaul. Jasmine Penny led the Blue Demons with 14 points.
For a surprising lack of tears, seniors being seniors, travels, mild embarrassment, and the pausing of all good things, join your intrepid blogger after the jump.
There aren't enough words to describe the amazing things that Nadirah McKenith and Shenneika Smith have done for St. John's. There really aren't. No, seriously, there aren't. You've seen the pictures; you've heard the stories. Shenneika and Nadirah are rewriting St. John's history all over the record book. It's been such a pleasure and a privilege to watch them play and to be so sure that they'll be at the next level.
Um, sorry, Mary. Look, it wasn't my idea for you to give up a year of eligibility and take your Senior Night alongside two of the Red Storm's most decorated players; I expected to have another year to come up with nice things to say about you.
Senior festivities seemed short and a bit rushed, but I arrived in the middle, so that might have affected my perception. I would have loved to hear more of Nadirah and Shenneika's accolades, but maybe they didn't want Mary to feel overshadowed. (Even though she totally is.)
Vocal anthem for the first time in a while. The singer knows her voice and its limits. (There were great LOLZ by the band tonight; they were bound and determined to finish "The Pretender" no matter how many timeouts it took. Which I approve of, by the way. "What if I say I'm not like the others? What if I say I'm not just another one in your plays? You're fake! You're the pretender! What if I say we will never surrender?")
Megan Podkowa got a little foul happy in the second half, and I think hers was the basket where the Red Storm essentially decided to concede the basket so the seniors could go to the bench and get their applause. Megan Rogowski got the nod first off the bench in the first half; Kelsey Reynolds got it in the second half, both for Anna Martin. DePaul got solid bench play overall, but I got the sense that they were looking for something they didn't find out of their reserves (which might have been three-point shooting).
Anna Martin got hot in spurts and did a nice job of cutting through the lane. I don't know which knee it was that she injured, because she wears the same brace on both of them. Bruno used her very judiciously, taking her out early in both halves and generally being cautious with her, which is understandable with her injury and with the Big East and NCAA tournaments coming up. Charise Jenkins got decent looks all night, so naturally the only shot she hit was a twisting, over-her-shoulder reverse lay-up with the shot clock running down. It's sort of like a reverse Murphy's Law or something. Brittany Hrynko had her way in the lane. She's pesky on defense, too. With that huge puff of a ponytail, she reminds me a little of those animals that fluff up really huge to make themselves look more threatening, though in her case it just makes her look adorable. Jasmine Penny would not have been able to get away with half of her moves to the basket of Bonita Spence were calling the game, since her footwork is not particularly sound, but she got the job done, especially on the offensive boards (she had one beautiful putback that pretty much just floated into the basket). Katherine Harry didn't seem to be looking to score, and she seemed intimidated by our post player.
Amber Thompson, oh my gosh, that is the kind of game I have been expecting from Amber for the last year. All of the aggression that was missing from her last few games was there. She went strong to the basket on the offensive end and mixed it up for rebounds on both ends of the floor. She was tough, she was fierce, she was determined, and she was amazing. (She also has a lot more hair than I would have guessed from her 'do; her elastic broke after she was fouled, and she shook out her hair during the free throws. She got a spare elastic from Nadirah, in case you ever doubted Nadirah was always ready with the assist.) Keylantra Langley got some good minutes, and of course the shot she hit was with the shot clock running down, and of course the shot she missed was a quick jumper with plenty of time on the clock. These are the things we expect from Key. Ashley Perez played briefly to spell the guards. She was scrappy, but her freshman was showing when the shot clock violation happened (then again, with four seconds left, that should have been Key's shot). Cedrica Gibson got a little time so Nadirah could get her well-earned applause.
