November 29th, 2017: Boston College at Columbia

Just the Facts, Ma’am: Rebounding and defense keyed a second half comeback for Columbia in their matinee win against Boston College, 68-60. Camille Zimmerman had 14 points and seven assists in the win for the Lions. Georgia Pineau led all scorers with 22 for Boston College.

For missed chances, going the long way around, a lack of creativity, cranky coaches, undisciplined fouls, showcases, and restraining children, join your intrepid and curious blogger after the jump.

Good morning, folks! Your intrepid blogger, two apple cakes later, is back on the basketball grind, doing the twi-night doubleheader, as you do. First it’s off to Columbia for their game against Boston College.

Note to self: stop trying to walk from the C train, it’s not a good plan. Too many hills and my feet already hurt from being on them so much of the day yesterday. Ended up going around the hilly side of the campus and losing track of avenues. I’ve lived in New York all my life, but named avenues still throw me off when I go uptown.

So far this appears to be one of the better-organized kids’ day games I’ve ever been to. They’re loading the groups efficiently, and there are actually seats reserved for those few adults brave enough to dare the screaming. Also, we have band. I am pleased by this turn of events. Now, if the wi-fi would cooperate, we’d really be on a roll.

There was a pregame presentation to honor Camille Zimmerman becoming Columbia’s all-time leading scorer, which is very cool. Records are made to be broken, after all.

This has not exactly been inspiring basketball. At halftime, BC is up 29-27, and it would be more if they could hit a free throw. It’s a miracle that Columbia is this close, given that Camille Zimmerman got called for three straight fouls in the second quarter, cutting her minutes. But BC has been turning the ball over and not capitalizing when they manage to hold on to it. I don’t know how much longer Columbia’s luck can hold, and I feel like it’s going to depend on when Zimmerman picks up the fourth foul.

There’s being agnostic about ticket sales, and then there’s selling tickets behind the home bench to two vocal BC fans. This is not a good plan.

To the kids behind me: I get what you’re saying, and I’m not saying you’re necessarily wrong, but could you find something more creative than “You suck!” to yell whenever Columbia makes a stupid mistake? Thanks.

I want a drink so badly, but I don’t think daring the concession stand is a good idea, especially since Columbia has apparently switched to being a Pepsi place. Booooooo.

At LIU, before the home team takes free throws, the band yells in chorus, “FREE THROWS WIN BALL GAMES!” I feel like BC’s coach is going to be doing the same thing as soon as they get into the locker room... and on the bus... and off the bus... and back to Chestnut Hill. For most of the game, the Eagles outplayed the Lions- but they choked at the line, and I think that made all the difference.

Katie Quandt is a load down low, not afraid to muscle her way to the basket for offensive rebounds and either putbacks or free throws. I can imagine how she got the injury that led to the facemask. Milan Bolden-Morris wears her shorts just a little bit too tight for my liking- not short like booty shorts, but tight like they look uncomfortable. She had a good fourth quarter- big shots, big defensive plays. They list her as a guard, but she takes on some of the frontcourt duties when she has to. Martina Mosetti was busy on defense.

Sydney Lowery’s a gunner, or at least she was in this game. But I still like her potential. She definitely had her freshman moments, but I think she can learn from those and develop her judgment. That head fake she threw was sweet. Andie Anastos got most of her points driving the lane, with the Columbia defense parting before her. I don’t get that either. Taylor Ortlepp was out there, but she didn’t distinguish herself. I think she might have been the one who committed the lane violation that sealed BC’s fate, but I’m not sure.

Georgia Pineau was big on the inside, barreling into the paint for lay-ups and pulling down boards. She had quite a few blocks, with especially spectacular ones on Josie Little and Maya Sampleton. Her conditioning needs work- there was a point in the third quarter where she was pulling on her jersey in the time-honored signal of “I need a break”. But when she came down the lane, Columbia defenders either got out of the way or fouled her. Emma Guy was equally tough (I suppose a “tough Guy” joke is expected here), with a nice offensive rebound and putback on a missed free throw. I thought the fourth foul call on her was dubious. They aren’t the best, or the most physical, post tandem I’ve ever seen from BC, but bear in mind we used to get the Carolyn Swords/Stefanie Murphy combo visiting St. John’s. That’s a high standard to live up to. She needs to be more careful with her footwork.

