Just the Facts, Ma'am: UConn led all the way in their 70-54 win over St. John's at the Maggie Dixon Classic. Morgan Tuck had 23 points to lead all scorers, 17 of those coming in the second half. Breanna Stewart added 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Moriah Jefferson had 16 points and six assists. Aliyyah Handford led St. John's with 20 points.
For distance, defense, bad shots, lots of rebounds, pride, crunching numbers, and misplacing people, join your intrepid and drained blogger after the jump.
And here's the big match, UConn and St. John's.
We're currently in the intermission, where Maggie Dixon (may she rest in peace, at least until she sees a bad call from the heavens and lets the refs know) is being honored. Five thousand seems like a chintzy donation, though. Five thousand from each school seems more reasonable.
There are a lot of empty seats around us, but that's because of the genius idea to have the reception about Immaculata and Queens start at halftime of the first game and run into the first quarter of the second game.
My team! Why are you so far away, my team! *reaches out from the nineteenth row*
There are people behind me with a selfie stick. I am ashamed of humanity. Oh, God, I think they're recording a Vine.
Some genius did not tell the band where they were supposed to be, and some other genius sold those seats to fans, so now our band is out of position and I think they're a bit irked. Especially since the regular band section is utterly empty. Someone dropped the ball badly.
Look, guys. I get that I've technically been abandoned on the UConn side of halfcourt. But if you're wearing UConn gear, and you come over here to talk about the Liberty, I don't want to talk to you. I'm a St. John's fan, and I'm here to support St. John's, not to talk about the lack of news for the Liberty.
Why did Kym Hampton have to sing "God Bless America"? Did ESPN tell MSG they needed to fill a few extra minutes before tip?
At halftime, UConn is up 38-31 on St. John's, and I am not disappointed. We're taking some really bad shots and showing questionable shot awareness, but we're coming up with good defensive plays in the paint. Danaejah Grant has taken over scoring duties for St. John's with 13, after Aliyyah Handford started off hot. Moriah Jefferson is on fire with 14 points, both from long range and from navigating the paint like a boss.
The people behind us have turned out to be funny and knowledgeable, so I'll take it.
Lady in the pink UConn shirt, stop turning around and judging me. It's not my fault the Liberty season subscriber section is on the UConn side of halfcourt.
Here's the thing when you're playing UConn and you're not, like Stanford or South Carolina or a super double-plus elite team: you're not measuring yourself as much against the scoreboard as you are the schedule. Losing by 16 is always disappointing. But that's less than DePaul. Less than UCLA. Less than Duke. Less than Notre Dame. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis looked bad. Aliyyah Handford looked good. The defense was sharp. UConn barely made 70. You take these moral victories.
UConn got very little from their bench, which surprised me. Saniya Chong's shot looked bad, and I'm pretty sure bad things happen to you at UConn if you go 0-2 from the line. Kiah Stokes was solid defensively and cleared the glass (she boxes out really well), but a non-factor on offense. Gabby Williams played briefly in the second half, but she did nothing memorable. Geno cleared the bench in the last minute or two, bringing on Courtney Ekmark, Briana Pulido, and Tierney Lawlor. (I will take this too as a moral victory.)
Kia Nurse looks pretty composed for a freshman. I think she might have gotten a little rattled in the second half, with sloppy passing and fewer good shots. Moriah Jefferson was on fire in the first half, as referenced above- she was driving the lane with the speed and deftness of a test course driver navigating obstacles, and when she wasn't going to the basket, she was hitting threes. Our perimeter defense tightened up a little bit, and she became more of a distributor. Morgan Tuck picked up the slack. When my team, or a team that I like, is not playing UConn, I love to watch Morgan Tuck work. She goes over that other shoulder beautifully. She doesn't take a lot of threes, but she has a knack for hitting them when she does. She uses her body really well. I seriously love to watch her play. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis may have played her way out of the #1. She's a shooter, and when she's on, she's so good that you can overlook her flaws. But when she's off, you suddenly remember that she's a tweener on size, and doesn't defend well, and doesn't really rebound for her size unless her shot is going. You can't take a player like that as the top player in the draft. Breanna Stewart proceeded to remind everyone that she is tall, and not just a shooter, and not just a scorer. She worked well on the inside on both ends of the floor, defending the basket like Dikembe Mutombo in that Geico commercial. (Seriously. I think she had three blocks in the first two minutes of the second half. Penetrate, block. Penetrate, block. Penetrate, block. What's a learning curve?) The people behind us were praying pretty loudly that she goes to the Liberty in 2016, and I think I'd be okay with that. Well, except for either epic failing the 2015 season or for whatever trade we would have to conclude to get her.
One of the things that actually makes watching UConn games enjoyable is watching Geno make adjustments when things aren't working, because it's usually pretty obvious when he makes a change. But if anything, his team got sloppier and less attentive as the game went on. Maybe that was just fatigue, or disinterest, but usually they get that knocked out of them.
We actually got to see a little of Tamesha Alexander running the point, and I think she's the kind of PG who could grow on me. She's not much of a shooter, but she's good at causing havoc on defense, and she's a good distributor. Imani Littleton spelled Jade Walker whenever Jade, er, needed a teaching moment- she's got to hit her shots, but I think (and hope, and pray) that that will come with time. Crystal Simmons saw time in the first half to spell the dynamic duo, but she's got to hit her free throws, and she can't be afraid to shoot. All the athleticism in the world isn't worth a bucket of warm spit if you can't score. Joe threw up the white flag with about a minute and a half to go, putting in Kyra Dunn, Selina Archer, and Kimberly Spruill. I think the bench would have exploded, in a good way, if Kimberly had taken the three instead of passing off to Crystal.
Jade. Oh, Jade Walker. Bless your heart, because someone has to right now. Not that I don't love when she hits the little midrange jumper, but she was really off her game today. She got pulled a lot for short periods of time during which she got lectured. She was out of position a lot and let herself get pushed around down low. Amber Thompson started slow, but hit the boards harder in the second half. Tuck and Stokes did a good job of sealing her off. Aaliyah Lewis got her feet under her as the game went on, and I hope she was watching a lot of Moriah Jefferson's moves- that's the kind of player she needs to emulate if she wants to be successful. She was jacking a lot of threes, but given our lack of three-shooting, that's something we're going to see a lot of. Aliyyah Handford was hot early and hot late, making plays and getting some pretty boss rebounds. Took a lot of shots, but that's what she has to do for us. Danaejah Grant got good looks at the basket, and I think I might have liked seeing her do more from the perimeter and less in the paint, but I think she's hurting. Her stamina seems to have decreased, and she's backing off a lot of plays on defense. That worries me. But her shoulder worries me more.
Officiating was a non-factor, albeit one of dubious competence. But it was consistent. That's about all I've come to expect.
UConn's band is good. They only brought dance, not cheer, so we didn't get to see a lot of their best tricks; conversely, we only brought cheer, not dance, so we didn't get to show off some of our fancy moves.
I didn't expect to win. But I think we put together a respectable showing against one of the best teams in the country. I think we rattled them a little bit. I walked out of there with my head held high, and the St. John's on my chest clear and bright. I love my team.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
January 4th, 2015: UConn at St. John's (Maggie Dixon Classic)
Sunday, December 22, 2013
December 22nd, 2013: California at Connecticut
Just the Facts, Ma'am:: Breanna Stewart outscored Cal by herself for long stretches, and UConn romped over the Golden Bears 80-47. Stewart finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Morgan Tuck had 12 off the bench; Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis added 10 points. Brittany Boyd and Hind Ben Abdelkader each had 9 to lead Cal, which shot 29.9% for the game.
For bricks, exploits, one-woman wrecking crews, high school alumnae, unwanted cheese, and a bit of pep in your step, join your intrepid and time-pressed blogger after the jump.
We're at halftime of Cal and UConn right now, and Breanna Stewart has a slender lead on the Golden Bears, 21-20. Unfortunately for Cal, there are 19 other Connecticut points to consider, and they're being doubled up 40-20.
I'n not a big UConn person, but their arrangement of "Light 'Em Up" is on point.
If Cal could shoot, this would be a serious game, but Cal couldn't shoot and I couldn't write too much at the half because the people next to me were kind of jerks and I ended up having to collect my pen and tickets from various parts of the Garden floor. You have no idea how much I dislike that Ohio State fan right now, you really don't. Even less than my usual disdain for Ohio State, I dislike that guy.
Lindsay Gottlieb went to the end of her bench earlier in the second half than UConn did, so we got a couple of minutes of Avigiel Cohen (nice little drive) and KC Waters (that's a big player there). Brittany Shine went in earlier and put together some decent minutes. Mikayla Lyles is a very substantial guard. Justine Hartman took up space in the middle and put in a pretty hook in the second half. She didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the very fast, very bouncy team. Kyra Dunn was pretty solid.
Reshanda Gray started the game off pretty hot, but like many of her teammates, she had severe issues with actually putting the ball in the basket. She gets good position, but she can't finish. This is not a recording yet. Courtney Range didn't seem to do anything, but there were rebounds. I've always had trouble with rebounds on teams that aren't mine. Hard to tell bodies apart when I'm not used to them. Brittany Boyd seemed to think that she could solve all her team's woes. Sometimes, you have to learn when not to shoot. She missed all kinds of shots: hard shots, easy shots, fast breaks, everything and anything. Her hands were exceptionally fast on defense, as she wrestled away plenty of loose balls from Connecticut players, but that didn't quite make up for the lousy, abhorrent shooting. Afure Jemerigbe always seemed to be in the middle of the play, but like her teammates, shooting was an issue. Hind Ben Abdelkader seemed to be the only Cal player with a fundamentally sound jump shot, even if it didn't go down very often. The folks around me were impressed with her, though that might just be because she didn't look as bad as the rest of the Bears did on offense. I still have to remember this is a very young team, but I can't help but feel that Gottlieb might need to bring in an assistant who specializes in fundamentals and mechanics. Cal's got the athleticism, the drive, and the instinct, but they don't have the skill- but skill can be learned.
