CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDINAL COUPLE
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Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Louisville women's basketball -- Despite the trickery, Cards fall to Blue Devils 58-55...Tuesday CARDINAL COUPLE



TRIO IN DOUBLE FIGURES NOT ENOUGH AS CARDS FALL TO BLUE DEVILS BY 3


Photo by Carolyn Chang - The Chronicle 
Myisha Hines-Allen recorded another double-double, Asia Durr and Mariya Moore joined her in double figure scoring and the Cards pulled off the con job of the 2016-17 basketball season...but erratic shooting, ball-handling woes and getting outscored 17-11 in the final ten minutes all contributed to Louisville first ACC loss Monday night in Durham, NC. 

The Cards well-planned trickery paid off to start the second half when Louisville sent Hines-Allen, Cortnee Walton and Asia Durr underneath the DUKE basket prior to Moore tossing the ball in-bounds to Briahanna Jackson to begin the third quarter. The Duke starting five dutifully followed them down there. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, they needed to be defending the other basket and Moore flipped the ball to Jackson...following her down the court as she trotted to the unguarded rim and put in an uncontested layup. 

Classic Walz afoot there. The mad scientist strikes again!

The mis-direction gave the Cards a 27-23 lead...which they would increase to 44-41 by the end of the period...but the Cards ended up taking the 58-55 loss due to some steady free throw shooting by Duke guard Lexie Brown and a couple of less-than-perfect offensive possessions at the end of the contest. 

The Cards started slowly, trailing 15-12 after the first quarter. The Cards regrouped to lead 25-23 at the half. A 6-0 closing run had Louisville on top 44-41 after three. The loss comes after Duke takes the fourth 17-11. 


Carolyn Change -- The Chronicle
Let's face it. Stretches of this one were sloppy and "choppy"...a term used by the ESPNU talking head who accompanied Brooke Weisbrod on the play-by-play. A man who still thinks the one-and-one still exists in WBB. Who hasn't figured out Asia Durr is left-handed yet. Sailing masts and regatta dinghy's aside...the Cards committed 19 turnovers and shot just 6-23 from the deep to take their third loss of the season. 

Coach Walz explains it sufficiently: 

"We took a lot of really good shots. Unfortunately the ball just did not go in. When go you against a team that's going to play zone for 40 minutes...you've got to be able to knock down open shots and that just what we didn't do."   

Head Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie put her own spin on the win: 


"We played a lot of match-up and that takes away a lot of passing angles to those post players. It starts with the guards and, of course, with the posts. You're connected at the hip -- all five players -- it's always team defense." 

Thanks for that, Coach "P". I'll have to study it and look at the pictures. Five players connected at the hip... 

The 3-2 Duke employed was, in part, responsible for Louisville shooting under 40% but I'm going with the off-shooting night for Durr and some silliness at the end causing Louisville's loss. Plus the 7-0 Duke run to the start the fourth quarter.

It was a 53-52 Louisville lead with 1:27 to play after Hines-Allen's jumper but after Rebecca Greenwell gave the Dookies a 54-53 lead 30 seconds later on a nice inside move...the Cards get a three pointer blocked and then start fouling Brown...who had made 40-something in a row coming into the game. Twice she's fouled and twice she sinks both. Sydney Zambrotta's last-second, sprawling, falling potential game-tying three almost banked in...but the Cards suffer an ACC road loss 58-55 to a team that has also downed Kentucky and South Carolina this year. 

I realize you can't always pick who you have to foul at game's end...and the obvious choice (Duke's Chidom) was throwing the ball in...so that pretty much eliminated her...but putting Brown at the line was like tossing tennis balls into a trash barrel from a yard away...you're probably not gonna miss. 

Ten played for Louisville (Hines-Allen, Moore, Jackson, Durr, Walton, Fuehring, Jazmine Jones, both Johnsons and Zambrotta.) Six scored (Hines-Allen 16, Durr 15, Moore 14, Walton 4, Fuehring 4 and Jackson 2).   

