Friday Cardinal Couple ---Taylor made...Asia's 23 leads Cards to 88-67 win over LSU

FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- 21-0 run...Asia's big game leads Cards to win.


It was the game we've all known she's had in her over the last five years.

Asia Taylor exploded for 23 points and 10 rebounds in #4 Louisville's 88-67 win over #14 LSU Thursday night in the KFC YUM! Center. The Cards advance to the finals of the WNIT...which will be played Sunday, November 17th. in Norman, OK. The Sooners defeated Gonzaga Thursday night to earn the right to host the final.

We don't understand it either..but OU was actually the #1 seed in the 16 team tournament.

(Photo by Charlie Springer - UofL Card Game)

It was Asia early...scoring 10 of Louisville's first 12 points and giving Louisville a 12-6 lead after a jumper from a Shoni assist with 15:06 left in the first half. The Cards would lead by as many as seven until a LSU 7-2 run tied the contest at 31-31 with 3:09 left in the first half.

Oklahoma would lead twice (34-33 and 36-35) before Louisville went on a 5-0 run in the final two minutes to take a precarious 40-36 into the half.

(Photo by Charlie Spirnger--UofL Card Game)

Asia had 10 points after 20 minutes, Shoni 11 and the Cards were actually outrebounding the taller Tigers 21-16. One had to have optimism that Louisville's overall quickness would eventually get to Nikki Caldwell's squad.

The Cards saw LSU climb within two to start the half...but used a 7-0 run to hold a 47-40 lead with just two minutes gone in the half. The Bayou Bengals rallied one more time...cutting the Cardinal advantage to 49-46 two minutes later. 

Then...the fireworks went off.

Taylor connected on a layup. 29 seconds later, she did it again. Bria Smith hit 1 of 2 free throws. Shoni knocked down a jumper and it was 56-46 UofL.

The Tigers would get within six at 60-54 with 10:53 left in the game after Jeanne Kenney's third three.

Louisville had seen enough and went to work. The Tigers had no gas left in the tank.

A Nita Slaughter three started the 21 point run. Smith followed with a layup. Shoni follow suit. Asia hit two free throws and then got loose for layup on a nice recognition from Tia Gibbs. Nita then hit the second of two three point attempts. Asia scored again inside. It was 76-54 with seven minutes left.

Jude knocked down a jumper and Nita followed suit. Tia cashed in on one of two free throws and the 21-0 was complete.

81-54 Cards and 5:30 left in the game.

Emmonnie Henderson, Monny Niamke, Jude, Tia, Megan Deines and Shawnta Dyer took the Cards the rest of the way. Taylor got a great round of applause when she left the game with 4:42 to go.

THE FINAL WORD

It was a encouraging win for the Cards over a highly ranked opponent. Louisville won the rebounding battle 45-33, had 54 points in the paint (compared to LSU's 26) and shot a blistering 57.8% for the game. The defense held LSU to 37.3% from the field (including an impressive 10-32 Louisville shutdown of LSU shooting in the final 20 minutes). If Coach Walz can find fault with anything...we surmise it might be the Cards' late free throw shooting. The Cards were 9-11 with 7:33 left. They finished 11-16 for the game (68.8%).

So, it's OU vs. UofL in Norman. Big hair Sherri against checkered shirt Jeff. Another WUGS performer in Aaryn Ellenberg. (Louisville held Shoni's WUGS teammate Theresa Plaisance to 13 points and eight rebounds in 29 minutes.

Maybe a chance for Shoni to show Sherri that she might have deserved a bit more playing time in Kazan, Russia?

It'll be the Cards first road game of the season. Maybe OU's Coale will buy the first 2500 beers or so for the Sooner fans.

After all...Asia seems to play better when there are freebies involved.

FINAL STATS below

http://www.gocards.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats/2013-2014/game03.html



-Paulie