We did not get to hear the alternative pronunciation of Briana that Briana Pulido uses (it does amuse me that Breanna, Briana, and Brianna are all pronounced ever so slightly differently). We did see Tierney Lawlor can a late three like it was nothing. She's got a real pretty shot. She could probably be in the rotation anywhere else in the state of Connecticut, but there are basketball players in the state of Connecticut who would rather be walk-ons at UConn. I sort of get it. I don't necessarily agree, and I think that mentality is bad for the game, but I understand it. Morgan Tuck seemed to be under orders to practice the midrange jumper- late in the game, she took three of them in a row, to go with the threes she hit earlier. She doesn't look like she should be taking threes, but they work. She's also physical underneath. I like her, and I know I'd like her more if she weren't a Husky, and I recognize that bias within myself. Kiah Stokes didn't get into the game until the second half, but she played well defensively once she was in the game. Saniya Chong looked a little tight- I think the Cal defense got into her head. Either that, or she felt the pressure of the contingent from Ossining staring down at her from the endcourt every time she came back to her side of the court. They cheered very loudly for her and even bought a Sweet Spot on Gardenvision to wish her luck. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis technically didn't start, but given that Geno brought her in before the first basket was even scored, and given that she started the second half, I think that was just a technicality. I think everyone held her breath when she went down on the elbow again, but the brace held. For a change, she wasn't just a three-point shooter- she brought other offense as well.
Bria Hartley missed a lot of easy shots, but demonstrated a fair amount of speed. This was the kind of game where people who think she should get drafted high will point at her physical gifts and people who don't think she should be drafted high will point at the mistakes she made, and everyone will walk away with the same opinions that they had before. Stefanie Dolson was limited because of early foul trouble, and by the time the number of fouls wasn't an issue, she was no longer necessary. Moriah Jefferson (whose first name was repeatedly butchered by the PA announcer, either as Moira or Moria (like the mines where lots of dwarves died), for the entire first half) was very quick and took a lot of hits to land hard on the ground. She had a gorgeous find of Dolson down low on a drop pass that a lot of players might have taken up themselves. Brianna Banks did work on the boards, and I like seeing her do well; it wipes out the memory of her writhing on the floor at St. John's. And then there was Breanna Stewart, who pretty much did all the things with the kind of cavalier... grace isn't the right word, neither is attitude, but in a manner that made it look entirely too easy. She had a baby hook that I rather liked. She took threes. She blocked shots with authority. She rebounded. I don't know how to put into perspective how good she was without just saying "she did everything", but that's the quickest way to sum it up.
After some dicey non-calls in the beginning of the game- one of the Cal players kept receiving hands to the face- things settled down, officiating-wise. Not that that would have been a concern in a thirty-point blowout. We were somewhat disappointed that Geno left Dolson in so late, but I've seen a lot of UConn games; I know that sometimes they have to leave a starter in just to make sure the deep reserves don't run the score up.
I don't think I'm ever going to develop a true tolerance for UConn fans, especially not in arenas I consider to be mine, but at least they spend money. It is what it is. :/ I'm tired of seeing UConn blowouts, though. Step your game up, y'all. If a team like St. John's can go toe-to-toe with UConn for a couple of years, teams with way more talent can do it. Okay, so UConn was down a player each time, but they were close games! There's only so much of the glorified practice I can take.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
April 9th, 2013: Louisville at Connecticut
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The first five minutes were competitive, but UConn pulled away fast and hard to cruise to their eighth title, crushing Louisville 93-60. Breanna Stewart's 23 points led five Huskies in double figures; she also had nine rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. The Huskies shot 53% from the field overall and hit half of the 26 three-pointers they took. Sara Hammond had 15 points for Louisville.
For the end of the road, badly timed congestion, dramatic debuts, and suitable finishes, join your intrepid and airborne blogger after the jump.
Adding to the list from yesterday and today: Santa Barbara, San Jose State, Army, several Washington players (real Huskies wear purple, woof!), Phoenix Mercury, Drury, Nevada, Bowling Green, Green Bay, South Florida, Evansville, Kansas, USC-Aiken, Pepperdine, Liberty, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Towson, Southeastern Louisiana, Dillard, Montebello, Northwestern, UNO, Butler, CCNY. (And at the very last, Cincinnati. I'm 70% sure the woman in the airport with the Cincy backpack was Jamelle Elliott.)
We've made our choice and picked our side. We're in the lobby of the Sheraton New Orleans, where Louisville fans are already starting to gather for the pep rally in an hour. Some uncomfortably lost UConn fans have wandered through. (I may be a St. John's fan, but I'm not lost. I'm wearing red and white.) The woman next to us is hoarse from cheering in Atlanta. The guy across from us is completely sacked out. There's a woman with a Louisville pocketbook, which is awesome. Looks like the rest of the band came in from Atlanta. This is going to be good. And it was amazing. Got some side-eyes from Louisville fans for my St. John's gear, but it's amazing how quickly they became friendly when the magic words "anyone but UConn" were uttered. Shelby Harper came down and mixed with the fans for a while. Two different people had Louisville bottle cozies.
Two different security people had issues with the laptop that I got in on Saturday and Sunday with no issues, but they called a supervisor, so there was no need to get angry, because no one likes me when I'm angry.
Seriously, this coaching milestones video is all the awesome. Some amazing coaches up there.
We got our seats upgraded for the final through a friend who had to leave town after the semis. It's awesome.
The all-time Final Four coaches video is very cool, especially when they go back into the history.
Dear NCAA, why did you have to inflict Kym Hampton on us? It's bad enough Lib fans have to hear her increasingly cracked rendition of the anthem every year, but come on. Can't you go find Tari Phillips?
It was 11-7 Louisville at one point. It's 48-29 UConn at the half. Breanna Stewart has been fantastic. Louisville has been extremely disorganized.
They're doing a fantastic presentation on the AIAW at the half, with some true legends out there. I'm so glad the NCAA has decided to acknowledge the AIAW history (now can we acknowledge the AIAW records, maybe?). I have yet to detect a flaw in Lynette Woodard.
If you want to beat UConn, you have to come at them without fear but with discipline. You can't let them run out ahead and expect to come back. You can't throw up fast, wild shots; you can't slack on defense; you can't let UConn have open threes. I mean, really, how many times can you leave Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis or Kelly Faris beyond the arc and expect to not get your butt handed to you?
Shelby Harper was sort of a spaghetti move in the first half, briefly coming in and jacking a three before going back to the bench. She returned when the game was utterly out of hand. That's pretty much when Megan Deines got her time, too. Monique Reid played like an idiot. On back to back possessions she didn't bother following her shot, then slapped Stefanie Dolson in the face. Or maybe that was the stupid foul when Stewart hit the three-pointer. I forget which bout of idiocy that was. Jude Schimmel kept committing stupid fouls, though she got her shot together in the second half when UConn got less intense on defense.
Sara Hammond played like one of the only Cardinals who actually wanted to win the game. You can't miss the open shots that she did, but she was going hard in the paint and fighting for rebounds. Antonita Slaughter was covered pretty closely, but she also got the job done. She's going to be the steal of the 2014 draft. Sheronne Vails hit one off a pretty feed from Bria Smith, but that's about all I remember her doing- that, and being the recipient of a lot of feeds underneath because the UConn defense wasn't interested in her. Smith made a lot of stupid mistakes regarding the dimensions of the court and the position of the UConn defenders when she got into her passing game. I like her aggression, but not her judgment. Shoni Schimmel played out of control. She's always wild, but that seemed more prevalent than usual. I think they needed her to show a little more judgment.
The biggest cheer from the UConn fans (and a few non-affiliated fans like your intrepid blogger) came when Heather Buck got the steal and the fast break lay-up; my memory is that it turned out to be the last basket for UConn, which is appropriate. Kiah Stokes also got in near the end of the game, but I think she missed her opportunity to score when UConn was milking the clock near the end. I'm really starting to think Morgan Tuck intentionally takes that one bad three per game just to remind everyone what number she wears. I still like her physicality, though. Moriah Jefferson showed off her speed a fair bit in the second half. She's a lot of fun to watch. Bria Hartley was all right- not great, with some dumb mistakes, but efficient when she wasn't making mistakes.
It's a good thing this was Caroline Doty's last game, because it's become clear that she's terrified of making a move. She dodged taking at least two shots that were within her game. She was okay, defensively, though. Kelly Faris was all over the place, and she did a great job getting open beyond the arc, both off the dribble and with help from her teammates screening for her. Stefanie Dolson looked more for her shot in the second half, but was always on the boards and looking to help her teammates get in position. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis was rock-solid. She's blossoming into the superstar she was expected to be. And so is Breanna Stewart. I wasn't impressed with her at the start of the season, and I'll happily get in line to admit that I was wrong, that the Stewart I was seeing in the first part of the season wasn't the Stewart that Geno recruited. She has such beautiful touch beyond the arc, yet can get inside and hit tough shots in the lane with a gawky sort of grace (it makes sense in context, I swear). She needs to get a little tougher about taking contact, but she's a freshman, she's got three more years to learn that, one of which will likely be spent getting smacked by Dolson in practice and all of which will probably include Tuck getting physical with her.
It took the officials enough time to call the elbow by Doty, but they did do it. Of course the UConn contingent objected to it, but if an elbow connects to a face, a foul is likely to be called, so they're just going to have to deal with it. Other than that, the refereeing was unremarkable. I think the crew showed great restraint in not calling the technical on Jeff Walz that he so dearly seemed to be asking for in the second half after Reid's idiotic foul on Dolson. You could almost imagine Denise Brooks telling Walz that they didn't want to humiliate him any further.
The UConn band was really loud. We were hearing them better than the Louisville band in front of us. (Though it was a relief not to be behind the UConn band for the first time in six possible chances.) The Louisville fans tried to get their chants going during some of the UConn musical segments; of course, the UConn fans got their call and response going at pretty much every opportunity.
Credit to the UConn fan with the ever-changing collection of signs on neon paper. I don't know how many of them she had, but they were plentiful.
We didn't stay for the official outdoor trophy presentation. Not for nothing, but I've been to more than my share of UConn love-ins. I think I'll pass.
UConn threw the haymaker early, and Louisville was unable to recoer. They beat Louisville at the game that had gotten Louisville into the championship game, while Louisville seemed to have been doing the bulk of their preparation by studying Cal's defense on them. How many times can you sag off Kelly Faris before you realize she might be having a good shooting night? Louisville did't know how to prepare and they should have known how to prepare.
But congrats to UConn. They played a phenomenal game, and got what they needed when they needed it.
