Game Night from Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — I had some trepidation about making this trip last night when I saw the weather that was waiting to roll in, and 389 miles later, while I did get here, I’m not sure how. Thankfully it was above 40 degrees today — more like a March day in Virginia than a February day in Pennsylvania — so the majority of my meandering up U.S. 15 was in the rain instead of snow.

Hoping for a pair of good games, featuring three Top 10 teams and a perennial power. After this, I’ll have seen D-III events on six of the eight UAA campuses and just have to figure out a way to get to Brandeis and Case.

The women’s game is about to tip off. You can listen to both on WYSL 1040.

Dave, your loss buddy. I survived the trip up.

Edited to post interview with Mike Neer as a podcast:
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88 thoughts on “Game Night from Rochester

  1. Between live video and trips to NYU, I’ve seen both of these teams in person multiple times, so it’s a bit easier to hit the ground running. Of course, I saw both not only against NYU last year, but at NYU, so I know I didn’t see either team at its best.

    Rain turned to snow about 30 minutes south of Rochester and up here there’s really wet snow on the ground. They’re hopeful for a large crowd filtering in by the men’s game, since local high school games have been postponed. Wash U got here Thursday afternoon, so there was no danger of these games not getting played.

    And as WYSL’s J.C. DeLass said about a half-hour before the game, “What else is there to do in Rochester on a Friday night?”

    Note to self — banners hang from the wall behind each basket with prominent U of R teams, their record and each player on the team. The 1941-42 men’s basketball team has a Baroody on the roster, as does the 2007-08 women’s basketball team, starting guard Helen. Must check.

    U of R out to an 11-8 lead nine minutes in.

  2. Freshman forward Kathryn Berger just raised some ire from Wash U coach Nancy Fahey by checking in for Janice Evans instead of Zoe Unruh.

    Evans came to the bench and Fahey said, “You’re not out!”

    (I’m thinking the officials would beg to differ at that point.)

  3. Rochester surviving a 5-for-18 shooting performance in the early going. Trailing 6-13 with 6:17 in the half.

  4. I’ve never been able to figure out where I should click on that WYSL page to get the audiocast…

  5. Thanks. I guess the problem is I don’t get a right-hand rail on that page, although the page is as wide as three pages.

    On the other hand, the whole page could be considered a right-hand rail, from a certain perspective…:)

  6. Should’ve mentioned that Rochester didn’t finish the first half any better from the floor — they were 8-for-34 (23.5%), which means they finished 3-for-16.

    The Yellowjackets’ Alex Porter led all scorers with six at the break, while Wash U was led by Shanna-Lei Dacanay’s five, including a bucket midway through the first half as the shot clock expired.

  7. I become more and more impressed with Alex Porter for Rochester every time I see her play. She just had an excellent possession backing down her defender on the baseline for a basket.

    This with Fahey screaming for help defense (which never came) all the way.

    30-29 Wash U 11:26.

  8. Elsewhere in the UAA, Emory scored 24 of the first 33 2nd half points to go out to 53-36 lead on NYU, but even as I type this while thinking of the Eagles’ collapse from a 17-point lead over Rochester last week, the Violets begin their comeback. Now 55-41 Emory, 12:23 2nd.

  9. Zoe Unruh picks up four No. 4. Replaced by freshman Kathryn Berger. 42-38 with 4:40 left at that time.

    Julie Marriott made one of two free throws — missed the second. Rochester got an offensive rebound and eventually a basket.

  10. Wash U just got called for what would be called illegal touching in football. Coach Fahey objects but official says it was a rule put in two years ago.

    Rochester gets two offensive rebounds and Porter goes to the line, making both.

  11. Big possession for Wash U ends in a shot clock violation with 1:10 left. Bears still up 1. Rochester takes a full TO.

  12. Wash U has closed the rebounding gap, down 41-40. Leading 44-43 still. Rochester got another offensive rebound on its last trip down and has the ball under its basket.

    Converts. Up 1.

  13. Freshman Alex Hoover (drove the lane) at the line to shoot two with 8.7 seconds left. Rochester took a time out.

  14. After 40 minutes, Porter 19 leads all scorers, nobody else in the game in double figures. Berger with nine points, 10 rebounds for Wash U but also eight turnovers.

  15. I always wonder when I commit to making a long trip like this whether I’m wasting my time. (So often, a game that’s great on paper fizzles in reality.)

    Not doubting this at all, and we still have at least 42 minutes of ball to go.

    48-48 with 2:30 left in overtime.

    Great scoop shot by Porter as she’s falling down in the lane. 50-48 Roch.

  16. I went to Cleveland Sunday to watch the Rochester/Case doubleheader, and I was struck by how much the Rochester coaches (men’s coach Mike Neer and women’s coach Jim Scheible) resembled one another. Have you noticed that?

  17. Physically? I’ll have to look more closely. With the generational difference I hadn’t made that connection.

  18. Wash U misses from three, forced to foul. Marriott makes one of two. Wash U rebounds down four. Airballs from three, Rochester ball with 12.7.

  19. Yellowjackets make one to lead by five. Couple of Wash U free throws cut the lead to three with 1.0 left and Rochester couldn’t get the ball in so they took a timeout.

  20. As you prepare for the battle between the #1 and #3 men’s teams, take note of the fact that the #2 team has a fight on its hands tonight. #2 Amherst leads Colby at home, 51-50 with 9:28 left.

  21. Amherst used some three-point shooting to establish a bit of a lead, and now they’re using the blocked shot to defend it. The Jeffs now lead 64-58 with 1:58 left.

  22. It appears that Amherst has held on; they’ve been leading 72-66 with 0:03 left for about 5 minutes now.

  23. Rob Dominiak, who missed Sunday’s game at Case with a wrist injury, started and already has a three for the Yellowjackets.

  24. First highlight-reel basket of the night for Onyiriuka. Doesn’t complete the three-point play, however — shooting 34% from the line now.

  25. Chmielowic hit a three off the fast break to give U of R an 18-10 lead with 10:13 left in the half. Wash U took a 30.

  26. Onyiriuka just pulled down a one-handed rebound at one end of the floor and scored on a one-handed tip-in on the offensive end. Wash U answered with a three and it’s 27-20 Rochester, 3:30 in the half.

  27. Ruths with a big putback off a missed Wash U free throw and it’s a one-possession game again with a minute left in the half.

  28. Troy Ruths leads all scorers with 15 on 7-for-1 shooting. Dominiak has 11 for Rochester, with nine for Onyiriuka and eight for Chmielowiec.

    Rochester shooting 13-for-24 from the floor (54%) and 5-for-11 from three-point range. Wash U 12-for-26 from the floor (46%) and 1-for-6 from downtown. Rochester with 16 rebounds to Wash U’s 12. Turnovers fairly even.

  29. You’re finding out that, with Rochester, they’re not just unpronounceable, they’re unspellable!

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