The two fouls Briana Brown got tagged with in the first half might have saved the day for her, because that meant she was fresh for the second half to drain the dagger three and get down on the floor for loose balls. I still maintain that it's not a good plan for a Division I, BCS-conference team to try and play someone my height at power forward, but if anyone can manage it, it's Briana and her metaphorical cojones. Aliyyah Handford looks a little like she's hit the wall, but you always expect that from a freshman. She perked up a bit in the second half. Her lanes were clogged, she was trying too hard for the foul, she wasn't getting the calls, and I think she was letting the lack of calls get to her. In that regard, she's got to toughen up and either find workarounds or learn to adjust. Nadirah McKenith wasn't called upon for scoring, which let her do all the other things she does so well. It wasn't a big numbers night for her (except for two blocks; one more ties her for 10th all-time in St. John's history; I have mentioned that she's 5-7, right?) but she proved that a good point guard controls the game without necessarily controlling the basic stats. Mary Nwachukwu was... guys, I can't. It was Senior Night, and I'm not going to give Mary her usual flogging with a wet noodle on her Senior Night. So it's a good thing that Shenneika Smith found her stroke despite her ankle still bothering her at times, and that she has the amazing ability to hit three-pointers with precisely three seconds left on the shot clock, and that she was pretty much awesome.
Can't really complain too much about the officiating, though the people around me were happy to pick up the slack. Aliyyah needs to learn how to take the contact a little better, or at least sell it better. Paging DeMya Walker...
We had some of the folks from men's soccer sitting behind us, and they were great- into the game almost as much as they were into their friend's work during the shootout (he hit the free throw and the three-pointer, got the bottom of the net on the halfcourt shot; of course, the girl they picked for the $30K shot couldn't even get her ball to the free throw line). We even got a little bit of "Seven Nation Army" going at one point.
For St. John's, it's on to Hartford. Storm the XL Center, Johnnies! Then come home. Come home on March 24th. We'll be waiting.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
March 2nd, 2013: St. John's at Seton Hall
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Brittany Morris erupted for 28 points, and Seton Hall gave their seniors a win on Senior Night, 60-51. The Pirates outrebounded St. John's 47-29. St. John's was led by the 17 points and seven rebounds of Aliyyah Handford.
For frustration, phlegm, rage, claustrophobia, seething fury, and injustice, join your intrepid and handbasket-bound blogger after the jump.
Good evening, everyone! We're coming to you on tape delay from Walsh Gymnasium on the grounds of Seton Hall University.
I'm a St. John's fan first and foremost during college season, but I'm a fan of the game, and to me it is absolutely shameful that Seton Hall's four seniors- three of whom have been crucial contributors for most of their careers- had their last regular season game and their last game in front of their fans moved to 9PM on a Saturday night. Apparently there was some kind of conference going on to have the game rescheduled from its original 2PM start. But that's not how you treat Senior Day. You don't treat it as a throw-away game during spring break. There are probably as many people here in red as there are in blue, and while I'm proud to represent my team, I'm ashamed of Seton Hall and embarrassed for their team. You only get a player for four years- five, six at the most if she's injured. Is it too much to ask that you treat her with respect for one night?
(Yes, you know it's bad when even the cheerleaders are angry. We ran into two of them at Stony's, the burger joint I always highly recommend whenever I write Seton Hall game notes. It's a bad sign when one of the cheerleaders says their team has the worst fans in the conference.)
At half it's 27-23 Seton Hall; no, that's not a typo; yes, I'm exceedingly irked; no, I do not think this is going well. We're rebounding like geriatric maggots. Brittany Morris is playing like her life depends on it.
I'm even more infuriated at Seton Hall's cavalier treatment of their seniors after the presentation now. Four different young women, four different majors- and I don't think there's a school in the NCAA where environmental biology or political science are easy majors. Until tonight, I hadn't realized Alexandra Maseko was interviewing for a Rhodes scholarship. I mean... this is someone who might very well make a major change in the world, and I'm sure Seton Hall will fall all over themselves to give her honor and praise after that. (They did play the Zimbabwean national anthem for her, and you could see how much it meant to her; I don't know if she knew they were going to do that.)
Shenneika Smith turned her ankle early in the first half, and though she's trying to play on it, it's not going well. She's having trouble putting weight on it, which means no elevation, which means her shot is a little shaky. We need someone to step up big time to counter the Brittanys.
I am extremely, unutterably, deeply, seethingly irate right now. You cannot see how hard I am biting my lip and glaring at the universe as I hammer at my keyboard in the South Orange NJ Transit station (because the train leaves at the 57s and the game ended at 11:01). It is also extremely difficult to compose thoughts that do not contain expletives or other unsuitable material that my esteemed admin would have to edit out, as I suspect that desiring to grant new orifices to a Division I coach is highly uncouth and would look badly upon my fellow writers at Swish Appeal, who are professionals worthy of great respect.
