CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDINAL COUPLE
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Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Women's college basketball...Softball travels to IU...TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE



THOUGHTS AND COMMENTARY ON 2015-16 SEASON

Reflecting back on the 2015-16 NCAA women's basketball season...some thoughts and commentary.

CARDS CAME ON STRONG



After the 1-4 start, there was unrest and turmoil amongst a few of our staffers and our readership base. I remember what Coach Walz told me prior to the season starting that it might take this team a bit to establish an identity. He was right. Once it started to develop, though...they took off on a spirited and successful ride through the rest of the non-conference schedule and ACC. I go back to the win at Michigan State as the sign to me that this team could be special. Although distressing, the loss to Kentucky reminded me that all the wheels weren't quite rolling on the track correctly. 

Myishia Hines-Allen and her season...who could have predicted that? The steady contributions from newcomer Briahanna Jackson. Asia Durr's emergence and the highly anticipated promise ahead for more excellence. Cortnee Walton grabbing every rebound in sight. Arica Carter reborn and vastly improved. The list could go on and on...the final analysis is although the season ended sooner than we wanted...we saw a dress rehearsal for what could happen in 2016-17. We wait in anticipation. 

SEC? (Substandard expectations confirmed)


Elite Eight evaded again for Mattie
When I saw the NCAA Tournament pairings and saw nine SEC schools were in the Tournament, I almost spewed coffee on the laptop. How did that work out for you, girls? 

Final Four participants? Yeah, still looking. Elite Elite? One team and not the one most expected in Tennessee. Sweet Sixteen? Four entries..which matched the PAC 12 and was one less the ACC. 

The SEC under performed and I suspected they would. The SEC record in the Big Dance? 13-8. Domination? Superiority? Nope, don't see it. 

Preview of Coming Attractions


-- Can the PAC 12 have the unexpected but high level of success in tournament play that they had last year? Stanford, Washington, California, UCLA, Oregon State and Arizona State all look to be formidable foes next year. 

-- The ACC looks to be a beast of a conference to be in next year as well. Notre Dame, Louisville, Florida State, Syracuse, NC State, Virginia, Miami and Duke are all top 25 potential. 

-- IS the UConn reign over? They lose Stewie, Moriah and Morgan. Who fills those shoes? Katie Lou, Kia and Crystal? They'll benefit a bit from being in the AAC...but USF, Temple and Tulane are coming off 20+ win seasons and the rumor is Memphis and SMU should be feared next year.


-- Can we get a call here?  Let's face it, women's college basketball refereeing could use an upgrade. The question is how do you improve it...short of cloning Dee Kanter, the Enterline family and Billy Smith 100 times? Pay? Training? Recruiting? Here's an idea...find 100 good high school women's basketball refs, offer them the next level opportunity and spend 3-4 months under tutelage under the good college basketball refs and the NCAA Officiating Committee. Paid training...with coaches' input and suggestions involved. 

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SOFTBALL AT IU TODAY


Fresh off the series win against Virginia Tech, Sandy Pearsall's Pitch and Catch Cards travel to Bloomington today to hurl and hit against the Hoosiers. You'll need a Big Ten Network Plus subscription to view this on on-line...which we think is moronic and unfair...but they didn't consult us.

After a Sunday where the bats weren't too prevalent but the Cards managed a split in the double-header, we're hoping that the hits come fast and furious for Sandy's squad and that the left-on-base stat is very low. 

THE PRIDE OF NEW EGYPT, NJ...KAYLA SOLES
Louisville is 26-9 overall and 11-4 in the ACC. IU registers a 22-16 overall and 5-6 Big 10 report. The Cards won this annual matchup last year at Ulmer 6-1...Maryssa Becker held the Hoosier to four hits and she and Kayla Soles had two RBI's each in the win. 

6 p.m. start time in case you want to head up to the Hoosier campus and catch the action. 

paulie
xxxxx


5 comments:

  1. Re refs: unify rule-sets (OK, men, get with the quarters...men's college basketball is the *only* place that halves are played anymore) and unify reffing pools. No longer have men's refs and women's refs separately, they all do both.

    Problem solved.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I watched a lot of women's college basketball over the season and the PAC 12 was always entertaining. I do hope the UConn run is over. I'm wanting to hear Geno explain a loss. The Deb Factor

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rank Team Record Points 1st Place
    Votes Previous Change Hi/Low
    1 Connecticut 38-0 800 32 1 0 1/1
    2 Oregon St. 32-5 718 0 6 4 6/12
    3 Syracuse 30-8 713 0 15 12 15/NR
    4 Baylor 36-2 680 0 4 0 4/7
    5 South Carolina 33-2 666 0 2 -3 2/2
    6 Notre Dame 33-2 662 0 3 -3 3/3
    7 Texas 31-5 599 0 7 0 4/11
    8 Washington 26-11 536 0 NR 0 –
    9 Maryland 31-4 493 0 5 -4 5/8
    10 Ohio State 26-8 463 0 9 -1 5/14
    11 Stanford 27-8 455 0 16 5 10/16
    12 Florida St. 25-8 441 0 10 -2 7/15
    13 UCLA 26-9 391 0 12 -1 12/NR
    14 Louisville 26-7 377 0 8 -6 6/NR
    15 Kentucky 25-8 357 0 13 -2 7/18
    16 Arizona St. 26-7 324 0 11 -5 9/24
    17 DePaul 27-9 298 0 21 4 15/25
    18 Mississippi St. 28-8 297 0 14 -4 6/16
    19 Tennessee 22-14 193 0 NR 0 4/NR
    20 Texas A&M 22-10 191 0 18 -2 9/18
    21 Michigan St. 25-9 186 0 17 -4 14/NR
    22 South Florida 24-10 180 0 20 -2 15/23
    23 Oklahoma 22-11 77 0 23 0 17/24
    24 Miami (FL) 24-9 71 0 19 -5 16/NR
    25 West Virginia 25-10 55 0 25 0 25/NR

    I think the Cards had the biggest drop of anyone in this USA Today final poll. Also, how does Syracuse end up third when they played in the Championship game. At least the Cards ended up higher than UK.

    Curtis "Clear the lane I got some mail to deliver" Franklin

    ReplyDelete
  4. Uconn minus the big three Moriah,Morgan & Stewie. I'm sure Geno has something up he sleeves. This up coming 2016-2017 will be a challenge for the Uconn coaching staff.

    ReplyDelete
  5. UConn benefits from playing in the AAC? They're upcoming non-conference schedule is one of the toughest ever put together.

    Anyway, they might have a down year but you better get them this year before their underclassmen develop and the new recruits come in. Megan Walker is visiting Storrs this weekend and they're heavily in on several of the top players in '18.

    ReplyDelete

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