CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDINAL COUPLE
We report on the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports here. Thanks for checking us out! Click the picture of Louie to hear the latest Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast!!

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Louisville women's basketball one week away from opener.


DEPTH, SHOOTING AND QUICKNESS ON 2015-2016 ROSTER

Next Sunday at 2 p.m. the University of Louisville basketball squad will open their 2015-16 season against California in the KFC YUM! CENTER. Jeff Walz and his staff have been busily preparing the squad for this game. The fanbase is eager and anxious to see the team.

What are we liable to see next week? 

Makers, not shooters

One of Coach Walz's anecdotes concerns a young prospect a few that was tagged as a outstanding shooter. When this was pointed out to him, he replied that he liked shooters but he preferred makers. 

There are plenty of "makers" on this squad. All five of the guards on the roster are capable of double digit efforts anytime they take the court. Briahanna Jackson has the skills to beat an opponent from multiple positions on the court. Asia Durr and Taja Cole are quick off the ball, can score from outside and were love the fast break, transition game. Arica Carter looks like a completely different guard this year and the outside shot has improved noticeably. 
Dakota Weatherford is primarily an assist and defensive point guard...but can consistently hit the mid-range jumper and is also dangerous from the deep. 

At wing, Mariya Moore continues to be an all-over-the court threat and improved the consistency of her shot behind the arc. Sydney Brackemyer has a nice shot from the corner and will help the Cards inside as well. Brianna Jones is another speed merchant who drives well to the hoop and can hit from mid-range. 

In the paint, Myisha Hines-Allen is still strong around the hoop and looks to be a little faster than last year. Cortnee Walton crashes the boards with authority and almost never misses on follow ups and putbacks. Erin DeGrate is rapidly picking up the college game pace and techniques and will surprise opponents with her agility and shooting accuracy. Sam Fuehring may be the best rebounder of this group and gets around opponents and to the hoop very impressively for a freshman.

Although we have no clue on who Walz will start yet, we can be assured that all five freshmen will see action and there is virtually no drop-off in talent and skills when a substitution takes place. Venturing a guess at a starting lineup right now would be purely a guess...but Jackson and Carter at guards, Moore at the wing and Walton and Hines-Allen inside looks very solid. Don't be surprised if you see all five freshmen on the court at the same time...and Weatherford and Brackemyer's defensive skills will get them playing time as "stoppers". 

The thing that I think I'm most impressed about when watching this team is how fast they get up and down the court, know where to pass and cut and get the ball up to the hoop very quickly. Think of the UConn teams over the last couple of years that just kept coming at opponents non-stop on each possession and created very few turnovers. This Louisville team shows those same skills. 

Last year's team relied on superior senior defensive skills at times to win games. The defense this year may not be exactly where Walz wants it yet....with so much youth at his disposal...but lighting up the scoreboard shouldn't be a problem. 5-6 double figure scorers each game a distinct possibility. Fast, transition basketball a certainty.  

It all starts next Sunday. 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

HEY....IS THIS THING ON? TESTING...

Our Saturday radio show THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR should be available on the Crescent Hill Radio Soundcloud sometime today. 

We hope. The gremlins ate it last week and yesterday's show featured Paulie on remote and Worldwide in the studio...so there are chances something went wrong. 

We hope not. It was a fun and interview packed hour and we even threw in a tailgating "Cards Cheer" and station identification from a fan. 

LINK:

THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

VOLLEYBALL VS VA TECH TODAY

Head down (but keep your head up if you're near the court) to the KFC YUM! Center for UofL Volleyball action today. The WideNet Cards face Virginia Tech at 2 p.m.

Louisville (12-1) is atop the ACC Conference...Va.Tech (6-7) back a bit in the middle of the pack...but still a dangerous opponent. 

paulie
xxxxx








7 comments:

  1. Paulie, I pretty much agree with everything you said. Based on what I saw at last Saturday's practice, I agree with your guess at the starting lineup, although Durr will push for a starting role once she gets back to 100%. Guard play should be the team's strength. I won't be surprised if Fuehring is the team's leading rebounder. I didn't see the same shooting accuracy from DeGrate that you saw. She is more agile and active than I expected, but it looked to me like she has a ways to go on defense.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad to hear DeGrate is more active . I heard she was just a space eater and not much else so that is positive news.

      Delete
    2. Cortnee Walton and Myshia Hines-Allen have really been working with DeGrate and it shows.

      Delete
  2. Mitchell at Kentucky and that recruiting guru whatever his name is they got from Dayton are getting it done with a 2017 recruiting class already of #10,#30 and #58 ranked players. They picked up Lindsey Duvall from Mt Washington Ky a junior and ranked #10 in Hoopgurlz. She was also considering Louisville and other top schools. The Pitino thing is going to hurt our recruiting on the girls side. Especially in state.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The 2015-16 season hasn't even started yet. Why worry about 2017 recruits? Especially those for another school? Cards got Ciera Johnson after the MBB "scandal" broke - and she could have gone to Duke, ND, etc. The word on other boards is that Duvall may have been afraid of the competition at guard here - Durr, Cole, Carter, Zambrotta, Jones.

      Delete
    2. Duvall is good but Walz has his eyes on others

      Paulie

      Delete
  3. Interesting info on Kylee Shook and Zambrotta from Hoopgurlz:
    Chou isn't the only senior who has crashed the top of the prospects list. Louisville recruit Kylee Shook went into the summer ranked 42nd and comes out 18th. Shook, a 6-4 center from Mesa Ridge (Colorado Springs, Colorado) who led her school to its first state title in any team sport as a sophomore, has the quickness of a guard and a defensive presence in the key. She has excellent timing and elevation to block and alter shots. She even broke the state record for career blocks last year as a junior. On offense, she finishes plays in the block with regularity, elevating over defenders.

    In the bonus: Fellow Louisville recruit Sydney Zambrotta of Christ the King (Middle Village, New York) is moving up the prospect rankings as well. Zambrotta, who leaps from 58 to 29, brings a left-handed game to the backcourt and a dose of New York City swagger. Did we mention she's a scoring machine? Her game is infectious to her teammates, who feed off her toughness.

    ReplyDelete

Please leave your comments here. We ask you be respectful of other posts, no matter how ridiculous they may seem to you. After all, it is CARDINAL COUPLE.

Any attempts to advertise a product or other website here in the comments section without the prior consent of CARDINAL COUPLE will result in a bill rendered for advertising services and possible legal action. We're serious. No more bots.

Now, have your take...