November 10th, 2019: Fordham at Columbia

Just the Facts, Ma'am: Columbia took second-quarter momentum with them to the second half and dominated Fordham 70-51. Abbey Hsu had 15 points to lead the Lions, with Kaitlyn Davis adding 14 off the bench. Kaitlyn Downey had 19 points to lead Fordham before fouling out.

For bewilderment, confusion, a lack of effort on so many people's parts, exhaustion, and an inability to can even, join your intrepid and repetitive blogger after the jump.


They say there's no rest for the weary, and there's also no rest for the nerdy, as your intrepid blogger heads uptown to watch Fordham take on Columbia at Levien Gymnasium.

Whoever put the "Espresso Patronum!" sign up on the coffee stand, I appreciate your geekiness and your flair for puns, but your grasp of Latin needs some work.

I don't see Isis Young on the Fordham bench, so I don't think she's playing. I'm not even sure if she traveled.

Well, this is not what I was expecting after the fight we gave Notre Dame. Columbia is up one at the half, 32-31. Madison Hardy made a splash with five points in the last couple of minutes, while program-featured player Kaitlyn Davis is carrying the load with 10 points. Kaitlyn Downey has 14 to power Fordham, but no one else seems to be able to hit shots.

I would have expected more originality from an Ivy League school than the Imperial March for opposing introductions.

The PA guy is terrible. So terrible. He doesn't seem to have read the Fordham pronunciation guide, he seems to think the women's game is played in halves, he's inconsistent about announcing subs, he takes forever to announce fouls, and forget knowing the opposing roster- he doesn't even seem sure who Columbia's players are. This is a problem when you're the Columbia announcer, I'm just saying.

For the love of all that is sweet and holy, please turn down the sound system slightly. The music is ridiculously loud.

Allow me to sum up my feelings about this game in one quote from in-game commentary: Sarah Karpell, for reasons beyond human imagining, decided to go one-on-three and ballhog in a way that would have made Cappie Pondexter say, "Nah, you should have passed that ball." My reaction, literally: "I- I- I- I- that was so bad my inability to can can't even." I'm very glad Kaitlyn Downey decided to show up for this game. I just wish the rest of her teammates had bothered to join her. This wasn't even a hangover game, this was a "woke up in a tub of ice with a kidney missing" game.

I will give all the credit in the world to Columbia's ball movement on offense and the way they extended their defense. They forced us into very uncomfortable positions, and we weren't ready for it. I can understand the freshmen not being prepared. The returning players have far less of an excuse.

I would desperately like to know what is up with Zara Jillings. She's gone from one of our top reserves last year to not even getting off the bench in the first half and ending up a billionaire in the second half. I realize Sarah Karpell is doing a lot of the same things on defense, but Zara has the advantages of height and a year of experience. Something seems extremely off here. Katie McLoughlin saw some time in the second half to try and start something with hustle, but it didn't work. Nothing worked and I am so very tired. Catherine Polisano saw some garbage time at the end of the game, when Coach Gaitley finally threw in the towel (more or less). Megan Jonassen got maybe two stretches of play, if that, and was ineffective.

I'm going to break my usual rhythm here, because the minute splits were just that pronounced. Sarah Karpell brought the defense, but her offense is definitely a work in progress, and that one-on-three possession broke my brain. I have never so thoroughly lost my ability to can even before. She played heavy minutes, for reasons I don't completely understand. Vilisi Tavui got the start, but she didn't play a lot, between foul trouble and what appeared to be straight-up fear. She's a weapon, but she's a weapon we can't use until she figures out how to be used, and that's a problem.

Something is deeply wrong with Bre Cavanaugh's shot, at least through these first couple of games. Her floaters/lay-ups don't look good coming off her hand, and her jumper hasn't been consistent enough to make up for that. She was at least able to force a little action from the Columbia defense, but she's not playing like someone who can command the opposing defense's respect. Anna DeWolfe did not know how to deal with the defense Columbia was throwing at her. They extended the defense almost all the way to the halfcourt line and put a lot of pressure on the ballhandler. Some handled it better than others. Anna did not handle it well.

Oh, Kene. I love Kendell Heremaia dearly, but one of these days she's going to be the death of me. Squashing Bre on a loose ball like she had momentarily forgotten she was not playing rugby is pretty close. She and most of the rest of the guards had this bizarre fixation on trying to force the ball inside. I have no idea why. I just don't. I don't know what the thought process was there. I don't know if there even was a thought process there. Kaitlyn Downey was the only bright spot in this game, hitting her corner threes, nailing her midrange jumpers, and getting open on backdoor cuts. I know I've come down hard on Kaitlyn to start the season, but she made up for being overwhelmed against Notre Dame. I just wish the rest of the team had come along for the ride.

Madison Hardy certainly knows how to make a splash. Her two buckets at the end of the second quarter gave Columbia huge momentum going into the half with the lead, and she added one during the fourth quarter to help put the game away. Most of the rest of the bench didn't play much: Carly Rivera saw a little time in the first half, Madison Pack hit a three as part of our continuing fourth-quarter humiliation, and Stephanie Flynn saw spot minutes in both halves. The only other bench player to see heavy time was Kaitlyn Davis, who demonstrated a marvelous ability to draw fouls and get to the line. She shot as many free throws by herself as Fordham did as a team.

What first drew my attention about Mikayla Markham was her vocal communication on the court- she was calling signals quickly. She picked up her offense in the second half. Janiya Clemmons drove hard and didn't make a lot of her shots, but her penetration helped set up her teammates. Abbey Hsu's three-point ability is extremely useful for Columbia, and every one of her shots seemed to bury us a little deeper emotionally, like we had failed in our plan on top of failing everything else.

I don't know what else to say about this game. It's been a few days, frankly because I don't want to write about it. We gave up. We gave up threes and we gave up drives and we gave up on offense. I don't understand how a team that took Notre Dame to the final minute could fall apart so badly against Columbia. I respect what the Lions did, and how they executed their game plan, but we went toe-to-toe with a bigger and more talented team than them. I don't understand any of this.

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December 11th, 2018: Columbia at Fordham

Just the Facts, Ma'am: A strong first quarter powered Fordham to a 68-49 win over Columbia. Bre Cavanaugh had 19 points to lead the Rams. Sienna Durr had 19 to lead Columbia before fouling out.

For free stuff, early starts, aborted missions, and seeing the bench, join your intrepid and sneaky blogger after the jump.

You know what today is? That's right. Issa game day. You'll be getting a double dose of Fordham today, as the women play host to Columbia and the men welcome NJIT to historic Rose Hill Gymnasium. Or at least you were going to, but honestly, I didn't feel like staying for the men's game. But it's a double-header anyway.

We get free scarves today! I like how Fordham is handling the promotion- instead of just handing them out at the door, you get a ticket that you can redeem for the scarf in the second half. And I also like that they made it optional, so that you're not wasting resources on opposing fans. (Looking at you, St. John's.) They should probably have made it a little more convenient to get to the

Santa has set up shop in the corner by the entrance, and there's a box to drop off letters to him. I guess it would be awkward for him to have to take the letter personally if he's also doing pictures.

I like Bre Cavanaugh's new braids. She has stripes! And from above the effect is a little more like a coronet. It fits her.

Hooray, we have a band!

Ralene Kwiatkowski is still in the boot, and it looks like a couple of the young guards are taking redshirts.

I understand that they have to be ready for the men's crowd, and that there will certainly be more people coming, but at this point I think we have more security staff on hand than fans.

Oh, sweet summer child. The kid leading the line for Columbia looked so startled at the lusty booing from the Fordham band. If you think that's bad, you haven't seen your own conference yet, have you? As an aside, this is the most disorganized entrance I've ever seen from a team.

I'm not sure how I feel about the navy blue border on Columbia's shorts. I definitely don’t' like the retro script from Nike. Some schools and color schemes make it work, and they're not one of those schools.

Solid anthem from the band. Their version of "Jingle Bells" is a little somber for my taste.

Things are going pretty well, all things considered. It's 38-23 Fordham at the half, with the Rams hitting a three to end each quarter so far. Mary Goulding has 12 points to lead the Rams, who are doing a number on Columbia inside. Columbia's defense has been very aggressive, and we've made them pay. I like the Lions' fire.

Enthusiastic shirtless dude in the gray shorts, I don't know you but I like the cut of your jib. And of your abs.

Columbia takes a lot of risks. For the most part, said risks did not work out, but I can see them being more effective in conference play. Columbia's coach takes no nonsense from anyone, but does so in a very dry manner. I like how she handed the freshmen Markham and Casey- she was always calling them over and giving them a little extra advice. Self-possessed, I think is the word.

The Lions didn't have a lot of height available, and what they did have, they mostly didn't use. Madison Pack saw a little bit of time in the first half and launched an ill-advised three-point attempt. Abby Lee came in and committed a hard foul pretty much as soon as she came onto the floor. She's big, and burly, but I don't know how good she is at using that size effectively. Andrea McCormick was in for maybe one possession- Columbia was going to a lot of players early in the game, as if their coach were trying to see who had the hot hand and who wasn't working out. Stephanie Flynn didn't play a lot of minutes, but she was one of two reserves who started the second half, so I guess she must have been doing something right.

