Basketball
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| "Are you not entertained?" (Thanks, JC.) |
What?
Really? Just the two of them?
Compared to the whole Notre Dame team?
Correction: Myisha Hines-Allen and Asia Durr scored 67 combined, tieing Notre Dame's total score of 67. The rest of the UofL team was responsible for the 33 point margin of victory, 100-67.
Where do you even start with talking about this one? Asia Durr's 36 points? She just calls that, "Thursday". Myisha Hines-Allen 12 rebounds? She has had games with with more. 6 assists for Sam Fuehring and Arica Carter? Not really out of the norm, same for 5 dimes for Jazmine Jones. 4 blocks for Kylee Shook coming off the bench? She holds the Colorado state high school record for blocked shots. 12,600+ in attendance? Big, but we've seen much larger crowds.
I think you have to cover all of that, and really there is more in the stat sheet, all in the same game,and against the number 2 team in the country, to get a sense for what that game was really like last night. As for the crowd size? Maybe it wasn't the biggest in UofL WBB history (we've had 22k+ for games against Tennessee, Kentucky and UConn), but I think a decibel meter might have shown that it was the loudest.As I sit and watch sleet fall outside after a very swift drop in temperature here in Louisville, I think about how last night's game was a perfect storm. All of the elements came together, in all of the right proportions to demonstrate just how a finely played game of basketball looks and feels. Asia Durr is a star player, MHA is a blue chip that just works and gets things done, sometimes without acclaim, but the whole team contributed last night, and again in ways that sometimes don't show on the stat sheet such as Sydney Zambrotta with some first rate defensive effort drawing a big charge foul that visibly deflated the Notre Dame squad.
Really, when you get down to it, the stat that really makes the game is that UofL shot in the mid-60% from everywhere - in the paint, from the elbow, beyond the 3 point arc, at the free throw stripe (OK, mid-60s isn't great for that one)...the basket must've looked like it was 5 feet across. I wonder if Asia Durr could've sat next to me in row CC carrying on a in-depth conversation about the finer points of southern cuisine while casually flipping shot into the far-end basket.
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| "You think I'm something? Say Hello to my little friend Asia, Dee." |
was...well, he was typical Sam Purcell celebrating in his plaid suit coat. A fine night in the KFC Yum! Center.
Savor this victory, because there's still a lot of season left, we still have a tangle with UConn on their home floor. For right now, though, we're one of only 3 undefeated teams in the country (Tennessee lost to Texas A&M last night), at 19-0, we're number 3 in the country, likely to be number 2 when the new polls arrive Monday, and life is good in CardNation.
FRED
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| "The name's Fred G. Sanford. The "G" stands for "great"...which is what UofL WBB is." |
Free Throws? 64% doesn't get it done. In a close game, if the other team is having to foul to stop the clock, 64% results in a shrinking lead. Keep getting those shot up in Little Yum. No letter.
Rebounding? 35-25 over Notre Dame? Yeah, that'll do. Notre Dame didn't have a rebounding...at all...until about 2 minutes left in the 1st quarter. They were 1 and done on offense, and...well...at that point Louisville was shooting about 85% from the field, so defensive rebounding opportunities were just few and far between in the opening quarter for the Irish. Good total, good margin over the opponent. "R"
Execution/Effort? 65% shooting? Outrunning Notre Dame at every position for 40 minutes? Is there really any question on this one? "E"
Defense? Notre Dame's lowest scoring total prior to last night's game was 66 in their win over Penn. UofL only let them better that by a single point. "D"
Final Score? -RED
A rare off night from the charity stripe for this 2017-2018 team, and a few late game miscues that weren't enough to lower any letter grades. Tighten those up a bit and this team will be unstoppable.
Back in Action
The Cards will get a week before they head on the road to Pitt for another 7pm Thursday night matchup. They return back home on Sunday the 21st where they will host Florida State at 5pm.
Meanwhile, the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour plans to be back on the air this Saturday from WCHQ 100.9 FM and streaming on the WCHQ app at 11am tomorrow. This might get the kibosh if weather turns significantly worse, but I don't believe the forecast suggests that it will be bad enough to cause that.
Wonderful work on the game photos by Jared "Mr Anderson Jared" Anderson today! Not bad for a guy who turns 20's into 5's and 10's...
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JMcA
Paulie Report
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| Notre Dame Coach Muffet McGraw breaks the final score to Sgt. Carter. |
Musical selections for 19-0.
"Hey Nineteen" Steely Dan
NINETEEN (hundred and eighty five) Paul McCartney
POST GAME MYISHA AND ASIA
POST GAME WALZ
We'll see you on the radio Saturday. I wonder what we'll talk about?
Paulie
xxxxx
This was, without a doubt, the finest performance by the Louisville women's basketball season. Maybe the finest performances ince the upset of Baylor. Is there any doubt about the talent of Myisha Hines Allen and Asia Durr?
