SYDNEY BRACKEMYRE TO TRANSFER
Last week, we reported to you that Sydney Brackemyre would not be playing basketball next season for Louisville women's basketball but would be remaining with the team. We also played the interview we had with Jeff Walz on the scenario on our Saturday Morning radio show...THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR...where Walz discussed the matter.
Much like the ever-changing weather in Louisville in April, though, players sometimes develop different patterns and it was announced Thursday that Brackemyre would be leaving the program to continue her WBB career at another program.
Walz statement:
"Syd has been a valuable asset to this program. Unfortunately, her knee injuries have not allowed her to compete at this level. I really admire the positive attitude she brought to the gym each day and I am hopeful she can find a program where she can truly flourish."
So what does it all mean?
The forward from Wilmington, OH can't physically handle the rigors of Division I practices because of three surgeries on her left knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) since 2013. After reconsideration, Brackemyre has decided that there might be a chance for her to play at a lesser program...a lower NCAA Division or NAIA school possibly...where the demands and requirements aren't as stringent.
It has happened before with players associated with UofL.
A case that comes to mind is former Cardinal guard Nikki Burton. Slowed by hip injuries and surgeries...Burton spent two years at Louisville (2009-11) before leaving to find a less demanding place to play hoops. She found it at Wingate University...a Division II school located in North Carolina...where she was able to practice less, rest more and eventually became an All-South Atlantic Conference first team selection her senior year. The practice requirements were less. The body healed, the pain was managable and Burton fulfilled her dream of playing college hoops.
We hope a similar scenario can be in the future for Brackemyre, a player who was highly heralded in high school but never got to showcase those skills at Louisville because of the injuries.
We also hope that it's a move that doesn't further injure her. When a team of coaches, physicians and trainers come up with the evaluation that because of injuries, a particular player can't handle the extremities and conditioning needed to compete at a level like Louisville's...there is always the risk that despite the drop to a less competitive league, those injuries still may come back to haunt them...as well as the possibility that a less strenuous routine can be managed. Sometimes the player is willing to take that chance and give it a try...because of love for game.
We hope that future injury and discomfort isn't the case with Syd and she can have a successful student-athlete experience in her remaining years of college.
The heart wants what the heart wants...and in this case it's a quest to see if a player's passion can be portrayed at a less demanding venue. Good luck, Syd...we barely got to know you.
paulie
xxxxx
UCONN WINS WBB TITLE
In case you missed the game and were looking for some kind of miracle upset by Syracuse write up...sorry, Charlie. UConn took their fourth straight title 82-51 Tuesday night in the Bankers Fieldhouse in Indy over the Orange. That was even with a 16-0 run by Syracuse in the third quarter.
Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson, Morgan Tuck. All good as advertised. Fortunately, for the rest of the women's college basketball world, all graduating.
INTERVIEW WITH COACH WALZ
Paulie had the chance to talk with Coach Walz Tuesday morning and here's the interview highlights. The full interview can be heard this Saturday on our CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR
TUESDAY NIGHT'S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
" I'll be at home watching the game on TV. I went up on Sunday to the Final Four and spoke at the clinic they offered to all the coaches. I really enjoyed that. My two oldest were in town on their spring break so I decided to spend more time with them."
ON CORTNEE WALTON
"I'm very happy for Cortnee and her award. It just goes to show you -- like I tell all of our kids -- what you put into it is what you get out of it. Cortnee's invested, and not only on the basketball side of it, invested in herself. Invested in our community, our city. The kids of Louisville. And she didn't do it just to get on The Good Hands team. She did it because that's what she's all about. And...it's going to pay off for her in the end. It's quite an honor for her and our program and most importantly...she's having the time of her life right now at the Final Four.
It's about how hard you work on the court and off the court.