The other reserve who got elevated to starter for the second half was Mikayla Markham, who brought a lot of energy to the floor. I mean a lot. I mean like the human equivalent of a 5-hour energy shot. The first big play she made was a phenomenal runback to kill a Fordham fast break... and on the ensuing stoppage on the out-of-bounds, she proceeded to gather her teammates in and tear at least one of them a new one for the sloppy passing that led to the fast break she had to stop. Her range needs work and her shot's a little funky, but if she can keep her temper a little more in check, she could be really good for them. Riley Casey also got a lot of run at the point, sneaking off with a rebound. Sydney Brown got a long run in the second half, pulling down boards in the scrum (and there were a lot of scrums).

Sienna Durr is high-usage, but very intriguing. It looked like she was getting a little frustrated by the end of the game, with a stray elbow here or there. Lilian Kennedy had a really strong first half, and I was surprised that she didn't start the second. She seems to have a lot of potential. Imani Whittington got called for two charges in the first half, and that seemed to be enough for Columbia's coach to cut her minutes.

Janiya Clemmons brought a lot of offense for Columbia, mostly on jumpers, although I think she was also the one who gave Fordham a taste of their own medicine with a twisting lay-up in the second half- it was the same sort of play that Fordham had been making successfully in the first half against the aggressive Columbia defense. She had a ridiculous offensive rebound in the fourth quarter where she practically appeared from nowhere to keep the possession live for the Lions. Madison Hardy has a nice shot, but she also seemed to get frustrated as the game went on.

Columbia has a lot of freshmen, and that bodes well for the future- but at the same time, their present is rife with frustration and letting their feelings affect their game. It's a collective problem, and it's one they'll have to solve if they want to be truly competitive in the Ivy League.

We actually went fairly deep into our bench in the second half! It was a pleasant surprise to see some of the young guards, and everyone got so excited when Katie McLoughlin hit the contested floater. Okay, so she missed the free throw, but she tried. Catherine Polisano got in a nifty hustle play right at the end of the game. I'd actually like to see more of Alexa Giuliano running the offense, either with Lauren Holden (thus moving Lauren to off guard, where shooting threes from Cape May is not the most terrible thing in the world) or without Lauren (thus letting Lauren get some well-earned rest, because she's going to fall over one of these days). She seems solid.

Vilisi Tavui is still not ready for primetime. I don't know if she's tentative because of the leg injury last year, or that's just how she is, but she was consistently a step slow on offense and in the wrong place on defense (tallest player on the floor should not have been on 5-7 Markham for two straight possessions). Halei Gillis had a nifty pass inside to Megan Jonassen for a shot. I'd like to see more of Halei- we don't have a lot of height, and she's got most of it. For her part, Megan had a bit of a rough time of it. She disagreed with a lot of the fouls that were called on her, but I think she was out of position on the boards. Zara Jillings had a good game, but what intrigues me more and more about her every time out is how much time she spends working with Coach Gaitley. Zara's only a sophomore, but if she doesn't end up on Coach Gaitley's bench as soon as her senior year is over, I'll eat my hat. And I like my hats, so you know this isn't something I say idly.

Bre Cavanaugh didn't have to be the star of the show in this game, and that's probably the best thing about the day. She still brought her swagger to the floor, and when she drove the lane, Columbia couldn't stop her. I still find Lauren Holden's propensity for long threes frustrating, but when they go in, her entire game changes. She had a big third quarter, and that helped break the game open for us. She went hard after the ball; if Columbia hesitated, they were lost, and she was down on the floor with the ball. Kendell Heremaia, whether intentionally or not, did a good job of drawing the Columbia defense to her in twos and threes, leaving her teammates open for jumpers or backdoor cuts. (Also, this is a very shallow observation and not relevant to her basketball skills, but her hair looked fabulous. Kenny, I need to know what conditioner you use.)

Kaitlyn Downey seems to have found her shot, and that's led to her really seeming to have found her footing on the court. She used her size well to get inside, and to get midrange shots going. Mary Goulding went off in the first quarter, and ended the first half with a bang on a three-pointer. She's tough, and she's scrappy. She didn't do anything remarkable in this game, but she didn't really have to.

What we did to Columbia's defense in the first half was just mean. Mind you, I'm not objecting. We baited them into doubling and tripling down, and we took advantage of open shots. They were a little cagier in the second half, but we were still able to take control on fast breaks.

I will say that Columbia's Coach had good reason to be annoyed at the officials. We got away with a lot of three-second calls. I know counting is hard, and not everyone can get into an Ivy League school, but that's no excuse for not doing one's job correctly.

I'm really glad we got to go a little bit deeper into our bench, even if it was only at the end of the game. I'd still like to see Bre and Lauren get a little more of a break, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to conference season, I suppose.

The scarf is amazing, and WBB specific, and will probably be one of my new favorite things this winter. It goes better with my coat than my St. John's scarves do. There should be more promotions like this!

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November 18th, 2018: Columbia at Fordham

Just the Facts, Ma'am: Jalen Cobb sank a floater at the buzzer to give Fordham a 70-69 win over Columbia and a tournament win in the Johnny Bach Classic. Nick Honor scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half to lead Fordham. Mike Smith had a team-high 15 points for Columbia in the loss.

For drama, guards, epic hair, charge bugles, and changing seats, join your intrepid and hyped blogger after the jump.

Basketball never stops here at Rose Hill, and it's time for the Fordham men to play some basketball, as they take on the Columbia Lions.

There was a bit of a communication breakdown regarding how far out of the gym we had to go. In order to avoid any unnecessary confusion, we've returned to the baseline bleachers we occupied during the neutral game. Honestly, we should probably be at the other end of the court, where the band is, but I don't like being by the opposing bench and I don't feel like walking anyway.

Good Lord, Columbia has a lot of players. I should not be distracted by the cute guy using the railing by our section to stretch. I'm twice his age and it's a very depressing thought.

Dance team's mismatched denim jackets look even less uniform from the back. It's not a good look. It also blocks my view of the baseline, which is not okay. I'm here for basketball, not dancing girls.

Fordham's staff is very sharply dressed. Those are some nice suits. They're the only team whose staff bothered to dress up for this tournament.

At halftime of a very competitive game, Columbia is up 34-33 on Fordham. It might help if we could keep Jake Killingsworth from hitting threes- he has three of them for a team-high nine points. We're having trouble keeping them from driving as well. Antwon Portley has three threes to lead Fordham.

Musical chairs is sort of bootleg when you don't actually have chairs. I'm just saying.

I already told you I could get my wrist and twist it like a stir-fry, find a new song. And, uh, okay, I just looked up the lyrics and while I have made stir-fry, I have never cooked crack.

What a finish! Just when you think it's over, it's not over! Five points in eight seconds! Never give up and never surrender. I'll be fair- Columbia outplayed Fordham for most of the game, but all that mattered was the fight and the spark.

So Jake Killingsworth can shoot a little bit from outside. I wasn't sure if anyone noticed, since Fordham let him keep doing it. I'm not okay with this, for the record. Nice shot. The Lions also got a little bit of that from Peter Barba in the second half and a whole lot of that from Quinton Adlesh all through the game. Maka Ellis made a good hustle play to get a bucket, and also drove your intrepid blogger to despair regarding that age difference.

Patrick Tapé was called upon for a lot of minutes in the frontcourt, thanks to foul trouble from the starters- he came in almost immediately in the first half, after two fouls on Ike Nweke. Randy Brumant pulled down offensive rebounds and put down dunks. You'll pardon me for not getting excited about that, both because I'm not the biggest dunking fan and because I was rooting for Fordham.

Ike Nweke couldn't stay out of his own way. You get two fouls to start the game, within the first three minutes or so, you're going to have a bad time of it. He's got size, and he's got good touch at the basket, but none of that helps if you can't stay on the floor. Rodney Hunter started, but didn't play a lot- they were getting a lot of offense off the bench from their shooters, so I guess it makes sense.

Mike Smith has amazing hair. It is a truly epic 'frohawk. Columbia's second half approach mostly consisted of him dribbling until he found a lane, then driving and either scoring, passing, or getting fouled and going to the line. He had a couple of really nice passes to Nweke in the low post. Gabe Stefanini gave them good cuts to the basket and good size at the guard slot. Tai Bibbs seemed to almost be getting a courtesy start.

In the early going, Columbia's offensive rebounding was ridiculously good. We were able to buckle down in the second half and defend the boards better.

The answer to "who was that masked man?" is David Pekarek, who was able ot body up inside for the Rams. The real star in the post was Chuba Ohams, who appears to be approximately 96% arms and legs and who slapped a couple of monster blocks, in addition to getting on the glass. He needs to finish better at the rim, but I'll take what we got.

