LOUISVILLE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GOES TO BOWLING GREEN TONIGHT
It's here!
They'll face a team that was 24-9 last season and 11-1 in C-USA play (remember that conference, Cardinal fans?). It is a WKU team that has undergone some big changes, though.
Gone is former head coach (and former Jeff Walz assistant) Michelle Clark Heard. She's north of Louisville now, watching the Cincinnati Bearcats bounce basketballs. Gone are their top two scorers from last year...Tashia Brown and Ivy Brown...who accounted for almost 40 of the Hilltoppers 75 points per game last year.
Greg Collins is the head coach up on "the Hill" these days. He's no stranger to Tops basketball, having served as an assistant on the staff for six years before being named head skipper. You might also remember Greg from his time at Louisville. He was former assistant to Tom Collen for the Cards and followed Collen to Arkansas when he took that head coaching gig. Collins basically held the program together during the transition time from Martin Clapp to Tom Collen back in 2003.
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| WKU's Greg Collins |
For Louisville, the major question confronting Cardinal fans is who and how will Walz fill departed graduate Myisha Hines-Allen's minutes with? We've heard conversation about a variety of players picking up and improving small pieces of their games to cover the gap.
My guess, and it is purely a guess, is that Walz will go "big" to counter-attack the taller front line possibilities that WKU can employ...and have Durr, Carter, Fuehring, Shook and Jones out there on the hardwood for tipoff. And, that's purely a guess. I have no "inside scoop" or advance copy of the starters. Coach himself even said a few days ago that there were a whole roster-full of players that could start for this team. Or more importantly, who will be out there at crunch time?
(Watch him counter with Durr, Diop, Dunham, Fuehring and Evans, right? This is the "three D's, an E and F" -- or Paulie's semester report card option.)
In any event, it should be fun and we'll have full CARDINAL COUPLE coverage on site with Paulie, Sonya and Jared on hand...plus rumors that Worldwide Jeff might come out of his map-building room of secrecy and Daryl Foust, frequent CARDINAL COUPLE radio guest, all bouncing into Bowling Green for basketball.
Look for Louisville to try and force the pace early against WKU and possibly press after made baskets. Asia Durr will have the "green-light" to create and it'll be interesting to see how the Cards front line will do against a WKU squad that has a 6'4", two 6'3" and a 6'2" players available for action.
Video coverage is allegedly on ESPN +...so you'll have to pay for that. You can do what Paulie does when the Cards are on the road and he can't get there. Tune into 790 WKRD AM -- Cards Radio -- for Nick and AJ's call. We'll have the recap of "Big Red" vs. "Louie" tomorrow in Jared Anderson's article. The start of what promises to be a very-exciting, challenging and enjoyable journey for this 2018-19 WBB squad gets underway this evening. Don't you miss it!
WSOC SELECTED FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT
The teams have met once before, when UT took a 6-0 win back in 1998. They played that one in Nashville, oddly enough.
UT went 13-2-3 this year and was ranked in the top 25 most of the season, getting a #12 ranking in the last poll. Their RPI is #9.
Louisville earns the bid after a 12-6 regular season, finishing tied for 5th. in the ACC and got an "at-large" bid. They would face the winner between Arizona and Denver if they vanquish the Vols. All told, ten ACC schools got selected for the 64-team tournament. Joining the Cards are Clemson, Boston College, Virginia, Duke, Wake Forest, FSU, Virginia Tech, NC State and North Carolina...who received a #2 seed in their region.
A well-deserved honor for seniors Gabby Vincent and Kennadi Carbin. Emina Ekic was named first team ALL-ACC and Vincent to the third-team.
This is the fifth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance for the Cards in the history of the program...last visiting in 2013, when the Cards lost a first-round match against Illinois State in the old Cardinal Park 2-1, after the teams went from a 1-1 tie to a shootout-status that I.S.U won. Louisville finished 12-5-1 that season.
Good luck to the Lynn Stadium Louisville girls in Knoxville on Friday!
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For WBB and all women's sports at UofL, you know you can come here and find it. Plus, we are on the radio weekly with THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR on WCHQ 100.9 FM. Saturdays at 11 a.m.
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Thank you!
paulie
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Congrats Soccer team! Love to see the reaction when their name was called.
ReplyDeleteAnd what is this about Sam and a stinger?
Still excited to get the season underway.
As Courtney stated, best time of the year, no doubt!
Probably no big deal, but at Media Day, she was wearing a gauze/band-aid on her neck. Someone asked about it. She reportedly said it was a "stinger".
DeleteProbably no big deal.
Paulie
Go Cards! Tonight's the night!
ReplyDeleteYeah, what about Sam, Paulie?
I remain
Curtis "RED Until I am Dead" Franklin
It's your time Red and Black. You got this.
ReplyDeleteNick O.
It's my understanding if you haven't done it before, ESPN+ has a free 7 day trial and you can cancel at anytime. If you don't want to be charged $4.99 a month, you have to cancel before the trial period is over. Go Cards! Go Vote!
ReplyDeleteYes, I can confirm that, having done that before.
DeleteAnd, I voted today also. WOO HOO!
Paulie
If I were Walz, I would try to blitz them early and put Jazzy at the four and run Evans at a guard to start, with Nite Nite, Carter and Sam.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I am not Walz. Seriously, I think he could beat WKU with Yorkie, Lindsey, Seygan, Mykasa and Bionca. Or four cheerleaders and Nite Nite.
Happy for WSOC! They are exciting. As you said, tough draw against the Vols but if the defense does what they do, anything can happen.
Any TV for WSOC announced yet?
-- The Real Joe Hill --
Probably a bit early for a television announcement. Maybe one of the ESPN's or Fox Sports affiliates would be a guess.
DeletePaulie
Do they show replays of ESPN+ games on Watch ESPN?
ReplyDeleteGood question. I would say "probably".
DeletePaulie
Don't own a stupid radio. Who knew I could listen to the radio broadcast online? Whoop whoop!
DeleteWednesday morning and they still want me to pay so although it seems to be available, they still want me to pay.
Delete