CARDINAL COUPLE

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Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Louisville Women's Basketball off to slowest start since 2000-01 -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE



CARDS 1-4 START WORST SINCE 2000-01


The inglorious start by Jeff Walz's WBB squad in the 2015-16 is the slowest start a Louisville women's basketball team has endured since the 2000-01 season....where the Cards began the season 0-5.

It was Martin Clapp's first year a solo coach of the squad...previously he and wife Sara White had been co-head coaches of the team since the 1997-98 season. You can see (and hear) White these days on Louisville WBB home broadcasts on ESPN3. Clapp's LINKED IN page states he is an assistant coach on the Purdue women's basketball team...I failed to notice him on the sidelines, though, when the Cards met them in Estero and Purdue's WBB website doesn't list him on the staff...

The 2000-01 squad started out in the Time Warner Classic in Lincoln, Nebraska and fell 78-67 to #24 UC Santa Barbara and 76-71 to Oakland. We're pretty sure this wasn't Al Davis' Raiders from the bay...but Louisville returned home 0-2 and then was faced with traveling to Cancun, Mexico for the Torneo Cancun de Basquetbol Thanksgiving Holiday Tournament. Louisville ran into #15 Texas there and took a 73-59 loss. The next day they played Minnesota and were on the short end of a 68-64 score. 

The squad finally got their first home game on Nov 30th against WKU in Freedom Hall and the Toppers took a 86-79 win. Finally, on Dec 2nd, the Cards recorded their first win of the season...hosting Illinois State and getting a 87-59 victory. 


Scintillating Sara 
That team did go on to beat UK a week later and ended up with a 19-10 record and 14-2 in Conference USA...earning an NCAA bid against Xavier but falling out in the first round. That team had steady guards Sara Nord and Marju Sober...plus Shamika Ingram pounding the boards. Clapp was named C-USA Coach of the Year for turning them around after a shaky start. Ah, the days of Charlotte, St. Louis and Tulane...


So....take heart, fans of this current squad. Things can get better after rough starts and this young squad is showing improvement since the opener against Cal. The talent is there, the lessons continue and the players have lost none of their desire or confidence. They may stumble a bit more....MSU is 20th. in the nation and UK is devastating people in Memorial Coliseum these days...but the clouds will eventually clear and the sun will shine on these talented women. 

Louisville faces Michigan State next in East Lansing...a 7:30 tip on ESPN2. It's part of the ACC v BIG 10 Challenge. 

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TALKING WIDE NET...V'BALL HOLDING A PRESSER.


Can you name this lovely
kill artist from the past?
Obsequiously designed to fan the fervor of their NCAA inclusion and hosting coup, Louisville Volleyball has called a presser today at 12:15 in the YUM Practice Center on Floyd Street. They'll get in a practice, too at 1 p.m.

Details are that Anne Kordes, Katie George and Erin Fairs will be available to talk life, love, Volleyball and Belmont. 

We'll work on a few totally irrelevant and confounding questions to present to the representatives of the #15 team in the land. Maybe I'll check to see if I made the cut to get a media pass for Friday and Saturday also. With assoc. SID Nancy Worley...you just never know. My esteemed colleague Worldwide took what appeared to be a safer route...he applied for tickets and was originally told he did not get them...but found out that he did get them...so he will be running the steps leading cheers. Sonja prefers to watch Volleyball on television...as a former outside hitter, she likes the overall view of how defense sets up while the dig and pass develop.

I wonder if they'll let me bring Bill The Goat? He's always such a hit in the media room...especially if there's a buffet set up.  

I also wonder where they would set up media seating in an arena that is...well...cozy on the baselines. I'd volunteer to watch from Walz's balcony that overlooks the court....if needed.

Keeping it real on Floyd. Couplin'.
paulie
xxxxx 

9 comments:

  1. Tis the season for true WBB fans to be wearing their big girl panties and show their unwavering support whether the outcomes are running our way or not. Give these young kids a break, whose only team experience appears to be lots of injuries, and allow some time to go by. They will get better, just maybe not at the speed that we wish.

    Whether

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  2. I am a ride and die fan. Young team, still thinking we will get better with time. We have talent, just a matter of getting them to understand team defense at the collegiate level. Most teams get better during the Christmas break, we should not be an exception. We'll see how they are playing around mid January.

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  3. Lola indeed! It's rumored that she still gets down to practice with the team at the Yum Practice facility quite often.

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  4. Don't be so sure about buying tickets being a safer route. It's not confirmed that I got any. Hopefully will be finding out soonish.

    Seriously, folks, tickets are in short supply. I don't think there are going to be any general ticket sales for Friday night's matches, though some will be available for Saturday from what I hear.

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  5. Starr Breedlove starting for undefeated UTEP in her final year. She is averaging 12.2 points a game and team is 5-0. Good for her!

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    Replies
    1. Glad that it worked out for her. She showed up here at a time when Louisville was guard heavy. Ironically, if she had stayed, she might be a starter on this current squad.

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  6. Unfortunately we live in a I want it all and I want it right now world. One where young players are unwilling to spend time on the bench getting schooling in the way of the college game.

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    Replies
    1. I think with alot of back up players it's the coach who encourages the player to look at other opportunities if the coach doesn't think the players skills are a good fit anymore.

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