Onyi Eyisi had a nifty offensive rebound in the first half. I kept thinking of him more as a forward than as a guard, but I'll admit that the size in the men's game often throws me off. It's all a matter of perspective, you know? Ty Perry was part of a lot of three-guard sets- Fordham seemed to be going with that a lot down the stretch. I can't say I'm surprised, to be honest.

Jesse Bunting is tough and physical, but after a couple of foul calls he disagreed with, I was surprised he didn't do something stupid, to be honest. He looked ready to. Ivan Raut's three set up the big quick comeback to finish the game. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting him to have that kind of touch from the outside.

Nick Honor kicked it up a notch in the second half, getting to the rack and hitting the midrange shots. That is also an amazing name, I'm just saying. Jalen Cobb has a nice shot, though his freshman-ness was showing during one possession when multiple people had to remind him of what position he was assigned to on that play. Game-winning shots are best shots, though. Antwon Portley fired up a lot of shots and gave some good hustle.

The men at Fordham play a faster and more open style of play than the women. That's not commentary on men versus women, but on different coaching styles. And for all the talk some purported basketball fans like to blather on about, there were very few dunks in this game. Maybe two worth mentioning? (There was also a little one from Brumant that would better be described as a dink.)

Block/charge confusion was the overall theme of the day.

Fordham's band has an impressive repertoire. They didn't dig into repeating songs until late into the second game. The "Charge!" horn at charge calls, or at what they believe should be charge calls, was fun.

That finish was definitely worth staying for. I thought it was over when Columbia hit the fast break dunk, but it just goes to show you.

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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.

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March 7th, 2015: Princeton at Columbia

Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Princeton Tigers kept rolling towards perfection and clinched the Ivy League title with a 63-44 win at Columbia. Blake Dietrick led Princeton with 17 points, while Annie Tarakchian came up just shy of a double-double with 9 points and 9 rebounds. Tori Oliver led all scorers with 18.

For the end of all things, a look at history, tracking rebounds, too many stairs, badly designed stations, friendly strangers, and big cats, join your intrepid and gimpy blogger after the jump.



Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and of course all our readers who eschew the gender binary!

We're wrapping up the regular season here in New York with an evening visit to Levien Gymnasium on the grounds of Columbia University, where the Lions hope to spoil the heretofore undefeated season of the Princeton Tigers. As is customary when chronicling the athletic endeavors of the Ancient Eight, your intrepid blogger will attempt to elevate the level of her writing to suit the academic excellence of these two schools.

We're up in row Q at Levien, having been assigned to the Princeton side of the court. It's already bustling half an hour before tip. There are a lot of people in orange and black, and a lot of alumni showing their pride.

I believe several members of Leslie Robinson's family, including her father, have joined us this evening. Since security hasn't been amped up and I haven't been strip-searched, I'm assuming Aunt Michelle will not be coming.

The Columbia band has chosen to wear their most formal gear for this game. I suppose that makes sense. You dress up for Saturday night, right? I don't understand the pink foam whales people are wearing on their heads, though.

Columbia's Senior Day preparations include balloons in the shape of the seniors' numbers. For some reason, the jerseys are also reversed. Perhaps that reflects Columbia's awareness that Princeton fans are likely to outnumber Columbia fans.

I love the faded shadow effect of the inlaid center court logo, though the giant trademark symbol detracts from the effect.

There is a young woman in a Harvard sweatshirt in the Princetonian section. Lost, related, or just trolling?

After a short disappearance, the Columbia band has marched into the gym. Bonus points for the violin.

Very sweet of the announcer to take the time to introduce each member of the color guard.

At halftime, Princeton is up 36-23, but the Tigers have underwhelmed against a Lions team that's in transition from Nixon's seniors to Glance's recruits. Blake Dietrick leads the Tigers with 11, while Tori Oliver leads the Lions with 10.

The Princeton fans have flags, but have mostly been quiet, except for the older gentleman next to us who's enjoying the game quite a bit.

Princeton turned up the defense in the second half, but they did not look like a team that could threaten in the NCAA tournament tonight, nor did they look like a team that's undefeated. Ominous for the road ahead.

The Tigers went deep into their bench in the second half, so we got to see a fair number of their reserves. Leslie Robinson was physical, as well as foul-prone (though in her defense, one of those calls was a very poor one). Vanessa Smith showed some pretty moves on the inside and facilitated the fast break. Taylor Williams played long stretches in the second half and couldn't quite take that next step in the post- lots of foul trouble, especially on the defensive end. Mariah Smith made some nice defensive plays.

I love, love, love the way Michelle Miller reads the ball off the rim on missed jumpers. She tracked long rebounds really well. Amanda Berntsen is super fast- she accelerated and attacked beautifully. Annie Tarakchian came through with threes at the right time and smashed a second half block so fierce that one of the Princetonians behind me was impelled to scream, "NOT IN MY HOUSE!" (I did have to remind him that this was, in fact, not his house.) She's sneaky good on the glass, too. Alex Wheatley had shots on the inside that she should have hit, but she was solid down low overall. Blake Dietrick was very impressive, showing speed and solid game management. I suspect she was in with the deep reserves to keep them from running up the score- Princeton was looking to keep scoring until the last few seconds, though they did run clock. I like her all-around game.

Princeton ran a motion offense that showed flashes of pure beauty, and was sticky on defense, switching between a tight man and a zone.

Jillian Borreson's brief appearance was at the end of the first half- I think Stephanie Glance was using her for a little height. Camille Zimmerman showed speed and mobility for a big player- the guy behind us (who I think was a youth coach) was really impressed with her. I question her ball security, though. Columbia got unremarkable minutes from their bench, for the most part- better than I would have expected from their record, but not statistically relevant.

Campbell Mobley got the start because it was Senior Day, and that's pretty much all we saw of her. Miwa Tachibana also didn't start the second half after starting the game- the tiny guard was hot from the field, but couldn't keep up with Princeton's speed. Sara Mead found ways to get to the line and was solid for the Lions. Amara Mbionwu hit the boards, but I don't know if she was looking to shoot, or if any shots she intended to take were off offensive rebounds that she never grabbed. Tori Olvier showed some fantastic moves and was the bright light for Columbia.

Actually, that's a pretty harsh assessment. The upperclassmen on this team, for the most part, are not up to the par of Princeton or Penn, or even Yale. The underclassmen, on the other hand, show a lot of potential and stood their ground against the Tigers. I'm looking forward to a resurgence in Manhattan.

Lousy, lousy refs. No game-changing calls, but lots of bad procedural calls and no-calls. I expect refs doing Ivy games to be able to count to two.

I think Princeton was looking ahead to Penn and to the tournament. In a year or two, Columbia will make them regret that kind of attitude.

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November 10th, 2013: San Francisco at Columbia

Just the Facts, Ma'am: USF held Columbia without a field goal for four minutes deep in the second half to pull away in an 83-69 win on the road. Rachel Howard led the Dons with 18 points, while Taj Winston added 17. Miwa Tachibana led the Lions with 13 points.

For fouls, missed shots, fouls, reusable paint, fouls, back support, and fouls, join your intrepid blogger after the whistle. I mean jump.

The epic tour of basketball continues at Columbia today, as the Game Notes of Doom hook up with San Francisco once more.

I think they replaced the seats at Levien. The place looks very shiny. Extremely well organized.

We have a band today! Yesssssssssssssss. Here's hoping they do Korobeiniki. However, the DJ's music selection could use some work. You can't be an academic school and play "Started From the Bottom" when a) you are still at the bottom, b) Cal did it way better than you will ever dream of doing it.

San Francisco fans, I appreciate your passion, but those plastic cowbells are technically against NCAA regulations, but then again, the Columbia fanatics brought them as well, so it all comes out in the wash. Yes, there are fans with face paint and painted shirts for Columbia. Mostly older gentlemen, so I'm glad they stuck to the shirts instead of the painted chests.

Beautiful anthem. I wonder if she sings opera as an extracurricular.

At halftime of a game that started as a slopfest, San Francisco is up three on Columbia. Rachel Howard had eight early, with Taj Winston adding six late from the line. Tori Oliver looks pretty tough for the Lions, but it's been Miwa Tachibana who's carried the load for Columbia, with 10.

Columbia has a fairly impressive souvenir stand, but I can't find the concession stand and I'm hungry. :( I'm also amused by the fact that they're blowing out the Adidas gear; the switch to Nike must have been very recent. No tiny souvenirs I could put on Moooose, though.

I was not expecting USF to have the moxie to make a defensive stand like they did in the fourth quarter of that game to hold off Columbia. I'd have to look at the final play-by-play to double-check it, but they went on a fairly substantial run to finish off the game, fueled both by offense and defense.

