DURR FIRST CARDINAL TO RECEIVE USBWA FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK HONORS
And, now...she is the USBWA Freshman of the Week.
The expectations were high for the Douglasville, GA. All-American and #1 ranked player in the 2015 class when she got to the corner of Floyd and Brandeis streets. A groin injury suffered last summer slowed her progress and abilities early in the season though and the Cards started 1-4 on the season...mirroring her slow start. Good news arrived from the doctors. The groin was healing properly. It was just a case of pain management in Ms. Durr situation. The realization of such was a huge boost to the emotional and psychological state of the talented freshman. The next step was clear. Deal with it and get back to the business of playing basketball.
The Cards trip to Michigan State on Dec 3rd. gave Cardinal fans an inkling of what was to come when she had 20 points, 3 steals and 3 threes in Louisville's 85-78 upset win
over Spartie. As she adjusted to playing with the continuing pain of the injury...there were good and bad nights, but
12 points in a win against UT Martin and nine in the upset of Florida State gave an inkling that she might be ready to be that steady, dependable first off-the-bench for the UofL squad.
With a healthy and dependable Durr available for those 25-30 minutes...the Cards add a fourth scoring option to their line up that opponents have to worry about. Blink and she'll drive past you and make a layup. Guard her too loosely and she'll burn you with a three from the corner or at the top of the circle. She leads the Cards in three-point percentage and free-throw percentage.
She's had the most impact on the Cards' successes this season of the five freshman on the roster (which you would expect...based on her high school ranking) and is showing that acceleration and quickness that made her the best in the land her senior season at St. Pius X High School. Paige Sherrard, of Swish Appeal and a frequent analyst on the CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR uses the old Minnesota Vikings term "the Fearsome Foursome" when speaking of Mariya Moore, Briahanna Jackson, Cortnee Walton and Myisha Hines-Allen. With Durr revving up on all eight cylinders...she'll need to coin a new moniker for the addition of Durr to the mix. The Fantastic Five? The Fabulous Five?
paulie
xxxxx
I didn't mind playing under the radar for a while, but with Durr coming into her own and the Cards rising up through the rankings, I think our days of being incognito could be over.
ReplyDeleteI think Syracuse is definitely aware of the danger ahead when the Cards come to visit the dome. Joanne P. McCallie, Duke head coach recognized it. The real key is the players continuing to play with the "refuse to lose" attitude they've exhibited since the UK loss.
DeletePaulie
I sort of wish we'd stop with the "Big Three", "Fearsome Foursome" and "Fantastic Five." Getting this far has been a team effort. They would not be where they are today without the significant improvement of Arica Carter, who has reduced her turnovers from over three per game early season to one per game recently (so "Super Six"?). They would not have won at NC State without Dakota Weatherford, who has been making under-the-radar contributions all season (so "Significant Seven"?). Catch my drift?
ReplyDeletePretty soon it will be "The Terrific Twelve"
DeleteHow bout Taja Cole with that smooth 3 pointer and 7 points to help get us climb back in
ReplyDeleteMy bad....make that "Exceptional Eight"
Delete