MORE ON THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
"I'm friends with both coaches but I'd love to see the ACC and Syracuse and "Q" win. I'm good friends with "Q". We've always talked and compared our NCAA Tournament match-ups. Getting in the right bracket, what match-up you're going to get. He was really excited when his draw came out and I was excited for him. Seeing the teams he might possibly have to play and what those teams do from the outside and it worked out perfectly. His kids have played very well.
The problem is...it's UConn. Breanna Stewart, throughout my 20 years is the best I've seen play. It's amazing what she can do offensively, defensively. Even in the semis the other night, she didn't have a great first half but she demands so much attention...it allows other players to get shots. It allows other players to get going and all of a sudden you have to worry about them and then you forget about Stewart and suddenly she has 20. It's a big task for Syracuse, no doubt about it. I think UConn is going to win but I'd love to see Syracuse pull it out if possible."
THE SEASON THAT JUST ENDED
"Some great memories, no doubt about it. We start off the season 1-4 and we talked about it. I think our kids were living off what past teams had done. Not realizing the work that goes into it and that work that you have to put it. But, we regrouped from that. The kids got their focus back and we improved as a basketball team. We win 22 of 24 games. We get into the ACC Tournament and you lose by five to Syracuse in a game you're up by four in. A game we sat down and watched...because you've got to value the basketball.
We come home and play DePaul and lose by one. The telling stat of our season was that we had seven games that were decided by five points or less. We go 1-6 in those games. The NC State game was the only win. That's something I've talked to our kids about. You have to be focused for 40 minutes. You have to be disciplined and not cheat the process. When it gets down to that last two minutes, that's when your bad habits come out.
I was proud of our effort this season and how we competed. With all the youth we had there were a lot of learning experiences for us and it's something we're going to grow from. Now we're at a crucial time of this year because we have until April 15th to do workouts. Two hours a week and that's it. In the month of May we can't do anything. In June and July we get two hours a week for eight weeks. Player development in the summer is really on the players. We can give them a nugget, what they need to do...but two hours a week isn't going to make them any better. Are they willing to go out on their own?
That's the things I love listening to on post-game radio and TV interviews. The kids who say they love the game. Kids that live in the gym together. Stewart talking about Morgan Tuck and Tuck talking about her...saying she's the one who challenged me to get in the gym every day...and when she's there...I gotta go. When you're best players are in the gym, the rest follow.
Those are the things we're trying to get our players to embrace and understand. We need that from our top echelon...to challenge the others to get in.
MYISHA HINES-ALLEN: THE DEVELOPMENT, PROGRESS AND WORK TO BE DONE.
"She had a great season...No question about it. She needs to work on her conditioning, she has to work on her outside shot from the three-point line...which is getting better but needs to improve. Working the defensive end of the floor. Special players separate themselves not only from the offensive end but from the defensive end. I think she was right there in almost being a Kodak All-American but some of the things I've heard is she needs to be more consistent on both ends of the floor. That's a challenge I've put in front of her. She wants to be great, now it's a matter of working harder to become one of those top ten. It's a learning process, a maturing process. I hope that she'll really grab and run with it."
DAKOTA WEATHERFORD
"Dakota's a great kid. She really works hard. She's exactly what you want out of one of your players...she comes in to practice and busts butt. She takes care of business off the floor. She's always there for community service. She wants to give back. I was excited for the opportunity to give her a scholarship for this year. We'll wait to see how things turn out for that next year and it's one of the things I've talked to her and her family about. They've been great and very understanding about it even if she returns as a walk-on. As of now, she'll be a walk-on but we'll look and see if things can change on that.
TAJA COLE
"We had had some talks during the year. Sometimes it's a challenge when a freshman comes in. They sometimes put expectations a little too high and when they don't meet them, there's disappointment. It was a situation where we played on Sunday afternoon against DePaul. By 7 p.m. she's sending me a text wondering if she can meet on Monday with her. She came in on Monday and said she wanted to transfer. We wish her the the best and hope she can find a place to develop into the type of player she wants to be."
