SLOW START, FUTILE FINISH SENDS UOFL TO SIDELINES
The form held true for the second time this year against the Seminoles...as Louisville takes a 66-51 loss to bow out of the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, NC in semifinal action.
The first fifteen minutes of this contest were just flat ugly if you were a Cardinal fan. FSU, much like they did in Tallahassee earlier this season, administered a complete beatdown Louisville to start the game. This one, however lasted longer and eventually blew out to a 37-14 lead with five minutes to play.
The only thing I'm glad of, in regards to this, is was that I was covering lacrosse yesterday and missed seeing or hearing the first ten minutes.
Louisville finally had enough of the schooling and responded with a 12-0 run to cut the lead to 37-26 before FSU's Leticia Romero hit a buzzer-beater jumper to give the 'Noles a 13 point halftime advantage. Mariya Moore one of the bright spots in the half for Jeff Walz's crew...three threes and 11 points. Shawnta' Dyer working inside for an additional seven. Sara Hammond, sidelined for 12 first-half minutes...suffering from leg cramps or a blow to the nose....depending on which media outlet you were listening to.
The Cards were still in a hole beginning the final half but found a team shovel and dug their way out. Walz started Bria Smith and Emmonnie Henderson to begin the final twenty and Louisville chipped away at the FSU lead over the first seven minutes...Bria Smith hitting a free throw to complete a 14-1 Cardinal run that had Louisville within four at 40-36.
The Cards would get even close...A Moore three set the tab at 45-43 FSU and hope rose again for Louisville and the masterful way they had roared back. Shortly thereafter, though...Moore picked up her fourth foul and Louisville committed three straight charging fouls on offense...leading to a 52-43 Seminole lead.
From there, the 'Noles closed it out with a 11-6 run to advance to a Sunday showdown with Notre Dame for the ACC Tournament Championship. Moore led the Cards with 17 points.
Consistency. It's something Jeff Walz has wanted out of this group since the IUPUI game in Indy. At times, he's gotten it. The Cards will be in line for a possible 3 seed when the NCAA reveals the Big Dance lineup on Selection Monday nine days from now...reaping the rewards of an incredible season from this collection of seniors and freshmen.
Unfortunately, consistency didn't walk through that arena door for Louisville yesterday and the Cards will walk out of the Greensboro Coliseum after an effort that, at times... made one's head drop in dismay and then evoke a fist pump and smile minutes later. March. Never know just what to expect this time of year. Hope, on the other hand, remains high that the Cards can get a decent tournament draw...(when's the last time that happened?) and spend the rest of March playing winning basketball. It is a month, usually...that brings out the best in the mad scientist.
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A game above freezing and without rain...the LAX girls must have thought they were in heaven at the start of this one. This one began as a defensive struggle, though...neither team scoring until Kay Morissette found net on a fixed position penalty score at the 23:24 mark.
Faye Brust followed suit a minute later and it looked like the Cards were ready to accelerate past the Tribe...but William and Mary dug in tighter defensively, found a couple of goals for themselves and the contest was 3-2 halfway through the half.
Morissette started a prolonged attack for the Louisville offense with her second goal at the 13:23 mark and Louisville would add five more scores before the half ended...two each from Cortnee Daley and Kelli Gerding and another from Morissette...to take a commanding 9-2 lead into halftime.Whatever head coach Kellie Young's message during the intermission was...it had a immediate and profound effect on the Louisville offense out of the gate. Gerding scored 27 seconds into play and the Cards put four more into the net in the first fifteen minutes to hold a commanding 14-2 lead after Gerding scored her fourth goal of the game.
LAX heads to Chestnut Hill, MA for a midweek showdown with Boston College...the first ACC game of the year for the Cards...before returning home to face #8 Duke next Saturday at noon.
