Just the Facts, Ma'am: Coming back from a 10-point deficit, the Iona Gaels used 32 free throw attempts to claim a 65-61 win at St. Peter's. Iona was led by the 24 points of Damika Martinez, 18 in the second half. Joy Adams added 18 points and 11 reboudns for the Gaels. Kaydine Bent led the Peacocks with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
For dissatisfaction, pain, free throws, bad shot selection, back pain, and summation, join your intrepid and festive blogger after the jump.
Good afternoon, everyone! Your intrepid blogger comes to you for the last time in the calendar year of 2013 from St. Peter's, where the Peacocks face Iona in a MAAC conference game.
If you think you've seen a lot more of me than you have in the past, you're not crazy. (Unless you're my mom. Hi, mom. If you're my mom, you're crazy, but you're not delusional, and I love you.) When I looked at the schedule and realized how many games I already had slotted in for the calendar year of 2013, I realized that I had the opportunity to set a personal record for gmaes attended in a single calendar year. I've been using the phrase "calendar year" a lot in this run-up to clarify a point. I back up everything to a Blogspot, and I tag with the fervor of a grocery store clerk- including with the year in which the game was attended. So, for example, the 2013 tag includes games from the end of the 2012-13 NCAA season, the 2013 WNBA season, and the beginning of the 2013-14 NCAA season. I'd have to do some other math to determine most games from a given season, but that's neither here nor there.
So when my husband and I sat down and did the math, we decided to do some crazy things to get to that personal best. Day-night doubleheaders, packing weekends with games, that insane double-tournament Saturday- all basketball, all the time. If I've done the math accurately, this should be my 79th game of the season (which is not to say 79th event of the season- lots of double-headers, y'know). The amazing part is that we expected to have a playoff game or two to work with; we had no idea that the Sun and the Liberty would be the ones outside looking in at the start of the season.
But that's neither here nor there either. "Here", at the moment, is an F train on the way to 34th Street to pick up the PATH to Jersey City. "There", presumably, will be St. Peter's University, which I still think of as St. Peter's College, and the Peacocks, which I still think of as the Peahens.
At approximately twenty-seven minutes before tip-off, I was the first person to actually hand someone money in exchange for a ticket. I think attendance is going to be sparse. There are approximately thirty people in the hall- it's not even a proper gym, it's a hall- and about fifteen of them are in some way related to the running of the game. The others are friends and family of players, I think. And then there's me. I've always got to be the odd duck out. (Well, no, if that were the case, I'd be an Oregon fan. /rimshot)
I think these bleachers may actually be older than I am. The wood is worn, the treads of the stairs black with grime. As at Iona, that first step is a doozy, and today I don't have an umbrella to help brace me. Why do I alwas forget I own seat cushions? Nifty seat cushions! From the Final Four!
Haley's still out. Makes sense, you don't get over the flu in two days.
At halftime it's 34-26 St. Peter's, and I'm flat-out embarrassed. Ashamed. Infuriated. Enraged. The defense has been a hot mess- how do you leave a player open when she's the opponent's leading scorer? That all being said, Kaydine Bent is actually leading the Peacocks right now with 12 points. Joy Adams has 10 for Iona, but only one field goal (out of seven total for Iona). I took a bus to a train to a train to a bus to a hike to get here. Get it together, Gaels. Show some effort. Show some pride. Look like you're doing more than marking time until New Year's Rockin' Eve.
Pat Coyle's jackets are still a little too tight around the shoulders and sleeves, for the Board Junkies reading along. I gave her a hearty boo. The woman still makes my blood boil, even years after the Liberty fired her.
The good news, at least as far as I'm concerned, is that Iona managed to pull this game out at the very end, though they seemed to be making a fair effort to mess it up there too. The bad news is that if Iona's going to play that badly down to their competition, they're going to get burned by a team that talent-wise has no right beating them.
Teresa Corchado gave St. Peter's good minutes on defense, staying low on the ball. Kylie Garrett seemed out of place in her few minutes, though I'm not sure if that was inexperience or just a bad day for her. Neechelle Ingram was solid on the inside, though I thought she raised her elbows a little too much on a couple of her rebounds. Kaycee DeVoogd had a pretty large cheering section that made a lot of noise when she hit her one shot, but she seemed to make more of an impact defensively. I remember a lot more of her than her minutes would seem to indicate, though that might be because of the cheering section.
Kaydine Bent just absolutely ripped us up inside. She used her big build to move everyone around down low. She's not necessarily tall, but she's solid- I'd use the word thick, but I'm aware that that has other connotations that I do not necessarily wish to connote at this time. She penetrated at will. Aziza May started the game off hot, driving to the lane, but got into a little foul trouble early. Antonia Smith- Toni, by the PA announcer- also got into early foul trouble, but it also boggles my mind how she didn't score more early in the first half- the defense kept leaving her wide open. Utterly ignoring her. I don't get it. Hala Mostafa has an uncomfortable, unorthodox-looking shot, but it went down for her near the end of the game, when her team was looking for a way to make it close. If she's going to play down low like it seemed she was early on, she's got to put some muscle on. Sabrina Jeridore's not exactly a bruiser, and she was manhandling Mostafa down low. Bridget Whitfield came up with timely buckets and some good defensive plays.
Aurelia Cammock came in only long enough for Sabrina Jeridore to get a tiny bit of a break and maybe get patched up. She hustled well, but seemed the victim of bad luck. Spencer Gray was good defensively, and ran point better than I expected. Aaliyah Robinson played good defense, came up with her usual big three, and seemed a rather calming presence on the floor. There's just something about Aaliyah that seems to settle everyone down, and I wonder if that's why she comes off the bench instead of starting in Haley's absence- someone's got to be the ballast. Cassidee Ranger was once more forgotten in the corners. There were two fast breaks in rapid succession where her teammates missed her open in the corner to take shots that ultimately failed. Then Joy Adams hit a lay-up on a fast break where she still should have found Cass. I'm starting to wonder if everyone's forgotten Cassidee can shoot- maybe even including Cassidee.
Christina Rubin seemed to rely too much on the distance of her three to get going. Something that also bothered me: Coach Godsey seemed to be much harder on her when it came to fouls than she was on anyone else; as soon as Christina got her second, she was out for the rest of the first half; as soon as she got her third, she was out for a good eight minutes of the second half. Aleesha Powell ran a decent offense, though her peripheral vision was sorely lacking; she didn't seem to see open players on either side of her, sticking to more straight-ahead passes. She made sure to draw plenty of contact. Sabrina Jeridore was dangerous defensively down low, swatting shots with abandon, but offense has never been her strong point, and there's no reason she should be taking more shots in a game than Aleesha. Damika Martinez was bombs away early and often- had a lot of trouble in the first half, but fired off five quick points to start the second half and started getting more of the rolls off the rim. Joy Adams went hard for rebounds, but there were a lot that that got tipped out or thrown off and around players. She has all the athleticism, but she's got to work on her footwork and her shooting touch.
It was just an ugly, ugly game, the kind of game that people outside the sport think all women's basketball looks like. Lots of bad passes, tipped balls, bad shots, that kind of thing.
The officiating didn't help anyone, and I think it helped St. Peter's less than it helped Iona. The zero-tolerance hand-check rule was very inconsistently applied, much to the frustration of both teams.
Things I did not like: after the game, Pat Coyle called her team into a huddle at center court and looked like she was giving them a very long lecture. Really? In public? Whether you're trying to perk them up or rip them a new one, that's what the locker room is for. I don't think St. Peter's is so cheap that they only have one locker room and they were letting Iona use it first. (I mean, the facility is pretty cheap. But I think that would be against NCAA rules.)
So that was not as fun as a win should be, and I'm still worried about this team. But as the saying goes, it is what it is. And we bring the 2013 edition of the Game Notes of Doom to a close. Headed out for New Year's Eve festivities now, but I won't get too crazy.
After all, Hofstra hosts Albany tomorrow, and I'm kind of curious about Megan Craig...
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
December 31st, 2013: Iona at St. Peter's
Sunday, December 29, 2013
December 29th, 2013: Siena at Iona
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Gaels' dynamic duo of Joy Adams and Damika Martinez each put up 22 points in a 86-80 win over Siena that stayed close to the finish. Adams added 11 rebounds; the Gaels also got 18 points and seven assists from Aleesha Powell. Siena was led by the game-high 31 points of Kanika Cummings. Meghan Donohue had 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Saints, who owned their offensive glass.
For perils, late arrivals, bodily fluids, bad calls, stomping the bleachers, and rain, join your intrepid and damp bogger blogger after the jump.
As the year wraps up, with more games than you can shake a stick at, it's time to see some old friends. Iona's schedule has not been convenient for a couple of Johnnies, so we were bound and determined to make it out to Hynes for this game against Siena. (The conflicts are bad. The next home game I can get to is against Marist. Which is Senior Day.)
Whoever put on "Meet Me at the Altar", I approve your musical taste. It weirds out my husband when I sing along, but I don't particularly care.
It's cold and raining, which I do not approve of. It was so nice yesterday that I was sweating in my coat, so I left the coat home today, so of course I'm freezing today. Mother Nature, we need to have a long talk about these mood swings.
"Changez", too. Loving the mix here. Hey, dude, can you usurp the lousy DJ at St. John's games? At least you have good taste, if we have to have a DJ of some variety.
Attendance is rather sparse right now, but it's winter break. I'm not surprised. The Colonial a few rows in front of us is a bit of a surprise, though. And there's a Blue Hen across the court. What the hell?
Games aren't quite as much fun to scream at if you don't have anyone to scream with, and we have a good rapport with Damika Martinez's family. I guess we're going on our own, then.
Okay, music man, I approve your taste, but I think you need to extend your playlist slightly. You shouldn't be getting repeats after half an hour.
Iona's doing that thing where they come on and off multiple times, and it's kind of ridiculous, to the point where they don't know when they're supposed to do the big run-up and when they just run.
