How Sweet (16) it is!

WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

(Jenny O'Bryan with the recap of the exciting UofL win that propels the Louisville WBB team to the Sweet Sixteen!)




Photo by Jenny O'Bryan

Louisville Women’s Basketball is headed to Oklahoma City! They earned a berth to the Sweet 16 with a big win over Purdue, 76-63, at The KFC YUM Center on Tuesday night.  The Cardinals played their last game of the season at home in front of 9,236 rowdy fans. 

Each of the last two years the Cardinals have been ousted from the tournament on the home court of their opponent.  It is only fitting that it was their time to turn the tables on the opposition and play at home in front of a very appreciative fan base.

The game started a little slow for both teams.  Louisville committed six turnovers in the first five minutes of the game.   They settled in, went to work, and never surrendered the lead the entire game.    Louisville led by 15 at the half, 38-23.

Bria down after Taylor Manuel's elbow. She would
rise again and finish with seven points

The second half of play opened on a run by Purdue, and the Louisville shots were not falling.   As this team has been known to do, it appeared that the Cards just might give up their lead and let Purdue climb back in to it.   Purdue would get no closer than 10, with the Cardinal lead ballooning to 19 at one point, before the Cardinals finished the game in the win column. 

It was a fantastic game, a real team effort played with a lot heart and energy.  It was not a full 40-minute game for this bunch, but it was the closest they have come to a complete game.  It was also, by far, the best game I have seen out of this team all season! 

Nita and Jude are all smiles!

Sara Hammond was the player of the game with another double double, putting up 21 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.  She had a fantastic game, one much like we saw early season from her.  She picked a great night to return to her dominant ways and lead the Cards in scoring.

Antonita Slaughter has been in a bit of shooting slump the last few games.  She knocked down an early 3, and I knew she was going to have a fantastic game.  She appeared to be playing looser, lighter tonight.  The early bucket had to give her confidence and she set the pace for the Cards scoring 14 of her 16 points in the first half.   Slaughter chased down 3 offensive boards (her own missed 3 point attempts) and hustled all night long with and with out the ball. 

Monique Reid celebrated her 23^rd birthday in style, playing her last game in front of her hometown fans, and scoring eight points and getting six boards in 23 minutes of play.  She played tough defensively and gave the Cards great energy of the bench. 

What we liked: 

-The Cardinals played a great game in the paint!  I do not have the final stats of points in the paint but by the looks of the team Tuesday night, one would never know two of the teams big bodies were sidelined with injuries.  This was the best looking game I have seen of banging the ball inside and getting points. 

- Passing the ball.  These tournament games have also provided us with some of the best passing of the season.  The Cardinals are moving with and without the ball and making good passes and has great ball rotation.

-Toughness and energy.  This was another brutal game, especially for Bria Smith.  Smith took some hard knocks, at least two that could have sidelined her.  She continued on and still gave 110% on both sides of the ball. 

- Jude Schimmel gets better and better.  I am on record early on this season of eating my words and growing to love the game of the younger Schimmel.  I was not convinced her freshman year she had what it took to hang in the Big East.  Am I ever glad to be proven wrong!  She continues to hone her ball handling and passing, all the while proving to be a great defender and a real pickpocket.  I love watching this young woman play defense!

-Shelby Harper!  What is not to love about this former walk-on.  Coach Walz calls a time out with 22 seconds left to get Shelby in to the game for the first time on the night.  She holds the ball in the backcourt, seemingly to let the clock run out.   Not so.  Instead, with 12 seconds left she drives down the lane and lays one in to score with 7 seconds left.  Shelby, you have the heart of a lion in that tiny frame of yours.  CardNation no doubt will miss you!

It is only fitting to me, that this team leaves the friendly confines and heads out to the Sweet 16 in such great fashion.  The crowd was loud and electric all night, and this team did not disappoint.  We have been saying it all season long here, and it bears repeating, that this is an injured squad.  This team has battled adversity all season long, and they have kept their heads up and in the game.  They have remained a top 20 team with 3, sometimes 4, would-be starters on the sidelines injured.  If that does not make you a proud Cardinal Fan, I am not sure what will. 

Photo by Charlie Springer - UofL Card Game.

Congratulations to my favorite team!  Way to go out in style.  You deserve it!

( A wonderful write-up on tonight's exciting win by Jenny! The Cards' task to advance to the "Great Eight" will be a tough one -- no doubt -- with #1 in the nation Baylor next.

Coach Walz commented in the post-game presser that he and the staff would come up with a game plan that would give them a chance against the Bears. Stopping Brit Griner will be no small task....especially since she's 6'8". But, believe....believe...believe. Nothing is impossible.)



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HERE'S THE UPDATED RESULTS FROM THE CARDINAL COUPLE PICK 'EM CONTEST:

43-5   KEITH B.
42-6   JEFF MCADAMS
41-7   NELL J.
40-8   STEVE O., CURTIS F.
39-9   KENNY S., JENNY O'BRYAN, PDX PHIL, ANDY K.

 The rest of us...well, we have some catching up to do...

-- Paulie

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