University Challenge 2023-24: Round 2: Match 6: York vs Birkbeck

Good evening again friends, and welcome to the final Quizzy Monday of 2023! Sort of; there is regular Mastermind and OC next Monday, but Xmas UC, so just a short blog quickly recapping the former two next week. Anyway, an eventful year for regular UC ended tonight, with two teams who won at opposite ends of the first round, but were only actually seperated by 30 points...

York won the final match of the first round, beating Northeastern University 190-120 in a match that was actually a bit closer than that scores suggests. They were the same foursome as before:

Emma Giles, from Cheltenham, studying English Literature

Emma-Mae Smith, from Scunthorpe, studying Linguistics

Captain: Ollie Smith, from Basildon, studying Chemistry

David Bachelor, from Enfield in Middlesex, studying Economics and Politics

 

Birkbeck won a closer and much higher scoring contest against Oxford Brookes in the third match of the third round, the first, as AR pointed out (has he been reading this blog?), to see both teams break 200 in nearly ten years, 220-205 the final score. They were also the same quartet as before:

Danny McMillan, from Belfast, studying Modern Irish History

Olivia Mariner, from London, studying Maths

Captain: Samir Chadha, from Ealing, studying Creative and Critical Writing

Margherita Huntley, from South London, studying Law and Political Economy

 

So, off we set once again then, and it was Mr Bachelor who opened the scoring, and indeed took the first two starters of the game; all three bonuses came from the first set, two from the second. Mr McMillan responded in kind by taking the next two starters; the Londoners also took a full set of their first bonuses, but none of their second. The first picture round, on scripts derived from Brahmi, went to York; two bonuses upped their lead to 65-35. Back came Birkbeck with two starters putting them within five points, before a third in a row gave them the lead; bonuses on women who've played Hamlet saw us both get the first two, but miss the third. The music round, on pop songs discussed in Paul Gilroy's 'The Black Atlantic', also went to Birkbeck; two bonuses meant they now led 100-65.

Another starter and single bonus to Birkbeck was the cue for AR to tell York there was plenty of time left; Mr Bachelor duly buzzed them back into the game, only for no bonuses to follow. A penalty to their opponents allowed them another starter though, which meant they were now 15 behind. But a penalty to them allowed the Londoners to increased their lead and, after the second picture round, on paintings of needlework in art (appropriate with the Stitchers on OC tonight!), Birkbeck led 145-90. Mr Bachelor kept York in the game with the next starter and two bonuses, but another to Mr McMillan, plus one bonus, put the Londoners within sight of victory. But another penalty (for a 'just an' interruption) allowed York back into the game again, and a quick full bonus set put them within 20! Another starter to York, two bonuses put them level, they missed the third... and that was the gong! A 155-each tie!

So, the second tie-breaker of the AR era! (And I honestly don't blame him for half-hinting at it on X as it was pretty dramatic!) Mr McMillan quickly interrupted the tie-break starter, and, after a very cheeky long pause, AR confirmed he was right and had won it!

An excellent dramatic game, a good one to end this year's regular shows on, well done both teams! Well done to Birkbeck, and best of luck in the quarter-finals! Hard lines to York, but a good game to go out on, thanks for playing!

The stats: Mr McMillan was, just, the best buzzer of the night, with six starters (plus the tie-breaker) to Mr Bachelor's five. On the bonuses, York managed 16 out of 24 (with one penalty) and Birkbeck 14 out of 30 (with three penalties).

And that's it for regular UC this year; the (shorter than usual) Christmas series starts next Monday, and we resume normal service on New Year's Day with Sheffield vs Aberdeen.

Only Connect continued its quarter-finals with the Thrifters vs the Stitchers. The teams were level on 4-each after the first round, before the latter eked into a 7-6 lead after the second. A better wall gave the Thrifters the lead 16-12 going into Missing Vowels, and they maintained it there to win 22-15. (OC is on as usual next Monday, before pausing for numerous specials, some new, but also quite a few repeats)

 

Mastermind was won by Elliot Hooson, whose 19 points saw him just win ahead of Faye Tryhorn with 18 and Liz Davison with 17. Thomas Wetherill completed the line-up with 14. (Mastermind is also on as usual next week before pausing)