Cards by the numbers...Coach and player comments from Saturday

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SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-WE look at the numbers from the GWU game

-Player and Coach Walz comments post game

-Watson weighs in on the UC vs. Xavier brawl
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BY THE NUMBERS

-The number that stands out first to us in 27 points scored by the Bulldogs. It's second lowest points by an opponent in Lady Cards history. This ties the total Hanover College has against UofL on Feb 12, 1976. The Lady Cards held Centre College to 26, at Centre, back on Nov. 29th., 1977.

-We also like that the shooting percentage was 28.2% and total point were 27. That doesn't happen a lot - when the shooting % is higher than the point total. For example, Louisville shot 49.3% yesterday and scored 92 points.

LadyBirds entertain during a timeout

-A look at the 40-40-40 stat (did the team grab 40 rebounds, shoot over 40% and hold the opponent under 40%?) shows Louisville accomplished 3 for 3 in these categories...40 rebounds, 49.3% and GWU 28.2%. You'll usually win when you can hit these numbers.

-Six Cards attempted three pointers in the game. Becky Burke an un-normal 0-5, Bria Smith 0-1, Shoni Schimmel 2-8, Sara Hammond 0-1 and Nita Slaughter 7-9. WE like that GWU was 0-7 from beyond the arc.

-No one fouled out yesterday. Sara Hammond had four (in fifteen minutes) but no one else had more than two. 13 total fouls and GWU had 14. The refs let them play yesterday.

-Louisville scored 42 points off turnovers, GWU 3. The Cards got 12 second chance points, the Bulldogs 8. Louisville had 12 fast break points, GWU 0.
The Cards won the assists stat, too with 17 (Jude Schimmel 6). GWU managed only 3 in 40 minutes. Only 3...

Cards take off down the court

-Finally, the starters (Burke, Taylor, Warren, Smith and Shoni) played 89 of the possible 200 minutes available and had 42 of the 92 points. The Lady Cards freshmen logged 49 minutes and contributed eight points. Although Shelby Harper and Jude Schimmel did not score, they only took one shot between them in 29 minutes of combined playing time and did dish out 8 assists. 

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THEY SAID IT: (Unfortunately...some parts of the comments from the players and Coach Walz were lost on Paul's recorder. Change the battery next time, dummy! From what was left, off the top of his head and from memory...here are some of the topics covered:)

-Shoni, Bria and Nita were the players in the post game interview. Nita was asked about her game performance and was pleased with the effort. So were Bria and Shoni. It was mentioned that "it wasn't all about individual effort" but about the team.

-Practice was tough and demanding after the UK game. Rebounding, blocking out and defense were stressed. They did 90 minutes stretches were no offense was run, just the basics of blocking out and going to the boards were stressed.

-FROM WALZ

-He was proud of Nita's performance, noting that she played hard, came into the game with a purpose. She did exactly what he has been asking her to do for the entire season. It wasn't so much about her hitting a lot of threes..but she went to the boards and competed in other parts of the game. "She was everywhere." Walz remarked.

Walz expressed the hope that this would carry over, noting that the team has a big game Wednesday at Cincinnati.

-Walz reinforced the players' comments that the team did a lot of rebounding and defensive drills in practice during the week. He mentioned the placement of "bubbles" over the baskets...so no one could make a shot. He added that they'd continue to do that...emphasizing that they had to get better.

GWU is now 0-8

-Coach also mentioned that the team needed to get better at defending the dribble drive. Team needs to do a better job of stopping the ball from going to the middle of the floor. Team gets beat on the weak side of the board a lot. Just guarding the ball isn't going to get it done, he accepts the responsibility for getting the team to improve on defense. 

-Monique is fine, health wise. Coach thought she played well today and he was excited to get Asia Taylor some more time today at the "4" spot. Was please that Mo had eight points, eight boards, an assist and no turnovers in eight minutes.



GWU coach Rick
Reeves sorta looks
like a bulldog...