Aundrea Gordon seems to have shaken off whatever was bothering her shot at Fordham, because she brought the offense today. She was critical to regaining control of the game in the second half. Claudia Price needed to assert herself more- the coaches were yelling at her to shoot most of the time that she was in the game. She did well when she shot, so she needs to build on that. Hashima Carothers looked lost out there- fumbled a pass into her face, couldn't keep control of the ball, and generally seemed content to let the Columbia forwards muscle her out of position. My scorecard says that Alexa Hardick played, but I can't put my finger on anything that she did. Jamie Katuna committed stupid fouls- don't foul a three-point shooter! But she got the three back at the other end, so that worked out. Brief minutes for Bryn Stark, nothing to write home about.

Paige Spietz had a monster block in the first half, but her overreaching hands would be her downfall- she fouled out on a reach-in (more precisely, a reach-over) that any referee worth his salt is going to call as a foul, even if you manage to get all ball. She did all right on the boards, but was content to let loose balls go by her. Taylor Proctor got herself into foul trouble fairly early in both halves, which limited her effectiveness. She was also one of the Dons (Donnas? Doñas?) who had issues with getting easy looks to go down. Zhané Dikes didn't have much luck with the rim in the first half, but changing baskets seemed to change her luck a little bit. She drove without fear and took a couple of hard hits on both ends of the floor- at one point she all but did a somersault. Taj Winston came up big during the run at the end of the game, with a huge three and some critical shots, including a gorgeous breakaway lay-up on a deft steal. Rachel Howard brought the offense again, including a beautiful floater in the lane.

The ball movement was better this time around, but they're entirely too passive when it comes to loose balls. Fordham knocked away rebounds left and right, and so did Columbia. They've got to learn to move without the ball, as well. Can't just stand around and wait for the pass, especially when the passing is extremely sloppy.

Carolyn Gallagher and Ara Talkov both threw me off because they were wearing numbers that were not their number on the website, and then Columbia's announcer announced Gallagher as Carolyn Binder (which got really confusing when she committed a foul and Binder was sitting on four). Talkov looked lost in her minutes. Gallagher was able to provide some decent minutes in the post. Amara Mbionwu was brilliant in her few minutes, banging down low and getting good putbacks. She mostly played in the second half, which makes me wonder if she's recovering from an injury or if Stephanie Glance likes to use her as a secret weapon of sorts. Devon Roeper has an interesting release to her free throws, and still needs to work on her screens. Carolyn Binder gave decent minutes, and I'm not sure if some of those fouls were legit. I really can't remember anything that Kayla Patton did.

Miwa Tachibana is a woman who knows no fear. She's tiny, but she drives full on into the lane like no one's business. Courtney Bradford is a load down low, but her finishing could use a little work. I like the potential of Tori Oliver- there's something about her that reminds me of Le'Coe Willingham, though that might just be her build and her hair. Taylor Ward missed a lot of very makeable shots. It wasn't pretty. Sara Mead was not as memorable these hours later as I think she was during the game. I must remember not to schedule social engagements immediately after games.

I realize that there are new points of emphasis this year in the NCAA, and they're really trying to clamp down on incidental contact, but it got ridiculous in this game, on both sides. One of the guys in the front row called out, "So you've decided that everything that happens on the basketball court is a foul?" There was no real flow to the game- how could there be, with all the stoppages?

Quote of the game, after Miwa Tachibana's fourth or fifth foul, which came down low, from Stephanie Glance: "Are you serious? She's four-foot-two, how could she foul in there?"

Columbia just could not finish at the rim. San Francisco was not pressuring much, and they still couldn't convert on all the chances they got. Glance has a ways to go with her team on the basics, but I think she can get them back up to snuff.

So tomorrow (today?) I get a day off, and then it's back to the basketball!

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February 17th, 2012: Princeton at Columbia

Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Columbia Lions scored the first basket- then never led again as the Princeton Tigers rolled to an 86-46 win. Lauren Edwards led four Tigers in double figures with 13 points, while Niveen Rasheed narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. Tyler Simpson was the only Lion in doubles with 10. Princeton dominated the boards 52-27, including 23 offensive rebounds.

For ennui, a distressing lack of dorkiness, a studied lack of Wizard of Oz puns, and lots of tapped-around rebounds, join your intrepid and tardy blogger after the jump.

I'm not sure, but I may be a masochist. This is my third venue in six days, with two more to come.

I've been curious about Princeton all year, but Princeton Junction is a fair piece away from where I live in Queens, and Hofstra played their home game against Princeton in the middle of the afternoon (as the Guest Notes of Doom can attest to). Their home visit to Columbia was the only shot I had to get a look at the Tigers

Of course, Columbia is a fair piece away from where I am in Queens too, so I only made it to my seat at tip. Columbia's band is not in attendance, which makes me a sad fan. No Korobeiniki for us tonight.

At half, Princeton is up 45-23, and it could easily be more if Princeton could hit their free throws. The Tigers' rebounding has been astonishing, and they've hit some ridiculously long threes- Lauren Edwards ended the half with one that was approximately from Princeton Junction.

The scary part is that Niveen Rasheed can't shoot straight tonight.

So it was the whipping we expected, but that's okay, because we didn't come to see a competitive game, and we didn't expect a competitive game. It's a little sad to see how far Columbia's fallen since they were contending with Judie Lomax, but these things come in cycles.

We got to see lots of bench players today- Princeton carries thirteen, all of whom played; Columbia carries seventeen, twelve of whom played. That's a lot of players.

Princeton's deep reserves seem to be three-point specialists. There were a lot of long shots being hoisted in the second half. Blake Dietrick looked like she was scoring for playing time- she came off the bench in the third wave and just kept firing away, even when the original plan was clearly to get it to the one player who hadn't yet scored. Jess Shivers never did get to score, but she got a couple of blocks and a rebound, and did nice work on the defensive end. Mariah Smith, wearing a different number than the one on the program, for reasons that even the Princeton folks next to us didn't understand (as she was apparently in the proper uniform the last time they wore the road orange) had a beautiful steal and fast break lay-up in the first half, but showed a disturbing propensity to commit stupid fouls. They were not the stupidest fouls on the floor, but they were not of the caliber that would be expected of an Ivy League student. Kristen Helmstetter got on the board late, but was working hard on the boards. It's actually a fairly safe assumption that if a player was wearing the orange and black, they were working hard on the boards. Megan Bowen was first off the bench and established herself as a defensive presence in the middle. Nicole Hung shows the signs of being able to run this offense when Princeton runs out of Laurens- good, solid player who stil needs some of the rough edges taken off her. She gambles a lot on defense; against a team like Columbia, it works, but against better teams, I'm not sure it will.

It's nice to have a big solid post in the middle who presents herself as a target when all the fancy passing is said and done. Devona Allgood was that player for the Tigers in the first half- at least two of her baskets were wide open and uncontested because the Columbia defense couldn't chase the ball around any longer. Niveen Rasheed handles better than I expected from someone who had previously been doing a lot of her play inside; I wonder if she's trying to transition to the three for a longer pro career. Lauren Edwards showed off her range a little bit and got things done when her team needed her to. Lauren Polansky ran the show, though the numbers won't show it because of all the offensive rebounding. Kate Miller was solid but unremarkable.

I suspect, though without adequate data or ways of finding that data, that a lot of the Princeton players also played volleyball. Their offensive rebounding, especially backtaps, was amazing. Their passing was also exceptionally crisp at times- sometimes they tried too hard and the extra pass got picked off, but they did a great job finding the open player.

Taylor Ball, breathe. Two fouls, and both of them rough fouls- the first an intentional after a steal by Polansky, the second a trip on Rasheed near the end of the game. It's only a basketball game. No need for all of that. Campbell Mobley reminds me a little of Kristen Mann around the eyes. I like her communication on the floor. Miwa Tachibana has the same dynamo energy as Sara Yee, who we used to call 'ten pounds of crazy in a five pound bag', though with a good bit less terrifying intensity. Nicole Santucci got things done in the second half- her batles with Rasheed were interesting. Amara Mbionwu reminds me a little of Judie Lomax in build- unfortunately, not in rebounding skill or shooting ability. Taylor Ward played good defense, helping set up a nice steal by Agata Jankova in the first half.

I love Tyler Simpson's defense! Hands everywhere! Agata Jankova had some passing issues, but otherwise had a solid game for the Lions. Melissa Shafer scored her points early, but then got in foul trouble and was pretty much a non-factor from the second quarter on. Courtney Bradford established herself well in the post in the second half, but got into foul trouble trying to deal with the Princeton posts. I was impressed with Jazmin Fuller, but I can't necessarily put my finger on statistically why, though that might be because it's been a while and I was a bit sleep deprived last night. She gave off a general sense of 'gets things done'.

The box score says that one of the officials in this game was Cynthia Brook, but she looked an awful lot like Denise Brooks, so either the GNoD's favorite ref has a sister, or someone screwed things up in the box score. I rather liked how the crew ran the game- crisp communication, everything clear and precise- but there were a lot of what our colleague Ray has referred to as “game management” calls. Columbia received the advantage on most fifty-fifty calls and a couple of other ones besides. Not that it made a difference in the game, but it was a good close-up look at how officials try to handle a game that's wildly unbalanced between two teams who don't necessarily like each other.