ReplyDeleteAn incredible win. Seeing on the national weather front that you guys are in a bit of weather alert. Stay safe. It's 80 here on the beaches of Naples but we're expecting chilly weather by Tuesday.
Update. Spoke briefly with David Watson this morning. Our buddy Dave-O is feeling much better, may get out of the hospital by Sunday and was very excited about the Louisville win last night. He said the nurse had to come in and "calm him down" a bit in the first half. LOL
-- The Real Joe Hill --
Great to hear this about David. The Cards. Shocking the WBB world, one win at a time. Asia for MOP.
DeletePaulie
Shocked, not shocked. Knew from the beginning of the season how special this team could/would be.
ReplyDeleteI can't add much either. Unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteI will say that, as seven of us were eating a pre-game dinner, I said that for Cards to win, either Jones or Carter would have to come up big. Well, both did. It was Jones's best game as a Cardinal. She played lockdown defense on #24 (I won't even attempt to spell her last name) and played flawlessly on offense (except for those pesky FT misses). And Carter was just solid all night.
Ogunbowale has to be stumbling around the South Bend campus today muttering "What is Happening here?" and "This girl Durr...OMG." Still can't condone her cheap shot on Fuehring. Play like you've been there before. (Oh, that's right...NO ONE has handed your lunch to you like that in your three years on campus.)
DeleteMove on, nothing to see here.
Paulie
Last night the cards was running on all Cylinder there was a lil glimpse of the turbo charger. Lol Go Cards! A shout out to AC & Jaz supplying big time defensive pressure. Also Kylee with the four block shots.
ReplyDeleteMLW
Also the New burger girl Dana Evan she's a pit bull Defender,
Deleteshe also has a High Basketball IQ.
MLW
I have an adrenaline hangover and I wouldn't have it any other way. The crowd was electric. Asia and Myisha were spectacular but let's not forget AC's steady hand. Because what she does doesn't show up in stats she is often overlooked. Jaz cut down on those turnovers, played lockdown defense. Kylee played more physical than I have ever seen her. Yes, she still can toughen up and learn to bang more but She did not shrink on the big stage - none of them did! Syd played tough d. I promise she can shoot, once her confidence clicks they will start dropping. I have faith in the Z. Bionca is coming along. Needs to strengthen those hands and learn to bang more like Sam. Sam is another that gets overlooked but she is an absolute killer. Tough as nails, willing to fight and scrap and put her body on the line for the team. Glad to see Jess get in too. When she ran out on the court I could see the excitement in on her face. (I hope I didn't miss anyone) #ThisTeamIsSpecial a special shout out to Coach Stephanie Norman who did the game prep. She had the breakdown on lock. We have the best coaching and support staff in the nation.
ReplyDelete19-0 feels good.
This is a Great staff with CJW. Also AD & MHA are All American , Myisha was ACC player of the year & AD is ACC player of the year this year. Last years team IMHO was a final four team, but with BJ back problem and AC out for the year they came up short. That team also had Maryia Moore to, a All ACC player.
DeleteGo Cards
MLW
Oops Mariya Moore
DeleteJust watched a replay of the game. Gee, it seemed like Rebecca and Kara had their party ruined by the Cards win. As far as the third member of the broadcast team...Idi Amin, or whoever in the hell it was...he kept me entertained with such gems as "At 18-0 they might have a run at the Final Four" and "If you give Myisha Hines Allen a clear look at the basket, she's probably going to score." An ex-UConn and ex-Tennessee player, plus a moron calling #2 vs.#3. ESPN may have come up with the 21st.Century version of the Three Stooges. Holy cow. What awful and sullen announcing!
ReplyDeletePaulie
Classic! Add a guy in a hat who honks a horn and you have the Marx Brothers.
DeleteBC
I woke up thinking last night was a dream. I had to hop onto social media just to believe that THAT game actually happened. What a win not on for the team, but the program. Just another note to add to the resume for Jeff Walz in the NCAAWB Hall of Fame one day.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome game last night!! My husband's hand hurts from my constant hi- fives every two seconds. I love my DVR feature because to see that slick MHA move to the basket where she laid it in under hand couldn't get any better for me to see that over and over again! I have said it over and over not in MHA house! EVERY girl played with such intensity and all 4 cyclinders were going! Now that's a game for forty minutes! Lastly if you look back every player who made a mistake with in minutes redeemed themselves! I believe this is the YEAR! Now play like that for the rest of the season and Good Lord!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Paulie. I got the feeling Rebecca and Kara are getting a bit self important. Seemed like a lot of dull empty moments by the announcers for an exciting game like that. Put Kara back in the studio at least. The play by play guy isn't as good as the previous A team play by play people.
ReplyDeleteNo one asked me, but....ESPN's best combo is a two person set with LaChina Robinson and Deb Antonelli with Holly Row running the sidelines in her blue dress. Save Lobo(tomy) for UConn, stick Lawson back behind a desk with Dandy Andy and send Idi Amin back to Uganda or covering dodge ball.
DeletePaulie