WBB secures victory over Miami 71-57 -- SB at UCF -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FRIDAYS WITH DARYL



Hello and happy Friday readers. I can't believe we are nearing the end of another WBB regular season. I want to start by giving a huge thanks to Paul for the opportunity to cover one of my favorite squads.  It was my last night on media row for the 2022-23 season but I should make it in the stands for Sunday's rematch with the Irish and Senior Day

 

Paulie celebrated another 30th birthday on Wednesday and Sonya celebrates hers today so lets give a shout out to the original Cardinal Couple on their celebrations this week. He even gave Kasa Robinson one of the cupcakes I brought him.  

I always think of things I should've said to players when I'm standing there but I guess I can say them here and hope she sees it.  I wish I would've thanked Kasa.  For several things.. one being the night she just had vs the Hurricanes.  Robinson has established her role as a Louisville leader from start to finish.   She came out of the gate swinging against Miami, securing rebounds and generously distributing the ball.  If there is a loose ball in the area, you bet Mykasa is diving for it.  Her ability to drive to the basket and out-tough the defense for the up and in has erupted this season. 

For so long the national narrative for Robinson has been 'She gives you everything that doesn't show up in the stat sheet' but here we are witnessing those numbers showing up on the stat sheet.  #5 has given me some of my most jaw dropping reactions in Cardinals WBB memory.   

I stand for Mykasa Robinson and a ACC Defensive Player of the Year award. 

WBB

Louisville got a quality win against Miami on Thursday night, 71-57 in front of more than 8,000 fans. This was a must win for Louisville to remain in control of their post season destiny as Miami and UofL are both battling for 3rd place in the ACC. Hailey Van Lith led for the Cards with 25 points 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Mykasa Robinson and Liz Dixon were huge contributors to this victory as well. Dixon had 13 points and 10 rebounds while Kasa had a season high 12 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. As a team, the Cards only turned the ball over 13 times.

recap

End of 1Q 18-15 Cards


FG %
7 -14 50% Cards
6-14 42.9% Miami
Reb. 9-7 Cards
3-pt %
3-4 75% Cards
1-4 25% Miami

At this point, the starting lineup is the starting lineup and doesn't need really need to be commented on. Walz has found what works and he's sticking to it heading into the final stretch. Liz Dixon scored first on the jumper, HVL hit a 3 on the assist from Kasa for a 5-2 Cardinals lead.  HVL hit another 3... this time from Olivia to make it 8-4.  Jones tried to get going with just under 5 min in the first quarter but her shot went in and out and Liz Dixon cleaned it up for the put back, Cards up 10-8.  Miami responded hitting the 3 pointer to take the lead 11-10 before Olivia was fouled and we took the first media timeout. She made 1-2 at the line to tie it 11 all.   Chrislyn 'The Carr' got started to hit the 3 and put the Cards back up 14-13. With the Cards up 18-15, time winding down in the quarter and both teams trying to establish a rhythm, a loose ball under the basket was dove for by who other than Kasa Robinson. Who secured the possession for UofL.  Paul and I decided her gameday presence as a defensive shark. When she smells blood in the water, she's going to swarm.  


End of 2Q 18-12  Cards

FG %
6-17 35.3% Cards
4-13 30.8% Miami
Reb. 12-8 Cards
3-pt %
1-6 16.7% Cards
2-4 50% Miami

Miami hit a 3 to open the second quarter and tie it 18 all before it started to look like they were going to have their way, going on a 6-0 run over 2 minutes before the Cards said "Not so fast" and went on a run of their own 12-0 over 4:30 minutes to give UofL the 30-24 lead.   HVL hit her third 3 pointer to put the Cards up by 10, 34-24 with a minute left in the half.  Van Lith had 8 points in the quarter while Robinson and Dixon both had 4 rebounds. Cards shot 42% in the first half while allowing the Hurricanes to shoot 37% from the field. Cards outrebounded Miami 21-15, Dixon leading with 7.



HALF 36-27



End of 3Q 23-21

FG %
9-15 60% Cards
8-15 53.3% Miami
Reb. 10-5 Miami
3-pt %
2-5 40% Cards
3-7 42.9% Miami

Louisville opened the quarter with a bucket by Jones, assist by Robinson. But the Cards went cold for more than 2:30 minutes before Jones hit another jumper to push it back to a 10 point lead for the Cards. #14 Haley Cavinder for Miami really started to warm up for the Hurricanes scoring 11 points in the quarter with 4-6 shooting and 3-4 from 3 point land. At this point, the Cards were up by 14, but it definitely didn't feel safe.   And, just as I was mentioning it to Paulie, the Hurricanes put up 4 quick points. Not to be out done, Walz calls Josie Williams' number to come in and create an offensive spark, she drains an open 3 and gets open under the basket to give UofL a 5-0 run and go up 59-47.


