WBB cruises to 83-69 victory over #21 FSU -- Softball at Joan Joyce Classic -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FRIDAYS WITH DARYL


Gooood morning readers and Happy Valentines Day to those who celebrate.  It's my husband's busy season at work so he has been looking forward to the end of it.  We've also been battling the germs going around and trying to get back 100% and looking forward to spring time.   

WBB


The Cardinals get a Quad 1 win for their tournament resume heading into the final stretch of the WBB regular season.   Louisville gets a 83-69 win over #21 Florida State to move to 18-7 and 11-3 and 4th in the ACC.

A big night from Nyla Harris going 6-9 from the field for 11 points and 9 rebounds. Jayda Curry was 3-5 from 3 with 17 points 4 rebounds 6 assists Taj Roberts also had 17 points and 10 rebounds and it felt like Olivia had a better night than the stat sheet shows...with 8 pts and 9 rebounds.

Elif Istanbulluoglu had 7 and hit a 3 while Imari Berry had 11 with 7 rebounds and 4 assists.  It was quite the offensive night for the Louisville Cardinals.  

End of 1Q 25-12 Cards


FG %
10-20 50% Cards
4-16 25% FSU
Reb. 13-9 FSU
3-pt %
3-5 60% Cards
0-7 0% FSU


Two turnovers forced by the Cards in the first minute as the offense heated up quickly for UofL out to a 9-2 lead before FSU pushed back to make it a 3 point game, 9-6.   Jayda Curry went 3-3 to start the game to to make it 16-8.



End of 2Q 19-16 Cards


FG %
8-19 42.1% Cards
7-16 43.8% FSU
Reb. 12 all
3-pt %
0-3 0% Cards
1-6 16.7%  FSU

5 fouls were called on the Cards in the first 2:45 of the 2nd quarter, 4 in the first minute.  UofL converted 13 points off 6 turnovers to put them up 35-19 before the Seminoles went on a run making 4-5 field goals to make it 37-26 and Walz called a timeout after the Cards went on a 0-6 shooting slump.  

Berry got the ball away out of the TO and Randolph made a bucket to put the Cards offensive drought to rest. 

FSU finished 1-13 from 3point range... while the Cards shot 46% from the field.

The Seminoles committed 9 turnovers in the half...which the Cards converted for 17 points. Louisville finished 3-3 on shot attempts with Mac Randolph going 1-2 at the line to finish the final 2 minutes of the half.   Louisville held Latson to 9 points in the half.  



HALF 44-28

End of 3Q 24- 19 FSU

FG %
8-16 50% Cards
6-13 46.2% FSU
Reb. 9-8 FSU
3-pt %
3-6 50% Cards
1-2 50% FSU


Cards shot 50% from the field on 5-10 shooting 2-3 from 3 point land while FSU goes blank the first 6ish minutes. The Seminoles were able to get their points at the free throw line going 7-8 where the Cards had zero chances.

Harris and Ja'Leah Williams both pickedup 4 fouls went to the bench.  Olivia records her 1000th career rebound moving her into an exclusive category.

Cards went up 58-42 before FSU goes on an 8-0 run in a minute to make it 58-50 and Walz called a time out . After a few trips down and back on the court, the Cards Roberts converted underneath to push the lead back to 10 points and she hit a 3 to make it 63-52 at the end of the quarter.

While the Cards shot 50% from the field and 3 point range, the Seminoles were able to win the quarter going 11-15 at the free throw line when the Cards had no chances at the charity stripe.

End of 4Q 20-17 Cards

FG %
8-16 50% Cards
6-16 37.5% FSU
Reb. 14-4 Cards
3-pt %
2-3 66.7% Cards
1-5 20% FSU



Cards pushed the lead out to a 70-52 lead before FSU went on a 7-0 run over 2 minutes to make it 70-59.  Curry ended the scoring drought with a floater with 5 minutes left in the game.