NEXT YEAR: THE RETURNEES AND THE FRESHMEN
"I think it's going to be a good thing for us because we need some competition at a few of the spots. I'm going to start to work, I think, on the philosophy UConn and Geno has with his players. If you don't work every day, you're not going to play. There's situations where I'm watching their games and they're up by 50 and there are kids not playing. And I've asked him about that and the answer is if you're not going to work hard every day in practice, you're not going to get rewarded by playing in the game....no matter what the score is. And, we're going to go with that philosophy. We have some very talented players but we have some players who need to turn that corner in dedication. I say it all the time. The great players...Angel, Shoni, Candyce, Dez. Look at Becky Burke. She wasn't a great overall player but she was really good at what she could do. She shot the ball. Toughness. What you do when the coach is not watching separates you.
Right now, we're trying to get that across to a couple of them. What you do in the hour and a half of practice isn't enough. You've got to be in this gym on your own working on your weaknesses. There's no reason to have a player that shoots 45% from the foul line. If I'm in that situation, I'm going to shoot 100 free throws a day. I want to step up to that line and have everybody say instead of our fans moaning...'aw, she got fouled'...to...the other team saying 'damn, she got fouled'...knowing that they're going in."
"It's a challenge we're trying to put in front of some of these kids who have never had that challenge back in their high school and AAU days."
SYD BRACKEMYRE
"She's not going to continue to play. She'll still be a part of the program and help us from a coaching/instruction standpoint and still be with the players but her knees are not going to allow her to continue on. We really feel bad for her from that standpoint but we're really encouraged and impressed with her maturity level. She probably could have fought through it for two or three years and then needed a knee replacement....her knees have gotten to that point where it'd be rough playing at this level. She wants to be able to have a family someday and play ball with her kids and in the backyard and there really aren't that many 19-20 year olds that are thinking that far ahead. I give her a lot of credit for that. I feel bad that she's not going to be able to get out there and show people what she can do basketball wise but I know she'll continue to give a lot to our program just from within and being able to help the current players and those in the future. Sure, we probably could have used her against DePaul but if I play her and then something happens...I've got that to live with. She's got that to live with. She knows the game, she's passionate about it. She could be a coach I'm going up against down the road."
paulie
xxxxx
FIVESOME FACES FINAL SEASON IN HIGH SCHOOL
With a break of a few days before UofL WBB faces Kentucky, we thought we'd take a look at the class of 2016 scheduled to lace it up next fall for Jeff Walz. Finding results on a couple of these future Cardinals in like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack (has anyone actually ever really looked for a needle in a haystack?) but here's what we have:
Sydney Zambrotta
The sharp-shooting guard out of Christ The King in New York was recently the MVP in a game against Ferguson (FL) in the Art Turner Memorial in Virginia. Sydney had 21 points in the contest. CTK is 2-1 in the early season.
Kylee Shook
Her Mesa Ridge (CO) team is 3-0 and Shook led them last out to a 68-59 win over Palmer. A double-double for the all-time Colorado H.S. shot blocker with 21 points and 20 rebounds.
Jazmine Jones
The "do-everything" guard for the Lady Rattlers of Florida A&M H.S. has led her squad to a 5-0 record so far. Last out, she had 28 points, 18 rebounds and four assists in a 67-39 win over Lincoln.
Ciera Johnson
The 6'5" center plays for #2 in the USA Super 25 Duncanville (TX) team and they are 13-0 this season. Johnson had 23 points in their last...a win in the Texas Invitational . She's also been MVP in two tournaments this year.
Bionca Dunham
Her season hasn't started yet up in Philly but she's getting recognition on preseason All-City and All-Regional teams. The 6'3" front liner plays for Imhotep Charter School.
Dunham's ability to rebound, run the court and score will be tested in the tough Philly-area girls basketball league...but she has the most upside-improvement potential of the five girls coming into Louisville and it will be interesting to track her progress in her final season.