Monday, April 8, 2013
April 7th, 2013: UConn at Notre Dame
Just the Facts, Ma'am: UConn ended the first half on an 14-3 run to break open a close game and maintained control through the second half in their 83-65 win over Notre Dame. Breanna Stewart had 29 points, five rebounds, and four blocks for the Huskies. Kayla McBride led the Irish with 16 points, but on 5-20 shooting. Notre Dame shot 29.7% as a team.
For bricks, flurries of offensive rebounds, competitive spirit, quick exchanges, and Breanna Stewart's debutante party, join your intrepid and sore blogger after the jump. (Mama may need a chiropractor after this one.)
The second game is now settling in. The UConn and Notre Dame fans have deigned to join us for this one. They took their sweet time showing up for the first game, which is one of the things I detest about both fan bases- they both tend to make double-headers look really bad. I do love the coaching milestones they're showing here.
At halftime, UConn is up 10, and you would pretty much have to be a Boneyarder to have expected this. UConn put on a burst near the end of the first half that was reminiscent of what they did to Kentucky and Maryland. This halftime video about Louisianans giving back to the community is nice, but it's sort of funny when you realize Barbara Farris just left that high school. (But I love Barb. Anyone who considers not having an absentee ballot to be sufficient emergency to use frequent flier miles to go home and vote is awesome in my book.)
Okay, seriously, if you expected this, you are a passionate UConn fan and I salute you. UConn brought it. Bria Hartley was a little shaky, but she looked better than she had for most of the season, and she seemed to gain confidence from her teammates. Moriah Jefferson gave decent minutes, but not quite what she had been doing in the regional rounds. Morgan Tuck does seem to be possessed by the memory of Tiffany Hayes once a game, and I like her physicality in the lane. Heather Buck was the official victory cigar, along with Kiah Stokes. I was surprised that she didn't play more, but maybe her back was flaring up.
Caroline Doty got the start, but that's about it. Hartley played the starter's minutes. Stefanie Dolson got in the middle and made herself an encumbrance to the Notre Dame offense, but a lot of passes went off her hands- I think she got tagged with more than she deserved, looking at the box score. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis was solid, in more ways than one- I've mentioned this before, but she seems to have taken it to heart that people were just tagging her as a three-point shooter and has whipped out a whole arsenal of offensive tricks. I continue to be impressed by her development (or is it re-development?). And Breanna Stewart seems to have decided that she doesn't want to be considered overrated or anything like that. She just took over all over the court. And she looked like she was enjoying herself, which is always nice to see.
Geno got mad at a couple of dumb mistakes- blown assignments, bad passes (at one point it was pretty clear how he wanted Dolson to inbound the ball, and then she blew the inbounds pass), that kind of thing. It's sort of hilarious to watch him blow his top.
A lot of Notre Dame players went into the game in the last couple of minutes, when Muffet McGraw wanted to give her star players their curtain calls. I don't remember who most of them were. Madison Cable got a lot of run in the first half, with a little offense and an eye for the three-ball (even if she didn't hit it), but she looked a little like she was in over her head. Markeisha Wright was solid off the bench, including one pretty make on a feed from Natalie Achonwa. Kaila Turner got some first half minutes, but the rotation tightened up in the second half until it was clear-the-bench time.
Kayla McBride really looked like she was pressing, as if she felt she had to live up to that tournament average she'd been putting up. Nothing was falling for her. Jewell Loyd had slightly better luck, but not much. Ariel Braker pretty much tried to sit on a UConn player's legs in the first half, and she ended up fouling out- oh, dear, I wonder why. Natalie Achonwa was solid but unremarkable. She was okay on the boards, though. Skylar Diggins couldn't get her shot to fall, but she had some beautiful passes to set her teammates up. I like how she goes after loose balls, but she needs to follow her shot more often.
Notre Dame, would you please stop with the lime green? The Cal fan on my left looked at you all when you ran out of the tunnel and said, "I'm cheering against the green team." It is an unpleasant color, it really is.
The officiating got interesting, but it got interesting on both sides, so it's hard to complain. Notre Dame got the free throws in the first half; UConn got more calls in the second half. The game got very physical at points, because these two teams don't like each other much and they know it was likely the last time they were going to play each other.
Both fan bases showed out for their game- just not the first game. The chants came thick and fast, on each other's heels, over each other's music and All-American highlights. I really don't think these teams and their fans like each other for some reason.
Right at the end of the first half, UConn went on a tear that I think was the end of the game for Notre Dame. It's the kind of haymaker that took all the air out of Kentucky, and I didn't expect Notre Dame to fall prey to the same very UConn tactic. If the Huskies are on this kind of roll, it's hard to imagine anyone but UConn cutting down the nets on Tuesday.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
April 6th, 2013: Final Four Super Saturday
Your intrepid and verbose blogger hits New Orleans, and New Orleans hits back.
I'm not used to things opening an hour and a half before things are supposed to start. The gates opened at 9:30, and it's quarter past ten, and I'm expecting things to be happening already.
The UConn autograph line is already packed, and UConn doesn't sign until after 12. Good Lord, people. Cal's line is pretty much empty.
Teams spotted so far: Monmouth, Texas, Southern Miss, Wyoming, Southern, Louisiana Tech, Drew, New Hampshire, Texas Southern, Marquette, San Diego State, UConn (of course), Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico, North Carolina State, North Carolina (and I think she might have been Charlotte Smith, but we're currently having a philosophical debate as to whether known affiliation allows for a double count for Elon), Oakland, Cal State Dominiguez Hills, Sam Houston State, East Carolina (though they were here for the combine, so maybe that doesn't count?), Boston College, LSU, Ole Miss, Allegany, Moravian, West Chester, Vermont, Washington, VCU, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Memphis, Cal (of course), Tulane, Louisville (of course), Notre Dame (eventually, of course), Michigan, Colorado State, Maryland (who are really showing out- fear the Turtle!), Wichita State, Baruch (CUNY up in here!), Arizona State, Oregon, NYU, Georgetown, Wake Forest, Richmond, Rutgers, Stanford, Detroit Mercy, Regis, Niagara, Quinnipiac, Texas A&M, Cal State Northridge, Baylor, St. John's (not us), Buffalo, Minnesota, Michigan State, Duke, Missouri State, Syracuse, DePaul, Delaware, Navy, Tulsa, Alabama, Nebraska, Illinois State, Marist, Temple, Middle Tennessee, Texas Tech, Florida State, Rock Valley, Harvard, Wisconsin, Emory, Maryville, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, one very nifty Canberra Caps Ardossi jersey, Seattle Storm, Minnesota Lynx, and Connecticut Sun.
I love marching bands! I love traveling fans! I love the tournament atmosphere! Boom de yada! Boom de yada!
I think ESPN is doing a piece on Shoni and Angel, because, well, Angel just wandered through, hair all slicked back and pretty.
The trophy is in the building. I got a picture. I have taken many pictures. I will take many more pictures.
The Golden Bears have rolled out, and so far the practice seems fairly serious, at least until the band starts up and the tuba stands alone. They're pretty loose, though. I'm not sure what my favorite part about Cal being in the Final Four is, the pleasant surprise or the Straw Hat Band. But this is so much fun, and they have more beads! Shiny things! The Cal players were really hyped about seeing their fans- I think some of the people behind us may be serious boosters.
Louisville's band is AWOL, presumably in Atlanta with the boys, so they're borrowing part of the Tulane band. They're doing basic stretching first, and Monique Reid is biking to nowhere. Seriously, someday someone's going to hook a generator to those bikes and reduce energy bills in arenas by something like 5%. The Dark Angel herself appears to be the Cards' special guest for this. I guess she's supposed to inspire them or something. Louisville is taking this practice dead serious- one of the grad assistants is handing out a practice schedule. Good Lord, that's neurotic. And the band came out late, so they are here. A bit disorganized, but here. And rocking the heck out of "Stayin' Alive" and the Ghostbusters theme. Louisville players are helping throw the beads now. Shelby Harper has no arm. Cortnee Walton does.
WBCA All-American team about to be announced. Elena Delle Donne, Skylar Diggins, Stefanie Dolson, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kayla McBride, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Chiney Ogwumike, Odyssey Sims, Alyssa Thomas. Delle Donne gave a little speech. Pictures were taken. Plugs were made. Alyssa Thomas immediately went to find the Maryland staff and Laura Harper (who just ran off to glomp someone)
Notre Dame's turn to practice. They have names even on their practice jerseys. They are really committed to that gods awful lime green. :( Niele Ivey is gorgeous, though. Absolutely breathtaking. Jewell Loyd had a fantastic tip-in from a very defensive drill. The band started taunting declaring their intent to beat UConn. And then Diggins and McBride danced with pom-poms.
Capital One is sponsoring a contest in which all the shots have to be banked in, which is a little ridiculous, but both of the contestants managed it, which is awesome.
UConn's open practice was mostly three-shooting. I took pictures, but that's about it.
Battle of the Bands needs to stop being decided on crowd noise, because UConn fans would cheer for their band if they just farted in a vague sense of rhythm. Notre Dame's male cheerleaders did a remarkable worm stunt six deep. Cal was musically the best. Louisville was outmanned and stood no chance, though the flip on top of the pyramid was awesome. UConn's band took direct aim at Notre Dame- both of them played "When the Saints Go Marching in". UConn's was technically better, but they lost me when they decided to throw in "Who dat say dey gon' beat dem Huskies?" You do not steal the "who dat". And then they decided to take an encore they weren't entitled to. That stuff gets you thrown out of band competitions in some places. Musically, I think it was close between UConn and Cal, but Notre Dame was good and had great stunts. But UConn fans... sorry, guys, but stop with the blind loyalty and get some musical taste.
High-schoolers have taken the floor. Tamika Catchings and Swin Cash are the honorary(?) coaches. What is with the neon green on ALL the things this year? Seriously. I recognize a few more of the high schoolers this year.
Tulane band was very disappointing. I assume that's not the whole band, but they hit several sour notes.
Purple starters: Jessica Washington, Saniya Chong, Jessica Jackson, Diamond DeShields, Stephanie Mauvinga. Black starters: Kaela Davis, Alexis Brown, Kendall Cooper, Mercedes Russell, a young lady named Harper whose first name I didn't catch. (Linnae?)
I didn't really follow the game, because I wasn't interested, but it looks like Arkansas got a nice little shooter in Jackson, and maybe Rutgers fans have reason to be excited about Scaife.
