Games I wish I'd seen on 1 December 2013

Yesterday, there was a big game that I'd wish I had seen - that was Kentucky vs. Louisville.  As I grew up in Kentucky, that one would have had special meaning for me, but there was much to do at home after coming back from a long three-day vacation.  So you'll have to read the write-up from A Sea of Blue.  It was UK's third win in a row against their state rivals.

And of course, Queenie is watching ALL THE BASKETBALL, writing about St. John's 81-76 win over Harvard.  After you read her intriguing write-up of the game, catch the box scores below that correspond to games I'd wish I'd seen:



Northwestern (6-1) beat #25 Depaul (3-2) by a score of 82-79 at home.  Northwestern is looking good this season, and they were helped in the win by three freshmen (Ashley Deary, Nia Coffey and Christen Inman) and a sophomore (Maggie Lyon) all of whom played for 36+ minutes and who scored 52 of the Wildcats' 82 points.  DePaul went for the long bomb, scoring 12-for-32 from 3-point range. 

They say basketball is a game of runs, and the first half was something to behold - Northwestern starting with a 16-2 run; DePaul answering with an 18-0 run and leading 36-30 at halftime.  The lead swung back and forth, tied at 77-77 with one minute left when junior Alex Cohen of that Wildcats - who had only one point and was fouled during a layup - successfully converted the three-point play and sealed the deal, breaking DePaul's 20-game winning streak over other Illinois schools.


Buffalo (4-2) beat Pittsburgh (4-3) by a score of 66-62 on the road. It was a low-scoring game with the Bulls shooting less than 50 percent from the free-throw line (15-for-31).  Pitt started the game 0-for-9 and only shot 27 percent for the first half.  The 10-0 opening lead was enough for the Bulls to stay in the driver's seat for the game.  Felisha Legette-Jack - previously at Indiana - has to be very happy about the Bulls start.


IPFW (4-4) beat #21 Michigan State (5-2) by a score of 81-76 on the road.  I had to look at the box score twice.

IPFW?  The Mastodons?  From the Summit League?  Winning at MSU??

Believe it or not, it happened.  It was the first time that IPFW had ever beaten a Big Ten team AND the first time that they had ever beaten a ranked opponent since they were a D-I team.  Key to the win was a scoring drought from the Spartans in the second half that lasted almost five minutes, allowing IPFW to get a 65-53 lead. 

IPFW's shooting from 3-point range was 13-for-23, their 57 percent accuracy almost matching their 54 percent overall shooting.  Senior guard Klarissa Bell went 1-for-12 for Michigan State, whereas every Mastodons starter scored in double figures.