At halftime, it's 36-all, and the defensive intensity has been seriously lacking for Iona. I suspect some of it may be a certain unwillingness to take contact when Siena's playing like they want to be on the hockey team, but the defense has been lacking and the ball movement has been lagging. Doesn't help that the Gaels' point guard, Haley D'Angelo, is out with the flu. No, really. Not flu-like symptoms.
The Gaels came up big in the end, but there are still a lot of problems that need to be addressed.
Siena plays very tough and very physical. I'm pretty sure I don't like them. There's a hockey edge to them, and while I know they're upstate and in hockey country, there's a limited amount of checking I can stand in basketball. We don't have boards to properly check people into, anyway. Ida Krogh was the worst offender in that regard; it was clear that she was there for the sole and express purpose of gooning. The form on her shot was awful, and she was at her best (or "best") when she was smacking people around. Emia Willingham came up with some big plays near the end of the game, when Siena was right back in it. Siena ran their bench players in and out a lot, so it's hard for me to get a handle on who did what, but I remember a lot of frenetic trapping, especially in the corners by the midcourt line (which isn't technically a orner, I suppose, but in the halfcourt sense, it is). I think Allison Mullings was in on a lot of the traps, but I admit to being distracted by her very wild hair. It's easy to be sure that someone's out there when you recognize their hair, which is not the most polite of statements but is distressingly accurate. I do strive for accuracy.
Kanika Cummings was very impressive on the offensive side of the ball. It seemed like wheneer we tried to get a "DE-FENSE!" chant going in the Iona partisans' section, she would answer with a bucket, or by drawing a foul, or by scoring a bucket and drawing a foul. She single-handedly kept Siena afloat for most of the game. Meghan Donohue showed a lot of promise, even as a freshman- she had a resounding block and nice moves around the basket. She never let up on the boards, and she came up with a lot of the rebounds that were group-forced away from Joy Adams. Siena had a knack for working together in groups of two or three for rebounds and loose balls. Clara Solé Anglada seemed to throw a lot of shots at the basket without any interest in making sure that they actually went into the basket. She had a clean break that she utterly blew on a bad take. Tehresa Coles got into early foul trouble, which she never really got out of and which ended up knocking her out of the game. Ciara Stewart didn't make an immediately visible impact, but she was a big part of the trapping defense that slowed Iona's offense down.
Aaliyah Robinson kept a clear head and came up with some big threes when her team needed her. Cassidee Ranger was also back to her old perch in the corners, which is where she fits best. Trying to use her as a post was a bad idea. Spencer Gray was mostly in for defensive purposes, as part of an offense-defense switch with Damika Martinez, and she and Aleesha Powell teamed up on a couple of nice defensive stops. She's impressed me with her defense as a freshman.
Christina Rubin bombed threes from the corners and made good plays on the ball. I was pleasantly surprised- this is the first I've seen of her in extended minutes, as she was buried on the bench last year. Sabrina Jeridore looked like the minutes without a reserve post were starting to get to her, especially late in the game when she was all but letting rebounds bounce off her hands. To be fair, at the same time she was also starting to show her shot-blocking ability again, but she needs to rebound, especially since she's the only post player playing primarily in the paint who's currently actually playing. We're not asking her to shoot- words cannot express how bad an idea it is for Bri to take jumpers- but she has to be a defensive force. Joy Adams crashed the boards ferociously, albeit with mixed success. She ran nice fast breaks, but I think Siena had been warned about her- they covered her pretty tightly, especially on the glass. (I looked at the box score, and I'm pretty sure at least two of those turnovers were rebounds that she didn't have complete control over.) Damika Martinez started off slow, taking bad threes and getting in foul trouble early, but got hot in the second half and converted on her free throws (which is a recurring theme with my teams, you may have noticed). She had a beautiful pass down low to Joy for a lay-up. Aleesha Powell ran a very solid point guard and hit some pretty shots off the glass.
All this sounds like I should be happy, but I'm really not. I don't like relying too much on the three, and we went 11-22 from beyond the arc. I'm of a defensive mindset, and we allowed 80 points while letting them have 17 offensive rebounds. Too much time was spent lolly-gagging in the backcourt- Damika only avoided a ten-second call by the skin of her teeth. Joy made a bad decision, and only two possessions later, after a great defensive play, does her coach decide to yelll at her about it. I did like the offense-defensive switch with Damika and Spencer- protects Damika, keeps her out of foul trouble, and puts Spencer in a situation where she can be successful. But I'm honestly not sure how much listening is going on on that bench, and that frightens me.
The officials were a hot mess today. If a player's jersey is being pulled so hard it seems about ready to come off, you might want to call the hold. If a player is taking four or five steps, it might behoove you to call that. We got the benefit of plenty of the slop ourselves- by rights, Sabrina should have been in foul trouble for most of the game. But I get tired of seeing badly called games that are flat-out dangerous for the players.
My fondness for Iona will have to be from afar for the next few months as we go our separate ways, but I'm looking forward to seeing them again on Tuesday for my final game of the 2013 calendar year.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
December 28th, 2013: Seton Hall at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Briana Brown scored 20 points and added eight rebounds in the Red Storm's hard-fought win over Seton Hall. Danaejah Grant and Keylantra Langley each added 16 points off the bench. Bra'Shey Ali led the Pirates with 17 points, 13 in the first half. Ka-Deidre Simmons had 14 points for Seton Hall; Sidney Cook added 11 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
For bricks, Brick City, all kinds of awkwardness, vast quantities of socialization, Christmas cards, hugs, and getting the gang back together, join your intrepid and purple blogger after the jump.
Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the first ever Totally Awkward Bowl, where St. John's hosts Seton Hall in a game rife with personal loyalties and awkward situations.
You have to understand: we're friendly with Seton Hall's coach and somewhat indifferent to Joe Tartamella as a person. We go to Seton Hall games and cheer for the Pirates. Your dashing reporter knows the words to Seton Hall's fight song. On the other hand, St. John's is our team, and when the chips our down, your intrepid blogger will ride or die with her Johnnies. So yes, it was a bit awkward when we walked into the arena in our red and white and Brittany Webb made a couple of rude gestures. And getting the Christmas card over to Coach Bozzella was a mission requiring special panning.
This is apparently Old Home Week; Nadirah McKenith already made it clear that she was coming, and we ran into former Johnnie Amanda Burakoski (you can understand why we called her Buzz; that's a mouthful), who sat and chatted with us for a while.
I still need those skyline socks in my life, SJU. Make it so. I'm not asking for freebies- just tell me where I can buy them, then shut up and take my money!
Between Christmas break and the men's game at Barclays Center, the band is a bit short-handed. That is, there are six people here, and the bandleader has had to grab a horn and join the instrumentalists. Then again, there are apparently about ten band members at Barclays, so I suspect the issue is more Christmas break than anything else.
Coach Bozzella sat down and had a good long chat with Coach Pellicane, and damned if I wasn't thinking Oh, Tony, if this were the case our lives would be infinitely easier and I wouldn't have to go to South Orange. Not that I'm advocating for a coaching change already, but from a personal standpoint, my life would be easier. #firstworldproblems
Whichever idiot scheduled the first game of conference play against a men's game should be smacked. I feel like there should be some priorities here.
At halftime, it's as close as we were expecting, 37-34 St. John's, but not necessarily for the reasons we were expecting. Tabatha Richardson-Smith has been held down, but Bra'Shey Ali has gone off. Aliyyah Handford has been quiet, but Briana Brown has nine and Keylantra Langley has eight.
All we need is Shenneika Smith and it's safe to say the gang is back together; Jennifer Blanding's been sitting with Nadirah and her mom for most of the first half. (It was a five-player class: Shenneika, Nadirah, Eugeneia, Amanda, and Jennifer. Or, for short, Neika, Nana, Gina, Buzz, and Love.)
The crowd has definitely filled in, which is making me think there were delays on NJ Transit. When Amber's mom and other folks from Newark are late, that's usually my cue that NJ Transit messed up, surprise surprise.
Seton Hall has hit the offensive boards well. I don't think it's occurred to St. John's that the Pirates don't give up anymore. They're gritty. They're not going to get their backs broken. The Red Storm have gotten their outside shooting going a bit to get a little bit of breathing room.
Yep, we've got the full set. Just spotted Shenneika. Hi, Neika! Seriously, I swear we're not stalking you! (This goes for you too, Sandra- ran into her on my way home after the game. If that's not proof we live in the neighborhood, I don't know what is.)
Hung out a while after the game while networking occurred, and it took security pretty much turning off every light in the lobby of Carnesecca Arena for people to leave. But, given that approximately half of the basketball community of Newark and several alumnae were in the house, I'm not terribly surprised. It was kind of adorable watching everyone meet up. Lots of hugging occurred, which is just a natural follow-up from Ka-Deidre Simmons hugging Aliyyah Handford to end the game.
If there's a moral victory for St. John's on top of the scoreboard victory, it's that Tony Bozzella didn't go deep into his bench. (Granted, Brittany Webb was out of commission, which doesn't help the situation any.) He wasn't able to use any of his freshmen, relying instead of two experienced players. Alexis Brown seemed to play with a chip on her shoulder, but she worked the offensive boards hard, making sure that no rebound was safe no matter how big the player who had it was. (Personally, I would avoid getting all up in Amber Thompson's business, but I'm a bit of a wuss.) She also intercepted passes better than I've seen anyone in a blue uniform do in months, and that's including my Giants. Breanna Jones set hard screens and was the defense switch in an offense-defense switch with Sidney Cook. She had a couple of resounding blocks that really got the Seton Hall partisans going, especially the one that looked like a clean break for St. John's.
