WBB survives vs Clemson 70-68 -- Softball opens ACC schedule -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FRIDAYS WITH DARYL 

Good Friday morning readers,


Welcome back for another weekend and officially basketball post season!  Which means, I get to watch basketball at work  YAY! 


Photos: Jared Anderson


WBB


The Cardinals survived and advance in the ACC tournament after defeating the Clemson Tigers 70-68.   

Taj Roberts and Ja'Leah Williams both scored 16 points with 10 and 12 rebounds respectively to lead Louisville to the quarterfinals.  It was announced just before tipoff that Jayda Curry and Merissah Russell would not play in the game.  Curry suffering a shoulder injury and Russell having back pains. 

End of 1Q 13-11 Clemson


FG %
5-13 38.5% Cards
5-12 41.7% Clemson
Reb. 9-7 Clemson
3-pt %
0-1 0% Cards
2-5 40% Clemson


Without the 2 seniors, the starters featured Imari Berry, Nyla Harris, Ja'Leah Williams, Tajianna Foberts and Olivia Cochran.  Olivia committed her first foul 14 seconds after putting up a missed layup too strongly. Williams put up a nice bank jumper to put the Cards on the board first.  

Nyla Harris takes the charge to go the other way with a 4-0 lead. she went 1-2 at the line on the next offensive possession. Louisville would lead 7-0.  At the first media timeout the Cards had the 7-4 lead while shooting 38% from the field (3-8) while not attempting a 3 pointer in that timeframe.

2:37 --  Clemson's Mia Moore hits a 3 pointer to tie it all at 11 before taking the 13-11 lead after starting the game down 0-7.  The Cards went on a more than 3 minute scoring drought to close out the quarter. 



End of 2Q 19-16 Cards


FG %
7-15 46.7% Cards
7-14 50% Clemson
Reb. 10-4 Cards
3-pt %
0-2 0% Cards
1-6 16.7% Clemson



Mackenly Randolph ends the scoring drought for the Cards about 30 seconds into the second quarter.  Williams secures the ball off the Clemson miss and takes it herself to find her sweet spot to put the Cards ahead again 19-18 just a couple minutes in.

Izela Arenas went 3-3 to start her night to make it 25-20 Cardinals and the Tigers call a timeout.

HALF 30-29 Cards


Photos: Jared Anderson 

End of 3Q

FG %
4-13 30.8% Cards
6-12 50%  Clemson
Reb.  10-5 Cards
3-pt %
0-3 0% Cards
2-4 50% Clemson


After hitting the 3 to open the quarter for Clemson, JaLeah Williams draws a foul on Evans to go to the line and retake the lead for the Cards 34-32.  Both squads were trading baskets back and forth.

Cochran picks up her 3rd foul with about 7 min left in the 3rd quarter so Mac Randolph comes back in.  Roberts was hitting some clutch baskets to match Clemson's.  A foul on Williams took us to the media timeout with the Tigers up 41-38. 

Clemson increases their lead to 47-40.  Elif went 1-2 at the free throw line and the Cards offense went stale for over 2 minutes but the defense was working overtime to force the same from the Tigers.  Williams secures a loose ball when Walz calls the timeout to regroup for the final minute of the third quarter

With 1 second left on the shot clock and under a minute to play left in the quarter Williams picks up her 4th foul on a reach in.  The Cards get the last shot and go to Elif for the 3 point attempt which doesn't go and the Cards close the quarter going scoreless for almost 2:30 minutes. 



End of 4Q   17-13 Cards 

FG %
7-14 50% Cards
 4-11 36.4% Clemson
Reb. 10-5  Cards
3-pt %
1-2 50% Cards
2-4 50%  Clemson

Olivia Cochran comes back in gets a quick bucket.  Arenas hits Louisville's first 3 pointers to make it 49-48 Clemson.  Randolph gives Cards 50-49 lead on the strong layup but Clemson quickly retakes the leads back when Loyal McQueen goes from coast to coast. 

Williams(6-7 on the night)hits for her 14th points to tie it 52 all with just under 5 min left in the game. she also had 10 rebounds, her 2nd double double of the season.  Roberts drives to the bucket to regain the lead for Louisville with 4:16 left.  Clemson with just 1 FG in previous 6 min span but only down by 2 points.  Ja'leah Williams goes 1-2 at the line and Cochran gets the rebound but Clemson ties it up yet again.  

The Cardinals execute excellent passing as they feed it inside to Cochran for the up and in finish to put cards up 57-54.   But yet again, Clemson ties it, this time with a 3 pointer.

   

Randolph with the beautiful reverse to put Cards up 59- 57 with under a min left.

