SPENCER'S BUZZER BEATER DOWNS CARDS
The Cards led 24-10 after the first period...hitting four threes...but managed to score only seven points over the next 10 minutes and saw that lead drop to 31-28 by halftime. More poor shooting in the third and Louisville found themselves trailing 52-45 going into the fourth.
Louisville tied the contest at 59-59 with two Asia Durr free throws and once again at 61-61 with six seconds remaining on two more Durr free throws to force the extra session.
The Cards took an early lead in the extra session, the contest went back and forth but Louisville gave the ball back to NC State with 13 seconds on the clock on a shot-clock violation with the score knotted at 70-70.After a time out, NC State in-bounded the ball and Spencer's desperation jumper at the buzzer went off the backboard, all around the rim and finally through the hoop for the win. 72-70. A heartbreaking loss for the Cards.
Durr finished with 22 to lead Louisville...11 of those in the fourth quarter and four more in overtime. Mariya Moore ended with 20 and Briahanna Jackson added 11 to close out the Cards double-figure scorers.
A back-and-forth exciting game that either team could have won. Sometimes, you just get beat on the final shot. Louisville was out-scored 40-20 in the paint. A telling stat.
32.4% from the floor isn't going to win you many games...especially when your opponent goes for 50%. Credit to Moore and Durr for carrying the load and Briahanna Jackson's all-over-the-court hustle. Cortnee Walton and 11 rebounds. Louisville out-scored 40-20 in the paint. An exciting...but ultimately disappointing game.
HOW DID FRED DO?
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| Raider great wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff |
Rebounding. The Cards were out-rebounded 42-40. The margin was 39-31 at the end of regulation. Despite Cortnee Walton's 11, we can't award a letter here.
Effort/Execution. The Cards tried, no doubt about it, but as good as those first 10 minutes were...the next 20 were abysmal. A strong finish for UofL and creating overtime will get them a small case "e".
Defense. NC State shot 50% and, as mentioned, won the points-in-the-paint battle in a big way. Despite the Cards creating 15 turnovers and getting seven steals...the bottom line is that they lost. No letter awarded when you lose.
FINAL FRED COUNT: F-_-e-_
WHAT WE LIKED
A nice start. The Cards shredded the NC State zone in the first quarter with four threes and played wonderful defense...holding the Wolfpack to no buckets in the final 7:03 of the initial period. Fighting back. Louisville overcame a seven point deficit in the final three minutes to force overtime. Backs against the wall...they made free throws and held NC State to two points in the final 180 seconds.
Briahanna Jackson. Getting knocked to the floor constantly and elbowed to the face...the diminutive dynamo registered 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and no turnovers in 38 minutes. Guts.
WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE
No Myisha. You play with what you have available and Walz tried several options in her place. None of them really stepped forward and filled in sufficiently for her. Get well, MHA.
Consistency. Two good quarters and two not-so-good quarters. Not the trappings of an elite team. Way too lenient in allowing NC State to score inside and letting a huge lead turn into a ten-point deficit at one point in the game.
SO...
I had an article written and ready to post and then deleted it. We promote the joy and excitement of Louisville women's sports here and I felt my initial take wasn't in that vein. This came down to a buzzer beater. A hard way to lose. The Cards competed, fell short and take a loss to a team that has already defeated Duke, Notre Dame and Florida State. It's hard for me to write an article after a UofL loss. Even harder when it comes in the fashion that it did Thursday night. Give the winners credit. They won on the road in the ACC against another top-ten opponent. On a night where Super Heroes were the fan theme and promotion...Mighty Mouse Miah stepped up and saved the day for the visitors.
THEY SAID IT
ASIA DURR POSTGAME COMMENTS
JEFF WALZ POSTGAME COMMENTS
NC ST WES MOORE AND MIAH SPENCER POSTGAME
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AROUND THE ACC
Notre Dame travelled to Virginia Tech and left with a 76-59 triumph over the Hokies. They share the top of the conference standings with FSU at 9-1 and are now 21-3 after two dozen outings.
Duke held court at Cameron against the Clemson Tigers and dealt the felines a 65-32 drubbing. They move into a third-place tie with three other teams with a 7-3 ACC record and go to 19-4 on the season.