Coda: after we adventured on Bourbon Street and found it not to our liking, we wound our way back to Canal and public transit through a side street. Suddenly I hear "Rebecca!" We turn around, and there's Shenneika Smith. Of all the places, and all the people, and all the times... it put a wonderful capper on the day. We chatted about Jeopardy! and the WBCA team, and it was good.
Monday, April 1, 2013
April 1st, 2013: Kentucky at Connecticut
Just the Facts, Ma'am: It was a close game for nine minutes, then UConn outscored Kentucky 61-30 and won 83-53. Breanna Stewart led four Huskies in double figures with 21 points, and the Huskies forced 21 turnovers out of Kentucky. A'dia Mathies had 14 points for the Wildcats.
For blues, goosebumps, drives, fundamental flaws, and the shame of leaving early, join your intrepid and chilled blogger after the jump.
Don't worry, you've only got three more games of me after this, then you'll get a six-week break from long blocks of text, irrelevant parenthetical asides, and occasionally inaccurate analysis.
All things considered, there are a fair amount of people here so far, given that it's 6:19 and tip is around 7:30. The band and cheerleaders are getting ready to go- we're at UConn's end, which makes me a bit frustrated, but what can you do? Maybe we'll get enough elevation to see over the band pits.
This game was tied at 22. Heck, Kentucky had a 23-22 lead. And then UConn remembered that one of their other staples is stifling defense, and a UConn game broke out. Kentucky got scared, as if they'd suddenly forgotten how to play offense against stifling in-your-face defense, even though you'd think they practice against it every day. UConn broke loose down the lane. At least maybe I'll make the 9:38 train back to NY.
I decided I was making that 9:38 no matter what, so for the first time in close to five years, I left a game early. I don't enjoy doing that- I feel guilty, as if not getting my money's worth, but not getting my money's worth is not worth shivering my way through an hour on a Metro-North platform and getting home at 1 in the morning. It was the under-4 when I left, and I believe it was a 27-point game; the only frustrating part is that I don't have a personal complete box score.
Azia Bishop played briefly, but after a hard moving screen, she got sat down, and I don't think she went back. Mitchell didn't seem happy with her after that foul. Bria Goss got the same teaching moment treatment after a stupid foul. Though at least she was a little more effective in the first half. She got a lot of time because Kastine Evans was hesitating, Jennifer O'Neill was making some stupid mistakes, and A'dia Mathies was in foul trouble. Jelleah Sidney tried to get the defense on, but she got into foul trouble in the first half, and I don't think that helped Kentucky's cause. I know, understatement of the year, but I think that got into their heads a little too. I thought it was interesting she got more aggressive on offense- might be a good sign for them for the future. I don't remember Bernisha Pinkett doing anything of note other than committing a foul so egregious in the paint that even I could call it half-obscured by the stanchion. Janee Thompson gave decent minutes; they definitely could have been worse, all things considered.
The early fouls on A'dia Mathies could not have helped her confidence, but I think having to run around after Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis all night and having to be a key part of her team's offense didn't help. Kastine Evans wanted the ball, but as soon as she got it, she backed away from shots that she was taking against Delaware, even when she had space. You have to be aggressive against UConn. You can't let them get into your heads, or your shorts. You have to go at them like they're just another basketball team. They may not be, but you have to treat them as such. DeNesha Stallworth at least seemed interested in shooting the ball, though I do have to question some of her shot selection. I know she had decent luck with the midrange jumper, but I'm not sure if that was the best plan against UConn. They're pretty much okay with people shooting outside jumpers against them. Samarie Walker... I don't know if she wasn't looking for the ball or if she was defended too tightly to get the ball in her preferred spots, but 0-1 from the field and 2-2 from the line is not nearly sufficient when you want to knock out a team like UConn. She looked good on the boards, but she needed to be a bigger part of the game. Jennifer O'Neill's shot was on early, but she persisted in making stupid decisions with the ball- bad passes, over-dribbling, too much hesitation- and stagnated her team's offense.
Samarie... DeNesha... you are both fairly seasoned players starting at a top-notch SEC school. One of you came from UConn, the other from Cal, neither exactly what you would call bad or badly coached. Why am I seeing both of you have issues with taking and hitting lay-ups from the weak side?
Just in general, after Mathies hit the free throw that gave Kentucky the lead, and after UConn remembered that hey, they can play really good defense too, Kentucky seemed to forget how to play basketball, while UConn could smell blood in the water and brought everyone (well, except Heather Buck) to the feast.
I left the game before Buck got in, but I sincerely doubt she did anything. Morgan Tuck continues to impress me for a freshman, though I think the spirit of Tiffany Hayes possessed her through her jersey on that three-point shot. I like her build, and if the knee heels up so that she doesn't need the brace, she'll be a force to be reckoned with. And of course, you've got to love a big who can hit her free throws. Bria Hartley played a lot of minutes off the bench when KML had foul issues and for Caroline Doty in general, and she looked more like the player she once was, quick with her hands and breaking loose for lay-ups in transition. Moriah Jefferson put on the afterburners, and her block on Thompson had the crowd roaring in approval. She's adorable, yet terrifying in her ability to sneak under the dribble. Kiah Stokes got some good minutes; her lay-up in the paint got the crowd going.
Stefanie Dolson grabbed ALL the rebounds. Now, the placement of my seat meant that I couldn't see most of the action under the basket at either end, because the stanchion was in the way. But I remember seeing that big ol' 31 a lot. And then she bicycled her way to New Orleans- no, seriously, she was working the daylights out of that bike. Caroline Doty did pretty much the one or two things she's still capable of doing at a UConn level, then got out of the way. I didn't think she was able to go that fast anymore after all the knee injuries, but she had one zoom-zoom drive. Kelly Faris... if I have to have her on a New York team, can I draft her to the Jets instead? They need someone who can make interceptions in the open field and hard tackles like she did. She's a hard-nosed player, and I respect that, but I feel like I'm complaining about her tackling someone every time I see her play, and that's not necessarily a good thing. And she did not display that tendency not to make mistakes that so many people laud in her. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis continues to intrigue me with her increased willingness to be more than just a lethal three-point shooter- she's using that blocky build to get inside and body up on defenders. I'm starting to see a little Epiphanny Prince in her game- am I crazy in that regard? (I know better than to ask whether I'm crazy. I already know the answer to that one.) And then Breanna Stewart decided to be the player that everyone's been saying she could be, and it was kind of amazing. She made moves with both hands. She slapped the daylights out of shots. She went in. She went out. She did in fact shake it all about. She looked like she wanted to be the star.
UConn turned it up another gear. They made stupid mistakes (after one Faris pass, I thought Geno was going to flip out), but they didn't let those mistakes get to them. The difference between an Elite Eight team and a Final Four team, I guess.
Officiating could definitely have been worse, could definitely have been better, but though they let them play, it didn't go to the extremes we saw in Oklahoma City.
A rumor was going around the crowd that Kevin Ollie was in attendance, but I received no confirmation either way.
To the woman behind me, who complained twice that Kentucky wasn't letting UConn bring the ball up: that is, in fact, one of the core principles of their defense. You idiot.
I feel like I can't give a complete report, since I missed the last three minutes. On the other hand, we're on the third page of notes, so maybe I can.
See you in New Orleans, Huskies.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
March 30th, 2013: Maryland at Connecticut
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Breanna Stewart each had 17 points to lead Connecticut over Maryland, 76-50. Alyssa Thomas had 13 for the Terrapins, while Tianna Hawkins and Chloe Pavlech added 11 each.
For chanting, tricks, blood relatives, the wrath of Geno, accidental deflections, and bodies all around, join your intrepid and sleep-deprived blogger after the jump.
Being at a game in Connecticut is sort of like being in the middle of Beatlemania. It's intimidating, and not entirely pleasant. They don't understand why you'd root for any team but UConn. (I'm from Queens, this is how I roll, deal with it.)
Maryland, I love you, but really, this obsession with the state coat of arms has to stop before it leads you into any more bad fashion choices. However, bringing a state flag is cool.
UConn up 35-26 at the half, and I think UConn smells blood in the water. The officials have been a bit strict about travels and VERY loose about everything else. Geno got his T for arguing for a call on what looked like a body slam by Hawkins. And the crowd had his back all the way. That was a truly deplorable and dangerous non-call. Maryland's chucking a lot of shots. UConn's had some bad luck with the rim, but that'll change in the second half; that rim's been messed up all game.
I think Elena Delle Donne accidentally set a screen for Stefanie Dolson; while Dolson was down and hurt, Delle Donne got up and drew the attention and cheers of the crowd in the endcourt section, so they weren't staring at Dolson until she was up.
Malina Howard, if you're going to call and flail for the ball as if your very life depended on receiving the pass right that second, you don't immediately pass off the ball as if it grew spikes and stabbed you in the palms. It is very hard to take you seriously when you tend to disappear. Sequoia Austin got in at the very end of the game. Sparkly Brenda Frese mostly went with Howard and the starters.
Does Alicia DeVaughn always try to make with the three-pointers? I don't expect a tall, long-armed rebounder to decide that she's going to put up long shots when she doesn't to my knowledge do it all that frequently. She had her hands in on a lot of plays, but I think she went over the line on her physical play. Katie Rutan is automatic from those corners, and while she's not a great defender, she does work hard on defense. Tianna Hawkins consistently got on the boards, but also got beat to them by good Connecticut boxouts. She made her presence felt on defense, but not on offense. Chloe Pavlech looked like a freshman out there, though she got her long-range shot going in the second half. At times, it almost looked like Maryland was taking their cues from Delaware and making everything about Alyssa Thomas the way Delaware made everything about Delle Donne. Thomas has a decent handle for a woman of her build, and I understand the exigencies that led her to playing the point for the Terrapins, but I think Maryland would be better off with her not bringing the ball up as much and being able to get herself into position instead of having to bring the ball up, dish off, and then get in position. She played well, but she couldn't do it all herself no matter how hard she tried.
Maryland just didn't seem to know how to get out of the trouble they were in, but that might be because they were short-handed and because when UConn smells blood that's the end of the game.
Hello, Moriah Jefferson! You are tiny, but you are fast and sneaky and slice through the lane like a hot dagger through butter! She had one beautiful steal and fast-break lay-up (I think Thomas was the victim) in the second half that set off the crowd. She actually got the start in the second half, because she was playing that well. Morgan Tuck looked a little slowed up by her knee brace, but she bulled her way into the lane and along the backdoor cuts with great efficiency. Geno probably wants to see her get more comfortable with her off hand, though. Kiah Stokes got time near the end of the game and got in on the boards. Bria Hartley was... well, I think I understand why Geno exiled her to the bench.