The good news for St. John's was that they managed to keep Tabatha Richardson-Smith under wraps for the most part. She missed shots that are customarily her bread and butter, even threes from the wing with a smaller defender on her. The bad news was that Bra'Shey Ali picked up the slack, especially in the first half. She hit a few pretty jumpers from the elbow and got the rolls in the lane. Sidney Cook rebounded pretty much all the things, without mercy and without regard for anyone who might have been in the way. She wasn't a full offensive threat, what with not possessing a jumper and not getting some of the rolls on the rim, but she never let up on the boards. Ka-Deidre Simmons eventually got tired of watching her teammates miss shots in the early going and sliced through the defense in the lane, which I find inexcusable. I'm pretty sure everyone on St. John's knows Simmons. There's no reason to not know how she plays. We clogged up the lane a little better after that, and she wasn't as successful in getting to the basket, but then she started drawing fouls. Janee Johnson tried to get cute in the lane, which wasn't a good idea. She couldn't get a bucket to go down, and got in early enough foul trouble that Breanna Jones started the second half.
Seton Hall is a tough, gritty team. They're going to chase you and harry you and pursue you and breathe down your neck and make sure that you never feel comfortable with a small lead. They stay all up in your business.
Aaliyah Lewis put up a valiant effort, but I think she might have been in a little over her head with Seton Hall. Good passing, though she seems to have taken up Ashley Perez's mantle as 'the one player every team has who missed the memo on zero-tolerance hand-checks' (every team has one, you'll note). Keylantra Langley came up with huge baskets when her team needed her and demonstrated some great senior leadership. One moment stands out in my mind: Amber Thompson had just had a strong move to the basket go off the rim and out. She was furious with herself. Key immediately went over, grabbed her, talked to her, and settled her down. Amber hit both free throws, which is a minor miracle. Danaejah Grant showed off her offensive skills from all over the floor- it's nice to have a good three-point shooter who can also score from other parts of the floor- and showed hints of the kind of electricity that you might see with Aliyyah and Danaejah together. Jade Walker kept getting called for fouls that I thought were nonsense, but gave a couple of good stretches off the bench. She put up a couple of very nice moves.
I always hesitate about calling Briana Brown the Captain, because I'm a Blueshirt, and the Captain is Mark Messier. Or Derek Jeter, though I'm a Mets fan. But Briana Brown is unmistakably the captain of this team and the rock they rely on. She came up with big shots in this game. One stands out: shot clock running down, Bri in the corner with the ball- and she takes the half second to get her feet behind the line to make sure that it's a three instead of a long two. Cans it. She's been fantastic this year, but you'll hear more about me and crow and Briana Brown in March. Aliyyah Handford had a rough time of it, hassled and doubled or tripled, and always seeming to run up against Seton Hall screens on the defensive end. She hit the floor a lot and seemed to be expecting more calls than she was getting. (To which I always say, "You're not getting the calls, put your big girl panties on and deal with it!" Loudly.) Eugeneia McPherson does seem to have forgotten that they put the ten-second rule in place this year- she spends way too much time lollygagging in the backcourt and dithering at the midcourt line. I know that Gina's not a natural point guard, but it does worry me sometimes. Amber Thompson got a lot of defensive attention and didn't seem entirely comfortable with it. She called for the ball while doubled a little too much for my liking. She came up big on the boards, especially late in the game. Sandra Udobi got her second straight start and gave good minutes down low, but didn't play a lot.
The refs really irked us in the second half. It was starting to get a little ridiculous. And then Coach Bozzella started going in on the refs on a call that seemed pretty straightforward from this side of the court, and we got to yell at him for a while. I know zero-tolerance hand-check is a thing, but can it not be a thing in the same game where swipes are being taken at people's faces and jerseys are being pulled?
Our poor band was so shorthanded. It was adorable and pathetic. But they know that we love them.
The place got loud at the end, when the Seton Hall fans started to get excited and the St. John's fans answered them, and the people who had people on both teams weren't sure what to do. Loved every second of it. I hope the atmosphere is this intense at Walsh Gym in February. This needs to be a rivalry.
The perils of trying to play both sides: after the game, while looking for my husband, I encountered Brittany Webb, who denounced us as traitors and said we were no longer welcome at Walsh Gymnasium. Good thing I'm going to St. Peter's on the 31st, then. No, seriously, I like Seton Hall, and I want them to rise from the ashes that Phyllis Mangina left them in, but St. John's is my ride or die team, and I'm sorry if that irks people.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
December 22nd, 2013: California at Connecticut
Just the Facts, Ma'am:: Breanna Stewart outscored Cal by herself for long stretches, and UConn romped over the Golden Bears 80-47. Stewart finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Morgan Tuck had 12 off the bench; Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis added 10 points. Brittany Boyd and Hind Ben Abdelkader each had 9 to lead Cal, which shot 29.9% for the game.
For bricks, exploits, one-woman wrecking crews, high school alumnae, unwanted cheese, and a bit of pep in your step, join your intrepid and time-pressed blogger after the jump.
We're at halftime of Cal and UConn right now, and Breanna Stewart has a slender lead on the Golden Bears, 21-20. Unfortunately for Cal, there are 19 other Connecticut points to consider, and they're being doubled up 40-20.
I'n not a big UConn person, but their arrangement of "Light 'Em Up" is on point.
If Cal could shoot, this would be a serious game, but Cal couldn't shoot and I couldn't write too much at the half because the people next to me were kind of jerks and I ended up having to collect my pen and tickets from various parts of the Garden floor. You have no idea how much I dislike that Ohio State fan right now, you really don't. Even less than my usual disdain for Ohio State, I dislike that guy.
Lindsay Gottlieb went to the end of her bench earlier in the second half than UConn did, so we got a couple of minutes of Avigiel Cohen (nice little drive) and KC Waters (that's a big player there). Brittany Shine went in earlier and put together some decent minutes. Mikayla Lyles is a very substantial guard. Justine Hartman took up space in the middle and put in a pretty hook in the second half. She didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the very fast, very bouncy team. Kyra Dunn was pretty solid.
Reshanda Gray started the game off pretty hot, but like many of her teammates, she had severe issues with actually putting the ball in the basket. She gets good position, but she can't finish. This is not a recording yet. Courtney Range didn't seem to do anything, but there were rebounds. I've always had trouble with rebounds on teams that aren't mine. Hard to tell bodies apart when I'm not used to them. Brittany Boyd seemed to think that she could solve all her team's woes. Sometimes, you have to learn when not to shoot. She missed all kinds of shots: hard shots, easy shots, fast breaks, everything and anything. Her hands were exceptionally fast on defense, as she wrestled away plenty of loose balls from Connecticut players, but that didn't quite make up for the lousy, abhorrent shooting. Afure Jemerigbe always seemed to be in the middle of the play, but like her teammates, shooting was an issue. Hind Ben Abdelkader seemed to be the only Cal player with a fundamentally sound jump shot, even if it didn't go down very often. The folks around me were impressed with her, though that might just be because she didn't look as bad as the rest of the Bears did on offense. I still have to remember this is a very young team, but I can't help but feel that Gottlieb might need to bring in an assistant who specializes in fundamentals and mechanics. Cal's got the athleticism, the drive, and the instinct, but they don't have the skill- but skill can be learned.
We did not get to hear the alternative pronunciation of Briana that Briana Pulido uses (it does amuse me that Breanna, Briana, and Brianna are all pronounced ever so slightly differently). We did see Tierney Lawlor can a late three like it was nothing. She's got a real pretty shot. She could probably be in the rotation anywhere else in the state of Connecticut, but there are basketball players in the state of Connecticut who would rather be walk-ons at UConn. I sort of get it. I don't necessarily agree, and I think that mentality is bad for the game, but I understand it. Morgan Tuck seemed to be under orders to practice the midrange jumper- late in the game, she took three of them in a row, to go with the threes she hit earlier. She doesn't look like she should be taking threes, but they work. She's also physical underneath. I like her, and I know I'd like her more if she weren't a Husky, and I recognize that bias within myself. Kiah Stokes didn't get into the game until the second half, but she played well defensively once she was in the game. Saniya Chong looked a little tight- I think the Cal defense got into her head. Either that, or she felt the pressure of the contingent from Ossining staring down at her from the endcourt every time she came back to her side of the court. They cheered very loudly for her and even bought a Sweet Spot on Gardenvision to wish her luck. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis technically didn't start, but given that Geno brought her in before the first basket was even scored, and given that she started the second half, I think that was just a technicality. I think everyone held her breath when she went down on the elbow again, but the brace held. For a change, she wasn't just a three-point shooter- she brought other offense as well.
Bria Hartley missed a lot of easy shots, but demonstrated a fair amount of speed. This was the kind of game where people who think she should get drafted high will point at her physical gifts and people who don't think she should be drafted high will point at the mistakes she made, and everyone will walk away with the same opinions that they had before. Stefanie Dolson was limited because of early foul trouble, and by the time the number of fouls wasn't an issue, she was no longer necessary. Moriah Jefferson (whose first name was repeatedly butchered by the PA announcer, either as Moira or Moria (like the mines where lots of dwarves died), for the entire first half) was very quick and took a lot of hits to land hard on the ground. She had a gorgeous find of Dolson down low on a drop pass that a lot of players might have taken up themselves. Brianna Banks did work on the boards, and I like seeing her do well; it wipes out the memory of her writhing on the floor at St. John's. And then there was Breanna Stewart, who pretty much did all the things with the kind of cavalier... grace isn't the right word, neither is attitude, but in a manner that made it look entirely too easy. She had a baby hook that I rather liked. She took threes. She blocked shots with authority. She rebounded. I don't know how to put into perspective how good she was without just saying "she did everything", but that's the quickest way to sum it up.
After some dicey non-calls in the beginning of the game- one of the Cal players kept receiving hands to the face- things settled down, officiating-wise. Not that that would have been a concern in a thirty-point blowout. We were somewhat disappointed that Geno left Dolson in so late, but I've seen a lot of UConn games; I know that sometimes they have to leave a starter in just to make sure the deep reserves don't run the score up.
I don't think I'm ever going to develop a true tolerance for UConn fans, especially not in arenas I consider to be mine, but at least they spend money. It is what it is. :/ I'm tired of seeing UConn blowouts, though. Step your game up, y'all. If a team like St. John's can go toe-to-toe with UConn for a couple of years, teams with way more talent can do it. Okay, so UConn was down a player each time, but they were close games! There's only so much of the glorified practice I can take.
