Taj Roberts ACC Rookie of the Week...again...--WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 ROBERTS ACC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK FOR 5TH TIME

(Remember this class? Is the current freshman class as good?) 

There is no doubt that the freshmen on the UofL WBB squad have had a major impact on the team's success this season. Imani Berry has delivered a lot of clutch three-pointers, Mac Randolph and Isla Juffermans have been strong in the paint for the Cards. Izela Arenas has provided strong off the bench performances...but the freshman that has drawn the most attention and had the most success has been Tajianna "Taj" Roberts.

Taj leads the Cards in scoring with 13.4 p.p.g. .She was key in the Cards win at FSU with a double-double and her 17 points led the Cards in scoring. She also had 10 rebounds. 

She has scored in double figures 20 times this season in the Cards 25 games, the most of any ACC freshman. A starter on the squad, she averages 30 minutes a game, tops on the squad. 

Roberts is not a showboat, don't ever get that impression of her. She is more the silent assassin who goes to work, gets it done and doesn't bring attention to her with any dramatic acting. That' something Jeff Walz would like to see change. 

"We have great crowds here, and you'll make a great play, and then you'll look like you missed it," Walz said he has told Roberts. "Let the crowd know you're excited because our crowd will get behind you. They want to see that as well. I think she's starting to have more fun with it. It's OK to show emotion and show excitement. And then, I think she's seen how everybody else feeds off of that as well."

Roberts, out of San Diego, CA played her high school basketball at La Jolla (CA) Country Day and the IMG Academy in Florida. She was ranked 24th. in the top 25 list of freshmen incoming this season.

Roberts and the Cardinals will be back in action Thursday night as they go to Durham to take on the No. 11/10 Duke Blue Devils. The Cards and Blue Devils will square off at 7 p.m. ET and it will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Hear Taj, along with Nyla Harris, in this post game presser following the win over Ga.Tech in the clip below

POST GAME WBB VS GT WITH TAJ AND NYLA


A win over Duke, a top ten, Tier 1 team, would be huge for the Cards, as they try to stay in the hunt for a double bye in the ACC Tournament. And certainly, a great performance by the Cards and Roberts in the ACC WBB Tournament would only help their chances for a decent seeding in the tournament that matters...the NCAA. which will be having the Final Four in Tampa , FL this year.

We can only predict that this group of freshmen will continue to get better and better as the season draws to an end. It's like Walz said years ago..."By the time they (freshmen) get to post-season play, they are sophomore...in terms of experience and skills."



The Cards are currently tied for third in ACC WBB standings...Notre Dame is still atop the league and perfect at 14-0 in conference. NC State is 12-2, and North Carolina, Duke and Louisville follow at 11-3.




paulie