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BRACKEMYRE STILL SUFFERING KNEE ISSUES
We've had several people ask about Syd Brackemyre not seeing action in the last couple of games...and Jeff Walz confirmed Saturday that there were still issues with her knee. Syd didn't participate in the Michigan State or Valparaiso contest and has seen limited action in the Cards seven games.
" Syd's still got some pain in that knee. She's a great kid. she works her tail off. She does everything we ask her to do. She's an asset to our program, there's no question about it. I feel bad for her. She does all the rehab she's supposed to do but she just can't get to that point where her knee is feeling good. I don't want her to go out there and possibly injure something else because she's compensating for how her knee feels. I specifically told her...you let me know...you think you can go then...boom...let's go.If not, we just have to keep doing everything we can to figure out to get her to feel better."
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CONSISTENCY FROM DURR IS WHAT WALZ IS LOOKING FOR
Jeff Walz is encouraged about the last two games Asia Durr has had but he's equally, if not more so, interested in the day after games to see how she's managing the pain associated with the groin injury/surgery/rehab process.
" I think today was a big test for her because it's similar to what our conference play is going to be. You play Thursday and then come back and play on Sunday. We've got to make sure she can play both games in that stretch and not just playing on Thursday and then coming back and saying that she can't play on Sunday. That's why today was really important, to see how she can do pain-wise. That's really what it is...being able to play through all that pain.
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THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR
Our latest broadcast of THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR is available on the SoundCloud at Crescent Hill Radio. Worldwide brings a rant about UofL Volleyball home game locations, Paulie catches Katie George off guard during an interview and we preview the Illinois game that sadly was the last volleyball games of the season for the Cards.
You can also hear Paulie on the highly-recommended Howie Show Tuesdays on 93.9 The Ville. Howie usually has Paulie on during the 11:30 -noon segment to discuss the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports.
Link to our latest broadcast:
CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR 12-5-15
paulie
xxxxx
Basketball Wins, Volleyball Loses
Basketball Defeats Marist
The first half looked like more of the same for the Women's Basketball squad against Marist. Competitive play overall, and close scores, but slowly slipping behind the opponent, punctuated by moments of, "What were you thinking?" Ultimately, though, the Cards would get it done by a score of 65-53.
26% shooting in the first half is not going to win any awards, but some consolation was to be found in 40% shooting from beyond the arc, and very good free throw shooting at 90%, 9 out of 10. Continuing another theme from earlier games, Marist had 10 turnovers, but UofL only scored 4 points off of those turnovers in the first half.
In the second half, things started to gel a little bit. Field Goal shooting was improved each quarter; 25%, 30%, 45%, and 65% in the 4th quarter. Point off of turnovers increased each quarter as well; 2, 2, 6, and 12 in the 4th quarter while the number of turnovers on Marist stayed roughly the same, 6, 4, 7, and 7.
Points leaders in the game for the Cards were Myisha Hines-Allen with 18, Briahanna Jackson with 14, and Mariya Moore with 11. Jackson and Moore both dished up some good assist numbers with 6 and 4 respectively. Also, proving once again that height isn't the only criteria for a basketball player, the rebound leader for the team was Briahanna Jackson, pulling down 8. On a side note, Cardinal Couple favorite Sydney Brackemyre got her first points as a Cardinal by sinking both of her free throws. We also saw Dakota Weatherford get her first minutes as a Cardinal, pulling down a rebound and yoinking a pair of steals off of Marist.
The victory over Marist and Purdue's victory over LSU means we get to pull out that classis UofL cheer tonight. Go! Cards! Beat! Purdue! The game will be at 7:30 and will also be streamed on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at7z22647qQ.
Volleyball Drops the Season Finale
Volleyball closed out the regular season at Syracuse, and the Orange were flying high, quite literally. The 'Cuse beat the Cards 25-23, 25-22, 25-15 in a match that features some of the worst play by the Cards since they played Kentucky.
The story of the game can be summed up in just a few stats. The Cards committed 9 service errors, and Syracuse outblocked the Cards 12-6.