December 22nd, 2013: Texas A&M at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Aliyyah Handford's driving lay-up with two seconds left clinched a big win for the St. John's Red Storm over the Aggies of Texas A&M. Handford finished with a game-high 27 points, adding five rebounds. Eugeneia McPherson chipped in 14 points, 12 in the second half. Karla Gilbert led Texas A&M with 15 points, 13 in the second half.
For relief, newcomers, leading cheers, shivering, chess moves, and exhilaration, join your intrepid and hassled blogger after the jump.
Good morning, from the new shiny Madison Square Garden, where St. John's and Texas A&M will be starting in about ten minutes. The scoreboard is very, very shiny. Lots of things are shiny. The Red Storm's red warmups look especially bright under the lights. Selina Archer and Danaejah Grant are dressed for the first time. (Look, autocorrect, if the Selina spelling is good enough for Catwoman, it's good enough for our center. Put your sunglasses on and deal with it.)
Unsurprisingly, the attendance is sparse so far. I can't say I'm surprised. Neither of these teams is going to draw for 11AM, and UConn fans aren't going to come in the morning for two teams they don't care about.
Lots of Liberty giveaways in the seats. Nice cross-marketing.
What did I do in my last life to end up next to an Ohio State fan in a game that involves no players from the state of Ohio? There are maybe twenty people in the damn section and I've got a Buckeye fan on my right hip. Why me? Did I make a practice of kicking puppies last time around? (I really don't like Ohio State. Long story. Not for public consumption.)
My team is so far away. I'm not used to this. :(
Not the usual Garden announcer either. Now how can I be sure I'm pronouncing Danaejah properly?
At halftime, the Johnnies are up three, 33-30. Aliyyah Handford is back on form, with 18 of the 33. Texas A&M has had flashes of excellent passing, but the Red Storm's defense has held firm down low, firmer than I was expecting.
Beautiful anthem, as is tradition. I shouldn't be surprised that Texas A&M has excellent flag etiquette, with their strong military influence. St. John's went with the twee arm-linking.
I think the people around us are miffed that we're cheering. In case y'all didn't notice, we're wearing St. John's gear, we're going to be a little passionate about this game. We'll be quieter for UConn and Cal (though not as quiet as all that; your intrepid blogger is quite fond of those Golden Bears, and your dashing reporter has family ties to the University of California at Berkeley).
OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD THANK YOU LORD BABY JESUS AND ALIYYAH HANDFORD. I'm trying hard to be coherent about this, but it's hard. Texas A&M may not be as good as they usually are, but that's still a name, and beating a name means a lot in women's basketball.
Texas A&M had spurts of excellent play. I take nothing away from the Aggies. They were fast, aggressive, and tough. They played the passing lanes well and played very tough defense. Gary Blair's one of the best in the business, and no one exploits the fine print of the rules of basketball better than he does. Love to watch him work- glad we could beat him.
Curtyce Knox was incredibly fast- had a couple of breaks for steals, though one of those may have belonged to Tori Scott. Whoever it was, she was moving too fast for me to get more than an impression of a number starting with 1 and long hair. Tori Scott gave good minutes off the bench- she got the second half start to protect Courtney Williams, who had three fouls. She was very quick, especially on defense. Tavarsha Scott-Williams did well cutting along the baseline for baskets- I think she was one of their better offensive rebounders. They had a few bench players in and out, but Scott, Scott-Williams, and Knox gave them the bulk of their reserve play.
Karla Gilbert was much more of a factor in the second half than the first- the Aggies were able to adjust to the Red Storm's lack of height and go high to the big girl. They seemed more focused on working with the speed of their forwards than taking advantage of the height advantage, though. I think that backfired in the end- had they been able to draw more fouls on St. John's, especially the way the game was called in the third quarter, they might have forced Joe Tartamella to make different personal decisions in the final five minutes. Achiri Ade seemed to be more of a defensive player than an offensive player- they were very careful to manage her fouls, especially in the latter stages of the game. Courtney Walker was harassed all day and really couldn’t get into a rhythm, though she made up for it a little bit at the free throw line in the second half (but we'll get to that later). Courtney Williams started the second half on the bench, as mentioned above, because of the foul issues. For all the points she put up, she really didn't leave much of an impression. Jordan Jones drew what we felt was an utterly nonsensical charge on Eugeneia McPherson and also made a superb hustle play in the second half to save an Aggie possession.
From where we were, and from my admitted lack of familiarity with this incarnation of Texas A&M, a lot of the players looked very similar- tall, lanky, athletic forwards who crashed the boards hard and harassed the passing lanes. So I apologize for not being able to differentiate them as well as I would have liked. They're a good team that's going to make plenty of noise in the SEC.
Mallory Jones played briefly in the first half, just long enough for us to be sure that Joe had completely lost his mind. At which point Texas A&M went on a 5-0 run and Mallory went back to the bench. (I like her taste in music, and she seems like a nice kid, but she's mostly been fail this year.) Jade Walker gave good defensive minutes, especially in the first half- she held her ground a lot more strongly than I would have expected from a freshman in her first Garden game. Keylantra Langley came off the bench in this one, and as usual, her field goals both came when the shot clock was about to expire (though she airballed a three in the same situation; apparently Key only gets so much of the magic per game). Selina Archer saw her first minutes in red and white, and while she's got height, I wasn't pleased with her lack of hustle on the boards. In the Big East, it's not enough to just be tall. Danaejah Grant put up a couple of jumpers from the free throw line and showed flashes of what we've all been looking forward to from her, but also showed that this was her first game for St. John's with really bad passing. Perhaps having the person who's in her first game take the inbounds is a bad plan, Joe. Aaliyah Lewis was pesky on defense, but didn't play much past the first half. This was not the kind of game where having a tiny guard pestering the ballhandler was going to be very effective. She was good at what she could do, but she was too much of a liability to use much.
Briana Brown drew some unenviable assignments (there was a point where the "5-8" guard was attempting to defend 6-5 Karla Gilbert, and this is not a good idea. She didn't play a lot, because she was off her game (I'm thinking of a specific floater). Points to Joe for having the guts to not go with the starter, especially when that starter is a senior captain. Sandra Udobi got the start, likely in an attempt to counter Texas A&M's size, and she played well, especially in the first half. I suspect her knee started acting up, which was why her minutes were reduced, but she made some good defensive stands down low and hit a few midrange jumpers. Eugeneia McPherson played a capable point guard- not inspired, because she didn't seem to know how to react when the play broke down, but she can run plays with the best of them. She came up with clutch threes and free throws in the second half to help seal the game. Amber Thompson didn't have much of an offensive impact, but she played excellent straight-up, physical defense down low. She rebounded well and made a huge impact in the paint. And then there was Aliyyah Handford, and a week off did wonders for her explosiveness. Her first step was quick as a blink, and she even hit a couple of jumpers from the free throw line, which is one of the signs of the apocalypse, just after the four horsemen riding out, but before the angel with the flaming sword. She came up big when we needed her, most obviously at the very end.
The refs irked me greatly when the foul differential was 7-0 sometime early in the second half. Fortunately, they got over it in a hurry. I would have liked to see the zero tolerance actually be zero tolerance, but at the same time, St. John's got away with a couple of fouls, so I'll take it.
By the end of the game, the people around us might have thought we were crazy, but they were also getting into the game. We did try to lead the cheerleaders, as we usually do, but sixteen rows above the court level, it's a bit difficult to do so. At least we got our section cheering.
I really thought we were going to blow the endgame somehow. Joe's not great in endgame situations, but I'll give him credit for making excellent personnel decisions today. He played the hot hands, rotated defensive and offensive players, and generally worked the chess game exceptionally well against one of the best in the business.
This is the kind of game where we fold, usually. Today? Today we did not fold. We bent but did not break, and I love this team so much. So, so much. So proud of them.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
December 15th, 2013: James Madison at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: James Madison withstood a strong second half showing by St. John's and came away with the 64-51 win. Kirby Burkholder led the Dukes with 18 points, while Toia Giggetts added 12 points and six rebounds, and Jazmon Gwathmey had 10 points and six blocks. Eugeneia McPherson led the Red Storm with 15 points off the bench.
For frustration, buses, slush, soreness, nonsensical awards, swats, and potential friction, join your intrepid and jumpy blogger after the jump.
We're at intermission now, with the second game, between James Madison and St. John's, ready to start in half an hour or so. James Madison is in their home whites, St. John's in road colors, which doesn't make any sense, since this is our arena. Someone needs to cue the James Madison fans which bench is which, though the migration does appear to have begun. I think the roads have cleared; the Conn-tingent is starting to drift in, and our New Jerseyans are arriving. (I'm not sure whether to call them the Brick City Brigade or to factor in Jade and Sandie and call them the Jersey Boys and Girls. By the time I figure it out, Jade will have graduated...)
I think we have alumnae, but I can't swear to it, and looking up the 2005-06 team in the middle of GNoD would just be weird.
The colors thing makes more sense now- they're debuting a blue and red third jersey, and Chartwells is usually when they make their fashion statements. I like that we have a third jersey, if only because the guys do too, but I don't like the jersey itself. We're the Red Storm, we should wear red. (James Madison also seems to be wearing an alternate white jersey. What is this, the NCAA catwalk?)
The band members that are holding down the fort here at Carnesecca are clustered around various video devices to catch the men's game at the Garden versus Syracuse. Actually, pretty much everyone related to St. John's is checking the score. Your intrepid blogger has the play-by-play open in another tab, along with her various idle games and game info.
At halftime... today is not a good day to be a Johnnie. The men screwed the pooch against Syracuse and the women don't seem to care about the game on the floor, down 29-13 to James Madison. I seriously do not know what is wrong with my team, but I do not approve. If they're broken, they need to be fixed; if they're distracted, they need to be refocused; if they're injured, then they need time to heal. There's no effort, especially on the offensive end, and it's disgusting. Aaliyah and Aliyyah are both out of sync. Gina McPherson is backing away from contact as if she's caught leprosy.
