CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDINAL COUPLE
We report on the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports here. Thanks for checking us out! Click the picture of Louie to hear the latest Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast!!

Monday, March 19, 2018

Louisville women's basketball -- Cards ground Golden Eagles early, fly to 90-72 win -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE



HINES-ALLEN LEAVES YUM! IN STYLE WITH 18-POINT WIN


Has there ever been a more delightfully fun to watch and more loved senior than Myisha Hines-Allen in Louisville women's basketball history?  She said her goodbye's to the KFC YUM! CENTER with 24 points, 13 rebounds, kissing the Cardinal Bird at center court, hugging children, babies, adults and almost breaking into tears and needing a composure moment in the post game press conference. She is real, delightful and has captured the hearts of Cardinal fans forever, including mine. DOO-BLAY, you are a champion and our "Queen of the Ville." 

Even though the Cards WBB squad won't be back down by the river this rest of this season...that season is not finished...as Louisville rolled out to a 34-point first quarter and never looked back in the 90-72 elimination of the Marquette Golden Eagles yesterday in front of 8017 in the downtown arena to advance to the Sixteen Sixteen...


A game where The Cards found a bit of resistance real early in the affair with a 6-6 score after 2 1/2 minutes. Then, it happened. Myisha inside, Sam inside, Asia with a three and then another one after Sam creating inside again. The clock showed 3:52 left in the first quarter. The scoreboard read 22-8 Louisville. The crowd was going crazy, the Cards effortlessly enforcing their will on the visitors and the feared slow start was nowhere to be found.

This one was over.


By the half, the Cards has pushed the lead to 52-27 and a joyous celebration was well underway among Louisville fans. That had every reason to. UofL was shooting 69.7%, three Cards were already in double figures and had a 24-11 rebounding edge, plus 32-12 scoring advantage in the paint. The Cardinal Cannonball was rolling down the tracks and unstoppable.  When all five on the court are acting as one, it's a beautiful thing to report on and observe. 

You can credit Marquette with winning the second half. A strong, determined and, at times, chippy and aggressive effort to try to climb back into the frey from those Eagles...but after three it was still still 71-53 Cards and Hines-Allen was still dominating on both ends of the court with eight third quarter points and already 22 for the game. 


PRETTY WOMEN ALL IN A ROW! 
The Montclair, NJ senior had plenty of help in leading the Cards to a Lexington appearance coming up Friday. Asia got her groove back and tossed in 19 points, with three three-pointers and that old Asia swagger and fist pumping present again. Sam Furhring went ballistic in the first tem minutes with 13 of her 19 points and continued to show that there is no one that will out-work this other Jersey girl when it comes to controlling the paint. Jazz Jones, was precise and deadly, with a 6-9 performance from the floor and 14 points. That grin stretched from Shively to Anchorage by the end of the game and her star is just beginning to rise on the horizon.

Allazia Blockton did her best to stem the flood known as Cardinal hoops with 32 points (22 in the final two quarters). A very outstanding performance from her and one that might be the headlines in another setting. Yesterday, though, it was Myisha hitting her first 10 shot, Asia and Sam their first five shots and Louisville delivering the goods to join the Sweet Sixteen. Utter paint dominance for the red and black yesterday...60 to 36 points-in-the-paint edge and 42-26 rebounding advantage. 

We know not yet who the Cards will tangle with in Lexington...upstart FGCU and Stanford will fight for that right tonight on thr Cardinal campus. 

(Photos from my delightfully outdated Samsung cell.) 


THE FRED REPORT


Cards were so hot in shooting that they needed water tossed
on them to cool them down, right? 
F - Free Throws. Not a lot of those were awarded to the Cards yesterday, but they made the most of them...going 6-7. That's 85.7% and easily passes the standard for a CAPITAL "F" in our eyes. 

R - Rebounding. The ball was ending up in Cardinal hands quite a bit yesterday. The 42-26 advantage and 21 combined for the "Jersey Skyscrapers" Sam and Myisha warrant a definite CAPITAL "R" for excellence in grabbing the stray orb. 

E- Effort/Execution. Louisville won the second chance points battle 15-5 and fast break stat 21-6. 15 turnovers by the Cards is still too many but 40-63 shooting and 90 points forgives a lot of sins. Let's keep the big letters rolling with a CAPITAL "E" here. 

D- Defense. Louisville did what they needed to do in the first half in containing the Golden Eagles but 32 points from Blockton in a "Kobe" effort was a bit trifling and of a tad of concern. We'll award the small case "d" here. Argue it if you wish. 