Columbia was almost actively dissuading students from going to this game. I'm not sure what to think about that. I mean, yes, it probably doesn't do a lot for school spirit to watch your team get crushed like bugs, but at the same time, you shouldn't be telling people not to go to games.

It might have been a bad sign that Roar-ee was out of uniform, wearing instead a referee's stripes. When even the mascot doesn't support you, you might have a problem.

It hurts to see how far Columbia's fallen since they were at least a middling team in the Ivy a couple of years ago. On the other hand, it's good to see the promise of Princeton, in both its stars and its freshmen waiting their turn- but how long will a coach as good and well-rounded as Courtney Banghart stay in a one-bid league, even if that league is the Ivy?

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November 19th, 2010: Columbia at St. John's

I love my team. The feeling might even be mutual. That's sort of weird, but in the best of ways.

For defensive pressure, coiffeur, mini basketballs, and far too many Girl Scouts, join your intrepid and somewhat gobsmacked blogger after the jump.


I love Fridays, and not just because that means the end of the week. It means Casual Friday at the office, which means joyously wearing a Red Storm t-shirt and beads instead of having to make like Supergirl with a blouse over the shirt all day. It means slipping out two minutes early to catch the bus that takes me to the train that takes me to the train that takes me to the bus that takes me to the arena. (Seriously, it is impossible to get around Queens easily via mass transit.)

Unfortunately, they forgot to tell us that there was some kind of Girl Scout Day going on. I think I've mentioned a time or five that I hate kid-related events: the shrill pitch of the kids hurts my ears, they never know when to scream or who to scream for, and in this particular case, the chaperones were even more clueless than the children. Is it asking so much for all y'all not to mill around like you've never been anywhere near a large gathering area before? I had to double back to get my scorecard. We all know that I need my scorecard.

Respect the anthem. I don't think that's asking so much. That means you, chattering girls in front of me who kept going across the aisle all damn game. That means you, Nadirah, Shenneika, Jennifer, and Tesia. I saw what you did there. Stand up, shut up, and look at the flag. (Unless you are getting your Toni Smith on and making a political statement, then you can turn away from the flag.)

Columbia carries a lot of players. I had to adjust the fold of my scorecard because the halfway point left three players under the fold. Objectively, I like that the bench players stayed involved in the game even when they were down twenty-five in the last minute. Subjectively, the cheerleaders and I all wanted them to shut up, and I think that encouraged the cheerleaders to step their game up, because the "DE-FENSE!" chant got old after a while.

I'm still surprised Tyler Simpson doesn't get more time. Good things tend to happen when she's on the floor. She was one of the few Lions to get to the line. Diana Lee's become more assertive this year... which is not necessarily a good thing for Columbia, because her shot isn't that good. Nicole Santucci saw limited time as a big body. Since Columbia is an Ivy League school, and therefore doesn't give athletic scholarships, I can't make the usual comment I make about players who are on the broad side. Mary Beato has pulled her shorts down a bit, much to the relief of those who had to suffer through her cameltoe last year. Her shot was fairly awful, though. Blaine Frohlich, who despite the best efforts of my AutoCorrect is not related to Linda Fröhlich, played briefly and got fouls. I know Melissa Shafer played, and I know she did things, but I don't remember much of what she did other than the airball.

I don't know who peed in Kathleen Barry's Cheerios this morning, or if someone was talking trash at her or something, but in the second half, she got a pretty nasty chip on her shoulder. It's one thing to dive. It's another thing to dive low like you're either going for someone's knees or like you're pretending someone went for your knees. I expected her to b a lot more assertive in this game, but she really didn't seem to be. Courtney Bradford is a big body, and she's not afraid to use it, but she's got to be more aggressive on offense and lay off the elbows. For a freshman- sorry, Columbia, first-year- she's not bad, and I'm looking forward to her banging in the post with Rasheed at Princeton. I'm not sure what Brianna Orlich brings to the table that she should be starting- whatever it is, she didn't bring it today, unless it was the ability to actually get to the line. Lauren Dwyer got two early fouls, and I think that affected her o the offensive ed. Defensively, she used her body very well, taking advantage of the fact that only one player on our active roster is her height, and, um, LOL Jennifer Blanding. (Which I mean in the nicest way possible. Please don't hurt me, Jennifer.)

Our freshmen are definitely freshmen. All three of them showed their rough edges tonight. Right now, Briana Brown shows the most potential of the three. I love the way she hits the floor for loose balls. Keylantra Langley really needs to work on her ballhandling. It's never a good sign when you're messing up on the drill. She's showing better shot selection than she did last game, though. Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin needs to be ready or the pass. If it's the last five minutes of a twenty-point game and the other team's deep bench players are on the floor, expect the guards with some common sense to attempt to feed you so you can get a basket in the game. If you have position in the lane, don't let the pass bounce off your hands. She only committed the one foul tonight, which was an improvement over last game. She showed a lot more confidence in the scrimmage- I'm wondering if she's worried she might get hurt or something. Amanda Burakoski had one stretch where she had three steals in something like a minute. She was just getting into the passing lane and making like she was, I don't know, Darrelle Revis or something. She really has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. I love that about her. Jennifer Blanding got a nice little steal at the end of the game. She needs to be more assertive with her build- when you're the biggest player on the team, you've got to be willing to do more than just box out so players with a little more pep in their step can get the rebounds. Eugeneia McPherson's threes were both exceptionally well timed, though I'm not thrilled with the number she's hoisting form that distance. Then again, she wasn't doing so well right at the rim- she's got the vertical lift, but somehow she wasn't able to get the shot off high enough. A couple of her lay-ups were short of the rim. It was sad. I expect better of her than that. I loved her defensive intensity, though. Then again, I love this whole team's defensive intensity.

All right. Sky Lindsay is one of my favorite people on this team. She knows how to work a room, she's got a great personality, and she's got a way with people. I'm happy to have her in a Red Storm uniform. All that being said, if she doesn't hurry up and get her head... back together, let's just say, because SB Nation is not so fond of profanity, she's going to find her senior privilege revoked and Eugeneia or Buzz starting for her. She came out very flat in this game, and she made some stupid plays that I'm not thrilled about a senior making. We only have two real seniors on this team (I'm not counting Tesia Harris, because she's a transfer). We can't afford to have them messing up. Now, on the other hand, if Coco Hart keeps up what she's doing, I stand ready to take back just about every bad thing I've said about her in the last few years. I know we've been playing smaller teams, and maybe that helps, but the way she's been hitting the offensive boards is phenomenal. If she could convert some of those putbacks, or at least improve her free throw shooting to guard-level standards, she might make herself into a Euro prospect. Nadirah McKenith's decision-making was not up to her usual standards, but everyone has an off day and I'll blame it on the two hits she took to the face- the second one definitely looked like it rung her bell. Again, she was short on her lay-ups. Shenneika Smith's been taking the opening tip the last couple of games, showcasing her athletic ability. She looks like she's been sharpening her offensive moves. She looks really good, like she's got something to prove. And she's playing both ends of the floor. Da'Shena Stevens very quietly got things done. I found it hard to believe she had six steals, but that might just be scorekeeper's choice; a lot of those defensive plays took two or more players to get done.

Officiating in this game was extremely loose. I don't necessarily mind the travels not being called, but please don't hit our starting point guard in the face. Twice. Columbia started the second half very physical, and once they hit six fouls, the officials seemed unusually disinterested in calling fouls on them. Were there plays that should have been called against St. John's? There always are. (Nadirah, I'm looking at you for that stupid reach.) But when there's a hip check that seems like it should belong in the Rangers game, we have a problem.

Favorite small things: Buzz, knocked flat on her back on a play, tracking the arc of a ball and getting up in position to help get the board. Shenneika's gorgeous pass to Coco. Da'Shena's authoritative blocks and recovery. Sky getting some of the pep back into her step. The fact that Trevor Arico is a pretty darn good player for his age.

Of course, since it was a kids' day/Girl Scout Day/whatever day, that meant that today was the autograph session. That was another thing it would have been useful to know before the game so that I could pack my nifty season subscriber gift, which is a mini-ball signed by Coach Barnes Arico. I figured that might make an interesting change of pace from the innumerable posters that decorate home sweet home. Of course, that's a bit hard to do when your ball is in Fresh Meadows and you're in... um, whichever of the myriad of possible neighborhoods that St. John's is claiming to be in this week. Fortunately, my mom is also a season subscriber, and picked up her gift that day. We're swapping balls at the next game. I always try to be friendly at these things, say "hey, how are ya?" to everyone so they're not feeling so much like they're on an assembly line, let them know how much they're appreciated. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it takes a little time. Traffic got a bit clogged in the middle because people got sent the wrong way down the line. Did I mention that the middle was where gregarious Sky was sitting? So we chatted a little, and she commented on my haircut.

Sidebar: at the end of last season, I had hair down almost to the small of my back. I got it cut in September, and right now it rather resembles Katie Smith's 1999 look with the Lynx. We're talking about going from the Utah Starzz' Dalma Ivanyi to the San Antonio Silver Stars' Dalma Ivanyi. It's a pretty drastic change, to be sure.