(Yeah, that's how I talk when I can't actually say what I want to say. When English Majors Attack!, this fall on Fox.)
Keylantra Langley played briefly in the first half when Shenneika Smith got hurt and briefly in the second half when Nadirah McKenith got scratched. She wasn't inspiring, but I'd have liked to see her get more time, because it was clear that Shenneika's ankle was bothering her more than she was going to let on. Amber Thompson gave good defensive effort off the bench, and had her shot-blocking going, but I think she let the bigger posts get into her head. She did not always make the brightest decisions on the floor. (I hate moving screens so much, you have no idea.)
Shenneika Smith did manage to get some points after the ankle injury, but she wasn't getting lift on her shots, and as the game wore on, it was clear that her ankle was stiffening up. She was starting to limp, and the Pirates were adjusting by bodying up on her and forcing her to move more quickly. Good adjustment by Seton Hall, and Joe Tartamella's brilliant plan was to leave her in. Aliyyah Handford got in foul trouble early, so she sat for most of the first half, which was good for her, because she played the entire second half. She did well slashing to the basket, but her freshman qualities were clear on defense. Mary Nwachukwu started the game with a little fire, but the constant banging started to wear on her, and she got very passive in the second half. Mary, there is one shot you can hit; if you don't take it and you don't rebound, you are useless as a basketball player. Briana Brown was called upon to play the power forward spot a lot, and she answered the bell, but there's only so much she can do. Bri is 5-8. That's my height. And I'm a hell of a lot bigger than she is. I can absorb a hit from Brittany Webb. I don't know how well she was handling it. And then she gets called on to be the designated three-point shooter. I can't. Nadirah McKenith did everything she could, and I think she added three blocks to her total Two more puts her in the St. John's top ten. Did I mention Nadirah lists at 5-7?
Joe Tartamella reverted to the rookie coach who managed to fumble at Quinnipiac and choked at Louisville, who couldn't figure it out against Delaware or UCLA. The second half was a hot mess. Everyone- except apparently Joe- could tell that Shenneika was limping, but she only rested at timeouts and stoppages. So did Briana. So did Aliyyah. Nadirah only sat for blood. Amber and Mary were the only ones to rotate in and out of the game regularly. And then he was angry at them for not going hard on defense, not going hard on the boards, not giving 110%; he looked like he was going to pop a blood vessel when Aliyyah was late coming up on an offensive rebound off a Seton Hall free throw. Well, Coach, if you play three starters without rest and only rest the fourth because it's an NCAA rule to take her out for blood, they might be tired. Just a thought.
Plus some unspeakable piece of excrement decided to put up a "platform closed" sign on the New York-bound platform, so we had to make a run for the train. Did I mention that I'm still suffering from congestion and shortness of breath from a lingering respiratory issue? Stairs and I have never been very good friends, either. Not helping my mood.
Brittany Webb is a load in the middle, and we had no way of stopping her. She threw her weight around like an offensive lineman, and sometimes she got caught and called for the foul, but she wore down our post players with sheer physicality. Janee Johnson exploited the backdoor on all of her shots- for some reason, no one was covering her, and she broke loose. Shoddy. Tabatha Richardson-Smith played a little bit, long enough for me to determine that her name doesn't fit properly on her jersey. I think one of her shots was an unlucky bounce off the rim. Alexis Brown committed some stupid fouls that almost kept St. John's in the game.