That awkward moment when you realize the person who you thought was the dude who looks like Shenneika Smith is, in fact, Shenneika Smith. I think I also spotted someone in a W team sweatshirt, or at least one that uses the W font, but I can't read it.
I don't think the SEC road trip was good for this team. I don't know what happened since the Harvard game, but it's like someone let all the air out of the balloon and they're all fighting over who was holding the pin. Okay, the metaphor is a bit strained, but the point remains that whatever comeback magic they were rocking against Harvard, and whatever can of butt-whoopin' they had against Iona, they lacked it this weekend against the representatives from the CAA.
Angela Mickens has impressive speed and a knack for misdirection. She left Aaliyah Lewis flat-footed once or twice, and Aaliyah's pretty quick. She made things run very smoothly for the Dukes. Lauren Okafor, presumably off her success yesterday, got a lot of minutes in this one- she got knocked around a little bit more by Jade and (a little bit Sandie), but still made things happen for James Madison underneath. Destiny Jones and Crystal Ross both played briefly, mostly to deal with foul issues. Neither made much of an impact, though Ross had more of one than Jones.
Jazmon Gwathmey has really long arms and bit hands. She swats shots well, especially on breaks where the player with the ball is utterly certain that she's got the lay-up. It gets her in foul trouble, but it also stops the opponent's offense cold. Nikki Newman spent much of the second half in foul trouble, but still rebounded well. Precious Hall had a nice and-1 in the first half, but was quiet for most of the game, with Mickens getting the bulk of the minutes. Kirby Buckholder came up with big shots in the second half and helped clinch the game with free throws. Toia Giggetts had less dancing, but more defense and midrange jumpers- she was very efficient and well placed.
The Dukes did a nice job converting on the break and finding the open player under the basket on cuts. They didn't necessarily react well to surprises, but they reacted better to broken plays than they did yesterday.
Jade Walker used her size well on the inside, but she has to play defense without holding. She's a freshman, so I'll let that slide a little bit- but she needs to be learning how to move without holding, and the coaching staff needs to make that a point of emphasis with her. She's not that quick, but she needs to be faster. Sandra Udobi was in very briefl in the first half, but the knee must have started acting up again, because she didn't go back in the game after that, even when both Amber and Jade were in foul trouble. Eugeneia McPherson gave us all a scare when she crumpled to the floor with her left knee bent, but it looked like it was just tightness or a cramp or something, because she came back intot he game. She backed away from contact long before that, though. That irked me- there's no point in having her in as a defensive player if she's going to run-run-run and then run away like a coward. All of that being said, her sharpshooting in the second half, especially beyond the arc, fueled the comeback.
Aaliyah Lewis really needs to stop shooting. I don't know whether she's desperately trying to play for her job with Gina back in the rotation and our transfer from Clemson becoming eligible at the semester break, but she's pressing badly, and it's backfiring in spectacular fashion. She's a good passer and a speedy player. I don't know why she's trying and trying to score, and doing so with bad shots against far bigger opponents. Sometimes the most important part of being a point guard is knowing when not to score. Aliyyah Handford seems to have lost her confidence driving to the lane. She got a lot of it back in the second half, but there was too much of her running along the same path on the free throw line with her hands up, not caring about the presence of the defense. I don't think she was expecting all the attention, which is very strange, given how well she was playing; you'd think she'd think other teams would figure it out eventually. Amber Thompson was awful in the first half, but I think someone got up in her face in the locker room at half time, because she came out blazing, gong strong to the basket and getting rebounds. Keylantra Langley had a decent third quarter, but her common sense utterly deserted her in the endgame, with dumb fouls that utterly ruined any momentum that the team had. Briana Brown seemed to be the only player with any urgency in the latter stages of the game- I think she was the only one who attempted a three when we were down nine with something like three minutes to go. She was in way over her head with the height of James Madison- her defensive match-up was usually Jazmon Gwathmey, who is a long-limbed true 4, whereas Briana is a very determined two.
No urgency. No clock management. Very limited awareness of proper shot selection. Really, really bad player management by Joe (why would you go four guard set against a team that big?) It was like they came back part of the way, lost a little bit of momentum, then decided to pack it in and go home. Counter-intuitive when you're home. Shame, because the band and fans really got into it with the comeback.
No one was happy with the refs. Blocks and charges were especially contentious today, and I'm not sure how getting a forearm to the chest earned Keylantra a foul. But whatever.
Apparently people in Virginia don't have a sense of humor. Fine. Just for that, I hope Drexel wins the CAA after all.
I'm tired, and I'm disappointed, and I don't know what to do, and I don't know what to expect. Are we ready? Was the beginning of the season the illusion? Or is this the illusion, and this too shall pass?
December 15th, 2013: Drexel at Prairie View (Chartwells Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Prairie View threatened but never followed through, and Drexel came away with a 53-45 win at the St. John's Chartwells Holiday Classic. Rachel Pearson led the Dragons with 14 points and nine rebounds. Jeanette Jackson of Prairie View led all scorers with 23 points, 18 in the second half.
For imbalance, emptiness, metaphysics, avians, cookies, and one lucky duck, join your intrepid and sick blogger after the jump.
Good morning, or afternoon, or evening, or timeless abyss in the depths of the howling void, wherever you may be reading Swish Appeal! It's day two of the Chartwells Holiday classic, this time featuring Drexel versus Prairie View. Looks like Prairie View gets to be the home team today, as Drexel is rocking their navy blue again (seriously, you are Dragons, with all the draconic colors available to you, why are you boring navy blue?). Unsurprisingly, a lot of people are not here, as St. John's fans only tend to show up for their own games. Guys, it's free. Enjoy the freeness of its freeness!
Prairie View's been putting up a good fight in this one. They're down 13 at the half, which is better than yesterday against James Madison. Their offense is still questionable, running down the clock constantly, but their defense has improved. Drexel is doing a nice job closing on Jeanette Jackson, similar to the way they swarmed Aliyyah Handford yesterday. This time, Prairie View has been able to get a little offense from Gabrielle Scott to make up for it. Fouls are still a little bit of a problem for Drexel, but there isn't quite as much rending of garments and tearing of hair as there was yesterday at the officials.
Prairie View started the game in their road purple, with Drexel wearing their road blues. Apparently the officials did not approve, because the Panthers just ran out here in their home whites. They seem a little cranky about it. I wonder if the female ref had to watch them to make sure they did it or something.
Good fight by Prairie View. Their pressure in the latter parts of the game discombobulated Drexel, and while it wasn't enough to pull out the win, they made it very, very respectable.
As a woman of Greek heritage (it's my mom's side) I get thrown off when someone decides to name their daughter Pandora. Yes, it means "all gifts", but it also means "stupid woman who opened the box of sins and unleashed all evil upon the world, what were you even thinking?" So it was a little hard for me to focus on Pandora Wilson doing things on the court. She seemed to rely more on her width than any skill in getting position. Carrie Alexander brought decent energy off the bench, but had a couple of dumb plays. Jackie Schluth did well in the middle on both ends of the floor, but kept committing fouls while lying down. On one hand, that's hard luck; on the other hand, roll out of the way! Don't foul out tripping someone because you can't dodge. Tory Thierolf was again primarily a defensive player- I get the feeling offense is not her strong point.
Alexis Smith had remarkable speed, and unusually for a freshman, seems to have picked up the knack for running backwards. On the other hand, she played more defense with her hands than with her feet. (Then again, freshman. We have a freshman with the same problem. She can learn.) Meghan Creighton again brought the unnecessary fouls. It's not necessary to trip an opponent and then try to claim that you were fouled. That, and it's tacky. Rachel Pearson made sure that as close as Prairie View got, Drexel would always stay ahead, coming up with big shots late. Fiona Flanagan got into early foul trouble, and Coach Dillon was very conservative about fouls for most of the game- once Flanagan picked up the second in the first half, she was gone for most of the game. I think they were expecting to use her as more of a rebounder. Sarah Curran did just enough of the scoring in the first half to make sure that Drexel had a lead.
The defensive pressure was heavily team-based- I think everyone contributed, whether it was the forwards clogging the middle or Smith making flashy steals like she thought she was playing for the Eagles or something.
Alexus Parker made it very clear why she thought she was on the floor- she wears 3 and she shoots threes. She spent most of the game dancing around the arc with her hands out, looking for the shot. I don't think she knew what to do when she didn't have a shot opportunity. Shaneece Stephens at least knew when she made bad mistakes, and also had a gorgeous steal in the second half where she rose up and intercepted a pass. Tonisha Lacey was the only post off the bench who got minutes, which surprises me- Shamiya Brooks wasn't great yesterday, but neither was Lacey, and it's becoming clear that Asha Hampton-Finch needs a break more often than her coach will give it to her. It's not a good sign when you can see a player laboring on the floor.
Jeanette Jackson found her rhythm, and a little space, in the second half, and once that happened, she came alive, sniping threes and driving fearlessly to the lane. Several of her free throws did come after the game aws once more out of reach, but she got them back into it pretty much by sheer force of will. Gabrielle Scott drove us nuts in the first half with four or five shots that had a foot on the line. Then she took the step back and promptly buried the shot. The lesson, alas, didn't stick. She seemed really out of rhythm and out of place. Larissa Scott got her rebounding on, especially on the offensive end. LaReahn Washington is still hard to get a handle on. I'm not sure if she's a playmaker, or if she just gets the ball up, or if she's a streaky scorer that I just haven't seen on a good streak. But she didn't bring anything that I could determine. Asha Hampton-Finch boxes out well, but her rebounding and especially her ability to get a hand on the ball leave much to be desired.