Lessons learned on a road trip. The need to finish on the offensive end. To make the layups. The need to overcome poor shooting nights with lock-down defense. On a night where tomfoolery got national attention, the Cards ended up with the joke on them. How big a game was it? Let's close with another JoAnne P-ism: 

"Big games only occur in April. March and April. Nothing's big about this or any other game. What we learn from this game will be the test for us. What we learn and how we move forward." 

I'm gonna have to study and think on that. Might need a picture...


HOW DID FRED DO? 


Fred Gwynne -- Herman Munster
Free Throws -- Well, on the Cardinal side they were few and far between (because we know Duke never fouls in Cameron, right?) but one Card actually got to the line and Asia Durr made all three of her attempts. That's 100% and that will get a capital "F". Duke went 8 for 11...if anyone's counting.

Rebounding -- The Cards held a commanding 37-25 advantage on the boards. Hines-Allen corralled 12 and Walton found six. Good enough for a capital "R" in my book

Effort/Execution -- Louisville had 19 turnovers, Duke had 12 steals, the Cards shot 39.7% (26.1% from 3-range) and lost the fourth quarter. The effort, although misguided at times, was there but the execution not great enough to award a letter in this category.

Defense -- Brown had a field day against the Louisville guards with 17 points but Greenwell wasn't a big factor with just 10 points. At times, the defense was solid but in the fourth quarter it slipped and after a loss, we usually don't award a letter. That stands today.

FINAL FRED COUNT:  F-R-_-_.


WHAT WE LIKED 

"The Sting". No one but the Cards knew what was going on in the start of the second half trickery. Not the announcers, the refs or...most importantly...Duke. Credit the genius of Walz and the staff for the ploy.  If you missed it, here's the link: Cards WBB fakes out Duke

"You're going the wrong way!
ANOTHER CLASSIC MISDIRECTION LINK

Solid Sam. Sam Fuehring saw only eight minutes in the contest but had two key baskets early in the second quarter to give the Cards the lead and also grabbed four rebounds. The three fouls...well...*meh* but a good effort in a limited appearance for the sophomore. 

Light at the end of the tunnel? Mariya Moore went 4-8 from three-point range which might mean she's over the slump from the deep that has been there the last few games. 


WHAT NEEDS WORK


Closure.  After Asia Durr's jumper at 7:35 in the fourth, it was 46-41 Louisville. We would have liked to see the "killer instinct" take over for Louisville at this point. Instead, a 7-0 Duke run followed over the next two minutes. Gotta seal the deal. 

Ball handling. 14 of the 19 turnovers came from Louisville's guards. Mariya had seven of them. Yes, these were very good Duke guards, no doubt about that...but the miscues were responsible for 18 points off turnovers. Duke won that category 18-10. A telling stat. 

Focus. The Cards were out-of-sync in their possessions at the end...almost timid and unsure of what to do out there. Those possessions resulted in a blocked three attempt, Hines-Allen bucket for two instead of a potential-tying three attempt and a missed desperation three at the buzzer. A little leadership would have come in handy in that last minute. 



SO...

A loss that could have been prevented for Louisville tonight if they had performed better in the fourth quarter. An exciting, in some ways, end to this one...with the score lead going back-and-forth. One to chalk up to experience and learn from as the Cards roll back into it at Charlottesville on Thursday against a Virginia team who surrendered a 17 point lead over Syracuse to lose at home. Surprising NC State also pulls the shocker with a 70-61 win over #7 Florida State. 

ACC. Anything Can Culminate. 



POST GAME WALZ

Coach Walz answers a few questions after the game and Asia observes and serves as a silent partner in the link below. It's obvious that they have no "Paulie" presence in the Duke media contingent...

LINK:  

JEFF WALZ POST GAME DUKE PRESSER




tuesday trauma...
Paulie
xxxxx



26 comments:

  1. Mariya with seven turnovers is rare. BJ obviously not feeling well but this team NEEDS a point guard. Dana Evans? Arica next year? Sending out an SOS. Walz. Brilliant. Remember, Coach P...you defend the basket away from your bench in the second half and try to score in front of your bench. Pretty simple, really.