Brittany Morris decided that this was her Senior Night and we were all just witnesses. She took over from beyond the arc in the first half, and in the second half she drove the lane with impunity. One of the back-breakers was a lay-up she scored with one second left on the shot clock that was basically uncontested. She found ways to slip open, whether it was a quick crossover or the use of a screen. Terry Green got the Senior Night start and played a little, but with Morris getting hot, she wasn't needed; Seton Hall also decided to go big to take advantage of the Red Storm's lack of size. (See, this is why you keep your team out for Senior Night festivities. They give away valuable information about the opponent. Such as Brittany Morris being the Hall's all-time most prolific three-point shooter. Which might have stopped them from allowing her five three-pointers.) Breanna Jones got the Senior Night start, and she threw her weight around, bodying hard on St. John's. She's tough. Alexandra Maseko has still not learned how to use her non-dominant hand, which cost her two baskets, but she never gives up on a rebound, and though she's lost the Barry Bonds elbow armor she used to use, she's still not afraid to go for the throat. Ka-Deidre Simmons runs a good offense, and she was hot from beyond the arc. (Given that she's friends with our Newark contingent, and that she and Aliyyah would have had at least one year together in high school by my math, I'm surprised we didn't have a more detailed scouting report. Then again, she probably had one on Nadirah and Aliyyah...)
Officiating was mostly unremarkable. There's a spot by the baseline near the band that probably needs more frequent mopping; that's where Shenneika took her spill, that's where Nadirah took a bad fall, and that's close to where Alexandra Maseko hit the deck holding her knee. (She at least put weight on it as she was leaving the floor.)
To whoever ticketed the halftime scrimmage kids behind the St. John's bench, may you be condemned to a Purgatory of lemon-dipped Legos. I know this was one of Kim Barnes Arico's favorite tricks, but there were a lot of St. John's people who might have wanted to sit in the extremely limited area behind their bench. One of the many reasons I hate the layout of Walsh Gym. Parts of me hurt that are nobody's business but mine and my husband's. You have to choose between comfort and being able to see the baseline.
Fortunately for the tattered remnants of my physical state, we got two offers of a ride home (apologies to the person we sort of stood up). The hike down South Orange Avenue was long enough on the way up; doing it in a state of white-hot rage in the snow would have been the final indignity, especially given the coughing and the hacking and the spitting.
If it weren't for the fact that I hadn't been to a St. John's road game this year, I'd have passed when I realized the absurd start time. But because we hadn't been able to go to Rutgers, and because there were no road games in the area, and because I had to miss the Iona and Syracuse games, I felt obligated. But I regret traveling over two hours each way to scream myself into pain and watch my team's coach screw over my team into a loss that suddenly puts us back on the bubble. I'm tired, I'm sick, and I could have been just as frustrated at home.
Friday, March 1, 2013
February 28th, 2013: Iona at Manhattan
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A balanced Iona attack overcame Manhattan's two stars to give the Gaels a 71-64 win in Riverdale. Manhattan's Toni-Ann Lawrence led all scorers with 23 points, while Monica Roeder finished with eight points and 12 rebounds. Joy Adams led Iona with 16 points and 19 rebounds; all five starters finished in double figures.
For all of the lights, star power, leg whips, Burger King, belated pink, and second languages, join your intrepid and enfeebled blogger after the jump.
Good evening, everyone! We're coming to you from the lofty heights of Draddy Gymnasium on the campus of Manhattan College. Your intrepid blogger realized that she would have a few hours to spare after an off-site training session, so it was off to a trio of buses and a series of elevators to the very green home of the Jaspers.
Strangely enough, it's a Pink Zone game- late for that, which is why I'm surprised.
Aaaaand just as we were about to tip off, Draddy went all Superdome on us. The power was out for a second, and the lights are still out. One of the Iona parents knows his electricity, and he's thinking about twenty minutes. Not like I wanted to get home at a decent hour tonight or anything; fortunately, I think his estimate was a bit conservative. Or not. Of course, the last lights to come on are over the court, and therefore we no can haz basketball.
We do seem to have fallen in with the right crowd, though, sitting with the families of three of the starters. Cheering for Iona, especially on the road, is different from cheering for St. John's. There's a higher expectation for boisterousness.
At halftime, it's 45-37 Iona, with Manhattan cutting the lead back to single digits on a three right before the buzzer. A CYO scrimmage is currently going, with the cheerleaders improvising chants for the kids, which is adorable. Toni-Ann Lawrence leads Manhattan with 16 points, while Joy Adams leads Iona with 13. It's been a game of spurts- Manhattan went up by 8, at which point Iona released the kraken three-point barrage and ran it up to an 11-point lead.
