University Challenge 2018-19: Round 1: Match 12: U.C.L. vs King's

Evening all. The play-off pressure's mounting with just three games to go in the first round. A score tonight of 155 or more would bring either team back regardless of whether they won or lost. A potentially combustible fixture too, between the University of London's two largest colleges, both arch rivals to the other.

U.C.L. was founded in 1826 by poet Thomas Campbell and lawyer Henry Broom, inspired by Jeremy Bentham, whose remains are housed within the college. Alumni include Mahatma Gandhi, the philosopher John Stewart Mill, Marie Stopes, Ricky Gervais and all four of Coldplay. It has regularly sent teams to UC during the BBC era, runners-up in 2004-05 and 2012-13; last year's team were unlucky to lose in the second round. This year's four were:
George Mitkov, from Warwickshire, studying French and German
Sophia Walker, from Boulder, Colorado, studying Translation
Captain: Robert Johnstone, from Worcester Park in Surrey, studying Medical Imaging
Feiyu Fang, from Leicester, studying Physics

King's College London was founded in 1829 as a Church of England alternative to U.C.L.. Alumni include writers Thomas Hardy and Virginia Woolfe, the poet Keats, the physicist Sir Peters Higgs and impressionist Rory Bremner. It has only occasionally sent teams to the revived series; it sent one last year who were very unlucky to draw and lose to eventual runners-up Merton in the first round. This year's quartet were:
Liam Tsang, from Wanstead in London, studying Medicine
Rhian Jones, from Wrexham, studying Early Modern History
Captain: Anthony Chater, from Surrey, studying Music
Katie Heath, from Bedfordshire, studying Midwifery

Off we set again then, and Ms Walker opened the night's scoring with 'wild'; the first bonus set saw U.C.L. take two correct answers. Mr Mitkov picked up where his colleague left off, but the second bonus set on English rock musicians only gave one bonus right this time. King's took off the mark thanks to Mr Tsang, and they fared better with their first bonuses, taking a full set. A second starter and full bonus set went to King's, firing them into the lead. The first picture round, on the locations of museums, went to King's, who took a third successive 25 pointer, taking them into a 75-35 lead.

I might have gambled on the next starter, on George Orwell's quotation about cricket, a bit sooner than Ms Walker did, but she was right nonetheless. The side struggled with the resultant bonuses on the self-denying ordinance, not taking any. (I took one, but only because I recalled a starter about it from an earlier show! I try to not count such answers towards my final totals!) A second starter in a row went to Ms Walker, and amino acids proved slightly more favourable to them, one correct answer being taken. King's reawoke again thanks to Mr Tsang and upped their lead, but, in contrast to before, took none of the resulting bonuses.

The music round, on French composers overlooked for the Prix de Rome scholarship, went to U.C.L., who managed one correct bonus, reducing their arrears to 85-75. A penalty increased it again, but King's were unable to pick up the advantage. Ms Walker brought her side back within five points, and the side took the lead with two of the resultant bonuses. A second starter in a row went Ms Walker's way, as U.C.L. broke into three figures first, and, again, two bonuses were taken. Still all to play for heading into the latter stages.

The second picture round, on examples of blob architectures (including Bayern Munich's Alianz Arena, which I always think looks like a portable music speaker!), went to U.C.L., who took all three bonuses, giving them a lead of 135-85. With the bit now firmly between their collective teeth, Mr Johnstone took his first starter of the night, and U.C.L. took a second successive full bonus set, on pregnancy. Another starter to U.C.L., and you fancied that was the match won; another two bonuses were taken.

So that left King's with the task of running up a high enough score for the play-offs. They went for it, Mr Tsang taking the next starter, but just the one bonus following. The King's left winger took a second, and third, starter in a row and three of the six bonuses that came with them put them within touching distance of a score that might do it. Mr Chater took the last starter, but there was time for just one bonus, which they didn't take. At the gong, U.C.L. won 180-145.

A good match, well played by both teams, both decent ones at that. Unlucky King's, a good team who started well faded then recovered well late on; you might just make the play-offs, fourth with two games left, we shall wait and see, but thanks in the mean time. Well done U.C.L. though, and best of luck in the second round!

The stats: Ms Walker and Mr Tsang were joint best buzzers of the night, with five each for their respective teams. On the bonuses, U.C.L. converted an OK 17 out of 30 (with the night's one penalty), while King's managed a respectable 13 out of 22.

No match next week, Autumnwatch gets priority. Hopefully whenever it comes back, Only Connect will (finally) come back with it!