Which I'm pretty sure is also the only reason why Caroline Doty was getting the start. I really don't remember her doing anything. Kelly Faris didn't necessarily make much of an impression, but at the same time, always just seemed to be there. Her two-pointer in the second half came off a gorgeous look-away pass from Jefferson. Breanna Stewart actually looked comfortable for the first time that I can remember when seeing her. If she's starting to settle into her height, it's going to be a long three years in the Big Metro American However Many. She was blocking shots not just on the perimeter but on the inside. Stefanie Dolson had a quiet night offensively, but she was a monster on the boards and in the paint. The final rebounding numbers don't reflect how hard Connecticut was working to seal off the glass. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis was using that strong build of hers to create space in the first half, going closer to the basket before unleashing the jumpers in the second half. She was good.
There were flashes of that terrifying UConn tendency to immediately create offense from their defense- Stewart blocked a first-half shot, and two passes later she drained a three from the right side. Jefferson had a sweet steal and a lay-up. UConn basketball, in its purest form.
These officials were not particularly interested in calling fouls until the second half, and it did not make them popular with either team and either coach. A lot of bodies were hitting the floor with very few calls being made.
I'm impressed with the Maryland cheer squad's strength. It takes a lot for an all-girl team to pull off some of those stunts. And you've gotta love a band that uses the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme as an alternate fight song. Their version of "All of the Lights" pales in comparison to DePaul's, though.
Sitting low in the endcourt is a very bad combination, especially when coupled with barriers for the band sections. You see virtually nothing, between distance and the stanchion and the barriers. I have to remember that for next time.
If Kentucky is as lax as they were today, UConn will run all over them. If UConn takes their foot off the pedal as early as they did today, Kentucky will rip them to shreds.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
February 2nd, 2013: UConn at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am: UConn broke open a close game in the last two minutes and pulled out the road win at St. John's, 71-65. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis led the Huskies with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Kelly Faris scored 13 of her 17 in the second half. Shenneika Smith of St. John's led all scorers with 21 points, adding four steals; Briana Brown had 12 of her 16 in the first half.
For pride, ferocity, stubbornness, defense, shooting, and knitting, join your intrepid and hoarse blogger after the jump.
My team doesn't surrender. My team doesn't give up. My team fights to the end against even the best teams in the game. We looked UConn in the eye and led them into the fourth quarter. For a long stretch we even shut up the UConn fans, and if you know me, you know that that means a lot to me. (It dates back to my Rutgers days, when hating UConn was part of the job description.)
Because the UConn fans overwhelmed the place and don't tend to listen to friendly "um, hey, our point guard's family likes to sit there" or "excuse me, that's the home bench, please don't sit behind it" explanations, we decided we weren't going to start trouble and decamped from our usual section by the band, joining RedZone in the endcourt student section closer to the St. John's bench. And even then there were UConn fans trying to get in. GUYS SERIOUSLY CAN WE HAVE ONE CORNER OF OUR OWN ARENA?
RedZone put in work for this game, I'll give them that. We might have gotten them started, but the team kept them in the game for most of it. And I think the UConn fans starting DE-FENSE chants on the road spurred them on too. Do not taunt happy fun New Yorkers. We can be louder than anyone.
Nice anthem. Nice dress, too. Yes, I notice these things.
Morgan Tuck moves well for someone of her build. I wasn't expecting her to be able to be so comfortable both deep in the paint and out in jump shot territory. I think she's put a lot of expectations on herself with that jersey number, and while I don't know if she can live up to those expectations, she's going to be a very useful piece for them. I can see her playing a similar role to Danielle Adams offensively, only without the flopping tendency. Moriah Jefferson seems to have a chip on her shoulder- maybe it's just her build? I don't know but there's something about her that I don't particularly like. I did like her tendency to get faked out by our guards' fancy dribbling, though. She's dangerous on that press- she and Tuck (I think) killed us on something like three straight possessions. I'm sorry Brianna Banks screwed up her knee, and I hope she gets well soon, but that was a charge. Run into two defensive players, and things will probably not end well for you. Breanna Stewart didn't impress me. Yes, she's tall, and she can play Geno's defense, but if I were a UConn fan, I would be screaming the same imprecations at her that I currently scream at Amber Thompson- you have to hit your chippies if you're a post player, and she had a lot of shots that she should have hit. Yeah, a couple of those were victims of the peculiarities of Carnesecca's rims, but if this is the best freshman in the Big East, it's going to be a long four years in this conference. (I disagree, by the way, but I'm biased and I'm proud to be biased in that regard.) She's also a little freer with her elbows than I like, but I guess that's what happens when you can't get anything else going.
I'm surprised that no one's gotten the memo that you can't leave Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis open. Seriously, her stroke is a thing of beauty and lightning-fast. You can't give her any daylight. At all. You have to lock down on her and never let up. She uses her build well, too- there's something of the football player to her body, but if I compare her to Kara Lawson, I'm probably going to end up with Boneyarders trolling me and claiming that I've committed some kind of mortal insult by comparing a Husky to a Vol. Bria Hartley had a rough time of it, but she was hassled for most of the day. I suspect that the scouting report focused more on her than KML. But she did always seem to have a big shot at the right time. Kelly Faris caught fire in the second half, much to my chagrin. Sorry. I try to admit my biases so everyone knows where I'm coming from, and I think Faris is overrated, overhyped, and obnoxious. I see her throw too many elbows for my liking, and while I appreciate that she does the hustle work, there are enough players who bust their butts out there in college that I don't think it makes her the greatest thing since sliced bread. (I also suspect she's going to get dinged for a lot more fouls on the next level.) Kiah Stokes was a useful piece down low- if Dolson's out for any period of time and she figures out more about where she needs to be on the floor and what the role of a UConn center is, that makes their offense even more dangerous. Which it totally needs to be, am I right? Leading the nation in scoring and scoring defense is not enough! Caroline Doty got after some loose balls, and she's awfully pretty in person, but I can't remember her doing anything of note in the game.
I like watching Geno coach. You can actually see coaching going on. It's refreshing in the women's game when you can actually see strategy on the floor and have it work.
Amber Thompson, one of these days you're going to drive me to drinking if you don't catch those passes under the basket that Nadirah and Aliyyah try to feed you. I love Amber's defense (though I'd like to see her pick up the knack of running backwards) and if she can hit her chippies she'll be a stud on the court. She had to play a lot of minutes with Mary Nwachukwu's foul issues in the first half, and she made a different. Keylantra Langley should not have the ball against a press. The shot she missed was beautiful and open and she usually hits those shots when the shot clock is running down. Sandra Udobi got a couple of minutes in the second half- I think Joe was thinking he could body up on UConn.
Mary was in foul trouble in the first half, and by the second half, Amber had shown what she could do, so Mary was mostly relegated to being an offense-defensive switch. She did hit a lay-up, which is a bigger deal than you'd think- she does most of her work from the elbow or other parts of the court that are not in the paint, to my eternal and infinite frustration. Briana Brown torched UConn in the first half- she had three threes and just didn't seem capable of being stopped. UConn paid a little more attention to her in the second half, and I don't think she knew how to handle it. But I love, love, love the way she gets after loose balls. She has a great nose for the ball, both when it's on the floor and when she's flying for a rebound. If she keeps this up in her senior year, I will happily eat a heaping helping of crow for doubting her. (Then get treated for West Nile, probably, but it'll be worth it.) Nadirah McKenith just couldn't get her shot going- she was either leaving her lay-ups short or overcompensating and sending them too hard. But she made up for it with her vision finding her teammates. If her teammates had hit a couple of more shots she might have hit double figures in assists, which would have been awesome. (There's a specific play I'm thinking of where she fed Amber and Amber promptly fumbled it.) She reads defenses well and finds people well. Aliyyah Handford came out like she wanted to pull a Da'Shena Stevens and stake Big East Freshman of the Year on one big game against UConn. She didn't quite go as off as Day did, but she slashed through the Husky defense like there was no tomorrow and was generally awesome. Shenneika Smith also played like she knew people were watching and she needed to have a big game. She pressed too much in the last couple of minutes, but I think part of that had to do with knowing what the game meant. I'd rather have her pressing than have her backing off and having someone else take a bad shot. She was also solid defensively.
Poor Briana got destroyed on a screen with no call, but I've gotten used to that; I think there's some kind of secret deal that Bri must suffer during a game. There were also a couple of very odd out-of-bounds calls (if it goes off two UConn players, I'm pretty sure it should be St. John's ball, and if Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis's foot is on the endcourt paint, I'm pretty sure she's out of bounds). The free throw discrepancy irks me, but not as much as you would think. I'd have liked to have seen more calls go against UConn when we had the ball, but a lot of our fouls were to stop the break and were therefore shooting fouls. 25-9 enrages me on general principles, but we needed to do a better job of not getting into situations where we had to foul the shooter.
I generally try not to be a flaming snotrag to people at games. You do you, I do me, we'll all be good. But if you come to a basketball game- to arguably the biggest home game of the year- and you sit in the front row of the student section, and the people behind you are decked out in jerseys and beads, it might be stupid to ask those people not to scream through the entire game. If you want to sit there and do the Madame DeFarge thing with your knitting, fine. But it's a little unrealistic to expect the people around you at the game to be quiet, especially when you come to a section that's supposed to be loud.
I think I messed up my throat screaming, but that's because it was that close a game and I felt I was needed. Sorry to those who had to put up with my shrillness. I wasn't exactly concerned with ameliorating my pitch.
Lots of dancing at halftime. I was trying to talk to my mom, so I didn't really watch. Sorry, guys.
Don't have much else to say about this one. We played well. We didn't quite play well enough. But we made a statement. Okay, so we made that statement with Stefanie Dolson not playing (found out after the game that she was sick- chicken soup and don't infect your teammates, Stef!), but I'm okay with caveats and asterisks. UConn is still UConn. And we are (still) St. John's.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
March 4th, 2012: Rutgers at Connecticut
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis nailed five threes in the first half for 15 of her 17 points, and the UConn Huskies paced Rutgers to a 49-34 win. Stefanie Dolson added 10 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks for UConn. Erica Wheeler led the Scarlet Knights with 13 points, while Khadijah Rushdan had 10 points and seven rebounds.
