Sunday Cardinal Couple -- DePaul DeFeats Cards 86-80

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Mo scores 25 in Louisville loss to Blue Demons

Welcome to the 2013 BIG EAST, Louisville.

On a day where Notre Dame beat UConn 73-72 at UConn, the University of Louisville women's basketball team travelled to Chicago and got thumped by DePaul 86-80 in front of 3600 appreciative Blue Demon fans

Monique Reid put up the biggest point total of any Cardinal this season with 25 points in 33 minutes and sharpshooting Shoni Schimmel tried her best to carry the Cards to a victory with 19...including two threes late which cut a 10-point Blue Demon lead to four.

The game was close early, Brittany Hrynko put the Blue Demons ahead with a three at the 15:25 mark 12-10. Doug Bruno's squad would maintain that advantage until Jude Schimmel's two free throws tied it at 24-24 with 8:16 left in the half. It was a brief respite for the Cards, DePaul took off on a 14-7 run to go up 38-31 after Hrynko bounced in a layup with 3:58 on the clock. It looked like the Cards might be on the verge of getting blown out, but they got six points from Reid, including a jumper with 25 seconds left, to go on a 11-3 run and muster a 42-41 lead at the half.

The Blue Demons came out hot to start the second half and quicky regained the lead, outscoring Louisville 11-2 in the first three minutes. Anna Martin's jumper made it 52-44 DePaul as the clock showed 17:05. A technical foul was tossed at the Louisville bench by our favorite referee here at Cardinal Couple...the bumbling Bonita Spence...with 13:38 to go and the Cards trailing 56-48. The Cards would get within five or six over the next eight minutes, but a Martin three gave the Blue Demons a 70-56 advantage with 9:37 to go. Jasmine Penny's layup put DePaul ahead 80-70 with about five minutes left and, once again, it looked like the Cards were going to get romped.

Shoni decided differently. Two threes from her and a Reid layup whittled the ten-point DePaul lead to two with 1:07 remaining. Martin responded, though by blowing by Shoni for a wide-open layup to put the score at 82-78...and four Hrynko free throws made the final 86-80.

Besides Reid and Shoni's magnificent performance, two other Cardinals reached double figures. Nita Slaughter added 14 points and Bria Smith totalled 11 and grabbed nine rebound before fouling out late in the game.

Anna Martin led the Blue Demons to their sixth win in a row this season with 22 points. Hrynko added 21 and Katherine Harry grabbed 13 rebounds for DePaul.

The Cards out-rebounded their opponent 45-32 and shot 46% from the field (31-67). DePaul did slightly better, with 49.3% (33-67) shooting.

DePaul now leads the lifetime series 16-14 and the Cards fall again at their place...Louisville has only won there twice in the last 12 years and has lost 10 of their 15 visits to Chicago. They're 2-6 in McGrath Arena. We suggest UofL never play there again. If Louisville plays 2013-14 ACC Hoops, they won't have to. Walz goes to 4-3 lifetime in matchups against DePaul and Bruno.  

Tough loss and tough way to begin the BIG EAST, but the Cards did stage a huge rally late and almost pulled it off.
In the second half, though...the DePaul guards schooled Louisville's. And that was the difference.

Shoni and Mo get another huge test on Tuesday when Rutgers rolls into the KFC YUM! Center for a 7 p.m. game. The Scarlet Knights and St. John's battle today in both teams' conference opener.


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