End of 4Q 12-10 Cards

FG %
6-16 37.5% Cards
4-12 33.3% Miami
Reb. 11-7 Cards
3-pt %
0-3 0% Cards
1-6 16.7% Miami

Louisville opens the 4th quarter looking to control the clock and keep the lead while Miami is looking for a last ditch effort to steal a win at the Yum! Center.   'Next level Kasa' drives the lane and powers through the defense to score and put the Cards up 63-51 with 6:30 left in the game. At this point in the game, it really did appear that the Hurricanes had run out of gas. Louisville was winded, no doubt, as it was a fast paced contest but Miami had given it all they could.  UofL controlled the possessions for the final few minutes and the Hurricanes backed off.   The crowd rocked the house in victory. 

Cards win!!!  71-57

UP NEXT

Louisville vs Notre Dame

Sunday 2/26  12:00PM

KFC Yum! Center 

Lets get 15,000 out there Sunday for SENIOR DAY AND PAYBACK!!!! 

Fred Durst is our Fred of the game

FRED REPORT


FREE THROWS -- Cards went 9-14 at the FT line for 64.3%. Nyla Harris struggled going 2-5 and needs to spend some time at the gym. This wasn't her first poor performance at the charity stripe. These missed opportunities could be the difference between moving on and going home. no letter

REBOUNDING -- Louisville out rebounded Miami 37-33. Liz Dixon had an imposing impact on the outcome of the game. I was specifically watching her in the pregame and she was hitting those jumpers and feeling her stride. Dixon had 10 total rebounds, 7 of them on the offensive end. CAPITAL R


EFFORT/EXECUTION -- You could tell the team knew how important this game was for post season implications. HVL came out firing to open the game but Miami was not an easy matchup. Louisville shot 60% in the third quarter but also allowed Miami to shoot better than 53% but the name of the game is to do better than the other team, and UofL did that. CAPITAL E

DEFENSE -- Like I mentioned earlier, we have deemed Kasa the defensive shark. Where there is blood, she will swarm. HVL was the biggest fan for Kasa to be ACC DPOY. Will the powers that be agree? I hope so, it would be an incredible send off for the senior. CAPITAL D



FINAL FRED TALLY:    _R_E_D


THEY SAID IT...

pics by Jared Anderson today

POST GAME JEFF WALZ

KASA ROBINSON AND HAILEY VAN LITH POST GAME

Softball

Louisville at UCF

February 24 7:00PM

ESPN+

About the Knights

Prior to Thursday's DH With Gardner Webb, where the Knights swept them in 6 and 5 innings... UCF Knights was 5-7 on the season losing 5 of their previous 6 matchups.   

On Wednesday, the Knights lost 4-3 walk off loss against Stetson after giving up 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th. Kaitlyn Felton was nearly untouchable throughout the evening, yielding just one first-inning run on two hits before being pulled after a couple walks in the 7th for left-hander Angelina DeVoe to enter and take the loss. She gave up an RBI single on the first pitch, and a third walk in the inning loaded the bases with two outs. Junior right-hander Grace Jewell represented UCF's third pitcher of the inning to try to close out but Stetson plated the tying and winning runs on a fielder's choice at third base after a throw to second ricocheted off the defenders glove.

After opening the weekend with a 8-2 win over  #25 Michigan, the Knights lost to Texas A&M 7-0. UCF fell short in extra innings to #17 Duke and #12 Alabama before closing out the tournament with a 5-4 win over Mississippi State.

    • Chloe Evans leads the team with a .351 batting average, three home runs, five doubles and 12 RBIs.
    • Kaitlyn Felton (2-2) has carried the bulk of the pitching duties, logging 24.2 innings with 28 strikeouts and a 3.16 ERA.

Daisy, Daisy, Daisy ! 

About the Cards

UofL brings a 6-3 record into the weekend following a 2-2 performance in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
• The Cardinals are receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball coaches' poll.
• In Sunday's 2-1 win against Wisconsin, Taylor Roby registered her 42nd career home run, tying UofL's all-time record set by Courtney Moore (2004-07).
• Senior Daisy Hess has reached base via a hit or walk in six straight games while junior Vanessa Miller carries a five-game reached-base streak.
• Senior Elana Ornelas leads the team with a .417 batting average.


Louisville leads the series 4-2 with the Cardinals winning the last meeting 5-3 at UCF on Feb. 9, 2018. 


As always

Go Cards!

~Daryl