MOORE, DURR, HINES-ALLEN LEAD LOUISVILLE TO 15TH STRAIGHT
This one started weird. The Cards got two Mariya Moore free throws before the opening tip because of an administrative technical foul assessed to UNC because of a shot-clock malfunction above one of the baskets. Given the early benefit, Louisville raced out to a 9-4 lead after Moore knocked down a three...but UNC...playing on heart and emotion...had narrowed that to 9-8 by the media timeout with 4:43 left in the period.
It was part of a TarHeel 12-2 run that had them up 16-11 after Hilary Summers connected on a trey with 1:40 left.The Cards were able to draw within two with 35 seconds on the clock after a Moore plus one...but the the first ten minutes ended with Louisville trailing 16-14. The Cards had no answer for Summers, who had eight first period points. Moore had eight for Louisville, but the Cards were sleepwalking on their defensive sets and missing wide open attempts in the paint.
Jamie Cherry got UNC off to a good start to begin second half action with a score and free throw and North Carolina began the quarter on a 10-4 run...leading 42-32 after a Watts three at the 7:55 mark. Louisville needed some answers...and they found them from the deep. Threes from Durr, Arica Carter and and Moore gave the Cards a 48-46 advantage. A Cortnee Walton basket after the media timeout had Louisville on a 18-4 run and ahead 50-46. The Cards went on a 13-6 run over the final four minutes to lead 63-52...Durr getting a steal and layup with little over a minute left to put Louisville up by 11. The run was 31-10 and Louisville shot 50% in the third period.
The Cards continued to pull away over the final period. A Moore three with 5:45 remaining set the tally at 71-54...giving her 22 points on the night. Attack Yorkie Dakota Weatherford entered the contest with 3:45 left... a sure sign that a Louisville win is eminent... and Myisha Hines-Allen added two free throw to push the Cards to a 75-56 advantage with 2:45 to play. Carter knocked down another three with 86 ticks left on the clock and Louisville left the Carmichael Arena with a 78-60 win.THE FRED REPORT
REBOUNDS. Louisville won the battle of the board 44-26 and held UNC to just 6 offensive rebounds. MHA had 10 and Walton nine...we have no problem assigning a capital "R".
EASY SHOTS. Way too many of these missed in the first twenty and although the Cards won the points in paint battle 32-28...no letter earned here.
DEFENSE. There were stretches were the Cards played well defensively but the first half lapses were costly. Louisville got 11 steals and forced 19 turnovers, though...so we'll allow a lower case "d"...primarily earned in the second half.
WHAT WE LIKED
1) The "Trio". Moore (23), Hines-Allen (19) and Durr (21) had 63 of Louisville's points. And, they each had a quarter that they were dominant in. Even with Hines-Allen's slow start...we like the dependables doing what they're expected to. 2) Sealing the Deal. That eight-minute, third period stretch where Louisville put this one out of reach was impressive. They'll need to re-enact that for 40 minutes Sunday...but the Cards certainly looked like a top-10 team when they were rolling.
3) Cashing In on the Free Ones. 19-22 from the charity stripe. We'll say it again...when you make the unguarded ones...you're doing your job.
THINGS TO WORK ON
2) Point guard production. Cole and Carter were 2-10 from the floor and Cole fouled out in 20 minutes of play. Although Briahanna Jackson is considered a "2"...her 0-6 night and three turnovers was disappointing as well. When three of the four guards in the primary rotation have sub-par performances against a guard-heavy opponent, major improvement is needed.
A nice win on the road against a foe that continues to tail-spin. Functional...yes. Impressive? Maybe in spots. The rubber hits the road Sunday. 10-0 v 10-0. Test? Oh, yeah...you bet. Time to "Get On The Train" again and stoke the engines up for the Irish. Walz wants 15-16,000 there. Let's do better than that, Cards fans. Moore and Durr on Periscope after the UNC game.
LINK: https://www.periscope.tv/w/1ypKdawjPdQGW
paulie
xxxxx
Time to bench Jackson. Energy drainer and total lack of confidence is cancerous for the team now
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty strong, but maybe. She seems to get "down" really easily for a kid that has always been a scorer. Normally missing shots doesn't really bother ballers like her. She's certainly out of sync. She missed a layup last night that hit the board and didn't even draw iron. It was amazing. Hopefully she'll get out of her funk and finish up the season strong.