For a lack of pants, climbing Knights, public relations epic fail, swatted shots, and a turning point, join your intrepid and zombie-like blogger after the jump.
UConn and Rutgers finished off the night, and this was the game most folks in the arena were waiting to see. Obviously the UConn fans were out in force, and the Cagers made their presence felt across from their bench.
The bands had it going for a good while, and the rivalry was definitely evident in timing and style. They're both excellent bands and both very involved in the game. I like UConn's whiteboard to cue their members.
Geno's fun to watch. I couldn't hear him most of the time, which was a shame. I've always wanted to learn how to curse in Italian.
We got to sit next to Kim Barnes Arico for part of the first half, and that was cool. We wished our team well, though we still have not located Keylantra Langley's pants. Warm-up pants. You perverts.
Shout out to the two patient, knowledgeable, respectful, passionate UConn fans who moved behind us for the second half and chatted with us for much of the game. I didn't think UConn fans who were all of the above existed- who could chant and cheer and then turn around and chat pleasantly with non-UConn fans. (Especially ones who don't shut up.)
Christa Evans, stop fouling. I know the game is over, but stop fouling anyway. She did nothing worth noting except commit stupid fouls. She was committing enough fouls that the refs tried to call her for one when she wasn't even on the floor. (It was later corrected to Sykes, I think. Definitely corrected, think it was Sykes.) Betnijah Laney was the only guard off the bench for the Scarlet Knights, and she played like a freshman. She was part of the defense, but that's it.
I thought Khadijah Rushdan was going to go postal on Kathleen Lynch after the second travel where Rushdan swore blind she didn't move her pivot foot. I couldn't see the second one, but I thought she had a fair case on the first one. She was hustling and trying to carry her team, but UConn was on to her. April Sykes was a real non-factor- if anything, one of the shots she missed in the second half was a momentum killer for Rutgers when they were trying to make a run. If I had to choose a Rutgers player to go all 40 minutes, it would probably not be Nikki Speed, whose decision-making was not sharp, both as a passer and as a defender. But Rushdan got hurt and had to sit out briefly- really, RU, if a player who's already had a concussion this season bangs her head in front of your bench, your trainer ought to be a little faster on the draw. But we'll go into a bit more detail on that later. Erica Wheeler's shot selection was... interesting; it looked like UConn was daring her to beat them from outside while they put a body on Monique Oliver late and kept Rushdan from putting the team on her shoulders one last time. It worked. Oliver had a brief surge, then got bodied by the UConn posts and wasn't effective.
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis was rolling from three in the first half, with a stroke so beautiful that it should have been caught on film and used to teach young shooters how to make that perfect splash. Five threes in the first half. It was incredible. Kiah Stokes made an impact on defense, with big blocks and taking up space in the lane. She forced Rutgers to change their game plan, except I'm not sure Rutgers knows how to change their game plan.
Caroline Doty was red hot in the first few minutes, with two quick long bombs, and then she got into foul trouble and that was more or less the last we saw of her. Either Geno wanted to rest her or some body part of another was giving her agita. Her knee brace is quite terrifying up close. It makes Rebecca Lobo's brace look small, both in scale and overall. Kelly Faris, other than one three point shot and entirely too much enthusiasm from the UConn faithful, didn't register. Bria Hartley took some good shots, and took some truly dumb shots. (I'm... starting to wonder about the shot selection at North Babylon, I really am.) And I'm sorry, but she's not a point guard, no matter what awards you nominate her for or what you try to force her into. Tiffany Hayes really didn't get involved until late, and the crowd was well-pleased when she finally hit a three. Rutgers was daring them to shoot from outside, and they hit a few, and they missed a bunch. Stefanie Dolson, while not as strong offensively as UConn would have liked- you can't miss easy shots in a low-scoring game- was a defensive presence and a rebounding presence for the Huskies. Mosqueda-Lewis's shooting is the story, but without Dolson that game gets a lot more interesting (and the semi gets a lot more winnable for the Red Storm, not that I have my preferences and biases or anything).
Rutgers spent a fair bit of time up in arms at the refs, but Rutgers fans do that. I see their case in a few cases, but I think UConn hd a better case to be mad at the refs in the first half, when it seemed like everyone for the Huskies was picking up fouls left, right, and center on seemingly ticky-tack calls. The officiating loosened up a bit in the second half. Maybe they got a little too loose, given the major clock issues that took place in the second half. One of the officials forgot to fix the shot clock when she fixed the game clock, and it was a hot mess. Geno was about ready to blow his top, but he was ready to blow his top often.
Rutgers is dead to me. As Red as I am, as much of a Johnnie as I've become, there's always been a little part of me that's still Scarlet, that's still the proud daughter of a Rutgers alum. There's always been that part of me that hears the R-U and wants to respond, or that wants to rip off a "RAH RAH RUTGERS RAH". But that part of me is gone. It's sitting on the XL Center floor, broken in little pieces where Erica Wheeler sat in agony while her coach walked off the court. If you have a player who can't get up- who tells people not to help her up- the correct response is to at least acknowledge her existence and maybe offer a little support. It's not to act like everything's under control and take your team off the floor. Preliminary reports are claiming just dehydration and cramps, which is more an indictment of not resting your players, but they did an awful lot of testing and probing and making sure she didn't put weight on the leg for my liking. When the opposing band goes quiet, when they choose not to play their alma mater after a win, because your player is sitting on the floor wincing with every breath, you might want to consider showing that you care. I've been off the Stringer bandwagon for some years, but this cemented it. I'm a St. John's fan, crossing myself and praying to a God I don't necessarily believe in, while your assistants and your trainer carry your player to a wheelchair because she can't walk, and you're... in the locker room? Really?
I'm going to stop myself here before I go into any more ranting before all the evidence is in. All I'm going to say now is that both UConn and St. John's need to play much better basketball if one wants to get past the other.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
January 12th, 2011: Connecticut at St. John's
Just the Facts, Ma'am:: Behind yet another superlative performance from Maya Moore, the Connecticut Huskies defeated the St. John's Red Storm 84-52. Moore had 21 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and three steals. Tiffany Hayes added 21 points and eight rebounds for Connecticut. Da'Shena Stevens led the Red Storm with 12 points and five rebounds.
For dismay, distress, despair, and a severe lack of basketball on the part of St. John's, join your intrepid and depressed blogger after the jump.The good news is that more people in red are staying than we thought. The good news as a St. John's fan is that not a lot of UConn fans appear to have made the trip down, possibly having something to do with the giant blizzard that enveloped New England, possibly related to Syracuse fans buying up all the tickets. I'm not sure how thrilled I am about some of these people staying, given some of the remarks the college boys behind us were passing. Have I mentioned lately that alcohol and college athletics are a really bad combination?
We moved over a section, and we might be moving up a couple of rows as well, so we can actually see things other than the bench. Sometimes there's such a thing as having too good a seat, you know?
Shoutout to the hard-working photographers, especially SportsPage Magazine's representative.
The things I would like to ask St. John's are not things I can say in a public forum. Our offense is stagnant on its good plays and spastic on its bad ones. Our defense is out to lunch (how do you leave Maya Moore open, ever?!). Our coaching is sketchy. Our effort is lackluster. How many of these players actually want to be playing Big East basketball right now? Have they forgotten that things don't come easy? I think they have. I think they played too many cupcakes and got fat, just like Syracuse does, just like North Carolina does. I'm sick to my soul, knowing what this team can be and has been, and comparing it to what it is now.
I don't get it. I just don't get it. I don't know what's wrong with my team. And the sad part is that they're not going to learn anything from this because everyone expects UConn to lay the hammer down, and it doesn't occur to them that there are things to be taken away from a game like this, that there's no way on God's green earth the margin should have ballooned out the way it did. That's not taking anything away from UConn. They're an excellent, deep team that's developing its young post players at a dizzying rate. And, of course, they have Maya Moore. That's a pretty good piece to have.
Samarie Walker put in some work in the post off the bench. She doesn't have the bulk, but she's got the moves. She looks to be more of a slashing forward than a back to the basket sort of post. We got to see some Heather Buck, and apparently a round with a team that's lost its way is the cure for a lack of confidence. Bria Hartley is already showing the ruthlessness of a true Husky- not just the talent, but the killer instinct that separates UConn from a lot of teams. She's sure got a pretty stroke. Why or how we missed the scouting report on her, given that we also have a kid from North Babylon, I will never know.
There were three main differences between this year's debacle and last year's more closely contested game. One, this year our offense went on vacation. Two, this year our defense broke down. Three, this year Tiffany Hayes showed out. When we played them two seasons back at Carnesecca Arena, Hayes was a non-factor (this is the same game that won Da'Shena Stevens BEast FOY). She was showing more aggressiveness towards the basket than I remembered seeing from her, but that didn't mean she abandoned the three-point stroke. You'd think she'd have cooled off after the fifth one, but this is UConn. Lorin Dixon is really, really fast. For this team, she works as a point guard, because she doesn't need to be the spearhead or the playmaker. She just has to keep them from going completely off the rails. Stefanie Dolson... okay, I'll admit that when I first saw UConn on TV this year, I said, “Oh my God, it's Kara Wolters.” She was a step or two slow that I think we could have taken advantage of, but she clogs things up in the middle and is a good enough finisher to force teams to match up against her, which means they have to change their game plan, which will result in someone being left open. If you're having a good day, it'll be Dixon. If you're having a bad day, it'll be Hayes or Faris. If you're having an Arthur Pearlstein kind of day and moaning, “I knew I should have stayed home today,” you'll leave Maya Moore open, which is possibly the single stupidest thing you can do in basketball. Then again, if you guard her, she'll hit the shot anyway. I saw her glide in and hit shots against doubles, with hands in her face, into the arm of a defender- she had one possession with a gorgeous tip-in, another where she slid around with a silky move and went to the hole. So maybe that is a good plan. Leave her open and she'll get hers, and maybe you have a shot of stopping someone who's not a demigod. Seriously, she's like Connecticut's answer to Tamika Catchings, like Geno got annoyed he couldn't have Catch, so he had someone whip up a carbon copy for him. Kelly Faris also showed out in this game, though it seemed like she was taking advantage of being considered a weak link by our quote-unquote perimeter defense.
