CARDS #3 IN AP
The University of Louisville women's basketball team lands at #3 in the AP poll released Monday -- no first place votes, all 28 of those went to Baylor -- but the Cards are just behind Connecticut and ahead of Notre Dame. Mississippi State rounds out the top five and Oregon takes the biggest drop...from #2 to #6...after two straight losses and the injury to star Ruthy Hebard. The ACC leads the way with six schools in the top 25. (Louisville, Notre Dame, Miami, NC State, Florida State and Syracuse). The PAC 12 has five. Three conferences have three each and five conferences one each. Our neighbors to the east, UK are now at #11.
Bracketology still has the Cards going to Chicago as the #1 seed after two games in Louisville. Currently, the guess is Stanford, Maryland and Iowa State fill out the top four seeds in that region and UK is a #5 seed in the Chicago bracket.
Louisville gets a huge test Thursday night when N.C. State rolls into town. The Wolfpack have a 24-3 record, 11-3 in the ACC and are projected to be the #2 seed in the Albany Region...where UConn holds the #1 seed as of Monday.
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| McGraw holds up three fingers in a blatant attempt to influence AP Voters |
Just two games for Louisville before the ACC Tournament. After NC State, the Cards head to Pittsburgh to face the Panthers on Sunday, March 3rd. The Cards are pretty much assured of getting two days off in Greensboro for the tournament as a top four seed before taking the court on Friday.
Nine days before the teams converge on the Greensboro Coliseum. With Notre Dame ending their conference slate hosting Virginia, it seems likely that they'll get the #1 seed in the ACC Tournament.
All Louisville has to do is "win out" against the Wolfpack and Pitt to claim the #2 seed and a share of the conference championship with a 14-2 conference mark. Notre Dame gets the tiebreaker. C'mon Virginia! Pull the upset! If the season ended yesterday, N.C. State and Miami would be the other two teams getting the advancement to Friday action. Those two meet on Sunday, March 3rd., in Raleigh, to end their ACC seasons and to decide who gets the #3 seed and possibly the #4 seed. With FSU back in fifth place at 9-5, the Noles have to win out and then hope either N.C. State or Miami lose their final two to climb up to a four seed. To their credit, FSU defeated N.C. State and split with Miami in the regular season.
The wolves are a very serious and tough test for the Cards on Senior Night.
We're winding down and approaching "the second season". It gets very "real" from here on out.
Time to compete for what you dream of, Cards.
SOFTBALL SPLITS IN KNOXVILLE
Megan Hensley tossing the four-hit, complete game shutout for the Ulmer Stadium bunch. A scoreless affair for four innings but UofL broke loose for two unearned runs on three Braves errors and a hit batter. Pinch runner Jordyn Wolfe and Charley Bulter touched the plate for UofL. The Cards put four more runs up in the sixth with two walks, two hits and a couple of stolen bases. The "Butler" did it again with a two-RBI triple.
In game two, UofL faced the hosting #8 Vols. Early on, it looked like it might be a Tennessee rout, as they jumped to a 5-0 lead after five innings.
Louisville had just begun to fight, though.
In the top of the sixth, A Cardinal walk and single set the scene for a three-RBI home run from freshman Taylor Roby.After holding the Vols scoreless in the bottom of the sixth, Louisville threatened again in the top of the seventh.
The Cards got a single, double and intentional walk to load the bases with two outs. Unfortunately, the Cards could not push any of the runners home.
Louisville returns home for their first game in Ulmer on Friday, March 1st., in the Cardinal Classic. The Cards are scheduled to face Indiana State, IUPUI and Missouri over three days. Friday has UofL against Indiana State and Missouri. Saturday action involves the Cards against Missouri and IUPUI and they action ends Sunday against IUPUI.
Let's hope the weather cooperates. Current forecasting shows and "O.K." Friday but dropping temperatures on Saturday and a possible chance of snow showers on Sunday.
Let's hope the weather guys are wrong in this prognostication.
paulie
xxxxx
Daggone Notre Dame looked mighty impressive against Syracuse last night. I hope that they overlook Virginia but I seriously doubt the Cavs can pull off an upset in South Bend.
ReplyDeleteAll praise for Softball. They battled a strong SEC squad in their stadium and put a scare into them. Looking forward to opening weekend at Ulmer and hope the weather cooperates.