But, y'know? The last time Sky, and Coco, who also commented on my hair, saw us was back in March. It means a lot to a fan to be remembered like that.

It was also nice that Mary the-redshirt-whose-name-I-need-to-copy-and-paste-to-get-right and Tesia Harris were with the team for the autograph session. Usually the kids who aren't eligible don't join the party. To me, that suggests some cohesion among the group. Yay cohesion!

So life is good. I get to rest up before Thanksgiving and the game on Friday... except, wait, LSU visits Seton Hall tomorrow. On to the next one, on to the next one, on to the next one...

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February 12th, 2010: Princeton at Columbia

Comments are closed on this post- please direct any comments to the mirror post on Swish Appeal.

We went to Levien Gym figuring we had a chance to see the battle for the Ivy crown. It might only be February, but having seen Columbia play a lot of BCS schools tough, and hearing about Princeton's out-of-conference success, we figured this would show who was the cream of the crop. It did, but not in the way we were expecting.

Levien Gym is one of my favorite intimate arenas to visit for a game. Tickets are reasonably priced, the arena is comfortably sized, the cheerleaders and dance team aren't completely incompetent, and the band never ceases to come up with some novel way of amusing the crowd. (Tonight it was one of the band members miming the shapes of Tetris pieces while the band played the Tetris music. AWESOME. My nerdy heart goes boom.)

Excellent rendition of the anthem, too. We happened to be sitting next to a friend who goes to a lot of Columbia games, and she said that this was the first time this guy was lucky enough to get through the whole song without the mic going out on him. He deserved better than those previous occasions.

A friendly hello to our colleagues at SportsPage Magazine. I'm sure Tracy and Tara covered this game as professionally and thoroughly as they've covered many other women's basketball events.

Because the game turned out to be such a blowout, we got to see the deep ends of both benches. I'm not sure I like Krystal Hill cranking a three with seven seconds left in a twenty-point game when she had already scored and she had scoreless teammates out there with her. Laura Johnson did a good job keeping the pressure on Columbia while she spelled Polansky. Kate Miller also gave them good minutes as a freshman off the bench. Their seniors didn't play very much, which tells me the coach who's only been there for three years is recruiting far superior talent to what was there before.

I've been on the Addie Micir bandwagon since I saw her light up Penn a couple of years ago when she was just a freshman. She's still bringing it, but I think she's better suited to the Robin role that she can step into with a post like Niveen Rasheed around. Rasheed was... she completely dominated Columbia tonight. She's not afraid to mix it up, which is a critical element of success anywhere, but especially in the Ivy League, where having a banger makes a very big difference. She's also got good hands, which allowed her to tip a lot of balls- what I didn't realize until I got home and looked at the box score was that she led the team in assists tonight as well. Devona Allgood also took advantage of Columbia's weakness in the paint to pounce early- she and Rasheed were almost taking turns scoring for the Tigers. Polansky did a good job running the offense and keeping things on an even keel- she didn't look to score, but they didn't need her to score.

I like some of the freshmen- sorry, first-years- for Columbia. Tyler Simpson doesn't seem to be daunted by the transition from high school to Division I. And while announcers may not be thrilled at the prospect, I think we'll be seeing more of Bhavna Chadalavada in the next couple of years- I like her instinct to go towards the basket, though she could do with being a little less tentative about it. Do or do not; there is no try. Diana Lee plays like someone who was slightly taller than her classmates and was able to use her height to her advantage then. Unfortunately, she's only 5-6, and that style of play's not going to do anyone good at that size. Of course, my perspective may be skewed, because her first couple of plays were pretty boneheaded- a bad shot and a blatant hit on a Princeton player. Mary Beato canned one ridiculously long three that was well beyond the men's line, and she really was trying on defense, but she lacked a certain grace, or any grace at all. She was blowing her nose during most of the time she was on the bench, so perhaps that's a pass for her. I'm not quite sure what Caitlin Stachon's excuse was for not staying on her woman when the Tiger post players had been abusing Columbia, but whatever it was, it was unacceptable, and she didn't do enough on the offensive end to make up for it.

As beat-up and worn-down as the Columbia starters looked, perhaps Paul Nixon needs to go to his bench more often. Danielle Browne's got a brace and a hand wrap, Judie Lomax seems to be having hand problems... I'm wondering if this is why Columbia started off so well and then seemed to start running out of gas in the Ivy season. And it couldn't have helped that Kathleen Barry, who's one of the key parts of the Lions' offense, was out injured or sick. Melissa Shafer got the start for Barry, and I think she was in over her head a little. There were times she looked scared to shoot when she had good looks; there were times when she took shots she had no business attempting. She got dinged up a bit too- there was a stretch where she had to sit because she got scratched and they couldn't stop the blood. Lomax wasn't herself- she wasn't holding on to the ball when she got it, and she was taking far too many shots away from the basket. I've seen her a few times. She doesn’t have a jump shot. For some reason, tonight she thought she was an outside shooter. Though she got rebounds, she probably should have had more, or at least kept Rasheed from getting a double-double with stronger boxouts. Browne was really forcing things, especially in the second half. On the other hand, I was surprised that Lauren Dwyer didn't assert herself more, especially in Barry's absence. I recognize this probably had a lot to do with the physical post play of Princeton, but she's got a decent midrange shot. It says something about the way Columbia was playing that, arguably, their best rebounder on the night was Sara Yee- you might recall her from other Game Notes of Doom as the player fondly referred to as "Ten Pounds of Crazy in a Two Pound Bag" for her tenacity and 5-1 stature. But she was boxing out far taller and stronger players and fighting for loose balls like nobody's business. Her offensive choices left a bit to be desired.

Just as a general note, the Columbia players didn't look like they actually knew each other, or that basketball is played with the assistance of other people who are wearing clothes similarly colored to one's own. In mid-February, twenty games into the season, this is really not good.

I'm normally not one to blame the referees, and you can't blame officiating for a twenty-point margin, and I'll also admit that sitting behind the Columbia bench would have colored my opinion of any calls I didn't see. But it seemed like Columbia was being called for a lot of things that Princeton was getting away with, that Princeton fouls were not being called, (which led to fouls that were called on Columbia), and that loose balls were going to Princeton at an inordinate rate. It also seemed like one particular ref made most of the more inexplicable calls, a brown-haired woman with a tan. From the box score, I would guess that she was Michelle Ross. (She might have been Michele St. Pierre, but she didn't look French enough to carry a name like that off, and I am certain that she wasn't Kenneth Kelly.)

On the other hand, while I do love hearing fans get loud and involved in the game, not every call is going to go your way, and sometimes your team does commit the foul in the questionable play. Please stop complaining, especially if you're sitting in the row behind me.

This didn't seem like the same team that gave St. John's all kinds of trouble when they played in December. That's why they play the games, I know, but it's still jarring to see a team go from scrapping for every loose ball to not contesting lay-ups in the paint, from playing a BCS school within twelve points to going down twenty-five to an Ivy League team. I'd like to think it's just the grind of the season and the absence of Barry that made this game such an aberration for the Lions, and that they'll bounce back tomorrow night against the winless Quakers.

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December 4th, 2009: St. John's at Columbia

Comments closed here- please comment on the mirror post at Swish Appeal.

St. John's Red Storm 75, Columbia Lions 63

The Game Notes come prepared, receive compliments, and do not die of dysentery.


There are things fans should never be asked to do for the love of their teams. Brave the Lions' den, packed with hundreds of screaming children, is one of them. But I love my team, and it was too late to back out of things when I saw the throng of kids anyway.

I often forget how much I like Levien Gym. Especially when full or close to it, that model of homecourt is a very good size and style for the average women's basketball attendance in the NCAA. I was not, however, pleased with whoever had seated two rows of squalling private school students in the first two rows directly behind the St. John's bench. There's a wide aisle and a railing separating the bench and the seats, but it still seemed uncouth. Given that there were several rows of empty seats higher up in the section, I'll just assume that the ushers made an error.

Much love for the gentleman in the "Yale has died of dysentery" Oregon Trail shirt. GNoD approved!

The sound system kept cutting out while the anthem singer was attempting to perform; eventually, the sound people figured out that it was more effective to have her sing a capella and let the little kids back her up. It was kinda cool. Regrettably, many of the giggling, whispering, chattering children who were disrespecting the anthem appear to have been born in various barns. GNoD DISapproved.

Kelly, if the hair dye helps your shot, then go as Nancy Lieberman orangey-yellow tan with your hair as you like. It's good to see her with some of her old confidence, though there were two occasions where she hesitated and passed up a shot that she could and should have taken. Coco's really stepped up her game on the boards and in the post, though she's still prone to making enough incredibly boneheaded plays that I won't rename the Coco Hart Memorial Award For Epic Fail just yet. Eugeneia was a critical part of the press that so frustrated Columbia, and hit a couple of shots on broken plays. Because Columbia kept the game so close for most of the way, we couldn't go as deep into the bench as we would have liked with a road game coming up in two days.

