CARDS FALL SHORT AGAINST BLUE DEMONS
Louisville gets a layup with a degree difficulty factor of 10+ from Briahanna Jackson with 15 seconds left in the game to tie it at 72-72. After a DePaul time out, Jackson is called for a foul trying to intercept the in-bounds pass. Both players were in pursuit. There probably was argument for either a no-all or whistle on DePaul's Jessica January. The Cards get the whistle. I went back and looked at this decision quite a few times. I still disagree with the foul call on Jackson.
Fast forward 13 seconds. The Cards are working toward getting the game winning basket on what would be their final possession.Myisha Hines-Allen is maneuvering through a group of DePaul players in the lane but never gets the shot up. Bodies crashing, arms flailing...the call goes against Hines-Allen for a charge. After looking at more than several replays of that sequence, I'm still not convinced she did.
Two 50/50 calls at the end of a game that was full of questionable whistles go against Louisville.
And that ends your season.
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| A special thanks to my crack team of bodyguards that kept me safe from harm during the season. |
Credit Doug Bruno for employing an offense that is extremely difficult to guard and getting his squad settled down and focused after falling behind 7-0 in the first two minutes. Credit Jeff Walz for finding a way to get the Cards to having a chance to win it at the end. Give extra credit to the 7515 that showed up today and the fans that supported the Louisville and DePaul teams throughout the season.
But give no credit to the officials who called this one today. It was a pitiful, sub-par job of refereeing. How a crew this bad can be selected for a game of this importance is baffling.
The Cards need to give this loss a long, hard and critical review and consideration. It can hopefully serve as a motivation to become better in the areas that led to today's loss. I would expect the opportunity to grow for the future out of defeat scenario would be a good strategy and main job focus over the next six months. Each of us have our own ideas on where the Louisville women's basketball team needs to improve. The opinions that really count the most, though, are the coaches and the players who will do the work to enact them.
This one is going to take a while for me to get over.
And it should for the women that will make up next year's team, too...
paulie
xxxxx
Tough way to end the season. I've watched the replay and both of the late foul calls, while questionable, probably get called that way most of the time. "FRED" failed us yesterday...the late missed free throws by Jackson and Moore, three offensive rebounds that directly led to DePaul 3-pointers, a few missed putbacks, and matador defense two or three times when Cards cut the deficit down to one possession. This team couldn't finish games...see Notre Dame, Syracuse and this game.
ReplyDeleteIn my admittedly less-than-expert opinion, two things have to happen next season if this team is to take the next step. Most important, point guard play must improve. While Carter and Cole each had some good moments, neither showed me that she is close to Final Four caliber. Maybe I'm off base, but I'd like to see Durr at the point with Jackson at the 2-guard. Also, team needs a post presence. Hopefully help is on the way. I love Walton's effort but she is not an offensive threat and she is a terrible finisher.
Cortnee Walton was the inside present & displayed her leadership on the floor.I think Cortnee will be a more reliable scorer heading into her senior year.
DeleteM L W
Mike D is right. Point guard play especially on defense needs work. Zambrotta is supposed to be a good one coming in. Jones is more of a "2" from what I read. I'm very proud of this team and hate to see officiating be the focal point instead of the players deciding a game. We should all write the head of NCAA WBB officials and complain about Joe Valzily, Karen Preato and Ed Sidlasky who were the refs. Not a good call game at all.
ReplyDelete-- The Real Joe Hill --
June Courteau - Coordinator of NCAA Women’s basketball officiating
ReplyDeleteAs painful as it is to accept, it is what we must do Paulie. Accept it and move on. Consider it a dress rehearsal for the great things that will happen next year. I think the combination of Shook, Dunham and Johnson coming in next year will really bolster the Cards inside skills and Zambrotta looks to be one of those tough-as-nails point guards that will content immediately for playing time. Jones has maybe the most upside of all of them. She's an Angel McCoughtry.
ReplyDeleteHere's to the team working very hard in the off-season and coming out for 2016-17 with a few scores to settle.
David Watson
It'll take some time...losing sucks and even though they beat us, I'll cheer for DePaul and Doug Bruno because of the quality act he is and has been at DePaul. I just hope the team takes the lessons learned and works hard each day to become better. I hope they stress to the incoming freshman the goal and the work ethic needed.
ReplyDeleteSome good hoops tonight. I'll probably watch but there will be this sense of longing and a bit of an emptiness. We'll catch up on some other sports Tuesday but I'm not quite ready to throw myself completely back into that. There is a lot of joy and excitement in them and it'll help bring me back around but it's been a apathy and disillusionment Monday around the Sykes household today.
Paulie
Glad to be leading the Pic.em but we still have a long way to go. The Deb Factor
ReplyDeleteDid anyone notice that Megan Deines ended her career yesterday. She had a great game in Kansas State's first round win, getting a headline on ESPN's recap, but had a rough go of it yesterday against South Carolina. She was 1-10 from the field and scored five points.
ReplyDeleteAc @ the point
ReplyDeleteI think Arica carter is going to have a great year. I think she's going to be a good point guard because she listens to coach walz
ReplyDeleteI think the potential is there but she has to exceed the work she puts in without supervision in the gym over what she did last year...which was quite extensive. Decision making has to improve on the offensive sets and her defense has to get better...Cole and Weatherford were better defensive guards than her and incoming Syd Zambrotta is a defensive stopper plus excellent three-point shooter.
DeletePaulie
I think if Mariya Moore becomes more consistent with the long & short-range jumper and rebound the ball better,will give the lady cards a strong secondary scorer.
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ReplyDeleteProjected starting lineup for next year AC at the point Jackson at the shooting guard Mariya at forward myisha at forward Cortnee at Center
ReplyDeleteNot a bad lineup at all. I'll toss Jazmine Jones and her athleticism in there as a possible starter. She hasn't received the publicity that a couple of the incoming freshman coming in but her game is for real. Wouldn't surprise me to see her at the "2" with BJ coming in off the bench. Marvin, a lot of people may mot see these great comments because of them being in older articles. Feel free to post comments on the most recent Cardinal Couple entry so that they get maximum viewership realability. You come up with some really great stuff and we appreciate it.
DeletePaulie
Louisville women post players
Delete2016-2017 basketball Season
6-3 Sam
6-3 Cortnee
6-4 Erin
6-3 Keely
6-3 Ceria
6-4 Bionca