Evening all. After a few fallow weeks, we appear to have hit a good run of form in the last couple of weeks, and suddenly the four teams currently on the play-off board are just ten points between them. Should it come down to a tie, I would imagine Durham will get the nod over Jesus, having acquired their score via fewer points. On to tonight's show, and a London derby...
The London School of Economics was founded in 1895, becoming part of the University of London five years later; alumni include former Canadian PM Pierre Trudeau, former Labour leader Ed Miliband, former game show host Robert Kilroy-Silk and former Premier League club chairman Tony Fernandes. It has sporadically sent teams over the 25 years of the BBC era, finishing runners-up in 1995-96; it's last appearance was in 2014-15. This year's foursome were:
Kevin Schilling, from Burien, Washington, studying International History
Finn Dignan, from Bristol, studying Economic History
Captain: Zora Elstein, from London, studying Economics
James Engels, from Holland, Michigan, studying International History
The Courtauld Institute of Art, founded 1932, is usually based in the gallery of the same name, but has temporarily relocated due to ongoing refurbishment; alumni include the critics Andrew Graham-Dixon and Brian Sewell and the actor Vincent Price. It has only sent two teams to UC thus far, both of whom went out in the first round. Hoping for better things were this year's quartet of:
Asher Silver, from North London, studying History of Art
Morgan Haigh, from Cardiff, studying History of Art
Captain: Harry Prance, from Winchcombe in Gloucestershire, studying Middle Byzantine Eucharistic Objects
Nancy Collinge, from Blackpool, studying History of Art
Off we set again then, and Mr Prance opened the scoring for the night by identifying the Nobel Peace Prize as having not been awarded 19 times due to a lack of deserving winners; bonuses on the Muses, as described by Stephen Fry, gave them one correct answer. Mr Schilling quickly set L.S.E. off the mark too, and they bettered that and took the lead with a full set of bonuses on turtles and tortoises in folklore. Five of those points were then lost to an interruption on a science starter, and Paxo was not at all surprised when Courtauld didn't even guess! They then lost five themselves though, and L.S.E. did pick up, and took a pair of bonuses on coal tar. The first picture round, on 'lost rhymes' in Shakespeare, went to Courtauld, who took just the one bonus again, cutting their deficit to 40-25.
It shrunk further when Mr Prance took the next starter; the resulting bonuses on paintings of the 1880s gave them, again, just one correct answer, and Paxo perhaps mocked them for doing so a bit too much! It did take them level, and Mr Haigh gave them the lead by identifying Augustus John; again, a sole bonus followed. Both teams then lost five points were then lost to two more of these annoying last second interruptions, but neither was picked up by the opposition. L.S.E. finally stopped the rot when Mr Dignan identified Thomas Carlyle, but they failed to add to their score on bonuses on directorial debuts.
The music starter saw Mr Haigh first in to identify Paganini; the bonuses, on variations on that piece, gave Courtauld, again, just the one bonus, nonetheless increasing their lead to 65-45. Yet another penalty knocked five off that lead, and L.S.E. duly collected the points, and two bonuses were sufficient to give them the lead. But a penalty of their own put the sides level again, and Courtauld took full advantage with a pick-up, and the bonuses finally fell for them, a full set on royal parks. L.S.E. struck back immediately, with Mr Dignan offering 'eagle', but they got nothing from the resulting bonuses. Paxo got a pair of scoffings in at both teams on the next starter, neither identifying WT McGonagall when he was the right answer this time! L.S.E. lost yet another five there. Courtauld took the next starter, and one bonus put them into triple figures.
The second picture round, on pietas, went to Courtauld, who took a full house, increasing their lead to 125-65. And when Ms Collinge identified Geraint Thomas for the next starter, even though no bonuses followed, that was game over.
L.S.E. were going to give it a go though, Mr Dignan took the next starter and a full set of bonuses on newspaper titles were banged out pretty quickly. That was as far as they could get though, despite Mr Engels' attempts to hurry Paxo along when it became obvious no-one was going to buzz on the next starter! Mr Prance took the next, but the gong went before they could score again on the bonuses. Courtauld won 145-90.
A low scoring contest, but an enjoyable one between two pleasant teams. Unlucky L.S.E., but a respectable account of yourselves I'd say, thanks very much for playing. Very well done Courtauld though, and best of luck in the next round!
The stats: Mr Prance was the best buzzer of the night, with five correct, while Mr Dignan was best for L.S.E. with four. On the bonuses, L.S.E. converted 10 out of 18 (with a costly four penalties), while Courtauld managed 12 out of 28 (with three penalties).
Next week's match: Goldsmiths of London vs Southampton
Only Connect saw two UC alumni return, 14-15 champ Michael Taylor as captain of the Wickets, and Thomas Halliday of that series' U.C.L. team for the Choristers; the latter won 25-18.
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