Hoops looks for 20th win today...Softball goes 1-1 Saturday -- Sunday Cardinal Couple

TOUGH REMATCH VS. PITT EXPECTED TODAY

It was a month ago in The Pete...the last meeting between these two and a game where the Cards shook off double-digit first half deficits to get away with a 63-57 win over Brianna Kiesel and the Pitt Panthers WBB squad. This dangerous bunch of felines crosses the Ohio today to do battle with the 19-3, 7-2 ACC Louisville Cardinals...who look to start another win streak after being "Duked" Monday night in Cameron Indoor Stadium 66-58. 

Pitt enters this fray winners of three of their last four. At 15-7, 5-4 ACC...Suzie McConnell-Serio's squad downed NC State in Raleigh last time out...a 60-50 Thursday night win.

Kiesel had a spectacular effort with 28 points, buoyed by 12-12 from the charity stripe, and center Yacine Diop produced a double-double against Mr. and Mrs. Wuf's cubs with 11 points and 16 boards. 


Keys to a Louisville win this afternoon are pretty simple. Avoidance of the "who are those players in Louisville jerseys?" slow starts to each half and getting to the boards will be key elements in a potential victory. The Cards outrebounded the Panthers 39-31 last time out...Shawnta' Dyer being the workhorse with 12. 

Louisville also got strong guard play in the win over Pitt last time out. Smith, Jude, Moore and Carter combined for 36 of Louisville's 63 points and the Cards will look to force the pace against a Pitt squad that prefers to see their opponents play them in a half court setting. 

Continued strong efforts out of Sara Hammond and Myisha Hines-Allen will be needed, a return of Dyer's performance last time and clutch free throw shooting down the stretch (the Cards were 10-13 in the second half from the line) spell the keys to a Cardinal conquest. 

No TV for this one except CARDS TV. Matt and AJ will handle the airwaves...no word if "Q" might drop in for an impromptu chat...for this 2 p.m. start.

It's also National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Basketball Alumnae Day and Girl Scouts Day on the promotional side. No word on whether we'll get a Alumnae game after the contest. Maybe they could play the Girl Scouts...to liven things up a bit? 

We'll recap it later, dude. Go watch it live this afternoon.

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SOFTBALL GOES 1-1 AGAIN IN SPORTCO CLASSIC

Minnesota 4 - Louisville 2


Sandy Pearsall's swingers fell to Minnesota 4-2 and romped Cal-Bakersfield 10-2 in the second day of the UNLV Sportco Kick-Off Classic. 

The Gophers were first up and Louisville stayed close early...tying it at 1-1 in the top of the fourth when LSU transfer Hailey Smith smashed a double to left that scored Maryssa Becker. 

UM countered with runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth but Louisville cut the Gopher advantage to 3-2 on Sydney (Mercedes) Benz's first four bagger of the year. 

Minnesota tacked on a run in the sixth off freshman reliever Bridgette Flaherty. Another freshman, Madi Norman, got the start for Louisville...Pearsall making sure all three of the newcomers seeing plenty of early season action. 

Louisville 10 - Cal Bakersfield 2

Cal-Bakersfield has been everyone's punching bag in the Sportco soiree so far, and the Cards took their turn in the nightcap...pounding out a six-inning 10-2 win.

Jordan McNary went 3-3 and scored two while driving in two in this community effort. Maryssa Becker launched her first "touch 'em all" of the season, too. 

A four run bottom of the second, aided by a two-RBI producing single from Whitney Arion got the Cards off on the right foot. Becker blast in the third made it 5-2 UofL.
Louisville pushed that to 8-2 in the fourth...Kristina Dillard's two RBI double pushing the Louisville lead to six.

Single runs in the fifth and six provided the final margin...A Ashley Nikolao double, followed by a Brittany Duncan run-scoring single ended the contest. 

Shelby McCombs got the complete game win...another freshman here...going six innings and allowing just five hits and two runs. 

The Cards wrap up Weekend in Vegas with a 2:15 p.m. tussle with #11 Washington today.

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The latest CARDINAL COUPLE Radio Hour should be landing

on the Soundcloud sometime today . We had a fun show yesterday talking about the UofL Volleyball Banquet and some great audio from that event. We also reviewed softball, the WBB loss to Duke and there's even a WorldWide quiz available for the taking.

If you beat Worldwide's 80% effort, you get to replace him on the show next week! 

We're telling him to meet us on the Belvedere next Saturday for a live remote. With a flock of pigeons.

Or seagulls. It doesn't take much to get him excited...

Listen to this stellar broadcast at this link:

SEAN MOTH RUINS TWO OF OUR INTERVIEWS. WE'LL REMEMBER...


It's up and running now...go have a listen.

paulie