UofL WBB handles Florida State 75-62 -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FRIDAYS WITH DARYL 

Happy Friday all! Took forever to get here or maybe that was just me.. But, we made it!  Thanks for checking in with Cardinal Couple today and everyday.  

I'm just going to throw it out there that I am so glad to have something to look forward to with this WBB program.   I am so happy we still have Coach Walz and the joy and excitement of the women's game.   So let's get right to it.. 
 

Louisville WBB wins vs Florida State 75-62

Was it The Liz Dixon show or the Emily Engstler draft stock night?   Perhaps it was the Mykasa Robinson appreciation night as the three seniors lead Louisville to a victory on Thursday night against the recent thorn in the Cardinals side, Florida State.  Engstler lead the Cards with 19 points, 12 rebounds, 5 blocks and a steal.  Olivia Cochran also chipped in 17 points on 6-10 shooting from the field. 

End of 1Q   Cards 13-10                                 Photo: Jared Anderson

FG %
5-17 29.4% Cards
4-12 33.3% FSU
Reb. 10-11 FSU
3-pt %
2-5 40% Cards
0-2 0% FSU

Louisville opened the game cold again..  missing 9-10 before Liz Dixon was able to put it up and in with 4:35 left in the first quarter as the Cards' starters struggled to find buckets.  Hailey Van Lith went 1-5 in the quarter,  Kianna Smith 0-2, Olivia Cochran 0-4 and Chelsie Hall 0-2.  Dixon laid it up again to tie it up 8-8 before Mykasa Robinson got the steal and goes to hoop and one!  Liz and Emily would both go on to record a block on the same FSU possession before HVL finds her first bucket of the game, then a 3 pointer from Kianna Smith with 1 minute left in the quarter.                               

End of 2Q  Cards 23-15


FG %
7-15 46.7% Cards
7-17 41.2% FSU 
Reb. 11-8 FSU 
3-pt %
1-5 20% Cards
0-1 0% FSU

         Photo: Jared Anderson

Morgan Jones was responsible for 12 of FSU's 16 points on 5-7 shooting from the field.  She was single handedly keeping the Seminoles in the game.  Liz Dixon was also displaying extreme confidence as she came off the bench to go 3-3 for 7 points, 3 rebounds and an assist.

Dixon and Cochran were both on the floor while Engstler got a breather, Liz showing up huge on the defensive end for UofL.  FSU fouled Dixon on a bad block out and then a charge followed by a huge block.  Dixon had 7 of the Cards' 11 points off the bench in 9 minutes.   FSU called a timeout when Ahlana Smith took it to the hoop to put the Cards up 26-19.  Engstler came back into the game with 4 minutes left in the half.  Six players scored for UofL by this point, just 3 for FSU.  With inside 2:30 minutes left in the half, Emily records the 5th block for the Cards to force a shot clock violation.  With UofL back on offense, Kianna found her first bucket on the assist from Kasa to make it 34-21.  Engstler lead the Cards with 8 points, 5 rebounds and 4 blocks in the half. 

HALF  Cards 36-25


End of 3Q  FSU 23-21

FG %
6-13 46.2% Cards
10-13 76.9% FSU
Reb.  6-4 FSU
3-pt %
2-3 66.7% Cards
1-3 33.3% FSU                                                     Photo: Jared Anderson

FSU came out of the halftime break to score 5 quick points and make it 36-30 but Cochran responds with 4 points of her own on 2 layups to cushion the Louisville lead.  When FSU pulled it within 2 points, 40-38 in just 4 minutes, Olivia Cochran again responds at the FT line to keep the Cards ahead.  Morgan Jones did not slow down as she put it in the hoop in Kasa's face for her 23rd point of the game.   But Kasa, not allowing herself to get deflated, responds with a steal and a layup in transition to make it 47-40 Cards.  With 3:30 left in the quarter, FSU shooting 50% from the field, the Cards 40%.  We finally get a Payton Verhulst sighting with just 1:30 left in the quarter.  The Cards were losing the quarter battle 23-16 at this point but maintained the lead 52-46.   FSU had 14 turnovers while the Cards managed to limit their own to just 5. 

                                         Photo: Jared Anderson

End of 4Q  18-14 Cards

FG %
8-18 44.4% Cards
4-13 30.8% FSU                                                 Photo: Jared Anderson

Reb. 13-7 Cards 
3-pt %
2-3 66.7% Cards
1-3 33.3% FSU

Cards began with a 57-48 lead over FSU to start the 4th.  No lead over an ACC opponent to start the final quarter is big enough.  Morgan Jones continued to do whatever she wanted vs the Cards...

FSU managed to score 62 points on the Cards defense - only 2 three pointers and 20 points in the paint, 10 points came from free throws and the rest were jumpers that FSU's Jones was making with a defender in her face.   Usually by this point, Coach Walz has reached deep into the arsenal and let the bench players get some playing time but he had the starting roster with Kasa at the point out there with 4 minutes left and the Cards up 69-55.  Jones hit another jumper and Engstler responded with a three pointer.  Emily had 2 three pointers on the evening and did everything she could to secure the victory for UofL.  The Cards were able to pull away as the clock wound down... with 2:30 left on the clock, Kianna Smith hit the jumper to put the team up 71-55 off the inbounds pass from Robinson. 

 

FINAL 75-62 Cards WIN!! 

                                         Photo: Jared Anderson

UP NEXT

Louisville vs Duke 

Sunday 1/30 @ 3 P.M. on ESPN

KFC Yum! Center 

FRED REPORT

"Freddy Free Throw" demonstrates
the style and the Cards followed suit!

FREE THROWS -- Louisville got the majority of free throw attempts in the 2nd and 3rd quarter where they went 8-9 and 7-7 respectively.  They went 16-19 on the night which is 84.2% which is better than our 70% minimum requirement.   Engstler lead the Cards going 5-6 at the line.  CAPITAL F 

REBOUNDING -- A big 4th quarter on the glass for the Cards helped make it an even effort on the boards for both squads, 35 all.  Again, Engstler lead all players with 12, 7 of them offensive rebounds.  I think the Cards will lose this battle against most squads out there, which is why they have to covert on the possessions they do have.  Capital R

EFFORT/EXECUTION -- One of these days, I think the slow start for the Cards will put them on the wrong side of the victory column.   The Cards got almost nothing from it's starters in the opening quarter.   Mykasa Robinson and Liz Dixon provided a huge offensive spark for the Cards vs FSU when they needed it the most. CAPITAL E

DEFENSE --  UofL was able to keep most of the Florida State squad to single digit scoring but the Cards allowed Morgan Jones to score a season high 28 points against Louisville against them.  She went 11-18 on the evening with Engstler guarding her in the first half and Robinson in the second.  She pretty much did whatever she wanted against the Cards and kept FSU in the game.  As a team, UofL forced 17 turnovers - 6 steals and 9 blocks - and only allowed 2 three pointers but also let FSU shoot the better of the two from the field at 45%.  Capital D

                                         Photo: Jared Anderson

Payton Verhulst is VERY excited about this week's FRED Report vs FSU


FINAL FRED TALLY: F_R_E_D

Cardinal Couple Radio - The men's game vs Duke being scheduled at noon on Saturday will likely interfere with some of the gang's participation on the Radio Hour Podcast this week but we are on schedule for an 11a.m. start as usual.  Tune in! 

 

   Photo: Jared Anderson

 

As always 

Go Cards! 

~Daryl