At 5-4, is this a rebuilding year for Louisville WBB?-- Monday Cardinal Couple

 

LOSS INDICATES PLENTY OF WORK NEEDED FOR CARDS WBB AFTER 85-52 LOSS TO UCONN. 

Maybe the good thing about the loss to UConn Saturday night in Brooklyn is that it was a late game and a lot of Cardinas fans had already gone to bed or were coming home from a huge  epic battle and win for in the KFC YUM! Center with UNI for the VolleyCards in NCAA Tournament action. .

The UConn vs. Louisville game shaped up to be a game where the real question was how long could this fairly young and inexperienced Cardinals squad could compete with the #2 Huskies and Bueckers, Fudd, Strong and the rest of the talented Huskies. And, the answer was...not too long. When I got to the TV , after completing media duties for volleyball, it was already 8-2 UConn. 

The ball just wasn't going in the hoop for the Cards early and UConn was making swiss cheese of the Louisville defense, soaring out to a 28-10 first quarter lead and holding Lousville to  23.5% shooting in the first ten and the Cards had a poor 0-6 three point effort  The Cards defense was non-existant and it was painful to watch on TV. 

And, Louisville did a half decent job on Bueckers. Imagine how bad this one could have been if she had been sinking shots per her usual efforts. . 

Youth was not served Saturday night. Instead, it was placed into the corner and told there was no room for them tonight...if it was in Cardinal white. Several fans I know finally turned it off. Maybe Shark was the right name for this tournament,  the Cards certainly  were shark bait for the killer UConn squad that ruled Brooklyn Saturday night. 

Only one of the returning Cards from last year were in double figures for UofL WBB.  Jayda Curry is tied with freshman Taj Roberts as Cards WBB's leading scorer at 12.0 a game. Curry, a senior, in her second season with the Cards after transferring from California, 

So, these next three games for Lousville could mean a lot. Grambling State and NC State come to Louisville...then a trip to Memphis to play the Tigers. The Cards should be able to handle Grambling State, will probably get thumped by NC State and who knows about the trip to Memphis?  The Tigers are 2-6 on the season so far and on a five game losing streak . 

If it is to be a rebuilding season, and all early indications show that is it is...I'd like to see the Cards getting more playing time for the ones that will suit up in the 2025-26 season. Isla Jufferman looks like she could be a force in the middle, but needs a little more quickness. time on the court and less fear in crashing the boards. Elif Istanbulloglu  needs to be on the court more. too. That European experience and the strong style she demostrated in just 16 minutes a game is encouraging. Freshmen Taj Roberts and Mackenly Randolph at starting guards is about what one would expect from freshmen, but it is good that they are seeing a lot of action agains a killer schedule. Nyla Harris returns next year , too, and could be a key force if she can bond and be a leader for these young players.   

In this age of NIL searching and players jumping from school to school like frogs by a pond, one might hope that these Cards that will be back next year as Cards. 

I haven't totally given up on this season, I do think Louisville WBB could be good enough to be an NCAA Tournament team, but the ACC is looking to be a real beast this season, and the Cards will have to have these freshmen grow up really fast. It can be done, and Walz and his staff can give them all the tools they need for success. 

The question is...will the players learn them and use them?.

paulie

.