TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE
( Jenny O'Bryan with the autopsy on the UofL vs. Notre Dame game in the semifinals of the BIG EAST WBB Tournament last night. As mama used to say, the Cards got taken out to the woodshed by gramps and received a good whuppin')
Louisville Women’s Basketball
played in the semifinal game in the Big East Tournament Monday night. Notre Dame is a tough team that had only lost
one game on the season, to Baylor. I
have been of the mindset that the Cardinals needed to have a flawless game to
have any chance at knocking off the Irish.
Flawless it was not and the Cards fell to the Irish with a final score
of 83-59.
( Jenny O'Bryan with the autopsy on the UofL vs. Notre Dame game in the semifinals of the BIG EAST WBB Tournament last night. As mama used to say, the Cards got taken out to the woodshed by gramps and received a good whuppin')
The game started slow and
sluggish for the Cardinals, seemingly playing tentative and unsure of
themselves. The Irish led 12-0 before
the Cards were able to get a bucket and get on the board. The first 5 possessions by the Cards ended in
3 turnovers and 0-2 shooting. Sara
Hammond finally put one in the hole around the 16-minute mark to get the Cards
started.
The Cardinals spent the rest
of the half battling out of the early hole they dug themselves with some tough
defense and spurts of offense. For a
moment the Cards tied the score 16 all, before the Irish found their shooting
ways again. The Cardinals went in to halftime only down 6 points with a score
of 32-26.
Sara Hammond had a strong
first half for the Cards scoring 10 of her 12 points in the first half.
The Irish starters would spend the remaining time watching from the sideline as the Cardinals chipped the lead down to 18, only to have it expand back up to a 24 point win.
Not an unexpected outcome at
all for the Cardinals. I think if fans
are being honest, they expected this one to fall in the loss column with the
hope of it being a more competitive game than the last outing. Much like the late season matchup, this game
was never in question and while the Cards played a respectable first half, the
Irish were too much for this squad and owned the Cardinals in the second half
of play.
Sara Hammond had a great
tournament for the Cards with a career setting performance in the first game
and a very respectable showing against the Irish.
Louisville Women’s Basketball
invites you to The YUM Center next Monday, March 18th for a Watch
Party as the brackets are unveiled. It
is a family friendly affair with bouncies and face painting for the kids, an
opportunity to meet the team and get autographs. The doors open at 6:00 and the show starts at
7:00. Be there, Cardinal faithful, as
our favorite women’s basketball team learns their opponent in the opening round
of the tournament.
The last note on the Big East
Tournament, as expected, the Irish will be playing the Connecticut Huskies for
the tournament championship on Tuesday evening.
It should be a great game. The
two have met twice this season already and both games have been thrilling. Be sure to tune in to see who wins the
tournament title.
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Seven CARDINAL COUPLE PICK 'Em contestants remain undefeated at 13-0 as we go into the final game. Here are the "Magnificent Seven" ...listed by the first entries received to the last...
Curtis F (has Notre Dame as champ)
PDX Phil (has UConn)
Jenny O (has UConn)
Sonja (has Notre Dame)
Nick B (has UConn)
Quentin V (has UConn)
Andrea S ( has UConn)
So, if Notre Dame wins Tuesday night, Curtis Franklin is your winner of the Chili's Gift Card. If UConn takes the title, PDX Phil is your champion. We also had six of you go 12-1 so far, so nice work all of you!
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Really disappointing 2nd half but I guess that is where the injuries come in. Jeff needs to calm down on the sideline. He was acting like we were getting humiliated because of bad officiating.. I think he stresses the girls out too much when he is harping at officials all game long
ReplyDeleteHis dramatics could especially be heard on the radio feed and I think it affects the way Matt and AJ call the game. Matt especially. I did watch the post-game handshake between him and McGraw. No warm chat or stopping for a hug. Just a flip of the wrist and off he went.
ReplyDeleteWalz has issues. One of them is figuring out how to become an elite team like ND.
Nick
I'm not at all concerned about Walz's sideline demeanor. Some coaches (good and bad) are just like that, and they can't/won't change. Walz was correct about the out-of-bounds call that got him a "T."