Prairie View just generally seemed hesitant on offense. They relied heavily on Jackson, and too many possessions involved them passing the ball around and around and around until someone either chucked up a desperation shot or there was a shot clock violation. No clock management skills whatsoever. Also, way, way too many high passes. Panthers don't fly, unless zoology has tragically lied to me. Lots of yelling from the sideline, but I don't know how much listening was getting done. And even with a solid player like Jackson, I can't see a scenario where having half your points come from one player is a good thing for this team. They showed a lot more heart and fight than they did yesterday, but I don't think they're built for success.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
December 14th, 2013: Prairie View at James Madison (Chartwells Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: James Madison surged out to a big lead early and never let Prairie View back in in their 79-50 win. Lauren Okafor and Kirby Buckholder each had 16 to lead the Dukes, with Okafor adding 10 rebounds. Jeanette Jackson of Prairie View led all scorers with 20 points, but no other Panther had more than nine points.
For brevity, dancing, abandonment, mommy issues, the awkward cell phone wave, and lots of purple sneakers, join your intrepid and water-logged blogger after the jump.
On to game two, the battle of teams what wear purple- the Dukes of James Madison and the Panthers of Prairie View. James Madison has led the entire way, and comfortably so for most of the game. Lauren Okafor leads the Dukes with nine off the bench, but it's been a very balanced scoring effort. Unsurprisingly, most folks have left, though a few have stayed. The Johnnies were around for a while, but most of them have left as well. Scouting, you're doing it wrong. James Madison has had good ball movement, though they don't react well to broken plays, and the folks behind us are bemoaning the slowness of Kenny Brooks's offense.
This was not so much a game as it was a blowout. Prairie View was never in it, and the biggest takeaway I got fro it for the Panthers is that they really miss Toyelle Wilson. I was not impressed with Dawn Brown's player management. It's one thing to have no faith in your bench, it's another to end up with a player with three fouls barely into the second quarter because you decide you're going to leave her in after she picks up her second foul four minutes into the game. I consider it a minor miracle that Asha Hampton-Finch didn't foul out, and am unsurprised that two other Panthers did. I also have to question the wisdom of rolling the ball with six minutes left in a thirty-point game. Some of us wanted to go home at that point, you know. No matter how much fun it was to watch Briana Brown in the end court bleachers doing her "I R SRS KEPTIN, THIS R SRS SKOWT" face.
Precious Roberts got a little bit of time in the second half and committed quick fouls. Taylor Overshown was the random bench guard of choice in the first half. Shamiya Brooks threw her weight around underneath with mixed results- couldn't get her shots to fall and fouled out fairly quickly, but seemed okay on the boards. Tonisha Lacey didn't seem to have her coach's confidence. I don't know why. Shaneece Stephens rocked the pompadour a la Janelle Monaé, and seemed to be good at making bad decisions.
Part of Prairie View's problem may be that they're not sure who's running the offense. Is it LaReahn Washington, or is it Jeanette Jackson? The offense seemed to move better when the ball was in Jackson's hands, but I'm not sure whether that was as the playmaker or as the scorer. Her fluffy ponytail made her stand out, as did her ability to get her to the line. Larissa Scott mixed it up on the boards, and set surprisingly strong screens for a woman of her slim build. Asha Hampton-Finch looked like she was trying to rock the Brittney Griner look with the leggings and 'do, but she didn't seem confident in her ability to play defense once she had fouls- and to be honest, she should have fouled out at hands to the face- there were a couple of plays where fouls were passed from her, one of which ended up helping foul out Washington. I feel lke I should remember more of what Washington did, but I can't, other than a general sense of not-good things for Prairie View. Yes, this is the kind of insightful analysis you slog through long paragraphs of Game Notes of Doom for. "Not-good things".
James Madison really got to empty their bench in the latter portion of the game. Amani Tatum was fast, but seemed a little lost. Da'Lishia Griffin went hard after rebounds. Crystal Ross got into the middle of a lot of plays- she's not afraid to get up in anyone's business. Destiny Jones is another big girl. You might detect a trend here. I disapprove very strongly of her shorts, though. In home whites, rolling shorts up like that makes them look like Depends, which is such a not-good look. Lauren Okafor went to work down low, using her build to muscle up on the slimmer posts of Prairie View and making solid defensive plays. Angela Mickens provided god offense off the bench, especially in the second half- she had a really pretty and-1 in the lane late in the game.
Nikki Newman's got a pretty stroke- it didn't go down a lot today, but I get the feeling it usually does. Precious Hall got herself into foul trouble and eventually out of the game, and seemed very frustrated about it. Jazmon Gwathmey has distractingly intense eyebrows. She spent a lot of time directing traffic late in the game- I think she was the last of the starters to come out. Kirby Buckholder was a big favorite among the James Madison fans behind us, for her shooting and her defense. Toia Giggetts was aggressive on the inside, sometimes to her detriment- she took an arm to the facemask, which is never fun.
Crowning moment of funny, first half: Lauren Okafor not quite being read for the pass and having it bounce spectacularly off her... chest… as if airbags had been successfully deployed.
Crowning moment of funny, second half: Toia Giggetts may have been the only person in the room who liked the DJ, because she was getting her groove on during one of the timeouts. There was serious hip-swaying going on. One of the assistants put a hand on her back as if to restrain her, and for a moment she stopped... but then the swaying began again, and by the time she went back to her chair on the bench, there was full-on shimmying occurring. Don't ever let them stop your groove.
It's a bad sign when there are game management calls being made in the first half.
James Madison looks ready to take the Colonial back. Then again, they weren't exactly playing tough competition out there.
December 14th, 2013: Drexel at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Poor shooting doomed St. John's in their first game of the Chartwells Holiday Classic, as the Red Storm fell to Drexel 62-55. Rachel Pearson led the Dragons with 15 points, 12 in the second half, and 10 rebounds; Sarah Curran added 14 points, 11 of those in the second half. Keylantra Langley led St. John's with 15 points.
For ennui, exhaustion, drifting snow, hoarseness, small dancing children, and t-shirts that don't fit, join your intrepid and chapped blogger after the jump.
Good morning, everyone! We're coming to you from the snow- well, it's not snowing in the arena, but it's snowing in Queens, which will probably depress attendance for the Chartwells Holiday Classic. Shame; Drexel and James Madison are both good, solid teams.
The good news is that Eugeneia McPherson is back in uniform for the first time in, like, ever. However, the walk-ons have both been deactivated and we seem to have misplaced Ashley Perez. I mean, Ashley hasn't had a great season so far, but it always makes me sad when a player leaves, and she's a nice kid.
The band is here, and in Christmas costumes. We have an elf. Be afraid of us, Drexel.
Former Johnnie Sky Lindsay is in the house- I originally thought she was doing some scouting for Hofstra, given that they have two conference foes in this tournament, but it looks like she's working for ESPN now. Doesn't surprise me. She's very telegenic.
Again with the guest DJ. The same lousy guest DJ we had last time. No. Stop. We have a band. We have a good band that has fun. Stop playing music instead of letting the band do their thing.
I don't think Kevin was happy with the trumpets during the anthem. I know I wasn't.
At half time, St. John's is up 31-23, but less due to their own efforts on offense than their defense and a late surge. The rim has been unkind to both teams, and we've been much hampered by a lot of fouls on both teams- I think there were twenty-five fouls called in the first half. Briana Brown leads all scorers with 10 points, including a three just as the shot clock expired that should have broken Drexel's back.
Young lady in the Penn State soccer shirt, you appear to be slightly lost,but as Penn State soccer is a very solid program that had nothing to do with Rene Portland's nonsense, I'll let it slide.
Okay, this is not promising, the trainer is running a rolling pin over the back of Aliyyah Handford's leg. This is really not reassuring, guys.
It's probably a good thing that I have to keep these notes G-rated for the sake of Swish Appeal's readership, because otherwise there would be a lot of swearing. I don't know what the deal with St. John's was today- maybe the dorms had a holiday party that ran late, maybe whatever happened to Ashley was emotionally traumatizing to the whole dang team, maybe the invasion of the body snatchers has begun- but they looked lethargic out there. It's like they had no idea what to do when their security blanket turned out to be more of a security lace doily. Everyone who wasn't a senior seemed to panic and not know what to do on offense.
Aleixs Smith was a quick offensive spark for the Dragons in the first half, hitting back to back shots. We staye a little closer on her in the second half, and I think that frustrated her a little bit, as she ended up with more fouls. Jackie Schluth was physical on defense; she reminded me weirdly of a former Johnnie (just in the build and the hair, she doesn't play like Buzz at all). Tory Thierolf seemed to be the defensive sub, judging from when she was in and out of the game in the waning minutes. She committed a couple of dumb fouls- in a game where everyone involved has been screaming at the refs, you can tell a call is bad when the coach starts screaming at the player for a change. Carrie Alexander didn't quite understand how screens work- they're not like screen doors, you can't just shove them out of the way and have the way open for you.
I'm really having trouble picking out anyone from Drexel to focus on. I blame the relatively drab colors. Really, you go with a name like Dragons, and the colors you go with are blue and yellow? At least UAB went with green. (I think I was also busy wanting to say highly inappropriate things in a tone of utter despair about St. John's. The perils of writing about the team that you love- when they get you down, they get you way down.)
Meghan Creighton had a knack for getting herself to the line and getting contact from St. John's players- I'm not going to say drawing contact, because she initiated as much as she took. Fiona Flanagan seemed more comfortable from the outside than on the inside. Rachel Pearson had a lot of trouble getting her bunnies to fall in the frist half, but heated up in the second half. So did Sarah Curran- she came up big later in the game. Abby Redick threw her weight around a little on the wing, but I'm not sure if she has a position.
Drexel held their composure well, and their shooting impreoved markedly in the second half, but I can't point to anything they did particularly well to get the win. I guess they did a decent job of clogging the paint, where St. John's likes to cut, but I'm not sure whether the epic fail that occurred under the Red Storm basket was more on Drexel's defense or the Red Storm's offensive offense.