You know how bad we were? Briana Brown actually got into the game. And she wasn't completely awful. She looked a little lost, but that's to be expected when you don't play. Her first shot, she canned a sweet corner three. I'd love to hear from Coach Barnes Arico what the story is there. Zakkiyah Shahid-Martin also got into the game, though she didn't get as much of an opportunity. Keylantra Langley continues to look like a lost freshman, without the other two freshmen's excuse of not getting playing time. And if I ever catch someone's head hanging during play, I'm going to rush the court and shake some sense into them. I'm sorry, but no matter how thoroughly you are being embarrassed, hold your head high and don't act like you're ashamed to wear your jersey. Amanda Burakoski's confidence is shot (and this is coming from a very reliable witness). Why she's not shooting, I will never know. As her three to beat the shot clock buzzer proved, good things happen when she shoots. She's a scrapper, and she's a shooter, and she has to be both and more to be a player for us. She can't let herself turn into Kelly McManmon, only shooting when the defender is in the next ZIP code. Jennifer Blanding was not well-used in this game- she had very few opportunities to counter Dolson, and she was given few chances to attack the basket. Now, granted, this might be because Jennifer has a terrible habit of missing shots that I could probably make. But she's actually playing with heart and soul out there, and the way this team's gone down the tubes, that kind of effort needs to be rewarded. I will never fault Eugeneia McPherson's effort, though, because she might hurt me if I did. I will fault her three-point shooting, her tendency to believe that officials will reward you for going to the basket no matter how ill-advised the shot is, and her sudden inability to hit a damn free throw. But I will never fault her defense, her leadership ability, or her hustle.
Seriously, though, has anyone seen Shenneika Smith's head? Wherever it is, it's not on her shoulders and it's not in the game. She's passing up shots she should be taking for NBA-style glorified lay-ups that she shouldn't be taking, because the one that goes in looks beautiful on the highlight reel, but the ten that don't are disastrous for her team. Her defense is lacking, too. This all infuriates me because I believe Shenneika has the skills and the skill set for the WNBA, and if she's not careful she's going to blow it. I've already watched one potential prospect shoot herself in the foot this way (Monique McLean, two years ago, who reminded me so much of Shameka Christon it wasn't funny) and I can't deal with it again. I'm also going to need for Nadirah McKenith to stop worrying about whether she's broken her opponent's ankles with a crossover and start worrying about where her teammates are and where her assignment is on the defensive end of the floor. Don't get me wrong, she has a beautiful crossover that drew gasps from the crowd a few times, but she was so much more than that last year. Someone, and God help me, it might have to be me, needs to get her some footage of Jennifer Azzi or Ticha Penicheiro. I'm about done trying to figure out what Sky Lindsay's deal is. Whether she's been out-talented by the younger players, whether she's just counting the days until she graduates, whether there's something else going on in her life, I don't know, because I'm not Sky Lindsay. (I'd have bigger boots and be a better dancer if I were.) I have no idea what happened to Coco Hart, either, other than getting out-sized. While she progressed early in the season, she's back to being the epic fail we all know and... know. She was badly out of position on a lot of plays. It was very frustrating.
I wasn't thrilled with the officiating. Maya Moore, you are not allowed to hit Da'Shena Stevens in the windpipe. But I can't really blame that.
I just don't know what's going on with this team. I'm trying to figure it out, and I'm trying to ignore it, and I'm trying not to scream at the top of my lungs.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
March 7th, 2010: Syracuse at UConn (Big East tournament)
Comments are closed on this post; please leave any comments on the mirror post at Swish Appeal.
So we sat and marinated in our fury and frustration for twenty minutes, waiting for the second game to begin. We debated leaving because we knew it was going to be a blow-out, but we paid for the ticket and our dinner reservations weren't until 5:15, so there was no point in going anywhere. We chatted up the UConn fans around us, some of whom commiserated with us about the previous game. Then Elvis entered the building and it got hard to do much of anything.
Star-divide
I don't want to be a UConn fan- I love my team, I'm happy with my team, I think we can do great things- but I want something like what UConn has. I understand that it takes time to build a fan base like that, and that there's a bit of a perfect storm in Connecticut, given their placement between the New York sphere of influence and the Boston sphere of influence with no real outlet for those passions nearby. But the feeling of sitting in an arena for a women's basketball game and being surrounded by thousands of cheering fans... it's good for the soul if you're a fan of the game, and not just of one particular team or another. It's something to aim for.
I swear Kayla Alexander felt she had something to prove. I don't know who she wanted to prove it to, given that she made the All-Freshman team and it's pretty obvious that she's going to have to fill in when Nicole Michael graduates. She showed some nice moves inside, though her propensity for elbows will probably not serve her well in later years. Carmen Tyson-Thomas also showed me something, though perhaps it was just the ability to not look like someone who had never played basketball before when confronted with the machine that is UConn, which I suppose is a moral victory. Tyler Ash started getting fearless late. There comes a time when it's hard to really care. Lampkins fancied herself a three-point shooter- haven't seen enough of the Orange to determine if she normally hits those and tonight was just not her night, or if she just can't shoot.
Maybe Syracuse just gave up, but their starters didn't seem to be in the game at all- both literally, by not playing a lot, and figuratively, by not having their heads in the game. Michael barely got any touches, which you would think would be unusual for Syracuse's all-time leading scorer. The way Tasha Harris played today, I'm surprised she was even in the first twelve for the Lieberman. Maybe it's the lateness of the hour or the quality of the game, but I'm having a hard time remembering Syracuse doing much of anything other than missing even the easiest of shots that UConn gave them.
That's the scary part. UConn gave up 19 offensive rebounds, and Syracuse still couldn't get it in the hole. They had two or three chances at some shots and could get nothing. That's the scary part- this was far from the best game UConn has played this year, and they still curb-stomped a Syracuse team that's on the bubble. That's the most terrifying thing about UConn. They're just that good.
Their bench didn't impress me, but I guess they didn't need to. More to the point, I'm not the one they need to impress. Kelly Faris, especially, looked very ordinary, and I was given the impression that she was the next big thing from UConn. I also thought Gardler was a smarter player than she showed today; you'd expect that from a coach's kid, right? McLaren... uh, has she put on weight? I completely have no right to ask this, I know, but she looks bigger than she did last year. Dixon's still a little out of control. Perhaps there's just some sort of peculiar plague afflicting the Christ the King alumnae? Should we check on Bird or Doron to make sure they haven't been replaced by aliens? Buck looked really uncomfortable out there. Fernandes at least looked somewhat comfortable, even if she didn't meet the high standards basketball fans have come to expect from folks wearing UConn jerseys.
But hey, who needs a bench when you have Tina Charles? That was one of the most dominant performances I've ever seen from a post player. Her moves in the paint were ridiculous, and her blocks powerful. Her free throw shooting could use some work, but no single person is perfect. And Maya Moore brought it too. Slick, graceful, and acrobatic. Tiffany Hayes got into foul trouble early and really couldn't get going. Doty couldn't hit a shot, but she was brilliant passing on the break. And Kalana Greene is a great Robin to the Batman/Superman combo of Charles and Moore. She takes advantage of the space she gets because they get so much respect from the defense.
I'll tell you, it's really hard to do a player-by-player breakdown of UConn. They come at you in groups. When the ball comes off the glass or the rim, there are two, three, four players crashing the boards like their lives depended on someone from UConn coming down with the ball. Same deal with loose balls. Their passing is crisp and slick. They work as a unit like no team I've ever seen. They work harder than just about any team in the game, looking like they have to work for every loose ball in order to win. I think sometimes they pretend not to know they're talented so they keep working like this.
Not that it would matter with a margin like this, but if the refereeing was biased, it was biased against UConn. There were a couple of odd out-of-bounds calls that I thought should hae gone to the Huskies. And I'm not sure about Moore's... third foul, I think it was, though if it wasn't, I claim the excuse that it's 1AM and I'm in my nineteenth straight hour of consciousness. It was either the third or the fourth that I thought was pretty questionable.
So let's review. The guard who usually shoots pretty well went scoreless (though she had seven assists). Her running mate only had seven, and only one field goal. The bench was substandard. The passing game early on wasn't as sharp as usual. They hit barely half their free throws. They got the short end of the stick from the referees. And they won by 36. They scored more in the first half than the other team did in the game. In the Big East tournament, against a Syracuse team on the bubble.
I saw the monster last year- quite a few times, in fact, given that we went to the Trenton Regional and St. Louis for the Final Four, as well as the home game at St. John's. Somehow, they've gotten even better after graduating Renee Montgomery. This is scary, guys. This is really scary.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
April 7th, 2009: Louisville at Connecticut (NCAA tournament)
Victory! Defeat! Tiny adhesive Cardinal heads!
Nota bene: These notes are being written the night of the title game, though I'm unable to post them in St. Louis- I no can haz intarwebs. :(
Either way, this game was going to be historic. Either way, it was a privilege to be there for the game. Either way, it's been a fantastic ride.
Accidentally being booked at the official Connecticut hotel had its advantages. We wandered into the official UConn pep rally. We stuck around for a while, enjoying the cheerleaders and being very confused by the bright orange fountain. But though the cheerleaders' nerves of steel- doing two-and-three-level pyramids on sidewalk is pretty courageous- impressed us, the fans were only moderately involved, so we got bored and wandered towards the arena. Since it was too early to go in, we wandered towards Union Station. Then we heard the dulcet strains of a marching band and wound our way through the mall until we came to the hotel of the Marriott and discovered the Louisville pep rally. This was not moderate involvement. Card fans were revved up for this historic occasion. They brought large inflatable Cardinals and small adhesive Cardinals; one of the latter is still stuck to my shirt.
It's a shame the players couldn't channel the fans' enthusiasm and energy. Angel McCoughtry and Becky Burke seemed to be the only players out there who gave a damn. I honestly think they lost a minute of game time because Deseree' Byrd took five to ten seconds on every possession to get the play. Thank every God there's no ten-second rule in the women's game, or this probably would have been a thirty-point game with the extra L'ville turnovers. I liked the idea of having her drive on Montgomery- she's bigger and stronger, so theoretically, she should have been able to muscle Montgomery out of the way and score. The theory fell flat on its face when Byrd couldn't even find the barn to hit the side of. Same problem for most of the Cards, come ot think of it- I don't have a box score accessible, but I shudder to think of what Louisville's shooting percentage was, especially in the second half, when most of their shots were random flings at the glass. But Byrd was especially guilty. At least McCoughtry hit some of hers, got to the line, and got some steals, and at least Bingham was active on the boards. But the rest of the Cards did a disappearing magic trick behind their two stars. Well, okay. Burke didn't play much of the game, but when she did, she was on top of things. Ditto for Monique Reid, who's going to be a key player for them next year, judging from her play this postseason.