FRED RECAP:  F-R-E-d



On to Lexington. Buy those tickets, Cardinal faithful. The survive and advance, just survive somehow theory is a perfect 2-2. Louisville won the first of the three two game tournaments. Congratulate them and keep the just survive somehow predication rolling. 

To Myisha, we hope you have four more chances to wear that #2 jersey and shine for UofL. Keep that train, that jalopy, that motivation going in a setting that hasn't always been kind to Cardinal efforts. Let's turn it into "Erupt Arena" Friday. 

Hear the Cardinals talk about it and a touching Myisha moment below: 


PRESSER AFTER MARQUETTE: WALZ, MHA, SAM and ASIA


SOFTBALL SUNK AGAIN


So, whose bright idea was it to bring Notre Dame to town on St. Patrick's weekend? The Irish held advantage and took a 7-2 win over the Hit-and-Pitch Cards yesterday at Ulmer Stadium to sweep the three game series. 

The Cards did show early muscle...jumping out to a 2-0 advantage, but it was all Notre Dame after that...with the final seven runs over the last four innings.

Getting them to touch home plate continues to be a worry for Sandy Pearsall...UofL stranded seven base-runners yesterday and managed just six hits against the Irish. 

Kudos to Sidney Melton, part of the "Sid-Syd-Szyd" configuration, for a solo home run shot. Megan Hensley went the distance in the circle for UofL, allowing seven runs, six earned...on eight hits. 

The Cards take to the road to swing against Indiana in Bloomington next. A Tuesday late afternoon contest. 


Paulie
xxxxx


13 comments:

  1. Great to finally catch up with you two this morning and be safe on the way home. Glad your stay was a good one and thanks for the breakfast invite!

    Go Cards!

    Paulie

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great two days. Even though I missed Sunday's game (work) I was able to follow on radio. Can't tell you how much I enjoyed Nick and AJ's call. They are the best!

    Yuu right, Paulie. On to Lexington and Rupp. Very confident we can handle either FGCU or Stanford. Hoping we can avoid Baylor, but never underestimate the power of #2. I love you, Myisha!

    Curtis "wearing Red until I'm dead" Franklin

    ReplyDelete
  3. Myisha has been a joy and a loyal Cardinal. It is truly sad to see her go but it is a proud moment for this fan and I wish her the best.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Paul, I agree with you that Myisha will always be remembered here for her outstanding play and enthusiasm, as well as for her sense of humor and almost constant (except when fighting an opponent for a rebound) smile. I have a question from yesterday's game. I noticed Sydney Zambrotta didn't play and I haven't seen any news about her. Was she injured or sick?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish I had an answer Tom but I don't. It wasn't mentioned in post-game coverage and I was thinking about asking Coach Walz today but I don't want to bring up something that might create a negative while we're celebrating the positive currently.

      Walz will probably have a presser before the Lexington Friday game and I might toss it out there then.

      Paulie

      Delete
    2. I feel like it’s probably match up related. All those guards for Marquette were super quick. Who would Syd have guarded?

      Delete
    3. I saw her at the scorers table ready to check in for the last seconds but play never stopped. Not sure why she didn't get in before that but I don't think it was because of her defense. She plays damned good defense.

      Delete
  5. Great win great game! Those Jersey girls rocked the house let me tell you! I feel bad for Sam F. it seems no matter how great she does they the media never gives her ..her due props! The headlines should have been MHA and Sam F. But they somehow leave her out! And im sure that kinda sucks for her. Of course IMHO. Good luck Friday cards!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree Sammi Jean sammi jean sammi jean wow the most improved card hands down. Also a shout out to MHA doing her thing I'm going to miss her big time.

      Delete
    2. Sam is my favorite player. Hands down. True fans know her worth, as well as her teammates.

      Delete
    3. Your are right true fans know the deal! But it's amazing how Asia is mentioned no disrespect to her ...but Sam has been killing it give her a shout out! It reminds me of the Mariya Moore days with MHA...Some players are treated with kid gloves....So glad for MHA she is not finished yet by any means..I have said it all season Sam is most improved hands down! Can't wait to see her Senior year next season! And where was Syd? No playing time? Up by 20?

      Delete
  6. Walz has called a presser today at 12:50 to (presumably) talk about the next game. We'll see if Syd slides into the conversation. I'll be there, an outcast wandering among the stuffed shirts of traditional journalism...but having the time of my life...

    Paulie

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good for you enjoy yourself!

    ReplyDelete

Please leave your comments here. We ask you be respectful of other posts, no matter how ridiculous they may seem to you. After all, it is CARDINAL COUPLE.

Any attempts to advertise a product or other website here in the comments section without the prior consent of CARDINAL COUPLE will result in a bill rendered for advertising services and possible legal action. We're serious. No more bots.

Now, have your take...