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    1. I agree this team is missing a true point guard a floor leader.The cards had this game in bag. However bags do develop holes Lol.Also duke doesn't foul @ home SMH.

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  2. Paulie, maybe Coach Walz should take you along. Should be time for you all to take your show on the road!

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    Replies
    1. If only we could get him to schedule Saturday road games at 10 a.m....we could do a pre-game show and then sit in the stands and eat.

      Paulie

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  3. Lexie Brown strikes again. Beat us as a freshman at Maryland and now as a Duke player. Best player on the court last night. You double guard her on the inbounds plays at the end of the game and make Chidom throw to someone else. It isn't freaking rocket science.

    Curtis "Oh, she's hit 44 in a row. Let's foul her!" Franklin

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  4. Today I learned that there is no one-and-one in women's basketball.

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    Replies
    1. Yup, they killed it when they went to 10 minute quarters.

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    2. So just 6 fouls and you're shooting 2 each quarter?

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    3. Yup, actually works pretty well. I wish the men's game would switch to this.

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    4. Tomorrow we'll proceed with Case's learning curve and teach him about one of the following subjects...the advancement of the ball rule/option with a time-out in the final minute of a half. Or how to choose ripe melons in the produce section. Or yachting. Cardinal Couple is the Learning Channel, no?

      Paulie

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    5. Between the three of you, you should open a walk-in-rant clinic. You could easily fund the website by collecting minimal fees from visitors.

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    6. Yeah, speaking of rants. The rule to advance the ball with a time-out in the final minute of the half will elicit one from me. I hate that rule.

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  5. To many turnover careless with the basketball.Good shot selection most of the game, the shot just didn't fall last night. However the team played good defense last night.PS
    This team is missing a true point guard.

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    Replies
    1. Please........ more games on the espn U espn 2

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    2. Turn the attack Yorkie loose on 'em!

      Paulie

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    3. Ball control was a runaway train wreck Marvin. BJ was sick so I get her off-night but why did UofL recruit Taylor Johnson? I'd rather see Jessica or Sydney getting those minutes. Duke guards with 12 steals. Pitiful!

      -- The real Joe Hill --

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  6. Need to find a Go To Baller at the end of games under pressure. We just don't have one right now. Should be Durr and it probably will be with time. It isn't BJ and it's not Z with zero minutes in the game till the heat is on.

    Well...ACC WBB parity is much better this year. Florida State and ND have both already lost in league so although losing sucks it's not the end of the world. I can see an ACC champ losing 3 league games this year. We just need to learn and move forward.

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    Replies
    1. Indeed moving on,more minutes for the bigs ciera & when kylee ready to play. Cards need a scoring threat down low.

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  7. Only five teams still undefeated in the CC after two games and one hasn't played an ACC game yet. That's parity.

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  8. Congratulations on a hard fought game. You should be fine. Duke had better guards and you had a rough shooting night. The parity in our league is pretty even. As for my Clemson Tigers, we lost to Boston College and reality is starting to set in for us. Hey, it was a fun ride while it lasted. Still not fully into basketball mode yet, we have one to go on the gridiron

    Your Clemson Friend
    Arthur
    Greer, SC

    Your Clemson friend
    Arthur
    Greer, SC

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    Replies
    1. Go Tigers! Take down Bama!

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  9. Running with a shooting point guard is difficult @ time. Allen Iverson was a shooting point guard.You have to live & die with it.

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  10. What is Arica Carter Status? Are they going to red shirt her?

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    Replies
    1. Yes. The hip injury has her out for the season.

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    2. I must have missed that update... Thanks for that information any update on Shook? I really like what I seen from her so far... I like her poise I think this class has the ability to be special ... j.Jones is a freak athlete and the other freshmen have a bunch of potential too.

      Delete

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