ReplyDeleteI am concerned about the fact that our outside shooting has gone from spotty to atrocious in the last few games. Nita Slaughter has missed lots of the open shots that she has been knocking down all season. Hope that return to the Yum! pulls her out of her slump.
In response to Nick's comment about figuring out how to be like Notre Dame. McGraw has obviously done a great job, but if you take South Bend product Diggins away from that team, they are then a very good but not great team, a team that we could probably compete with. So part of it is luck. Also...after six years Walz is at least in the mix when it comes to recruiting the very top players (Russell, the Texas A&M post (can't remember her name) and others). If you're able to get your foot in the door with players like that you hopefully get a few and that enables you to get more of them. UConn is the poster child for that but see Baylor as an example of one thing leading to another - Griner led to Sims who led to....
ReplyDeleteThe Cards are fortunate to have two at home in the NCAA. You Louisville residents need to get out there and support your team. Good attendance means future events. Don't blow it, Louisville because it's going to cost you a few extra bucks.
DeleteSid
I like Waltz's approach. Doesn't get intimidated and doesn't back down. That's the type of attitude this team needs to embrace if the program is ever going to get to true elite status.
ReplyDeleteIf all of the Lady Cards had as much aggressiveness and kick ass attitude per inch as Jude it would have been a game. She's a Baller.
Anon,
DeleteIt's WALZ. Not Waltz (a dance) or Walls (things that hold a roof up).
WALZ.
Maybe he should change it. They're going to the dance.
DeleteSorry. I meant DANCE.
DeleteI've never heard of a good coach that wasn't an !@# to the refs. It is his style and it works. I've seen McGraw go at the refs plenty too. Have you seen Geno? He has to be held back half of the time...and, don't get me started on Pat Summit and Kim Mulkey. Talk about high energy coaching. Plus, the refs in women's basketball are horrible. Walz has done so much with this program and as fans we need to support him and the team 100%. They are tied for THIRD in the Big East and have 20+ wins....that is amazing coaching!!!!
ReplyDeleteCoach Walz will tell you...if you do the things he and the coaches ask and teach in practice...he's easy to ge along with and doesn't bother you. But, if you aren't performing the way that you should...he will let you know about it.
DeletePaulie
I agree with Anon about Jude's attitude. I'm gradually seeing more of that in Bria Smith and Sara Hammond also. I was a non-believer in Jude last season but I take it all back. Wish she were about six inches taller.
ReplyDeleteYep. If you look at the pics of the ND game it's mostly Jude and Bria going for it on the defensive side. Diving for balls. Tying up people. I think Hammond has her moments too. Seems to me she has a ton of potential as our true "blue collar" inside anchor. She's had a great year but I think is capable of being a real force in the key going forward. Fortunately she's only a Soph.
DeleteWe've got a bit of reputation for being soft right now and that just won't work in the NCAAs. Can't let people John Wayne us in the Tourney if we're going to advance.
HEART!!!! or in the Documentary "TIMINE!" (Meaning Heart)lol. Thats what I've always thought about Jude, been watching her since grade school, . Alot of ppl forget they are missing some players. For Walz to be even competing like he is w/o those players is pretty good. Most teams you take away players and they go down hill fast. But they have enough to compete, any given day.--Umatilla23
ReplyDeleteThere you go. Jude has made a ton of progress this year. She's obviously been hitting the weights and looks / plays less frail this season. The more minutes she gets the more confident and aggressive she is playing. She also seems to be very coachable which really helps. She understands her role. I know you folks are very proud of both Jude and Shoni. Fine Young Ladies.
DeleteHoping Shoni hits her groove in the next few weeks. If she gets hot Look Out!
So, if things go the way we hope...which region does Louisville want to be in? UConn's, Stanford's, Notre Dame's or Baylor's?
ReplyDeleteOne heck of an effort by the Irish tonight. Diggins with ice water in her veins.
Awfully tough to beat a team three times in one season. Wouldn't mind seeing a fourth game between these two....if Louisville doesn't get there.
Paulie