Against such impressive blocking (an attribute to be expected from any Leonid Yelin coached team), the Cards only hit .145 for the match, although Syracuse didn't set any record for great hitting either at only .229.
Defensively, the Cards did reasonably well, with Molly Sauer showing why she was Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the ACC by digging up 22 shots. Janelle Jenkins dug a respectable 13, and Aniah Philo continues to be strong on defense with 9 digs.
Offensively, there's not much joy and excitement here. Erin Fairs and Aniah Philo both had 10 kills, but Erin did so quite inefficiently with only a .050 hitting percentage, while Aniah tallied a respectable, if not spectacular .227. Janelle Jenkins did contribute offensively as well, with 8 kills for .219 hitting. The middle was fairly quiet with 5 kills for Tess Clark for .250, and 6 for Maggie DeJong for .200.
The Cards now wait to see where they get placed in the NCAA tournament. The goal for the season had been to host first and second rounds matches at the KFC Yum! Center, and that goal is not likely to come to pass at this point with the loss to Syracuse. The Cards were already expecting to be on the bubble for hosting even if they won out the season. A bid to the tournament is almost assured. There's even still a chance of getting the ACC's automatic qualifier bid. The way this works out is that we are now tied in the ACC standings with UNC at 2 losses. If I understand the tie-breaker rules in the ACC correctly, UNC would get the AQ because they have the victory over us. However, UNC still has a match to play, this afternoon, against a middle-of-the-ACC-pack Duke team. This match is at Duke, so this is a very dangerous match for UNC. The match is on ESPN3 at 1pm.
-- JMcA
WALZ LOOKING FOR DEFENDERS FOR GULF COAST SHOWCASE.
As the Louisville women's basketball team practices in preparation for Friday night's game against Marist in Estero, FL in the Gulf Coast Showcase, Jeff Walz is looking for his five best defenders and those will be the five that take the floor against the 0-4 Red Foxes.
(If it means anything, Sonja and I spotted a red fox in our backyard last night near dusk and it was running scared and quickly looking for shelter.)
Scoring isn't a concern for Walz, his squad is averaging 70 points a game...which could easily be 80 if they'd start making more wide open layups...but stopping the opponent is of prime concern for the Cards' head coach...who sees opponents averaging 73 points per game. Also, opponents are shooting 48% against Louisville.
Starting lineup changes are likely for the #23 ranked, 0-2 Cardinals and Walz is using these three days of practice before departing to Florida to determine the players that will be his best defenders.
OK. So who besides Briahanna Jackson will be on the floor for the tip against Marist?
Walz isn't saying yet...we may not know until game time...but here's one intrepid columnist guess on the other four.
Dakota Weatherford. The transfer guard from Evansville is all about the hustle and intensity. Two very good components for defense. If Walz wants to send a message to the squad that they need to hustle, what better way to get it across than by finally playing her?
Sydney Brackemyre. Syd's another one that is a competitor and goes until she hears the whistle. Fully capable of guard a paint player or wing...the 6'1" red-shirt freshman runs the court. The knee is the only potential drawback, not the heart or courage.
Cortnee Walton. Shooting may not be her strong suit as of yet but she gets to the boards well and does not give up her ground in the paint willingly.
Mariya Moore. Maybe a little too aggressive at WKU with five fouls, the sophomore has a wealth of basketball knowledge and can be tenacious on traps and presses.
The word is out on the practice courts at Cardinal Arena and the KFC YUM! Center. Defense gets you playing time from here on out. Who will stand up, lock-down and deny the distributions?
(BTW...it is well-known that my prediction rate is usually about 20% or less...ask any of the fall women's coaches...but it's 100% certain defense decides these upcoming days for WBB.)
paulie
EIGHT IS ENOUGH! NEW FACES, SKILLS FOR 2015-16
When Louisville women's basketball takes the court Sunday afternoon against California, eight women who have never recorded a stat in the history of Louisville basketball will be available to Jeff Walz.
