Game thread & preview: Tulsa Shock vs. Los Angeles Sparks - which will start the fire tonight?

For Tulsa:
G Amber Holt
G Scholanda Robinson
G Ivory Latta
C Nicole Ohlde
F Tiffany Jackson

For L.A.:
G Ticha Penicheiro
G Marie Ferdinand-Harris
G Noelle Quinn
F Delisha Milton-Jones
F Tina Thompson

Officials: Eric Brewton, Tom Mauer, Marcus Clayton

So, aside from being f.a.s.t., Marion Jones still has some ups!!! They were doing some rebounding drills and she still has a spring in her step, that’s for sure.

The GA at Oklahoma State is wearing Andrea Riley’s road jersey from her freshman year to the game. Go Pokes!!

the crowd is restless because the scoreboard isn’t working…

…only basket for Tulsa a three from Scholanda Robinson…

Scoreboard still wonked out…

Tina Thompson with six, both Tulsa baskets triples (Holt & Robinson), and Jackson has two early boards – a good sign for the Shock…

Cracking me up already, hollerin’ at the refs…and looking dapper with a white jacket, red shirt and tan pants.

with 17 seconds in the first quarter, her first basket of the game…

Tina Thompson tearing it up with 11 and Noelle Quinn with 8…

Scholanda Robinson and Ivory Latta both with 5, and the Shock are actually outrebounding the Sparks 8-7 after the first 10 minutes.

Turnovers are hurting Tulsa. Bad. They have 7, resulting in 12 points…

And a basket by Black on the other end!

so pretty! Chatting with the OSU people and he said… see, we don’t have anyone that can do that any more? lol

Jump ball goes to the Sparks and DMJ. Crossley gets in her shorts, makes her toss the ball off Shanna going out of bounds….now a timeout…

Perhaps the Shock D is waking up?

Has 15 points (7-of-10), three boards…

Tulsa is shooting 47.8% and getting pounded…because LA is shooting 58.1%. Oy.

12 point game with the half coming towards a close – just about a minute left

What is going on? Do we not like defense at all? At all, at all?!

Chante Black is icing her hand…hope to know more sometime during the half…

Both Quinn (11) and Thompson (17) in double-digits for the Sparks, the only two players in the game to reach that mark…

Just asked the guys at the scorers table if she could have some of their cotton candy. LOL

60-50 with 6:12 left in the 3rd…and a turnover by Tischa!

Or might that jinx it?

Chante Black has a jammed thumb and is questionable to return…

to a ref… “I feel like Rodney Dangerfield over here! We get no respect!” – a bit feisty or something…

Did Q jinx it? Lead back to 12 – just announced Mizzou men’s bball coach in the house, Mike Anderson…

Has she even come out of the game since she started the 2nd half? I’m thinking no.

game is within 8 with 1 minute to go in the third

Marion missed the FB layup, got the board, went back up and got a fab basket to fall and the foul!!

Nice little spurt at the end of the 3rd with Tulsa actually playing some all-around solid ball…

Leading scorers – for LA: Thompson (19), Milton-Jones (16), Quinn (13)

for Tulsa: Latta (16), Ohlde (12), Crossley (11)

Shock still winning the battle of the boards 23-21 – kinda crazy…

…still a game…

Shock turnovers have led to 27 points – I suspect that along with lax defense (LA shooting 55.4%), will be Richardson’s keys to this game unless something magically changes in the last 6+ minutes…

A make by Crossley and a tipped LA shot rebounded by Tulsa. Maybe they wanna get back in this ’un…

very unhappy with the fouls being called (or not called)…

Tulsa isn’t giving this one up just quite yet….

Tiffany Jackson has herself a nice double-double (10 and 13)

6-point game, a walk on Tina Thompson… 1:26 to go

Latta at the line after originally being called for the charge. 3 point game

Timeout is called, LA up 87-82 and Tiffany Jackson is being ‘iced’ (lol)

took the ball, and got called for the foul. Quinn at the line after some good acting. LA up 6

She makes one….Sparks up by 5

Whistle blows…
Nolan: “That’s the best call you’ve made!!”
I love when he says stuff like that!

they made a damn nice run in this one, just didn’t start it until a bit too late in the game!!