FSU was 3-18 from 3 point range with a little under 5 minutes left in the game.

Harris with the money shot to make it a 76-62 lead and the Cards had made 5 of their previous 7 shots. Roberts hit the 3 pointer to make it  81-64 with 2 minutes left in the game as the Cards find a way to run out the clock and leave Tallahassee with a win.

83-69 Final

UP NEXT

Louisville vs #13 Duke

Next Thursday 2/20

7 p.m. ESPN2

FRED REPORT

Frederick Douglass

FREE THROWS --  Louisville went 7-11 at the free throw line which is good for 63%.   The Seminoles had 15 extra FT attempts in the game.   The Cards were able to make some big buckets while FSU's scoring opportunities were coming at the line.   no letter because it doesn't meet the mandated mark of 70%.

REBOUNDING --  The Cards outrebounded FSU 47-34 getting a huge night from Taj Roberts, Olivia Cochran and Nyla Harris with 10, 9 and 9 respectively.  Imari Berry also pulled down 7 rebounds. CAPITAL R


EFFORT/EXECUTION --  The Cardinals came out swinging and did not relinquish the lead despite a few scoring runs the Seminoles went on.  UofL only lost the 3rd quarter when they still shot 50% from the field and 3 point range.   FSU had 11 points come from the FT line in the quarter.   CAPITAL E 
 
DEFENSE --  UofL held FSU to 15% from 3 point land in the game and the Seminoles leading scorer scoreless from beyond the arc.  As a team, the Cards had 8 steals and 22 points off turnovers.  CAPITAL D

FINAL FRED TALLY:   -_R_E_D

Post game Jeff Walz link:  HERE


SOFTBALL

Photo: Jared Anderson

Louisville enters the FAU tournament with a record of 3-2

The Cards will open the weekend with a double header with Villanova and Minnesota on Friday and Minnesota on Saturday and Purdue and Florida Atlantic on Sunday afternoon.  

Vs Villanova

Louisville leads the series 16-3
Last Meeting: 3/1/24- Villanova won 6-4

Villanova holds a 2-3 record starting its 2025 campaign at the Aggie Classic in College Station, Texas. The Wildcats beat Utah State and Abilene Christian to start the year and lost to Purdue, #19 Baylor, and #8 Texas A&M. 

Lilly St. Jean was dominant in the first three games at FAU with four hits in just six plate appearances on day one. 

Sophomore Maranda Runco led the league in batting average en route to a BIG EAST Player of the Week nod.  Villanova's starting designated player racked up a .583 average with seven hits across five games, 

Dual-threat option Kelsey White, an outfielder/pitcher has been a major contributor both in the circle and at the plate throughout her four-year career. opening weekend with six hits, six runs and eight RBI. The Massachusetts native belted three of VU's four home runs, slugging 1.133 on the weekend and adding two doubles, a single and a pair of walks.

Villanova has been picked to win the Big East this year in the Big East preseason poll. 


Vs Minnesota

Series History: Tied 6-6
Last Meeting: 2/7/15 – Minnesota won 4-2 at the UNLV Sportco Kick-Off Classic Scouting the Golden Gophers: Minnesota began its season at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe. Arizona where they went 1-3. Minnesota beat Miami (OH) and took two losses against Utah and also fell to California.
Last weekend, Minnesota's Nani Valencia hit .500, slugged .917, and had an OB% of .571. She amassed 6 hits in 12 ABs and scored 6 runs while driving in 2. Freshman Tinley Easton started 2 games over the weekend and hit a Grand Slam in her first collegiate plate appearance. 5 Gophers hit over .300 for the weekend. Presley Hosick led the 'U' in the circle going 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA. Highlighted by a 127 pitch, 9 strikeout complete game in the Gophers' win over Miami(OH). 

The tournament, in Boca Raton, will be on shown on FLO Softball..it is a "pay for" site...

As always

Go Cards!
~Daryl