As fans, there will likely be an adjustment period to learn these eight. Some you'll easily recognize, others may take a little longer to match the name and style with the number.
So, as a public service and familiarity guide....we present to you the highly un-official but hopefully helpful
CARDINAL COUPLE GUIDE TO NEWCOMERS FOR 2015-16
# 1 ERIN DeGRATE 6'4" C Waco, TX
DeGrate is the tallest of the Cardinals...so you should be able to get familiar with her quickly. She'll battle in the post and will be grabbing rebound. She chose Louisville over Baylor, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Texas Tech. She's one of five kids in her family and has a professed "sweet tooth". Follow her on Twitter @ErinBalls_254
# 3 SAM FUEHRING 6'3" F Wanaque, NJ
Fuerhing will be a player you'll come to recognize right off the bat because of her ferocious style of play in the paint and scoring ability inside. She picked Louisville over South Carolina, California, Tennessee and Rutgers. She has five brothers and played club ball on the New Jersey Sparks team in 2014 with Myisha Hines-Allen. She also had a pretty mean Volleyball career at Immaculate Conception H.S. Track her exploits at @SamFuehring
# 5 TAJA COLE 5'7" G Richmond, VA
You'll come to know Cole quickly because of her quickness and defense. Expect to see her leading and finishing the fast break. Also blessed with a better-than-average outside shot...Cole is an all over the court threat. Parents complained about her in grade school because she kept stealing the ball from their kids. We think you'll see it carry over to college. She also enjoys hospital volunteering. Probably to check on all the ankles she's broken over the years. Tweet her @teamcole5
#22 BRIANNA JONES 5'9" G North Babylon, NY
Known as "Bree" by her teammates and "Jonesie" by the coaching staff...you familiarize yourself with her as the girl who keeps hitting all those mid-range jumpers. She's a versatile off-guard who also thrives in the transition fast break sets. Her long range plans are to major in accounting...which will be helpful in tracking her career stats. You can get updates @B_thekid_Jones
#25 ASIA DURR 5'10" G Douglasville, GA
The #1 player in the #1 class of 2015, Asia has the skills to take over any game and make all her teammates look fabulous. Getting closer to 100% after a summer groin injury, you'll recognize her right off the bat when she creates those "Did you see that? moments on the court. Send your emo's to @A_Hooper25
#31 SYDNEY BRACKEMYER 6'1" F Wilmington, OH
Syd the Kid should be familiar to all since she was on the bench during her redshirt season at Louisville last season. With a smile big enough to light up the KFC YUM! Center...Syd can lock them down on defense and punish opponents inside or out. She also dons Asia Taylor's old jersey and we're betting she'll be just as integral part of the Cards as A Tayy was. @Syd_the_kid31 will get you Twittered up with the pride of Clinton Massie
#15 DAKOTA WEATHERFORD 5'6" G Arcadia, IN
The latest addition to the 2015-16 squad, "Kota" brings a never-say-die, competitive spirit to the team. She led her Evansville squad in steals and assists during her year there and will be a crowd favorite coming off the bench. The Arcadia, IN native will be easily spotted for her high arching, long range attempts. Defensively strong and deceptively quick...she's a secret weapon that the mad scientist will unleash upon beleaguered opponents. @kotaweatherford is the address for congratulatory comments.
#21 BRIAHANNA JACKSON 5'6" G (From a galaxy far away)
A recruiting bonanza for Walz after she left UCF to search for a school that fit her playing style..."B.J." is all that is advertised and has out-of-this world quickness, leaping ability, scoring prowess and game knowledge. Already emerging as a team leader, Jackson's star is just beginning to rise and she'll be a candidate for a banner in the rafters of the KFC YUM! Center when her time is done here at Louisville. She's not a big social media maven...but you can show her a little love at @bj_hoopster.
paulie
xxxxx
DEPTH, SHOOTING AND QUICKNESS ON 2015-2016 ROSTER
Next Sunday at 2 p.m. the University of Louisville basketball squad will open their 2015-16 season against California in the KFC YUM! CENTER. Jeff Walz and his staff have been busily preparing the squad for this game. The fanbase is eager and anxious to see the team.
