Cards struggle past Seton Hall 59-49

-Louisville sputters but wins over Pirates

For awhile this afternoon, it looked like the Lady Cards had no interest in either playing or beating cellar dweller Seton Hall. Despite the early frantic urging of Coach Jeff Walz, Louisville slept-walked thru the first four minutes of the game and trailed the Pirates 6-2. A four minute 7-0 spurt by the Cards, though, gave them a 9-6 lead for good at the 14 minute mark of the first half.

.

The catalyst wasn't Shelby Harper..for once..but Becky Burke, who nailed a three during the run. Harper didn't enter the game until several minutes later...and the Cards managed to jump out to a 21-12 advantage with 6:03 to go after Sherrone Vails converted from the line. From there, the Cards could only muster seven points the rest of the half but held the Pirates to nine and took a 28-21 lead into the locker room at halftime.

.

(Asia Taylor delivered big in the second

half for the victorious Cards.)

.

Louisville played the normal nine who have been in the Walz rotation of late and Monique Reid's nine points led the Cards after twenty minutes. Louisville was getting plenty of opportunities to score but 12 turnovers hindered the effort. At least they weren't the only team having

trouble hanging onto the ball..Seton Hall turned it over 15 times in the first half and Louisville did lead the points off turnovers stat 16 to 7.

.

Most figured the Cards would make the necessary adjustments at half to take a commanding lead and slow down Pirate guard Jazzmine Johnson, whose nine first half points were tops for Seton Hall and four over her game average. And, Louisville did start the second half with a roar...out-pointing S.H.U. 12 to 5 and taking a 40-26 lead after a Monique Reid jumper at the 15:07 mark. Louisville led by 22 at 56-34 with 6:31 left and seemed in control when Walz started inserting the bench..the Pirates made a late effort, though and cut the Cardinal margin
to 56-44 before Polly Harrington nailed a three with 1:26 to go to make it 59-44 with 1:26 left.

.

Walz had the starters back at the scorer's table ready to come back in, but recalled them to the bench and inserted Hines back into the game for three seconds...so she could leave to a nice round of applause for the Cards only senior.

.

Reid led Louisville with 16 points, Johnson finished with a game high 19 for Seton Hall and Shoni Schimmel was held scoreless in nineteen minutes of action. Hines played her final game in fromt of Louisville home crowd and finished with 12 points...Becky Burke finished with ten.

.

Asia Taylor sparked the Cards in the second half with nine points before fouling out with 49 seconds to go. She played a strong eighteen second half minutes for the Cards and grabbed three boards.

.

A quick turnaround for Louisville...they play Monday night at Providence in the regular season finale.

.

Marquette's win over DePaul tonight 60-53 makes the Cards quest for 4th place in the BIG EAST standings a lot tougher to acheive now...Marquette will need to lose at Cincinnati now on Monday night and Louisville will need to knock off Providence on the road. If both win...and finish 11-5...the Golden Eagles get 4th because they beat Louisville in head to head competition.

.