Really happy to see Eugeneia McPherson back in uniform and on the floor. She seemed a little rusty- her back started seizing up in the second half, and they had to give her a few hard pounds to get her back on the floor. She brought hustle and defense, though her shot still leaves a fair amount to be desired. I don't know if she has confidence yet in her knee, because it looked like there wasn't as much lift on her shot as it should have been. I do like the unhurried way in which she moves- not slow, but completely in control. I don't like the hitting the floor quite so much, if only because I worry about her. Mallory Jones was willing to shoot- sometimes a little too willing. If you're the de facto center in a lineup because the other four players are all guards, you can't decide you're going to jack a three. There will be no one there to rebound it, and the other team will have the ball at a very critical point of the game. That makes us all sad. Jade Walker hustled well for rebounds, but couldn't hang on to them. Hands like stone. She's got to keep her hands up more on defense, and she has to know that if she calls that loudly for the ball, everyone on the floor will know that she considers herself open, including her defender. Aaaaand that's it for the bench play, since Sandra Udobi didn't play- I don't think she was ready, judging from her street clothes after the game. (That, and if she had been healthy, Joe would have had to put her in the game, the way Jade and Amber were playing.)
Aaliyah Lewis, what are you even doing? Tiny Aaliyah was really off her game today. Her clock management was lousy, and she launched pure panic shots in the second half. I don't think I could count the airballs- it seemed like she was just throwing the ball in the general vicinity of the basket without being concerned with the trajectory. Those are the shots we used to harp on Gina for, but they were just really, really bad. Aliyyah Handford was way off her game, too. I think her leg was bothering her- see above regarding the rolling pin being applied to her calf- but once her first few shots missed, her head fell completely out of the game. Nothing was coming easily, and for the most part she didn't seem inclined to make an effort to go for it. Too many times during the second half, she shuffled around the free throw line with her hands out, expecting to receive the ball despite the defenders who swarmed around her. Keylantra Langley came up with big shots and solid defense, in the starting spot that I suspect she's always considered rightfully hers. Amber Thompson was disgustingly passive today. She got an early foul, and I wonder if it got into her head, because she provided nothing. She's got to hit her bunnies. She's got to rebound. I'd be satisfied with at least one resounding block, the kind she can usually provide. Briana Brown was solid, and the way she's matured as a leader in her senior year is beautiful to watch. Today, however, I think she needed to be more of a fiery leader. Someone needed to yell at the team other than Joe.
Generally, the entire team looked like they were playing in quicksand. There was no sense of urgency, no movement on offense, minimal effort on defense. They didn't seem to take any pride in being up 13, they didn't seem to care about being down eight. I don't know what was wrong with them, but they need to fix it. Now. Or swearing will occur.
There was no rhythm and no flow to the game, and some of that came from the plethora of fouls that were called in the first half, compared to the amount that were called in the second half. I'm not saying the refs screwed us- if anything, Drexel got the worst of the calls. (Jade, stop holding. Seriously.) But it's hard to get a sense of where you're going if it's stop and go like rush hour on the LIE.
Is it really fair to two small children to spread presents over eighty feet of basketball court and then expect them to scoop everything up in thirty seconds? That's just mean, Santa.
I really thought we had it after Briana beat the shot clock, but we had no pep in the second half. There was nothing. A great howling void of rampant indifference. An emptiness that yearned to be filled and instead grew emptier. Or it's ark and I'm feeling existential. In either case, they can't lie down in the second half against James Madison. We're better than the CAA- let's prove it.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
December 7th, 2013: UMass Lowell at Seton Hall
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Strong team play, a 66-37 rebounding edge, and 50.7% shooting allowed the Seton Hall Pirates to get past 33 turnovers in a 97-68 thrashing of UMass-Lowell. Tabatha Richardson-Smith led all scorers with 27 points, 18 in the first half, also adding 12 rebounds. Chizoba Ekedigwe had 18 points and eight rebounds, and Ka-Deidre Simmons had 15 points and 12 assists for the Pirates. Shannon Samuels had 18 points to lead the Riverhawks; Lindsey Doucette added 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
For lots of big numbers, yet another injured Pirate, having to have blue hair, willing spirit, two minutes for embellishment, and priests praying overtime, join your intrepid and cognitively dissonant blogger after the jump.
After that epic weekend of basketball last week when your intrepid blogger pretty much took over Swish Appeal for a while, we needed to recharge, so it's been a whole week. But we're back in the swing of things at Seton Hall, getting our first ever look at the Riverhawks of UMass-Lowell.
Almost died of squee from Alexis Brown and Bra'Shey Ali playing with one of the kidlets. Something about Bra'Shey using her dreads as a toy for the kid was just too adorable for words.
At halftime it's 56-37 Seton Hall, but Coach Bozzella is still cranky enough to stomp so loudly that the ref on the other side of the court came over to give him a warning. When Seton Hall has been able to maintain possession of the ball, they've been very good. But UMass-Lowell plays a very tough press, and it's become painfully clear that Seton Hall only has one ballhandler that they trust, Ka-Deidre Simmons. Tabatha Richardson-Smith has 18, 10 of which came in something like the first five minutes of the game, before the Riverhawks got their press really well established.
I don't know what the context was, but Coach Bozzella got into a very intense discussion with the Riverhawks' coach before the game. It went on for several minutes. Granted, pretty much any conversation is going to be animated if Coach Bozzella is involved, but he did not seem happy. Until I hear anything real, I'm going to assume they were having a fierce debate about the merits of Rainbow Dash versus those of Twilight Sparkle.
In case it wasn't obvious UMass-Lowell is a hockey school, the Riverhawks come at you in waves, to the point where even Seton Hall's PA announcer was referring to their substitutions as line changes. Their coach backed off the full-five substitutions after a while, but I don't think fewer than three Lowell players ever came in at a time. So it's kind of hard to keep everyone straight unless they really stood out. Ten players came off the bench for the Riverhawks, so yeah you're not getting detailed breakdowns on everyone. Kenya Stewart is going to be a very nice player one of these days, in my opinion. She's still raw- she miscalculated the length of the court two or three times. But she's got a lot of athleticism and a pretty little turnaround jumper, and she gets in the lane well. Brittany Lomanno showed off a little bit of stroke and made a couple of good defensive plays late. Olufemi Hamilton, who was not wearing the number expected on the roster, worked the wings well. Jennifer Gonsalves had a pretty steal very late in the game.
Shannon Samuels impressed me a lot. You know how they say players can get to the basket in an eyeblink? This is the first time I've ever literally seen it. I blinked, and in that blink her first step was complete and she was to the basket for the lay-up. She's fast, and she has a knack for getting to the line. Lindsey Doucette has a pretty little quick turnaround from the free throw line, and her threes get some serious arc on them. She got into foul trouble early in the second half, but that turned out to be nothing. Jasmine McRoy popped a couple of quick threes in the first half- in general, the Riverhawks relied heavily on the three. Nicole Hayner got in foul trouble early, and because of all the subs, didn't see much of the floor after that. She left no impression. Neither did Lauren Fiola.
UMass-Lowell pressed and trapped pretty much constantly. I think that's the advantage of always having fresh players in. Once the press was broken, they looked disoriented, and when defense impeded their ball movement, they were very out of sync.
We all thought Kathleen Egan was going to redshirt this season. Surprise! She got a couple of stretches, and while the spirit was willing, she was in over her head. Teresa Kucera had her chances to score, but missed everything she took and committed a couple of stupid fouls. Tara Inman did a nice job on the boards and picked up some cheap points on free throws near the end of the game. Breanna Jones played briefly in the first half, but disappeared for most of the second half- not in the sense of not playing well, but in the sense of "where did she go, she's not on the bench". She only came back out when Brittany Webb twisted her ankle. I suspect she was just under the weather, and they didn't want to play her in a thirty-point game unless they really had to. Jasmine McCall seems to like her shot a lot. It was good to get to see everyone get some time. Brittany Webb was tough inside, with some resounding blocks, but went out very near the end of the game with a badly twisted ankle. I'm really tired of Pirates getting hurt, you know.
Sidney Cook was an absolute monster on the boards. If the Riverhawks put a shot up, she was pulling it down. Ka-Deidre Simmons had a lot of responsibility, with her teammates unable to advance the ball without trying to get it to her. She had a couple of gorgeous drives in the second half, drawing contact and getting to the line. She did well finding her teammates, as well. Chizoba Ekedigwe was everywhere on the offensive boards, but missed a couple of sequences of chippies that had her teammates even more frustrated than they had us. She came up big in the second half. Janee Johnson came up with a lot of big plays in small ways- she was one of the few players who was at least willing to try to get the ball across without immediately panicking and trying to give the ball to Ka-Deidre. She's a strange hybrid type player, neither guard nor forward, but she works in this system. Tabatha Richardson-Smith started the game on fire- cooled down a little bit later on, but found her stroke again in the equivalent of the third quarter. I think she was a little too interested in scoring as opposed to playing a complete game- she didn't tend to leave her hands up on defense, and her rebounding was inconsistent- she got on the boards a fair amount, but in streaks. It was funny when she rebounded two straight shots that didn't actually go up, though.
The officiating was woefully inconsistent, and it damaged both teams. Seton Hall got the words of it in the first half, by far- I thought Coach Bozzella was going to pop a vein when Tabatha got called for a carry on the same play where blood somehow magically ended up on her jersey. He spent a lot of time being angry. In the second half, more of the fouls went against UMass-Lowell, and some of the calls looked as dicey as the ones against Seton Hall from the first half. I don't mind, necessarily, if officials are unable to make a specific type of call, or if they emphasize one kind of foul or violation over another- so long as that is applied consistently. It was not applied consistently, and that's dangerous to everyone on the floor.
Duck! Beware flying forwards! Tabatha went flying out of bounds and cleared a photographer. (We thought there was a collision. The photographer in question assured us later that she was fine, after she gave us a lift back to the city.)
It annoys me that the band only got into the game when the Pirates were up 25 and more. Show some fight earlier, guys.
It was good to get a win like this, but I think the more valuable takeaway is the glaring weakness in the backcourt. We'll see how that develops with the eventual return of Alexis Brown and the possible development of Tara Inman, but right now, a good press will utterly destroy Seton Hall. Now that they know that, how will they combat it?