I could be wrong, but Tina Charles might have gotten tired of Geno being pissed at her. She went absolutely nuts out there. Louisville doesn't really have a center, so Charles devoured Candyce Bingham for lunch and had room left over for anyone else who came at her. With Charles in the middle, they didn't need much from anyone else, but Montgomery was more than willing to drive and add some offense, and then Maya Moore started adding her contributions in the second half, and that, as they say, was the end of that. Not to mention that Moore's defense was beautiful. She's so graceful. God. I hate piling compliments on a Husky like this, and I hate having to find new ways to be impressed by her. Make it stop. McLaren was a game-changing weapon off the bench, not in terms of anything she necessarily did, but by clogging the paint and slowing the game up. Louisville was having enough trouble on the boards and, y'know, actually hitting shots, but with two bigs in against the very small Cardinals, Louisville was screwed. UConn's screen-setting led to a lot of ugly mismatches. Byrd on Charles is made of fail. And I liked that both teams deliberately stopped the clock to get their subs in.
Inconsistent refereeing, blah blah blah cakes.
Dear UConn band: please do not jump the other team's turn. Please also learn to coordinate with your loud, passionate fans so that you're chanting the same thing at the same time.
Oh, Geno. Seriously, don't ever change. You're one of the best-written characters in women's basketball; we couldn't make you up if we tried. Going through the de-netted hoop was one of the funniest things I've ever seen on a basketball court.
In conclusion: ladies of Connecticut, ladies of Louisville, ladies of Stanford, ladies of Oklahoma, and the rest of the field, it's been a pleasure and a privilege flying with you this year. Things may not have turned out the way I would have liked, but there's nothing in the world like being at the Final Four when the confetti comes down, the net gets snipped, the trophies are handed out, the winning fans cry with joy, the losing fans cry with grief... and, eventually, the lights go down.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
April 5th, 2009: Stanford at UConn (NCAA tournament)
Connecticut Huskies 83, Stanford Cardinal 63
Jayne Appel and the Stanford Cardinal are quite singular, Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery are a dynamic duo, and UConn lets up on the gas pedal.
And then it was on to game two. The de facto championship game, or so it was declared. The heavyweight match. UConn versus Stanford. Both teams out for revenge.
And then it turned out that Jayne Appel was really the only Stanford player who actually gave a damn about the fact that this was the Final Four, and even she wasn't as sharp as she could have been. But Pedersen especially seemed to be slacking off (especially in the second half, where the only way she seemed to know how to get involved was to commit stupid hard fouls). Stanford's guards were going to lose the matchup battle with the Huskies anyway, but I wasn't expecting Pohlen and Harmon to be quite so epic in their fail. Ogwumike seemed overwhelmed by the moment for most of the game- it ws only after UConn had, er, called off the dogs, that she seemed to get into her groove. Gold-Onwude seemed to be the only bench player for the Cardinal who wanted to get involved (it's a Queens thing, we don't take shit from people ;)). Though we were at the other end of the arena from the Stanford bench, I'm pretty sure VanDerveer was asking her team what the hell was wrong with them. They tried to force-feed the post a lot, which seemed ridiculous, especially since they were feeding her in the low post, when she's better as a European-style high post, making her plays further out. UConn is not Iowa State, and though Tina Charles isn't quite as big as Appel, she's a helluva lot better than anything the Cyclones were throwing at her in that game. And Uconnc ame with the help a lot more often than ISU did.
Good fucking God, Renee Montgomery. I think she decided that she didn't care what anyone else had in mind, she doesn't plan to lose her last college game. If she weren't so frigging tiny, she'd be the best shooting guard in the draft, but because of her size, she pretty much has to be a point guard, and I wouldn't want my nominal distributor taking that many shots. Being an offensive threat so that the other team can't double down o my top player, yes. Being a shothog, no. And Maya Moore was right alongside her in making sure Stanford was never really much of a credible threat. God, she's so smooth- in that regard, in the way she moves and the smooth silky grace she has- she reminds me of Candice Dupree. And I think she might be psychic on top of everything else- one of her rebounds was on some beautiful anticipation on a missed Stanford FT. Kalana Greene made the Cardinal regret leaving her open, because she has that nice little midrange jumper. McLaren's size made a big difference in the middle- more, I would say, than Charles, though Charles is the more skilled player. I keep thinking of Rutgers last year, when Vaughn was the more talented player but Junaid was getting the big minutes because she was a little more savvy with her body. But I'll get off this Scarlet tangent before the Husky fans come after me with a length of rope and some inappropriate comments about my hair. For all that UConn turned on the afterburners and got the lead up to 30 before letting it slip down to nineteen or so... that was Geno slowing the game up (and Hayes being a very astute freshman and backing the ball out to waste more clock on two different plays). I like that he doesn’t run up the score when he has the talent and the time to do it.
'sup, Denise? Congrats on the big gig! I remember when you were just a linesman on Bonita Spence's crew. Now you're in the Final Four. Sweet. Shame about the crappy linesmen you keep getting stuck with, though. Again, a very inconsistently called game- loose, then tight, then loose again, then, just as we're starting to think they're loosening it up so everyone can go home or to the bar, they tightened it up again.
UConn, as always, traveled exceedingly well, both in their allocation (points for the matching tees!) and in general. Signs your team's lead is so big that the game's a lead pipe cinch: when your semi-official spirit guy starts the chants, your enthusiasm is dimmed to about a third of what it was in the first half. It was kinda funny. And how can you not love the Stanford band and that kooky Tree? I mean, the highlight of the day was watching the Tree and the band kick ass in the Battle of the Bands, then sitting with the band while the Tree participated in the mascot challenge. (The organizers seemed confused as to why the band wasn't leaving the vicinity- they didn't seem to realize that the Tree is part of the band, and they're not going to leave their homie behind.)
Funny how everyone thought this was going to be the closely contested game and that the first one was going to be a blowout. I think VanDerveer is wondering the same thing, because Stanford's body language about midway into the second half screamed "we've lost already, just kill us and get it over with, and we do mean kill us, because we have to fly back with Coach if you don't, and that's an experience worse than death." Now that the Big East has established its dominance in women's hoops this year, I'd like to see a competitive game on Tuesday- and, hopefully, a more properly filled arena. There were some shamefully empty sections.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
April 4th, 2009: NCAA Final Four open practices
Teams vary their atmospheres, and the Game Notes of Doom are starstruck.
OMG. OMG I'm actually here, so help me God. It's real. I'm in St. Louis. I think I may die of squee.
So my Final Four experience actually started on the flight to St. Louis, with a plethora of UConn fans, a temporally confused LSU fan, a small group of Stanford fans, three NEC basketball players, Phyllis Mangina (presumably on her way to the WCBA convention), and Rita Williams (presumably on her way to Geno's Final Four party). I think there were a couple of other people on the flight I should have recognized, but I was already operating on one hour of sleep (which I'm still operating on, so please don't be surprised if my accounts from this beautiful Saturday lack my usual eloquence and ability to make sense).
We checked into our hotel and found ourselves confronted with the UConn band and more than a few Husky fans. Orbitz picked a lovely hotel for us- shame about the infestation. ;) It was a bit of a hike to the Scottrade Center, which is a very pretty arena, but nothing too bad. Probably not something that could be done from Hoop City, though.
Oklahoma practiced first. It was a very dry, business-like practice. Started with loose stretching, some shooting, some post moves, then moved to inside-out plays, then perimeter shooting. Then the team split up and did a couple of shooting contests. I don't know the scoring rules, because it seems like they went twice, and after the second time, one group did sprints. My favorite part was the next drill, which involved using a set number of passes before taking the shot- seven or eight passes were the minimum. I liked the idea, especially the way some of the players executed it, with faux-penetration and backing away as if the defense had come in on them. Then it was on to more traditional drills- shooting, then shooting and defending, more shooting, and then a two-shots-at once drill.
Then we went to the Oklahoma autograph sessions, which is not so much "get your poster signed" as it is "wave hi to the nice ballers while you rush to the end and pick up a signed poster". It was kind of like being on a conveyor belt. Abi Olajuwon got a bit of a kick out of my shirt- I was rocking the Narbonne tee that Sass sent me. Wished them all luck and thanked them kindly.
Because we were on the Oklahoma line, we missed part of Louisville's practice, and I'm starting to regret that, because what we saw of it was hysterical. When we entered, they were doing dribbling drills and some individual shooting. Their band and cheerleaders, like every team but Oklahoma's, were involved in the festivities as well. They practiced free throws and did some more shooting. Then the dunks of great LULZ began- each Cardinal taking her turn running for the basket and being lifted to the hoop (or not- Coach and his loyal assistant did miss a couple of approaches) for a resounding (or not) dunk. We were rollin'. Then they scrimmaged. They finished up by stripping down to their compression bras and taking halfcourt heaves. They must practice those a lot, because there were something like four hits out of twenty shots- including one that was nothing but net, and one from Coach Walz himself. He was very satisfied with himself afterwards.
I don't think Geno was taking the practice seriously. He spent most of it shooting the breeze with Lobo, Burke, and a couple of the other ESPN blondes. Jonathan performed with the cheerleaders. They came out lapping the court a la the Liberty. Unlike the other two teams, they did their stretching as part of the practice- I guess they wanted to kill as much time as possible. They did some disorganized shooting. The bigs worked on their pivot moves. More shooting. Then there was a shooting contest of some kind, but I'm not sure what the split was. Loved the fast break sequences, especially when Moore got slick with the passes. Then they ran a few plays, but probably not ones they plan on using very often. More shooting. Shooting contest- posts took twos, perimeter players took threes, and the bigs won.
Stanford's tree is freaky, and needs another layer of foliage to be decent. They did some dribbling and ballhandling drills, ran a layup drill, did some halfcourt stuff, did a contest of some kind where the losers did pushups, and shot free throws. Then Sass distracted me, but I don't think we missed anything exciting.
I don't want to say the Huskies were popular, but the line for their autograph session was as long as the one for Oklahoma... two hours before UConn was scheduled to go. Crazy.
We changed seats after the autograph session, and ended up sitting behind some young coaches-to-be and in front of Joanne Boyle. I think I spent as much time scanning the crowd people-watching as I did watching the actual practices.