Syracuse hosted the Pitt Panthers in the Carrier Dome and romped to a 93-65 victory. They join the logjam for third at 7-3 and improve to 16-7 for the year.
Virginia snuck by Georgia Tech 65-64 in Charlottesville. With the win they go to 4-5 in conference play and 15-7 overall .
Miami brought a Hurricane force to Winston-Salem and toppled the Wake Forest trees 79-56. They sit at 6-4 in the ACC and 17-5 overall.
PAULIE'S PICKS went 6-1 Thursday...the only blemish being Louisville's loss to NC State. The season stats are 57 wins and 13 losses...good for 81.4% for the year.
paulie
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paulie
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Good morning that's was a good game miah Spencer is a bull dog guard and Dominique Wilson is a sniper from long range.
ReplyDeleteGood effort from the cards minus MHA.GO CARDS BEAT THE IRISH!
P/S Kylee and Ciera will be ready next year.
DeleteLook out for the bigs.
Hi, guys. This was a setback, no doubt and a tough way to lose a ball game. I figured after one quarter that NC State might still be reeling after their loss to UNC but what a show from Spencer and Wilson.
ReplyDeleteSure, Hines-Allen would have probably been the difference if available but it was the NC State guards who won this one for them.
As for the game-ender, it was a shot that got the right bounce. That's all you can say. A back-breaker.
The Cards could very well drop out of that third-place tie and not get a top four seed and bye until the quarter-finals. Going to Notre Dame and winning is something Walz has only done once in four attempts.
Hines-Allen. Louisville has won games without her having a essential role in the past. I hope it isn't serious with her. She can take over a game and no one showed me last night that they're ready to assume her spot in the lineup and play effectively.
Ciera getting only two minutes or so bothers me. No second half action. There has to be a reason for that. One I didn't see.
-- The Real Joe Hill --
I just watched the replay on ACC Network Extra.
DeleteCiera never even took her warm-up off in the second half. Those minutes at the four went to Kylee Shook, Jazmine Jones, Sam Fuehring and Bionca Dunham. Head-scratcher, right?
Speaking of heads, you were all over TV Paulie. That didn't look like Sonja on either side of you, though. LOL. The Deb Factor
This is a good team this year,but IMHO next years version of this team will be better.
DeleteThis year you can sag off the 5 and the 1.
Ciera is the starting center next year.
DeleteHer and Kylee are doing wonderful in there freshman campaign.
Nothing to add to Walz's presser. A Club only gets so many chances to position itself for the tourney. This one was lost.
ReplyDeleteIf we can't win tight games with good clubs at home then we don't deserve a decent seed...regardless of our national ranking. Seems this club wants to take the hard road in March. We'll see how that works out.
I like this team but 1 & 5 are not scoring threats.Next year's team will be able score from the 5 & 1 spot.
ReplyDeleteMyisha was missed terribly last night. I hope she feels better soon. The girls fought hard and it was a tough one to loose. I will say we lost by two points, once again some bunnies were missed that are givens and have to be made! But it was a hard fought battle!
ReplyDeleteI agree there was some missed bunnies we also shot horrible from the outside.
DeleteGo Cards beat Notre Dame.
The cards have to find a permanent solution for those scoring droughts. When maryia,asia & myisha go cold.
ReplyDeleteOAN: How long as coach Walz owned that shirt that he wore last night? At least since 2013. I appreciated that type of dedication
ReplyDeleteHe should have worn a clown's outfit and red nose. Your team is rapidly becoming a joke.
DeleteReally? Around here if you're going to call someone out you ID yourself or you get launched. There are plenty of marginal programs in WCBB...UofL isn't one of them. We're just in the cycle.
DeleteLast time I checked how a person dressed had little to do with their character or ability to coach.
Cheer up! Evans is on the way, first AA point guard Jeff has ever had. He's had AA at the 2,3,4 never the 1!
ReplyDeleteShe's a true point guard.
DeleteRapidly becoming a joke? Hahahaha!
ReplyDeleteYou can teach them the game, but you can't play the game for them.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: what's worse cortnee not taken jump shot or BJ shooting one?
Coach Walz: can't play the games for them.
But! I'll bet he could make a lay up.
Put that bunnies in the hoop.lol