The defensive pressure tightened up a fair bit in the second half, so it wasn't nearly as much of an offensive explosion as the first half was. Both teams had bouts of what I can only call pure stupid, with Iona showing a remarkable tendency to throw the ball to people wearing the opposing jersey. It came down to clock management at the end- bad clock management gave Manhattan a chance to get back into the game, good clock management kept Iona's lead safe, bad clock management wrecked Manhattan's last possession.
Interesting drum work by the Manhattan band. Not sure if I liked it, but the wandering sax work during "Careless Whisper" was brilliant. Overall, a very jazzy/funky feel. As I joked at the game, "The Manhattan College Transfer?"
Karita Brown impressed me with her intensity on the glass and her defensive prowess. There's something to be said for a player who knows her role and embraces her skill set. Katie Reese's brief stints seemed to be for when an extra three-point shooter was needed as a threat on the floor. Ondya Morgan also seemed to be on more as a defensive player than anything else. Maggie Blair came off the bench in the first half, but started the second half and played the bulk of the minutes for the reserves. She had a nice three-point shot and good hands.
Monica Roeder is going to be All-MAAC in her senior year- if she isn't this year. She's a match-up nightmare for any team in the MAAC with her physical build and outside shot. She's not afraid to bang, either. If I were a Manhattan fan, I'd love her; since I was rooting for Iona, I wasn't thrilled with her existence. Toni-Ann Lawrence demolished the Gaels on the inside- they just kept inexplicably leaving her open on rotations, and whether it was with backdoor cuts or little jumpers, she made them pay. They tightened up on her in the second half, but that let Roeder loose, and they had no one who could stay with her. Fortunately for Iona, the Jaspers weren't really getting much from the rest of their starters. Neither Ashley Stec nor Allison Skrec could really get their shot going (and I spent most of the night confusing them because of their similar names), and Stec got nailed with a flagrant for pushing Damika Martinez to the floor on a fast break. Shayna Ericksen has a little bit of size, but I don't know if she knows how to use it yet. She's just a freshman, though. She'll learn.
Aaliyah Robinson got the unenviable task of having to guard Roeder (and I think she also drew Lawrence a few times), and the results were a mixed bag- she's the biggest of the Iona guards, and plays excellent defense, but she didn't have the height to match up well with her assignments. Cassidee Ranger got off one of her threes, but her defense was off, and Coach chose to go with Diana Hubbard for all his long-range shooting needs. Hubbard had a solid game- nothing spectacular, but nothing spectacular was asked of her. Shonice Hawkins had a few minutes' run as a defensive sub.
Joy Adams was all over the boards, and she was about the only Gael who was. She cooled off from the field in the second half, but she got the points when it mattered, and she was red hot in the first half. For a while, the game was a duel between her and Toni-Ann Lawrence. Damika Martinez was unusually passive shooting the ball- actually, that was a general problem for the Gaels, but it stood out especially for Martinez. She also got called for a couple of stupid fouls in the second half. Aleesha Powell got going near the end of the first half with a couple of fast breaks and a few lucky bounces. Her speed helped her, though her size was a bit of a liability on D; the more I see her, the more she reminds me physically of a slightly larger Leilani Mitchell, both in her build and in the way she carries herself. Sabrina Jeridore's head was not in the game, IMO; I suspect I'm going to spend the next two years bemoaning both her and Amber Thompson for the same issues. She got her blocks, and as the game progressed she got easier shots on the inside (with a little help from the rim). But she was not reacting on defense, which was part of how Lawrence was able to slice through the paint so easily. Haley D'Angelo helped get the team back together when it looked like they were starting to lose focus a little bit, and stepped up her scoring in the second half when she was open more. She's a very heady player, a good floor general for a young team.
The Iona family around us were irate at the officiating, and the hip check on Stec that wasn't called was rather blatant (hitting from behind is rather uncouth). D'Angelo got away with a lot of holding, and Jeridore could probably have gotten called for a shooting foul or two. Overall, it was mediocre but more or less consistent. I've dealt with worse.
The stakes are these for the Gaels: if they beat Rider, they'll likely finish second in the MAAC, unless Fairfield pulls off a miracle and beats Marist in their last game of the season. Therefore, if the seeds hold, Iona gets to go to the WNIT, and I don't think I have to tell you what that means for a team that's primarily composed of underclassmen.