What are we liable to see next week?
Makers, not shooters
One of Coach Walz's anecdotes concerns a young prospect a few that was tagged as a outstanding shooter. When this was pointed out to him, he replied that he liked shooters but he preferred makers.
There are plenty of "makers" on this squad. All five of the guards on the roster are capable of double digit efforts anytime they take the court. Briahanna Jackson has the skills to beat an opponent from multiple positions on the court. Asia Durr and Taja Cole are quick off the ball, can score from outside and were love the fast break, transition game. Arica Carter looks like a completely different guard this year and the outside shot has improved noticeably.
Dakota Weatherford is primarily an assist and defensive point guard...but can consistently hit the mid-range jumper and is also dangerous from the deep.
At wing, Mariya Moore continues to be an all-over-the court threat and improved the consistency of her shot behind the arc. Sydney Brackemyer has a nice shot from the corner and will help the Cards inside as well. Brianna Jones is another speed merchant who drives well to the hoop and can hit from mid-range.
In the paint, Myisha Hines-Allen is still strong around the hoop and looks to be a little faster than last year. Cortnee Walton crashes the boards with authority and almost never misses on follow ups and putbacks. Erin DeGrate is rapidly picking up the college game pace and techniques and will surprise opponents with her agility and shooting accuracy. Sam Fuehring may be the best rebounder of this group and gets around opponents and to the hoop very impressively for a freshman.
Although we have no clue on who Walz will start yet, we can be assured that all five freshmen will see action and there is virtually no drop-off in talent and skills when a substitution takes place. Venturing a guess at a starting lineup right now would be purely a guess...but Jackson and Carter at guards, Moore at the wing and Walton and Hines-Allen inside looks very solid. Don't be surprised if you see all five freshmen on the court at the same time...and Weatherford and Brackemyer's defensive skills will get them playing time as "stoppers".
The thing that I think I'm most impressed about when watching this team is how fast they get up and down the court, know where to pass and cut and get the ball up to the hoop very quickly. Think of the UConn teams over the last couple of years that just kept coming at opponents non-stop on each possession and created very few turnovers. This Louisville team shows those same skills.
Last year's team relied on superior senior defensive skills at times to win games. The defense this year may not be exactly where Walz wants it yet....with so much youth at his disposal...but lighting up the scoreboard shouldn't be a problem. 5-6 double figure scorers each game a distinct possibility. Fast, transition basketball a certainty.
It all starts next Sunday.
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HEY....IS THIS THING ON? TESTING...
Our Saturday radio show THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR should be available on the Crescent Hill Radio Soundcloud sometime today.
We hope. The gremlins ate it last week and yesterday's show featured Paulie on remote and Worldwide in the studio...so there are chances something went wrong.
We hope not. It was a fun and interview packed hour and we even threw in a tailgating "Cards Cheer" and station identification from a fan.
LINK:
THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR
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VOLLEYBALL VS VA TECH TODAY
Head down (but keep your head up if you're near the court) to the KFC YUM! Center for UofL Volleyball action today. The WideNet Cards face Virginia Tech at 2 p.m.
Louisville (12-1) is atop the ACC Conference...Va.Tech (6-7) back a bit in the middle of the pack...but still a dangerous opponent.
paulie
xxxxx
The top of the fifth provided Syracuse sith their best chance to reach the plate. The inning started with two outs but back-to-back singles sent Louisville head coach Sandy Pearsall at the circle to replace starting pitcher Hensley with Becker. She got the Cards out of the jam.
Whoever the opponent is, they'll face off at around 3:30 p.m. today. Fox Sports South will show all the games today.
Syd Brackemyre has found a new home to continue her college basketball career and the former Card has landed a couple of hours away from the 'Ville at D II University of Indianapolis. 