Syracuse could be a spoiler for FSU in WBB. They get the Noles Thursday down in Seminole-land. Both are 9-5 now.
Paulie, looking ahead to the ACC Tournament. Do you have a potential "spoiler" team? Can the Cards advance to Sunday and knock off the Irish?
Curtis "I believe" Franklin
Spoiler? I go with Virginia Tech. They'll be playing on Wednesday as a probable #10 or #11 seed. I'd like to see them advance to Friday to face the #3 seed and get a win before having to face the Cards on Saturday.
DeleteLet's not forge they gave Louisville a game in Blacksburg back on Feb 10th., falling 72-63 to the Cards, but outscoring the Cards 38-32 in the second half.
If you'll recall "Nite-nite went off for 34 points against the Hokies and Sam had a double-double with 21 and 13.
I think Louisville can definitely get to Sunday in the ACC Tournament. The hopes here are that they don't have to play Miami on Saturday, but, you gotta beat the good teams to be the best team.
I want Notre Dame on a neutral court. Without the same refs.
Paulie
Good Morning Cardinal Couple Friends and Readers:
DeleteArthur here !
Paulie, I like my Clemson Tigers as a spoiler. We have one game left in the ACC schedule. At Duke. We should go into the tournament 10-6 in conference and that gets us a bye on Wednesday. The fear for me is ending up in your half of the bracket, not Notre Dame's.
Louisville is the best team I have seen in the ACC. Kick those Wolfpack pretenders back to Raleigh, ya hear?
We got votes in the recent AP poll but not ranked in the top 25. Falling to Virginia Tech hurt Sunday. Falling to Georgia Tech on Thursday was a big disappointment also
We lead the ACC in steals, we're in the top four in rebounding but rank last in three pointers. Thornton, Westbrook and Edwards continue to be our top three and the future for Clemson WBB looks very bright, with Coach Butler and just losing three seniors.
By the way, Happy belated birthday to you and Sonya. Y'all need to get down here for a visit. Mutt's BBQ will knock your socks off and their "bottomless" buffet will put a few pounds on you.
Your Friend
#1 Clemson Fan
Arthur
Greer, SC
Notre Dame, neutral court, different refs.
ReplyDeleteWent back and watched most of our game with them, specifically paying attention to the fouls called on us. At least half were phantom calls. And we STILL hung in there.
Thought Syracuse played into ND's game, live ball to's and missed shots with little to no transition defense.
Us playing our best against them playing their best, we beat them.
Wouldn't mind Miami again, also.
Gotta beat the best!
I don't want Miami again. Between Hof and Cornelius, they schooled UofL late. "Mom" had a off-night, that doesn't happen often.
ReplyDeleteMy sleeper team is UNC. Paris Kea maybe the third best player in the ACC. With Watts, Koenen, Bennett and the powerful Bailey in the middle, they will be a very tough "out" for whoever faces them. Plus, they have wins over Notre Dame, Clemson and split with NC St.
They finish at Duke and should get Wednesday off in Greensboro also.
Let's face it. The ACC has nine, maybe ten teams all worthy of NCAA bids. they probably won't get that many in, but the ACC is the toughest conference in WBB.
Hey, Paulie! Hope you and Sonya had great birthdays!
Blue Lou
Let's hope the Canes get the #4 seed in Greensboro and have to face Notre Dame potentially on Saturday. OR, BETTER YET, GET KNOCKED OUT BEFORE THEN. Bassy and them Ibuses are blue collar and aren't afraid of anyone.
DeletePaulie
My prediction - assuming Louisville or Notre Dame wins ACC tournament, winner goes to Chicago as a #1 seed. Loser ends up a #2 seed in Portland. The four #1 seeds are Baylor, UConn, Oregon and winner of ND/Lou. Hebard is back for Oregon, and assuming Oregon wins out I think the committee will not penalize them too much for those losses while she was out. If Oregon ends up as a #2 it will most certainly be in Portland.
ReplyDeletePaulie, I meant to ask you yesterday - what were those T-shirts that the team wore during warmups and on the bench? I didn't recognize the logo.
I forgot to ask Walz and I honestly don't know, Mike. I'll see if I can find out Thursday night.
DeletePaulie
I want to be the best. Bring on whoever.
ReplyDeleteGo Cards beat State on senior night Go Sammi Jean ,AD & AC Let's send them off right with a win.
ReplyDelete