I hope Nadirah's going to be okay- she twisted her ankle in the second half and didn't come back; she was limping pretty badly during timeouts. She got her pocket picked a few times, though- freshman jitters, I can deal with those. Shenneika really needs to work on her ballhandling- I'm stunned she was only called for one turnover, because she was in a lot of awkward situations. But she's so smooth. She's a joy to watch. Which reminds me... Yes, I know, I should be ashamed of myself for wordplay like that. Joy wasn't quite as scrappy as I'm used to, though she hit the deck for a couple of balls. Those graceful flying lay-ups weren't so effective, but gosh, am I looking forward to seeing her versus Chelsi Johnson on the 10th. Sky isn't a morning person- she spent a lot of time doing her best impression of a statue- but she got her offense going when we needed her to. Da'Shena still isn't where I expected her to be- I don't know if USA Basketball wrung her out or she's rusty, but her shot is off and she's not really bringing it well on defense. What, did Tiffany Hayes hire someone to put a curse on the BEast FOY award?

Cameo appearances by most of the Columbia reserves who saw time. I was surprised that Shafer didn't play more when they needed offense, or Stachon when they needed toughness and someone to free up their shooters. I think Nixon was counting on Mary "Lisa Leslie is my fashion role model" Beato to bring the offense, but she mostly just brought the fouls instead. Tyler Simpson was the first sub for the Lions, but she had no statistical presence.

It intrigues me that Columbia uses the standard names for every class but the youngest, who are first-years instead of freshmen. And it's not a gender thing, either, because the male first-year players in the joint program were also listed as first-year and not freshmen.

I honestly believe that one of the biggest reasons we won this game was that we hassled and frustrated and flummoxed Lauren Dwyer. Because she couldn't hit her shots when she even got them off, Columbia lost a major portion of their offense. And while Kathleen Barry and Danielle Browne did their part to pick up the slack- the former from jump shots, the latter from drives inside- they couldn't quite do it. I do like Barry, though- she's a very good player. If she bulks up a little, she might be a prospect next year. Browne's fearless. I don't know how many times she hit the floor, but it was a lot. Judie Lomax set the tone for the game for the Lions; when she was in, getting rebounds and cleaning up the trash, they were doing well, but she committed a couple of critical offensive fouls by not being able to stop, and she fouled out with about three minutes to go, which really screwed up Columbia's chances for a comeback. Sara Yee, one of the GNoD's favorite players, did a helluva job on defense, but got into trouble with the Red Storm press and committed two backcourt violations. Still love Ten Pounds of Crazy in a Two Pound Bag, though.

I'm not sure what game the refs were watching. It wasn't this one, though it had enough similarities to the one we were at that the fouls weren't too bad, but there were some odd calls.

Never let it be said that the GNoD come unprepared. I've been to Levien enough times that I expected to end up in the bleachers and brought seat cushions, figuring I could loan out the spares. I ended up in chairback seating, for which I was exceedingly grateful- but Sky's mom and sister were a few rows up in the bleachers. Nothing makes friends faster than offering seat cushions to people sitting on hard plastic bleachers.

Sky isn't my favorite Red Storm player, not by a long shot. But she's one of the most interesting and funniest people on the team. So after the game I was shooting the breeze with a friend of mine who's a Columbia STH, and we were sitting there a good long time, long enough that the teams drifted back into the gym. Sky came over to us and said to me that they saw me at all the games, that they really appreciated us coming out. Then she really got warmed up. "You're the only real fan we have," she says to me. She gestures a few seats over, where her mom and sister are still sitting there. "If I weren't playing, she wouldn't even be here."

(It's flattering, but not quite true. I don't leave the tri-state for road games, and I have to miss another home game because I am NOT paying MSG prices. But I guess I do stand out with my clipboard. It's such a useful prop, though: I keep stats on it, I beat out tempos with it, I disconcert free throw shooters with it, I hit myself in the head with it when my team commits stupid mistakes.)

What really saved the day for us was the press. We controlled Columbia's offense almost more than we did our own by keeping them trapped in the backcourt and forcing them to hurry up their offense once they did get it over the line. I consider that very promising, because I love a good press.

The kids might have made me crazy, but I wish the ones we get in with camps could be half as organized and purposefully loud as these. Great atmosphere. I still hate kids on general principles, but they did a good job.

Shout out to Tracy and Deb, who made me come home two hours late, but it was all worth it.

I'm not looking forward to the game against Carolina, but I'll take what I can get. GNoD approved!

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November 18th, 2009: Columbia at Long Island

Columbia Lions 64, Long Island Blackbirds 62

The Game Notes of Doom step down in conference class- but not in the quality of the experience.


I forgot how much I missed the mid-major experience, and how much I like going to games at LIU. It has a certain charm that a lot of arenas just don't possess (and they charge you for it- $8 a pop!).

There are disadvantages. I swear the Blackbirds have to be the worst free throw shooting team I've ever seen because their fans, band, dance team, and pep squad make more noise when they're shooting than when their opponents are shooting. Guys, seriously, don't disconcert your own players. It does not end well. And I think I'm still recovering from the loudness of the band. They play at a volume more suited to the RAC than the WRAC.

I do like the programs, though, and the team poster is very nifty. Sort of a cross between picture day and complete chaos. Reasons I <3 Chelsi Johnson...

Dear Mary Beato: you are not Lisa Leslie, nor are you Charde Houston. Please to be pulling your shorts out of your crotch. If I am forced to see cameltoe at a basketball game, it damn well better be from one of the dance team. Other than that, your shooting is good but your driving sucks. Jazmin Fuller did a decent job running the offense in the short time that the responsibility was in her hands. Melissa Shafer did work on the boards. Caitlin Stachon shows good promise as a reserve for the Lions- a big girl with a bit of a touch.

Everyone act surprised that an admirer of Debbie Black, such as yours truly, has great love for Sara Yee, who I refer to with great fondness as "ten pounds of crazy in a two-pound bag". She ran a fairly sharp offense, though I noticed that later in the game she was backing the ball out more and spending more time setting up in the backcourt. And of course, she was ballhawking on the defensive end and jumping for rebounds that a 5'1" guard has no right to be trying for. Judie Lomax didn't really seem to be as involved in the offense as I would have expected- she got some touches, but she was looking to pass more than I thought, and some of her moves have been dubbed travels thanks to the point of emphasis this year. Also, what's up with the soaking wet uniform? No one sweats that much. Lauren Dwyer's a tough customer. Good range, gets her shit done. Barry played well, except for occasional miscommunication- I think she was the one who had the ball in her hands when Columbia committed a shot clock violation.

Impressively, everyone got in the game for Long Island. Sure, Hetting, Obianwu, and Abrams all played a mere handful of minutes combined, but they got in. The freshman backcourt of Kayla Ramsby and Krystal Wells played well together. They intrigue me. I also like their reserve posts, Justine Stevenson and the freshman Tamika Guz- both of them big-framed players, but using it in different ways. Stevenson did more fighting for rebounds and driving, while Guz used her build more defensively and to clog the middle so she could set up shots outside (like McLaren for UConn, as an example of that type of player). And Marika Sprow gave good minutes at the guard position. (There's the problem with being a mid-major- all y'all are guards.)

Ashley Palmer was hampered by foul trouble in the second half- oh, and the inability to hit a fucking free throw, oh my God, seriously 0-5 is unfuckingacceptable. She gets very, very tentative when she's in foul trouble. There's a difference between cautious and tentative, and she's on the wrong side of it. Kiara Evans, on the other had, was trying too hard, making stupid drives when LIU was down that resulted in easy steals and fast breaks for Columbia. She's got game, but she's got to learn that she can rely on her teammates. Connie James came off as the steadying hand, even though she couldn't get her shots to fall. Chelsi Johnson came up big in the second half, when LIU let the lead slip away. If she hadn't fouled out, I think the Blackbirds might have pulled the game back out. They also got big shots from Heidi Mothershead, who came out firing from almost NBA range.

Play of the game: loose ball on the floor at LIU's end. Ashley Palmer hits the deck, grapples with a Columbia player, and is able to shovel the ball out to Mothershead. Mothershead whips it over to Johnson, who puts it in for two. I love ball movement, have I ever mentioned that?

There was precious little, but I can't say I'm surprised. Neither team prides itself on protecting the ball, and both teams scrap and hustle for anything that even vaguely resembles a ball that could be pried out of someone's hands.

And after the game, after a close loss where the Blackbirds had the lead and let it slip through their fingertips, they did the opposite of what most teams would do. The echo of the buzzer had barely faded before Krystal Wells was past the tape and up four rows of bleachers to say, "Thanks for coming out to our game tonight! I'm Krystal, how are you?" Connecting with the community: you're doing it right.

I really do think LIU has all the pieces: a good coach, better players than many in their conference, a nifty little arena, an enthusiastic core of fans, and impressive networking skills. Be ready for them to make some noise.