Appropriately enough for a hockey school, Boston College used line changes in the final minute or so. I’m used to single-player offense/defense substitution, but BC’s coach was calling on entire three-person units.

It’s a good thing Columbia isn’t one of my usual teams. I’d spend an awful lot of time confused, since the Lions have a guard named Maya Sampleton. She did not get off to an inspiring start (I think she was the player who let a pass hit her in the face and go out of bounds) but came up with some big threes in the third quarter to help Columbia seize the lead. Andrea McCormick saw time very briefly in the second quarter, right around the time when Columbia’s coach was yelling at her bench that someone else had to score and was throwing in pretty much anyone. The three probably calmed the coach’s nerves slightly. Janiya Clemmons was a shot in the arm of offense, hitting floaters in the lane. She played well enough that she got the second half start.

Imani Whittington did not cover herself in glory in her brief time. Ill-advised fouls have a tendency to do that. I barely noticed she was there until she started committing the fouls. Abby Lee was solid rebounding, and hit a three in the second quarter that helped pull Columbia closer. She got the second half start for Madison Pack, but that was due to injury. Not that she didn’t play well, but this was a case where it wasn’t that one player had clearly outplayed another.

Riley Casey started the game, but she was the one benched for Clemmons. I understand the move- she was very hesitant at point guard, holding the ball too long and missing open shooters in the corners. Going to the bench seemed to enliven her, as she scored almost all of her points in the fourth quarter. When her three goes down, it’s a pretty shot, high-arcing. Paige Tippet shut the door with her free throws at the end of the game. Good hustle player.

Why, yes, I did pretty much bury the lede. It’s my standard procedure, build to the good stuff. In this case, the good stuff is Camille Zimmerman, the Lions’ star utility forward. She plays the game at a different level from her teammates. She’s looking for angles they don’t see. She’s making plays before they are. There were at least two occasions where she collided with a teammate on a rebound or a loose ball when her teammate was the one in position to make the play. I recognize that Columbia is a fantastic option for one’s future, but I believe with all my heart that she’d be a far better basketball player at another school, with more talented teammates and a better coach. (And it’s not like there aren’t academic schools out there with strong women’s hoops programs. God, what VanDerveer could do with her.) There are limits to her game- she didn’t seem to have a strong perimeter shot, and she can’t get into foul trouble the way she did in this one. But I love her vision on the floor and her versatility inside the arc. Madison Pack was shot happy from outside, and she rebounded well. I didn’t see the play where she injured her ankle, only that she came off the court limping and didn’t play in the second half (she didn’t even return to the bench until midway through the third quarter). Josie Little was strong on the inside, with a couple of monster blocks, one on Guy, one on Pineau, and she seemed to pick up steam as the game went on. She helped make her team and her teammates better.

Columbia’s coach appears to be very frustrated with her lot in life. She is of the “if I yell at the bench after the players on the floor screw up, magic will happen” school, though slightly less caustic than Coach Del Preore. (Stephanie, if you’re reading this, I really do like you and would love to sit in the stands with you at a game. It’s just that if I played for you I’d try to punch you in the face.)

If Camille Zimmerman’s third foul had been allocated to Madison Pack the way I thought it should have been, this might have been an entirely different game. The officials were lax on three-second calls and got looser on travels as the game went on.

I don’t know if this falls under the referees’ or some other officials’ purview, but there were long delays before tipoff and before the start of the second half. I know the game was on SNY, but the red-hatting seemed excessive.

I expected more out of an Ivy League band. Columbia’s band was very disappointing- competent, but not innovative.

I understand why Columbia scheduled up this year- Camille Zimmerman deserves a showcase. But I don’t think the rest of this team, including its staff, is on the same level. And I don’t know how much room for improvement there is.