CARDINAL COUPLE

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Friday, November 19, 2021

Vball Hosts Duke -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Happy Friday, everyone! We have made it to the weekend once more! If you follow all Louisville sports, it's been a hectic week with Men's Basketball home Monday, Women's Basketball home Tuesday and Wednesday, Men's Soccer home last night, and Football down at Duke last night. The week stays busy with another home event tonight with Louisville Volleyball at home.


I do want to thank Daryl for covering for me yesterday. A 7:45-5:00 work schedule during the week and adding weeknight basketball keeps me out and about for about 14-15 straight hours. Add in time to edit photos after the game and I'm flirting with six hours of sleep.




But it gives me the chance to highlight tonight's Volleyball match and how close they are to winning the ACC.

Tonight's match at LNFCU Arena features #1 Louisville against Duke. The Cards are set to play their second match as the top team in the country. It will feature a rematch from when Louisville went down to Durham to take the 3-1 win on Halloween. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m., and will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.

The Blue Devils enter the match at 15-11 overall and 6-9 in the ACC. Louisville and Duke will meet for the 16th time, with the Cards holding the 9-6 advantage all-time.




The match is the third-to-last of the regular season for the Cards and the second-to-last at home. However, we aren't quite done with LNFCU Arena this year. The Top 16 seeds host the opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, and Louisville is in prime shape for that. There is not a limitation on size and capacity for the first two rounds so those matches will be played at LNFCU Arena.

The eight highest remaining seeded teams then host the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight matches. LNFCU Arena is not large enough in capacity so this is where our discussion about a location comes into play. It will not be at the KFC Yum! Center, that has been confirmed. But there are still a few possibilities around town with my best guess being Freedom Hall.




Everyone is eyeballing that undefeated season, which I'm not going to get into due to my superstitious beliefs. Instead, we'll look at some scenarios in which how Louisville can win the ACC title.

Here is a look at the top three teams in contention for the ACC title:

Louisville 25-0, 15-0

Pittsburgh 24-2, 13-2

Georgia Tech 21-4, 12-3


  • The worst case scenario is that Louisville loses their final three matches and Pitt wins their final three matches (vs Georgia Tech, Clemson, and Louisville). The Panthers would switch places with the Cards with the former winning the ACC.

  • Another not pretty scenario is Louisville losing their final three matches while Georgia Tech wins out (vs Pittsburgh, Clemson, and Florida State). In this scenario, Pittsburgh loses two matches (Georgia Tech and Clemson). The Cards and Yellow Jackets would split the ACC title with 15-3 records, but Louisville would take the ACC automatic qualifier bid by holding the tiebreaker.
  • It gets even trickier if Pittsburgh goes 2-1 in the above scenario (loss to Georgia Tech and wins against Louisville and Clemson). You'd see a three-way tie at 15-3. All three teams would be credited as Co-Champions and then you'd come down to tiebreakers to see who gets the automatic qualifier.

  • If Louisville finishes the year 1-2, then Georgia Tech cannot win the ACC. The only way Louisville and Pittsburgh finish tied would be the Panthers winning out while Louisville goes exactly 1-2. This scenario also requires Pittsburgh to beat the Cards. With both teams going 16-2, they'd split the ACC title and there would be a trickier tiebreaker to follow as the ACC rivals would've split their regular season meetings.

  • If Louisville wins two or three of their remaining matches, the Cards win the ACC outright. Ideally, the win their final three matches to go 18-0 in conference play. You don't have to worry about what other teams do when you just take care of your own business.



For now, let's take it one match at a time and focus on getting the win against Duke tonight. It doesn't hurt to pull for Georgia Tech over Pittsburgh tonight too, though. Just win. It's the safest option. 


Cardinal Couple Radio Podcast




After a brief hiatus last week, the Cardinal Couple Radio Podcast is back! The number of us available for our 11:00-12:00 slot isn't yet known, but I'm hopeful all five of us will be ready to go.

All of our normal streaming options should be available and Case will provide those options to you tomorrow.


Happy Friday and Go Cards!

Jared

7 comments:

  1. I just hope that the broadcast for VB tonight doesn't include that lady who joins Sean Moth. All she does is squeak, laugh, utter one-word observations and annoy. You would figure, with all the great Volleyball players the Cards had over the years, they could emulate WBB and bring in someone like Jess Laemmle.

    I'm trying to learn the game, having only participated in backyard, social volleyball when I was much younger. I find Sean Moth most helpful in that regard. That lady is an annoying side bar.

    Nick O.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's an ACC Network and Learfield Communications call, Nick. There is a trend to bring in former players into broadcasts as color analysts.

      And, you've got a mute button, I bet. on your viewing device. I sometimes like to just watch a athletic event contest on line or on TV with no sound, it helps emulate the "being there live" aspect. You're a big boy, figure out what suits you and proceed.

      paulie

      Delete
  2. I will register my opinion with ACC Communication and/or Learfield. The #1 team in the nation deserves better.

    Nick O.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lol. What makes you think Paulie, Jared or anyone with Cardinal Couple can effect any change in what goes on with broadcasts for Cardinal sports?

    I suggest you quit your whining and enjoy the process, not the specifics.

    Go Cards!

    Here's an update for you all on David Watson. He got a fractured leg when he fell down some steps a couple of days ago. Misjudged his foot placement, from what his wife tells me, and also sprained his wrist. He's in good spirits, though, I talked to him on his cell and he was ready to go home. You know how hospital stays can be, you never get any rest in them. I'm going to drive up to see him Saturday, either at the hospital or home. Depends on if they send him home or not.

    The Real Joe Hill

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah. I got his youngest daughter when I called him on his cell. She said surgery went well and he was hoping for home health care therapy. I think I can speak for the Cardinal Couple crew when I wish him a speedy and full recovery.

      paulie

      Delete
  4. Get well soon David. I love it when you write here and hope all goes well in your recovery!

    Curtis "Be Kind" Franklin

    ReplyDelete
  5. Watch out for K Smith big time sleeper.
    Merv

    ReplyDelete

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