Louisville women's basketball -- Cards Face 'Dores tonight THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

LOUISVILLE WBB PUTS 9-0 RECORD ON THE LINE VS. VANDERBILT TONIGHT IN THE KFC YUM! CENTER. 

Please come see us do work tonight! 

The Louisville Cardinals women's basketball looks to sink the Commodores (minus Lionel Ritchie) tonight in their first test against an SEC opponent this season. The 'Dores arrive at the YUM! Center listing badly and at less than full nautical speed but have made some improvements recently and appear to be getting back on course after winning their last two contests. They shouldn't have any trouble seeing over the horizon, Vandy lists three girls on their roster at 6'5" and one at 6'4".

Mariella Fasoula is one of the "talls" on the team. If the name sounds familiar, she was about the only bright light Boston College had on their 2017-18 roster. She's on Stephanie White's boat now and sitting this season per transfer rules but will be a valuable commodity for the Commodores for two seasons after this one. I remember watching her almost single-handedly beating Georgia Tech last year in the first round of the ACC Tournament and falling just four points short. I dreaded facing her for two more years in ACC play but that solved itself with her transfer.  

Players that could have an impact for the Nashville school tonight include seniors Rachel Bell and Christa Reed. Both are closing in on their 1000th. points for Vandy. Bell is just 51 points away from quadruple digits and leads Vandy in scoring with 13.7 p.p.g. Reed needs 177 to make the 1000-point club. Also, keep an eye on heralded freshman Chelsea Hall...she's second on the squad in scoring with 13.0 points a night. 

Melanie tended to overdress.

Stephanie White is in her second year of trying to restore Vanderbilt WBB to significance. After Melanie Baucomb's departure from the captain's chair at the end of the 2015-16 season, White and former ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck, who was White's head coach at Purdue and now her assistant,  packed gear for Music City and managed a 14-16 season in their inaugural voyage...with a 5-11 SEC record. White has had success on the hardwood, she led Purdue to the 1999 NCAA Championship title as a senior and spent five years playing in the WNBA. She also coached the Indiana Fever for two years before taking the Vandy job. Louisville will be the first top 25 opponent the 'Dores have faced this season. Vandy did look pretty good in their last outing, against Iowa St..in Memorial Gym...but you're not in Nashville tonight, 'Dores. 

I remember my only visit to Memorial Gym. It was back in 2006 and the Cards were in first round NCAA action against Vandy. Louisville fell 76-64 that evening, I wasn't doing media stuff that night and was seated across the aisle from this crazy guy wearing a Commodore naval captain's hat who would jump up and run the steps when Vandy did something good and shake his finger in my face. All I could do not to punch him and probably would have if my voice of reason (Sonya) hadn't been there to back me off the ledge. Also, Howie Lindsey suffered an appendicitis attack during the game and had to be rushed to the hospital. Hopefully, no such drama will occur tonight.  

WOO HOO! Cleveland sez
"GO CARDS!" 

For #4 Louisville, it'll be a matter of offensive execution, defense and avoiding a slow start against the southern invaders. Louisville had no problems against the first Tennessee school they've played this year...soaring past the UT-Martin Skyhawks 91-56 Tuesday night.
Myisha Hines-Allen will be needed to provide a strong inside presence for Jeff Walz's group and if guards Asia Durr, Arica Carter, Dana Evans and Sydney Zambrotta can zero in on their jumpers and spur a few fast-breaks...the Cards should be able to get to 10-0.

Jazmine Jones could also be a factor against the talented foe. We'd like to see a reduction in turnovers (close the bakery tonight, Jazz!) from the Tallahassee sophomore and improvement on her three-point attempts. Louisville has the advantage of playing 10 players and not seeing any significant drop-off in production on the hardwood. As Walz mentioned recently, the Cards had Hines-Allen and Durr on the bench against Oregon and pushed a 10-point lead to 18.  Depth profitability and success will be important tonight, we estimate, since the Cards have games upcoming on Saturday and next Tuesday during this home-stand...plus Fall semester Finals going on. 

Cortnee patrols the floor again! 

If you are unable to get downtown tonight for the contest, it will be shown on the ACC Network Extra. "Dynamic" Don Russell and former Cards coach Sara White will be in the talking chairs and Cardinal great Cortnee Walton will be prowling the sidelines...ignoring Walz's requests to report to the scorer's table and hit the hardwood. It's a 7 p.m. start tonight and it is Thirsty Thursday with $3 beverages available....so make the effort and report to the court for this excellent product from the Belknap Campus. 

You got an undefeated team here, folks. Two All-Americans and a potential Final Four team. Give 'em some love and show up. 


MEN'S BASKETBALL USES STRONG SECOND HALF TO SINK SIENA

Coach has shed his tie. I will remove
my wrist-band to support him...

It was nervous-time in the KFC YUM! Center after the first half, as David Padgett's troops found themselves barely ahead of the visiting MAAC Conference Siena Saints 39-36. 

Padgett emerged from the locker room for the final 20 sans necktie and the Cards loosened up as well, using a 18-0 run to scoot past the Saints 86-60. UofL had 47 second half points...Anas Mahmoud ending up with 17 points and 13 grabs, Quentin Snyder added 16 and Deng Adel finished with nine. 

Louisville looked like a top 25 team in the final 20 minutes. Let's hope they put that in a jar and bring it back out when needed. 

The guys bring in Indiana next for a 2 p.m. tussle Saturday. Sans tie and casual, we hope. 


What's next, D.P. hiking shorts and a tank top? Go Cards! Beat Purdue Indiana! 


MARVELOUS MAL

Is Bermuda north or south of Cuba? Be the first to answer
correctly in the comments section and we'll put you in
the $20 Panera Card drawing! 

Amazing Mallory Comerford continues to make a big splash in the Ralph Wright Natatorium and across the nation for Louisville Swimming. She was named NCAA Division I Swimmer of the Week for her performance at the USA Winter Nationals. 

At Nationals, Mal posted times that placed her 6th. in the 50 free, 1st. in the 100 and 200 free, and 4th. in the 100 fly. She was also the Women's High Point Award winners for the meet. 

She was also on the Cards 800 free relay squad that touched the wall first and tied a school record of 6:58:41. 

The Cards will be taking a bit of time off before returning to the water against Kentucky on Saturday, January 20th at the Ralph Wright. 


Paulie