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February 28th, 2009: Dartmouth at Columbia

Dartmouth Big Green 63, Columbia Lions 61

Run, assholes, run! The Ivy League provides the drama that the Big East lacked.


After due consideration, and with the nagging need to wash the foul taste out of my mouth after the mess at St. John's, we headed uptown, where Columbia was hosting Ivy-leading Dartmouth. Turned out to be a much more interesting game. As this was an Ivy League matchup, I'll attempt to keep my diction as elevated as the Ancient Eight would demand, and I beg your indulgence if I fall short.

Levien Gym may be my favorite "gym that is clearly not in a discrete building" facility in the area (as opposed to "gym that is clearly in a discrete building", such as Carnesecca or Mack, and "gym that might be in a discrete building, but I'm not sure", such as LIU's court). s court). It balances the necessity of being small with a lot of the amenities of a larger arena, and does so with great practicality. The pleasing shade of blue might also have something to do with it. It looks like they've done some work with Levien since the last time I was there. The video board pleases me, and the fact that Columbia makes use of it makes it even better. I don't think any other team I've seen has an animated intro quite like Columbia's, with Roar-ee's run to the gym.

Senior Night for Christina Gordon and Katrina Cragg was very touching. It's a bit harder to get blue roses than red and white ones, so they had to be satisfied with Columbia-blue ribbons around their bouquets.

Anthem was by a nervous-sounding member of the dance team who eventually got over her nerves and gave a very pretty rendition.

Signs you might be at an Ivy League sporting event: the band's repertoire includes the theme from the original Tetris. I really liked them, and their trick of "slow counting" the clock- it actually worked on one play!

So, Dartmouth. They all seem to have very similar long, lanky, physiques- length, not breadth, is the key. Brittney Smith dominated the offense in the first half, and while she still got hers in the second, the other two major players for the Big Green that night stepped up next to her. Margaret Smith (her older sister, in case you were wondering; I know I have since they visited St. John's last year) didn't contribute quite as much. Koren Schram was quiet in the first half, but her shooting got hot in the second. Combine that with Darcy Rose's knack for getting to the line, and Dartmouth ran away with the second half. McFee, their last starter, really got taken out of the game by foul trouble. It's funny- it felt like Dartmouth was having their way inside, scoring in the paint and controlling the interior game, but statistically, Columbia outrebounded the Big Green and outscored them in the paint. (Of course, since free throws don't technically count as points in the paint, the disparity becomes a little clearer.) Rose swings a mean pair of elbows. Actually, most of the Dartmouth players do, though that may be a function of long skinny arms being bent in defense of the ball. Their long-range game got them right back into things at the beginning of the second half- Columbia seemed calm with a twelve-point lead, then Dartmouth uncorked three threes to put them right back in range, and from there it was nip and tuck right up to the end.

I got the sense that only one of Columbia's seniors starts on a regular basis, judging from rotation and minute allocation. Gordon acquitted herself well in her start, and Danielle Browne, who she displaced, was a real spark off the bench- if she's not careful, Nixon might think that's a good idea for next season, a la Candice Wiggins for the Lynx or Becky Hammon in 2000 for the Liberty. Sara Yee remains two pounds of crazy persistence in a one-pound bag, the kind of player I have a very soft spot for, especially when they hit big shots. There's something I like about Lauren Dwyer, but I can't quite put my finger on it. I can see how Judie Lomax started out at a Pac-10 school- she's tough and fearless, with good instincts for the ball. I can see why she would choose to move down several notches on the athletic totem pole, setting aside the obvious advantages of a Columbia education over an Oregon State education: at 5'11", she wouldn't survive as a power forward in a BCS conference, she doesn't have the speed or consistent outside shot to transition to an offensive wing player, and at least in the one game I saw, didn’t seem very interested in playing defense. Caitlin Stachon seemed a little too interested in adding degrees of difficulty to simple shots, which became important when the game got tighter.

And the game got tight in a hurry. The refs helped. Sorry, but a cross-check at midcourt on a stationary defensive player is not a block. The last play of the game was one of the more egregious lack of calls, though. Columbia, down two points, missed a shot, and a scrum developed under the basket. Pretty clear foul on Dartmouth- Darcy Rose, I think. No whistle. Then, as the buzzer goes off, they whistle a foul... on Judie Lomax, adding insult to injury (since Columbia was already in the double penalty). The referees conferred, decided not to call the foul on Lomax, and then ran out of the arena as fast as they could, with the Columbia crowd booing, hissing, and yelling at them, and the Columbia band chanting "Run, assholes, run!" Cowards!

I think we were sitting behind family or friends of one of Columbia's assistants. That makes me somewhat more relieved that we threw in our lot with the Lions, then, though it would have been uncouth to do anything but when we were sitting five rows behind the Columbia bench.

Watch this space for pictures; they should be up by the end of the night.

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January 21st, 2008: Longwood at Columbia

The Lions show a whole lot of hustle, Columbia is quite clever when it comes to marketing, and there might be an Oedipal complex on the Longwood bench.


The more we thought about it, the more we realized we could do the bootleg day-night doubleheader, so after refueling at the Dallas BBQ, it was uptown on the 1 to Columbia, where the Lions played host to the Lancers of Longwood. Levien Gym was a lot of things that St. Francis was not: spacious, well-appointed, and generally having the appearance of someplace in which Division I sports were played. Like most places on an Ivy League campus, it was a bit tricky to find, but we did get there eventually.

The kid who did the anthem was adorable, but that doesn't mean she should be allowed to ever do that to strangers again. I was starting to yearn for the St. John's band, which is usually a sign that I'm running a fever.

Bleachers, for the most part, although there are some reserved seat-seats. Don't know how you get those- we wanted to be on the band side, on account of Ivy League bands tending to rule the universe in terms of geekery, and that was the bleacher-seated student section. We nudged over a bit from the seats that we were sold, because I'm not a big fan of staring down the endline and the photographer kept blocking my view. As for the band, I liked them better than most- the heavy drums were certainly an interesting change- but I'd still rank them below Rutgers and Princeton.

Longwood has a UConn alumna as their coach, Kristin Caruso- I'm wondering if she used to be Kris Lamb? Whatever the case may be, she clearly comes from Geno's tree, what with the overdramatics and theatrics. The mouthy assistants are a little much, and I'm really trying not to figure out if there's such a thing as an Oedipal complex in coaching, because the mouthy assistant was an Italian dude. They brought a very aggressive, attacking defense, and an equally aggressive offense that liked to bomb it from outside or bring it inside. Shooter Krystal Garrison impressed me tonight- she's only a freshman, and I think she's got a lot of potential- as did junior guard Courtney Dyer- that's someone who might have needed to step up in class to get the attention she deserved, but it's a little late now for a junior. Keiva Small did yeoman's work in the first half on Columbia shooter Michele Gage, and when she got in foul trouble, Columbia was able to get back into the game. I have a notation down for Cierra Baker's block, though I'm not sure if that was the one that almost went behind the stands or not.

Yes, signs you might be watching a mid-major: when the game ball damn near rolls out of the gym, they don't go grab another one, the game is delayed while the ref chases the ball down the corridor. A couple of blocks almost went out the door, no joke. In that sense, Livien really is a gym.

For Columbia, the problem was not necessarily on the floor, although they do need to work on communicating with each other and making their passes more accurate, as well as speeding up their offense a little bit. They were fierce on the boards, fierce and disruptive on defense, faster than your average mid-major, and they got their shots- they just couldn't get those shots to fall in the first half. It was brutal. There was more English on the shots going in than in the courses I took for four years. But unlike St. Francis- and even unlike St. John's on Saturday, they didn't give up. They never gave up. Even with the game decided with two seconds left, when Longwood inbounded, Dwyer took a swipe at the ball before stepping back as the buzzer sounded. That's the kind of fire that might have provided different results at St. John's and St. Francis. They absolutely turned it on in the second half- their inside game came alive, with Lauren Dwyer getting all eight of her points and Chelsea Frazier picking up ten of her thirteen in the second. I suspect that as goes Michele Gage, so go the Lions- she seems to be a pure streak shooter, and when she's on they have a legitimate inside-outside game, and when she's off they have a lot of bad passes. I loved the hustle on that team- the whole team, really, but especially Frazier and Danielle Browne.

Interesting thing about the Columbia program: it lists which specific college each player is going to. I guess they have to because of the whole Barnard thing. (And completely off-topic squee, this New York City public school kid is pleased as punch to see another New York City public school kid as the president of Barnard College.)

Tradition I would take from Columbia for the ultimate college experience: the tchochkes only come out whenever a Columbia player hits a three-pointer. Keeps the crowd excited in more ways than one and keeps the flow slow but steady. Also a brilliant idea: making a deal with the local Subway to sell sandwiches in the lobby, therefore guaranteeing food that doesn't suck and a decent take.

In conclusion: I'd go back to Columbia. St. Francis, not so much. Sorry, Brother Joe.

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