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Our first March contest has ended and Big Ed has emerged as the winner. He successfully predicted (along with eight others) that Notre Dame would defeat Fla. State. His guess of 133 total points scored was closest to the 129 total points scored in the 71-58 Irish win. He gets the $25 gift certificate to Cracker Barrel. In true sportsmanship fashion, he suggested I send the absolutely fabulous Cardinal Couple T-Shirt to the second place finisher. It was Ed's first ever contest here. (It'll be his last...too)
Just kidding....
Second place goes to King Kelly who offered the same team, winner and 135 total point. He gets the shirt.
What is that prize, you ask? Your choice of a $25 gift certificate to "a major name product merchant" and a absolutely fabulous Cardinal Couple T-Shirt if you finish second.
Entries open when the Selection Monday show is over and will close when they tip it up in the first game of the tournament.
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Our latest broadcast is up and running on the SoundCloud archives at CrescentHillRadio. It was a fun show...we re-introduce and formally name Sam Draut as our Radio Intern and he joins Worldwide and Paulie in the studio and they discuss hoops, softball, lacrosse and cereal. The lads also participate in a Worldwide quiz about the ACC Tournament and Don Paulie stops in for a visit.
The studio audience went wild and was on her feet.
It's radio with no boundaries, direction, meaning or importance...but it is jolly good fun and you learn stuff...so that's cool...LINK BELOW
HOOPS, HAIR-GEL, NORTH KOREAN CEREAL AND WORDS WITH WALZ
paulie
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Jude Schimmel played an amazing second half at point guard, finally penetrating and creating and scoring like a point guard should to set up her teammates. Been waiting to see her do this consistently all year. I think this was her best game of the year easily. First half was awful but she made up for it in the second half.
ReplyDeleteBria in 34 minutes, outstanding defense, awful offense. in 34 minutes she scored 3 points, awful shooting and 5 turnovers. We needed Bria to be a two way player all year long. She has no offensive ability and has killed us because of it. It's not her fault either because she just isn't that good.
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Jude Schimmel played a strong 2nd half at point guard, finally penetrating and creating like a point guard should to score and set up her teammates. Been waiting to see her do this consistently all year. I think this was her best game of the year.
Bria Smith - 34 minutes, 3 points, 5 turnovers, poor shooting but did play great defense. We needed her to be a two way player all year and she just isn't capable of playing good offense.
Mariya Moore has been the glue of this team as a freshmen. We fell apart when she had to go out with her 4th foul. She is only going to get better as she is surrounded by more talent and shooting threats. 25 - 6 is a heck of a way to go into the NCAA tournament, though.. we should have a 3 locked up.
ReplyDeleteI also loved Matt & AJ's high praise of Coach Walz, he has done a heck of a coaching job with this group..
I love the guard/wing situation for next season but the forward/center situation makes me a bit uneasy. Henderson has talent but she makes the same mistakes game after game.. I hope Myisha and E work on their D during the off season.. Hopefully Degrate or Fuering can contribute early.
Don't forget we will have Walton for defense at the forward spot. Not as strong as Dyer but she will help a lot.
DeleteThe Seminoles kinda have our number this year. They've got a fine team and have a good shot at beating ND today. Considering they put that club together primarily with transfers and JC kids they've had quite a year. It was good to see the comeback after our stunningly slow start. A decent bounce here or there at the right time and we woulda been right back in it.
ReplyDeleteHope Jude's hand injury isn't too serious. If anyone has an update it would be good to hear.
If we get a decent seed we're a sweet sixteen / elite eight kinda club this year. Will be interesting to see where we get placed considering we lost our hosting advantage through no fault of our own.
Was it ever explained why we couldn't have hosted and played at Freedom Hall?
DeleteGood question. I don't think so. Would be nice to know considering at a seating capacity of 18K plus that wasn't a problem with Freedom Hall.
DeleteOf the 15 players selected to the all ACC womans team (10 first team and 5 second team) 3 are Seniors, 3 Juniors, 6 Sophomores and 3 Freshman.
ReplyDeleteThis years WNBA draft is really weak.