Sunday Cardinal Couple -- Cards face Idaho today @ 5:30 pm

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Louisville WBB faces Vandals in Iowa City today

- Softball splits against Rutgers @ Ulmer

- Congratulations Louisville MBB!

- Day One: NCAA WBB

- Contest standings after Day One


The University of Louisville Womens' Basketball team begins their quest in the NCAA Tournament with an opening round game against the Idaho Vandals today on the campus of the University of Iowa with a 5:30 tip off.

We covered the Vandals pretty extensively the other day here at the site, so...let's look at Louisville and our five keys to a Cardinal victory.

1) Start strong, finish strong. It may sound simplistic, but in Louisville's four losses this year...they've trailed early in three of them. All, of course, against UConn. The Cards did lead early against Kentucky but faltered at the end. Louisville needs to jump out to an early lead, continue to apply the pressure and finish with a flourish.

2) Guard the three. Idaho loves the three ball. They hit it with pretty good regularity also, so the Cards must get out on the shooters, make it tough on them and limit the chances if at all possible. A good pressure defense that throws the Vandals out of a rhythm would be the best possible scenario.

3) Strong on the boards. Louisville is tough to handle when Asia Taylor and Sara Hammond are scoring inside and grabbing rebounds. They'll need a good board effort out of Emmonnie Henderson and Cortnee Walton when they're in there and if Bria, Tia and Nita can grab a few caroms here and there...the more the merrier. Board supremacy!

4)  Schimmel magic. It'll be advantageous if Shoni is "on" and the threes are falling, the passing is accurate and if Jude contributes significant minutes with assists, steals and the occasional three. Here's hoping Holly Rowe and Brenda Van Lengen (the ESPN crew) have a lot to gush and ooohh about.

5) Let's see ya, Bria. Here's hoping that the Cardinal point guard can punish the Vandals defense with those mid-range jumpers and slashing drives to the basket. It'll give Idaho one more thing to worry about and free up the other UofL offensive weapons.

It should be fun...we'll have a recap in the Monday edition of CC...which we'll probably post early.

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Louisville softball split with Rutgers Saturday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium. The Cards took the first game 10-6 but dropped the second by the same score...10-6.

Louisville 10 - Rutgers 6

The big noise was Whitney Arion who went 2-4 and blasted a three-run homer.

A rough start for the Cards, falling behind 5-0 in the first inning. They countered with two runs in the bottom of the first...loading the bases and getting two across on an error with Maggie Ruckenbrod at bat.

Rutgers made it 6-2 in the top of the third but Kayla Soles got that one back in the bottom of the fourth with a fence clearer.

The boom came in the fifth inning...Louisville getting a two RBI double from Maryssa Becker, Arion's three run blast and scores on a walk and wild pitch.

Rutgers 10 - Louisville 6

Rutgers started the second game the same way they did the first...with five runs in the first inning. Two walks and three singles...with a few wild pitches from Rachel LeCoq did the damage.

Soles popped another home run with Ruckenbrod on to cut the gap to 5-2 in the fourth. The teams traded runs in the fifth but Rutgers posted four scores in the sixth to go up 10-3. Louisville plated three runs in their final at bat...a Whitney Arion two-run blast made it 10-6 with no outs...but Rutgers reliever Alyssa Landrith shut down the final three UofL batters to end the game.

The teams play today at 2 p.m. It's even on 11.2 locally and Insight 432. Comcast, too...Our buddy Patty Norton and the world's most interesting man-beard Brian U'Sellis have the broadcast.


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Congratulations to Rick Pitino and the guys for advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. Louisville struggled through the first half but still managed to lead St. Louis by nine after twenty minutes. St. Louis rallied to actually take the lead in the second half...after a slow Louisville start...but the Cards rallied and won going away 66-51.

Luke and Russ!


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Bad hair day? Sheri headed home after one...

The first day of the women's tournament is in the books and there were a few surprises out there. How about BYU taking down future Cardinal conference mate NC State?

Or previous Cardinal opponent and future conference foe Florida State sending Iowa St. to the sidelines...on Iowa State's home court? Cal got all they wanted from a inspiring Fordham team before squeaking one out. And, our buddy the "Q" and his Syracuse team barely survived against the Chattanooga Choo-Choo's.

Heart as big as the Moon honors

This goes to WKU for the battle they gave Baylor. We saw earlier in the year how big Chastity Gooch could bring it. She showed the world last night. It was fun seeing Cards alumnae Michelle Clark-Heard, Candyce Bingham and Laura Terry on the sidelines urging on the Toppers. Great to see Jeffersonville's Jaylynn McClain have a good game.

Proud of ya Tops. C-USA has no idea what is in store for them next year.

Yeah, we pretty much owned you award

Did Robert Morris ever get off the bus to play Notre Dame?

The Irish are still undefeated. The game most of the nation wants to see is still possible (UConn v ND). Excuse us if we'd rather see a different Championship matchup.

Who IS this team ??? recognition

Fordham. Coach Lindsay Gottlieb is one of my favorites...as a few of you know. I was actually hoping she would be a first round flameout yesterday at the end of this one. Fordham, you've picked up a new fan...

16 more games today. Sleep? It can't wait. Remote control, don't fail me now. I DO think it stinks that ESPN decided to show NASCAR yesterday instead of hoops. You have the exclusive tournament rights and then decide to show a bunch of guys turning left for a few hours? And don't explain it away with this WatchESPN/ESPN 3 option crap. Give the gals their props and credit. NASCAR is all year. This is MARCH MADNESS!  

Boooo....

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We have 16 contestants in the CARDINAL COUPLE Pick 'Em Challenge. After the first day of action, your bracket leader is...

Paulie! 

(Hey, I posted my picks for all to see. Failure to pay attention to them is your fault, not mine...)

Yes, the senile old fool went 14-2, with only NC. State and Oklahoma tripping up his bracket. WE still got a ballgame, though...with plenty of contestants snapping at his heels.

Yer stats:

Paulie                       14-2
Jeff McAdams            13-3
Charlyse                    13-3
Vivian                        13-3
Blue Lou                    13-3
David Watson             13-3
Jennifer B                  12-4
Sonja                         12-4
Joe Hill                      12-4
Kenny S                      12-4
Curtis F                      12-4
Gary W                       11-5
Willie Cat Fan             11-5
A Cardinal Chimp        11-5
Matthew M for Gov       9-7
The Other One             8-8

Good luck today!

paulie
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