Cards look to soar over Golden Eagles tonight in Cookeville -- Friday CARDINAL COUPLE
WBB FACES TENN. TECH TONIGHT AT 6:30
"The defense rests...your honor" is a term heard in trials by jury. It is a phrase, however that Jeff Walz has no use for and a condition that he and the University of Louisville women's basketball team is looking to strike from the record and prove beyond a shadow of doubt that the assumption has no merit.
After 10 games this season, opponents are shooting 45% against the Cards. Louisville has outrebounded their foes by a mere 36 grabs while compiling a 5-5 record. Ask any of the players and coaches and they'll readily agree that defense and rebounding are the two key areas where the Cards need rapid improvement. Louisville is also "great at fouling" per Walz...the Cards have committed 19.7 a game while the competition is averaging 18.2 in ten contests.
Fortunately, Louisville has a chance to improve in all three areas tonight against a 3-6 Tennessee Tech team that has lost four out of their last five games and most recently fell at home against Clemson by 18. TTU shoots just 37% from the floor and averages a little over 60 points per game.
Wins have come against Georgia State, Lipscomb and UNCG...defeats were administered by Arkansas St., Mercer, NKU, Southern Miss, Xavier and Clemson.
If the Cards are to improve defensively, they'll need to quiet Samaria Howard (17.7 ppg) and Hannah Goolsby (11.2). 6'2" Allyah Smith grabs almost 12 rebounds an outing for the Golden Eagles.
The teams have met four times in the history of the rivalry...Louisville holds a 3-1 advantage. The Cards romped in a 84-54 score back in 2009...Becky Burke getting 16 points and Monique Reid and Ashley Rainey adding 14 each. The series is 1-1 when played in Cookeville.
The OVC Digital Network will provide video coverage of tonight's game and can be accessed from the ttusports.com website. Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. We always check to see if the radio feed from Matt and A.J. is in sync with broadcasts like these and will listen to them if it's fairly close. They're on Cards Radio 790 AM.
It would be great to see another outing where Walz can give 'em all significant minutes on the court and use a early and positive run that will give the Cards a substantial lead and allow him to use a wide variety of combinations. That'll depend on how well the squad performs on defense and on the boards, of course.
Redemption train takes a southbound journey with the first stop in Cookeville, TN. A city of about 40,000...halfway between Nashville and Knoxville off I-40. Cookeville is the birthplace of Robert Ben Garant..."Deputy Junior" from the TV comedy Reno 911. Oreck vacuum cleaners are made in Cookeville. Let's hope the Cards can avoid getting swept up tonight...
In legal terms...we'll look for a speedy and just abatement of the prosecution. The only way the defense will rest tonight...if all goes as planned...is when the buzzer goes off at the end of the fourth period.
Can I get a witness?
paulie
xxxxx
Even if Matt and A.J. are not in sync I still will always listen to them (even at the home games - when cards TV works) as they are a great source to hear another opinion (normally delayed) of what happened during a particular play and also for the pre-game, half-time and post game information.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt that they are preferred to listen to for a call but some of the OVC Announcers are OK. The crew that did Austin Peay v Cal were pretty good
ReplyDeletePaulie
Classic set up for an upset tonight. Louisville women going against a team with nothing to lose at home.
DeletePaulie, Chloe Chapman a phenomenon high school freshman who is getting offers from major schools already said this is what she is looking for
ReplyDelete"I don't want to be too close or too far," she said. "I want a team that runs in transition. And I don't want an extra small campus. Bigger is better."
How big is Louisville's campus?