After playing the fouling game, Randolph ends up at the line where she goes 1-2 and the cards have a 60-57 lead with 11.3 seconds left and the Tigers call a timeout... but i just had a feeling they would force an oveertime and they did it , Clemson hits the 3 to tie it 60 all with 4.3 left.  Clemson's Kohn, with her 4th 3 of the night. 

Photos: Jared Anderson 

Overtime 


FG %
1-2 46.7% Cards
3-8 37.5% Clemson
Reb. 4-3 Cards
3-pt %
0-0 0% Cards
1-2 50% Clemson

OVERTIME

Roberts scored first 5 points for the Cardinals to put them up 65-62.  With about a minute left Williams fouls out on the charge called.

  

Clemson's Thompson hits 3 pointer 67-66 Clemson leads with 38 seconds left. Randolph goes to line and gives Cards the 68-67 lead.  A clock issue gives both squads an extended timeout.

They decided on 35 seconds left in the ballgame with Clemson pushing it up the floor.... Thompson went for another 3 but air-balled it, Louisville playing intense defense on McQueen and the Cards corralled the ball and Taj Roberts was fouled with 5.4 seconds left  where she went 2-2 and put the cards up 70-67.

UofL went 8-12 at the FT line in the overtime period.  

UP NEXT

Louisville vs Duke 

Friday 7:30 PM 

FRED REPORT



Fred Astaire

FREE THROWS --  Louisville spent a lot more time at the free throw line than Clemson, where they went 21-32 at the line. Which is 65.6%.  They had a lot of attempts in the overtime period and Taj Roberts led for the Cards with 8-10.   This could;ve been very dangerous and did not meet the mark of 70%... no letter  

REBOUNDING --  The Cardinals grossly out rebounded the Tigers 41-26.  Williams and Roberts stepped up huge in this regard.  CAPITAL R

EFFORT/EXECUTION --   Considering they were missing their leading scorer and their 'quarterback' in Curry,  and then losing Williams to foul trouble i am super impressed UofL was able to survive and advance in this round.  The game plan worked.  Capital E

DEFENSE --  Clemson shot 44% on the evening and came up huge when they needed big shots.   Given the circumstances of Louisville being short handed, i give them a pass on a few opening round jitters.   lower case d


FINAL FRED TALLY:    _R_E_d

POST GAME LOUISVILLE:  HERE

CARDINAL COUPLE ACC WBB PICK 'EM CONTEST

Nick O remains on top with a perfect 7-0 mark after two days. There are "hounds" at his heels, though. checking in at 6-1 are Karen J, Kenny S. and Thomas I. Should the leaders falter, there is a traffic jam at 5-2, with Curtis Franklin, Clemson Cuz, The Real Joe Hill, and four Cardinal Couple writers...Paulie, Jared, Jeff and Case. The rest of you all have some work to do...and we'll launch an investigation to make sure the guys on the CC writing staff weren't peeking at Paulie's picks before submitting theirs. 



Softball

Photos: Jared Anderson

The 14-6 University of Louisville softball team is set to open ACC play, hosting Notre Dame for a weekend series at Ulmer Stadium on March 7-9. Friday, March 7th at 6:00 p.m., Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and Sunday at 12:00 p.m. All games will be played at Ulmer Stadium and broadcasted on ACC Network Extra.

Louisville enters the game with an 14-6 record after a going 3-1 in the Cardinal Classic. Louisville logs a .337 batting average, with a total of 176 hits from 522 at-bats. Sophomore Ava Venturelli is leading the Cards with a .476 batting average.   Redshirts Easton Lotus and Char Lorenz lead Louisville in stolen bases with nine and 11 apiece respectively, while Easton Lotus is a perfect 9-9 on attempts.

The Irish sport a 10-10 record, including ranked wins over #15 Missouri and #23 San Diego State.  

Notre Dame is 28-18 all-time against Louisville historically, dating back to both program’s days in the Big East. The Irish have won five of the last six matchups and eight of the past 10. The last time the two teams played was in 2023.

Notre Dame pitching has been racking up strikeouts in the circle. The 120 strikeouts by the Irish pitching staff this year is tied for the third-most in the ACC. Micaela Kastor’s 49 punch outs this season are tied for sixth most in the conference while Kami Kamzik is in the top-15 with 34 strikeouts.

At the plate for the irish, Olivia Levitt is hitting a .375 batting average. Paige Cowley is second on the team with two home runs and is slugging .625 and Sydney Poeck hit her first career home run against Cal State Fullerton and has seen time in the outfield and at first base.

As always
Go Cards!

~Daryl