Sunday, December 1, 2013
December 1st, 2013: Harvard at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A crucial Crimson injury led to a big St. John's run, and the Red Storm came away with the 81-76 win over Harvard. Aliyyah Handford led all scorers with 25; Aaliyah Lewis added 19 points, five assists, and five steals. Temi Fagbenle notched 20 points and eight rebounds for Harvard.
For big plays, big games, unexpected boons, drama, and potential heartbreak, join your intrepid and distressingly hungry blogger after the jump.
We're serious about basketball never stopping. That's why, thirteen hours or so after our last game, we're back in the saddle, home again at Carnesecca Arena for the Red Storm's home match against the Crimson of Harvard (though they're wearing black, so it's currently a bit of a misnomer).
I really like Selina's shirt, or at least the shade of it. A closer look at the cut makes it less my style, because we all know everything's about me. At least the team's practicing free throws this time. I got tired of seeing them come off the rim.
There's a small group here supporting Sandra, which is nice. She's a good kid.
The band is really on their game today. Solid anthem, and a great band arrangement of "Let It Rock" (the Kevin Rudolf song).
Would that I could say the same for my Johnnies. Harvard's up 36-30. Fouls have been an issue- the differential was 12-8, and that's with a couple of late ones called on the Crimson. Elise Gordon has made her presence felt in the middle with 11 points for Harvard. Aliyyah Handford has 13 hard ones for St. John's, with Aaliyah Lewis contributing seven.
That shouldn't have had to be as dramatic a game as it was, and I feel a little bad for Harvard because of it- I think losing Christine Clark was a blow that they couldn't completely get over, though they put together a good run after St. John's surged out to an eight-point lead.
Elise Gordon was tough in the middle, throwing her weight around without fear. She saw less time in the second half, but was effective when she played. Jasmine Evans went hard to the basket, drawing fouls on her drives. Shilpa Tummala came on late with her shooting, though she seems to have a fondness for the fadeaway that doesn't suit her. She went out late after a rough collision with a St. John's defender- we thought it was an ankle injury, but the ice was closer to her knee. She ended up having to prop her foot on a redshirt's lap because they ran out of room on the bench. AnnMarie Healy canned a quick three, but I don't remember anything else she did.
Christine Clark really is the heart, soul, and captain of her team. She rebounded well inside for a guard. She was a key scorer for them in the first half. She makes them go. When she went out with the foot injury, it was like the team collapsed without her. And it was a bad foot injury. The shoe came off and stayed off, and feet should not be that red. I wish her all the best. Temi Fagbenle moved with a smooth grace on the inside, setting picks in the high post and putting soft shots in the basket. She stepped it up in the second half when her team needed someone. Melissa Mullins had a resounding block in the first half, and always seemed to be in the way of rebounds. Erin McDonnell showed off a little outside touch, which she might have been able to make more use of against a team like St. John's- our posts aren't used to stepping outside and dealing with forwards who can take the three. Hand-checks and picks got to her in the second half. Ali Curtis seemed to be the designated fouler when the foul derby began. She also had a pretty little shot in the lane.
I never thought I'd say this, but Mallory Jones was a huge part of why we won this game. She hit outside shots to open up the paint that Harvard was clogging, and with her build, she was able to make space on the inside. Watching her run a fast break is still somewhat of an oxymoron, but she came through with the skills we needed from her. Sandra Udobi was outmatched in the post. She tried hard, but it was clear that she was in over her head. Jade Walker gave some good minutes off the bench, but she too looked like she was in over her head with Harvard's forwards. Keylantra Langley only hit her shots when it counted, which is what I keep telling people- she only hits shot when the clock is running down, that should be the only time she's allowed to shoot. She was good defensively, too, called upon to counter the Crimson's outside attack.
Ashley Perez looked scared out of her mind out there. Does she not think she's ready for the responsibility? We needed her in the second half, and whether she was injured or just off her game, we couldn't bring her in. Amber Thompson was strong inside, though she had issues finishing, and two of her fouls were ill-considered (though the fifth was cheap- legit, but cheap). She got the crowd roaring early on with a resounding, emphatic leaping block of a three-pointer. Briana Brown had to deal with foul trouble, but she's still the captain, and she came up with a big three late in the game to stretch the lead. Aliyyah Handford had a little more trouble than usual getting into the lane in the first half, but was more successful in finding the seams in the second half, also turning steals into offense. I kind of wish she'd find a jump shot, but she's only a sophomore, I'm sure that'll come in time. Today was Aaliyah Lewis's coming out party. She saw that Aliyyah was having trouble getting going in the first half and became more assertive about looking for her shot. She backed off it a little bit in the second half, but at that point she started to use her quick hands and blazing speed to hit fast break lay-ups. She looked good.
A lot of contact under the basket went uncalled. We were unamused. The fouls didn't seem evenly distributed; then again, I was wondering whether Briana Brown was going to get called for her fifth.
Appropriate that one of the Chuck-a-Duck prize winners today was a guy in a BC cap (given that the proceeds go to a Boston College alumna's care).
Good crowd for a non-conference game. Hope they keep coming back.
On to Auburn- let's hope we have better luck with this SEC foe.
November 30th, 2013: Rutgers at Texas Tech (Barclays Invitational)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Rutgers raced out to a big first half lead and held on against Texas Tech to win the consolation game fo the Barclays Women's Invitational, 61-52. Tyler Scaife had 18 points to lead the Scarlet Knights, with Kahleah Copper adding 14 and nine rebounds. Audrisa Harrison and Jasmine Caston each had 11 for Texas Tech.
For mottos, rebounding, sweet fast breaks, winces of pain, and the never ending Rutgers fight song, join your intrepid and impatient blogger after the jump.
Basketball never stops, and neither does your intrepid blogger. It's only six or seven blocks from LIU to the Barclays Center, so after sandwiches and cheesecake at Junior's, we walked from the Turkey Classic to the Barclays Invitational, pleasantly surprised to find out that our tickets were in fact ready during the Texas Tech-Rutgers game. We missed the very beginning, but at halftime it's 36-25 Rutgers. Tyler Scaife has 12; no Lady Raider has more than four.
Another game of bad shooting, in which the urge to shout "guns up, UR DOIN IT RONG" grew ever stronger with every blown offensive rebound. Rutgers does that to teams, but they really need to not do it to themselves. On the other hand, Rutgers fans should really be used to it by now. Coach Stringer's been there for how many years? Brought in how many defensive-minded athletes who can't or won't shoot to save their lives? Relied too much on a single player to do all the scoring while everyone else passed the ball around? I used to be a Rutgers fan. I know what I'm talking about.
Syessence Davis sparkled off the bench. Her hands were very active on defense, and she hit some big shots in the second half. She rebounded well as well. Precious Person has somehow, inexplicably, along with Essence Carson's number, inherited Essence's inability to recognize the longer three-point line, despite the fact that Essence only figured this out in her W days wearing a different number. I didn't say it was logical. Christa Evans gave some minutes when Rachel Hollivay got in foul trouble, and with an offensive foul proved why she hasn't been getting minutes. Ariel Butts was solid in the middle, setting picks and screens for her teammates to get around and pass the ball to each other through.
Kahleah Copper took the worst of a hard collision with Amber Battle and came up holding her back, walking as if she wasn't sure how the whole walking thing should be working. She got back into the game and proceeded to continue hitting shots, so it wasn't as bad as it looked. (Either that, or she's made of iron, not Copper.) Rachel Hollivay earned the eternal rage of the people behind us for repeatedly missing chippies- she didn't have a field goal in the second half until something like the last two minutes of the game. She made up for it with her resounding blocks down low. Betnijah Laney rebounded well, but couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. The red sleeves make her stick out (yes, I know they have to be the same color as the rest of the uniform, but they become more noticeable when they're red). Briyona Canty couldn't get her shot to fall, but made a couple of nice defensive plays. Tyler Scaife looked fantastic. I think she got the start, but I'm not completely certain. Her passes were slick and quick, and she drove the lane well. In the first half, she looked like the only Rutgers player who wanted to score, which makes sense, given that she's a freshman and therefore hasn't had the idea of offense being anathema drummed into her head yet.
Whittaker changed things up a little bit with the posts, going more with the Schneiders (even before the injury to Shauntal Nobles). Haley Schneider missed entirely too many shots that a woman of her height has no excuse for missing. Ivonne Cook Taylor got into the game and immediately launched a shot. I'm starting to think this is her game. Diamond Lockhart's speed seemed to get away from her- she was a little out of control. Jasmine Caston brought the offense in the second half, firing up threes to keep Texas Tech close.
Shauntal Nobles was rebounding well on the inside before a stray forearm caught her in the face and left her holding a towel over the vast majority of her face as she came off the court after being stuck in an awkward kneeling position for quite some time. It looked like she suffered a badly broken nose, but she was back on the bench (in a new jersey) by the end of the game, though she never went back in. She wasn't able to get her shot to go down, but she corralled a lot of offensive rebounds. Audrisa Harrison was a master of drawing contact and getting to the line. She didn't end up with a lot of shot attempts, but that was because she ended up at the line so often. Minta Spears went inside more than she did in the Michigan game, but that might have been because her threes weren't falling. She took a hard tumble into a couple of the flimsy chairs in the first row. They went down like dominoes. She was the one who insisted on fouling when Texas Tech was down double digits with thirty seconds to go, and those us in maize and blue were just waiting for the game to be over so we could get on with our late tip. Amber Battle's shot wasn't falling, though she was able to get decent shots off, but she rebounded well and got into defensive position. Marina Lizarazu was still taking too many risks, but had her game more under control than the other day.
Rutgers will always make a team play out of control, make them freak out, make them hesitate at the wrong times and hurry things up at the wrong times. Texas Tech fell right into that trap. Only the three-point shooting kept them in the game, and when those didn't fall, they were doomed.
I wasn't thrilled with the officials, but not to the extent that the Rutgers fans were. Of course, they're never happy with officials.
That was a good bounceback game for the Scarlet Knights. They needed a good game, and I think they also needed Scaife to assert herself more for the team's future. She's a talented, creative guard, and she needs to stay that way.