DeleteAny conference road win is a good one. This game was going sideways and they were able to get it together and get it done. It's nice to have four kids on the club that are capable of 20 points on any given night. I've never seen a ULWBB team this deep offensively. Good Stuff. Now we just need our point guards to come around and we'll be where we need to be. Burn
Cancerous? Wow. She went from being worth the price of admission alone to considered as cancerous? She's lost her confidence for sure. We have to remember that this is her first time under the bright lights and on the big stage, but we need her to get it turned around. I like the rotation as is. No need to bench her. She may be the kid that the coaches stop yelling at and put their arm around and help restore her confidence.
DeleteIn a lump...sure. But cancerous??? No way.
DeleteWalz explained her situation perfectly on his post-game show. She came from Central Florida where she had to score in bunches for her team to win. Now, when the shots don't fall she gets down on herself, even though she doesn't need to score 20 points to be a major contributor.
No question her minutes have been reduced, and that will probably continue. Durr is going to get 30+ minutes, and since Walz seems committed to having either Carter or Cole on the floor, Durr's minutes will come mostly from Jackson.
Make that "slump"...not "lump"
DeleteI'm going to say cancerous is a big strong for BJ's performance. She was terrific early in the season and as the other players have come along...there's been some difficulty for her garnering that she can help this team in many other ways besides scoring. Defense, assists, rebounding and hustle. Mike makes a good point above. At UCF, she was the show and the team's fortunes rose or sunk based on how she played.
DeleteAsia Durr may eventually get the start and BJ might be put into her role...off the bench for a spark. Right now, Durr is the only guard (I'm considering Moore as a wing) that is playing to their capabilities...unless you toss in Dakota...who gives you everything she has for however long she's in. So why not start Dakota and Asia, right?
OK...that's not going to happen...but the overall Cards guards play hasn't been too impressive in the last couple. That'll need a rapid reversal Sunday.
Irish have guards. Oh, yes...the Irish have guards.
Paulie
Yes the Irish do have guards, Paulie. Madison Cable, Lindsay Allen, the Mabrey sisters and Arike Ogunbowale. They have so many guards they could start a security company. And the guards are good. And they have paint players, too. You would expect #3 in the nation to be pretty versatile and they are. They roughed up NC State last night in South Bend 82-46.
DeleteSunday just might be that hiccup or loud belch that Jeff Walz keeps saying might happen.
Nick O.
I think you guys are all correct. I am way too harsh and that was not fair. I need to apologize for that.
DeleteNo biggie, Wade. You bring a lot of good comments to the site.
DeletePaulie
Chris Jones was cancerous. Jackson is not Jones. Just needs to get that early season swagger back.
ReplyDeleteRoles change on teams. If a player can change with the role they are a benefit. If they cannot then they need to sit. Nice win, Cards. As usual, my Clemson girls got drubbed again. I hope you pound UND.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading and commenting Arthur! Sorry about Clemson's loss to the 'Cuse. It was an OK win for the Cards...but the guards didn't look particularly great and Myshia Hines-Allen had a horrific first half.
DeleteNotre Dame will be tough...Louisville's toughest game to date. We'll see how they do. Muffet's team is deep and talented. If UofL comes out slow in the first half, the Irish could very well put an "L" on the Cards.
Paulie
I also watched parts of the ND game last night and feel that they are beatable by a cardinal team that plays for at least 38 minutes. (they can have 2 minutes of daze but no more).
DeleteThe women will need every last fan we can find in order to kick start them out of their 2 minutes of daze.
Go Cards!
You want us? You got us but be careful of what you ask for. We're well familiar with going into big houses and shutting them down. It should be a fun game. For us.
ReplyDeleteNotre Dame Women's basketball fan.
We want you. Looking forward to the game.
DeleteLOL at "you want us?" You're on the schedule aren't you? We respect the Irish, but let's not act as if you all simply have to roll the ball out. It's going to be a competitive game against two very good teams. Let's not get bogged down in the bad trash talk
ReplyDeleteYeah, let's scuttlebutt the trash. Just toss it up and let's play.
DeletePaulie