-BIG EAST is going to be a battle. Game on Wednesday night will be a battle. Cincinnati is 7-1 right now. Guards for Cincy playing extremely well right now. Hollis (a transfer from Michigan) and Revis.



-No question in his opinion that the BIG EAST is just as tough this year as it was last year. Hopefully, as the team continues to grow and mature, they'll come to play every night...because there are no BIG EAST opponent you can "just show up for and expect to win." 

-Walz started Taylor looking for some more rebounding, more aggressiveness at the defensive end and thought she did those things for the team yesterday. "She's a hard working player. She'll get out there and defend for me. That's what I need her to do. I'm trying to find a combination where it's not just everybody who can score...gotta find somebody who can guard the ball, somebody who can defend and rebound."

-Coach talked about competitiveness...that it wasn't just a one game thing and he would find out when the team travels to Cincy if the team would compete again.

-Walz talked about the large amount of away games the team had played this year...mentioning that they were at Cincy, then jumping on a plane and going to the west coast to play Portland and Washington State. He remarked that the Cards were 8-2 and had played only four home games. He challenged us to find anyone else who is ranked in the top 20 that has had only four homes and has their next three on the road.

( I took the challenge and did some research...here's what I found.)

Four teams in the top 20 meet the criteria of 2 losses...Texas, Georgetown, Penn State and Tennessee. Out of the four, Georgetown is the only one that meets the challenge. 

Georgetown (8-2). Has had four home games, six on the road and plays three out of their next four on the road. This pretty much meets the challenge, except that they play two on the road, come home for one and then go back out on the road for one.  

Penn State (7-2). Has had five on the road, four at home and but their next three are at home...

Tennessee (6-2) Seven at home, one on the road and their next four are on the road. 

Texas (6-2) 4 each at home and on the road. Next five at home. 

Walz concluded his post game remarks discussing how he felt about the team "some days good, some days bad..." and how he was looking for a player who would step up and be the leader, the vocal one...mentioning that Tia Gibbs had those qualities. Looking for a player that would "demand"...demand that the players go hard every day in practice, demand that they play hard in every game.

He briefly touched on scheduling, playing home and home schedules with in-state teams, and learning on the road. The team took two days off after the UK game. Will take Sunday off and then prepare for UC. He was asked about Slaughter again and discussed her briefly, how she made more shots in one game than she did in the entire season. She's becoming more than just a shooter. Walz is looking forward to the game where he can have Becky, Shoni, Antonita and Bria all show up with good shooting on the same night. He commented that it hasn't happened yet.

LOUISVILLE returns to action Wednesday against Cincinnati. No mention has been made on when and if Charmaine Tay will be eligible.

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(David Watson is a special correspondent for Cardinal Couple. He comments today about the brawl at the end of the Cincinnati vs. Xavier's men's game yesterday.)

First off, I almost missed it. Was about to turn the channel and surf for more hoops. Then, a shove, a swing, a bench clearing and I was mesmerized. 

There is no place for this in college basketball. Or in any sport except MMA or boxing. Yancey Gates should be tossed off the team. So should anyone who threw a punch, stomped somebody or shoved. No place for it in a sport. A game. This isn't Call of Duty. It isn't US Troops in the Middle East. It's basketball. I don't care who said what, who responded or who started it. It's unacceptable. 

Mick Cronin said the right things in the post game interview. There is no room for "gangster" in college basketball. Let them go up against Tony Soprano and his crew if that's what they think they are. They are supposed to be college student-athletes. They are receiving a free education because they are good at playing a game. They are the fortunate ones. How many kids out there are holding full time jobs trying to get an education. No place for this "thug-boyz" agenda.  

Sadly, it won't be the last time this happens in college sports. Until strict penalties are enacted and enforced for fist-swinging, taunting and un-sportsmanlike conduct...it'll continue. 

And, that hurts the spirit and intent of athletics. Grow up, guys and gals. 

(David Watson, you're right on the mark...)

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