Bears hunting Deines? -- Sunday Cardinal Couple

DEINES FUTURE UNCERTAIN AS WE ROLL INTO JUNE

The transfer process. It can be a tricky thing. When Megan Deines' name popped up as a transfer possibility/probability/seen on (fill in your choice campus) with (fill in your name choice)...the general consensus was this:

If she wants a year of significant playing time somewhere, then a transfer would be a logical choice. A mid-major seemed logical as well. 

We've heard Kansas State and Nebraska mentioned as possibilities. A buddy who knows very little about her or the program speculated that she might stay close to the Louisville area and go to Bellarmine or NKU. Maybe even WKU. We're not buying that hypothesis...even with your money. 

Deines has had an interesting career at UofL in three years. She started 15 games in 2012-13. Averaged 4.9 points on a team that went to the NCAA final game and a team that beat Baylor. She also hit 20 of 65 threes that year. She 2013-14 campaign dropped off..just 1 start in 33 games. 3.2 ppg average and was 5 for 23 from beyond the arc. Last season? She played in 24 games, no starts. She missed nine straight with an ankle injury. 

She is a Missouri girl, however (Glendale)...and the speculation arose that she might be interested (or vice versa) in a Missouri school. Here's an interesting piece from a Missouri State blogger that speculates on the possibilities of Deines and Missouri State:   

I've been asked numerous times if I thought that Kellie Harper and Missouri State would look to go the transfer route, specifically with high-profile area products such as Megan Deines (Glendale-Louisville), Michaela and Moriah Dapprich (Branson-Wichita State), and Kyndal Clark (Webb City-Drake) all announcing their decision to leave their current institutions within the last two weeks.

In short, the answer is no.

If we entertain the idea, assuming there is mutual interest from both sides and roster spots available, there wouldn't be a possibility of the Dapprichs or Clark coming to Springfield, as it is virtually impossible to transfer within the conference.

While the idea of an Ozarks return is nice and while we can certainly agree that the previous regime dropped the ball by not offering any of the three players, the chances of seeing them in maroon and white are about as likely as it is for me to stop binge eating Insomnia Cookies and Andy's.

Deines is  a different conversation.

Assuming that Missouri State and Louisville don't continue the current trend of playing every other year as they have in 2011-12 and 2013-14, Deines would likely be a viable option.

After sitting out a year, Deines would slide nicely in the spot vacated by Kenzie Williams, forming what could be the Valley's most dynamic backcourt in two years with Liza Fruendt and Riley Rose.

But, is it really necessary?

So....for the time being...she stays on the UofL roster until she heads elsewhere or decides maybe being a reserve on a top ten WBB team may not be such a bad gig after all.

paulie
xxxxx

Jude book signing in Louisville -- Wednesday Cardinal Couple

JUDE TO SIGN HER BOOK IN LOUISVILLE

By now... the vast majority of the readers of our fair site here at Cardinal Couple know that Jude Schimmel has written a book.

She'll be signing that book Sunday April 19th. here in the "Ville" at Cardinal Hall of Fame Cafe from 6:30-8:00 p.m.

That would be the restaurant on the corner of Crittenden Drive and Central Ave. The place that never "comps" us but is a UofL mecca. Burgers that rank the best in the city.


We've sent out feelers and agreed to more coverage on the auspicious event...welcomed Jude to provide us more details through her handlers and interested parties...so further information is pending. We'd love to fete it megaforce. We'll see if our fork in the media pie warrants further "helpings". 

We'll buy a copy, read it from cover-to-cover and recommend it to all...what she embodied to the program and her story can never be duplicated. 

She'll always be "22" and the jersey should be retired.

To learn more about the book and order it, go to the link below...

www.judeschimmel.com

More info to follow, hopefully.



paulie
xxxxx

The dynasty of dance...Sara, Bria and Jude...No radio today...--Saturday CARDINAL COUPLE

UOFL LADYBIRDS DANCE TEAM, CHEER SQUAD TAKE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

As my esteemed (or steamed) colleague Worldwide pointed out to me recently, when dynasties in sports are mentioned...we should always take a look at what the UofL Dance Squad aka "The LadyBirds" have done.

They just won their 13th title in college dance team competition at Daytona Beach. 

Thirteen. That's more than Geno, UK, or Phil Jackson. 

Under the direction of Todd Sharp and Sheryl Knight, the squad is the epitome of title holders. Performing at UofL Athletic events...yes, we all watch spellbound when the LadyBirds take the floor or field. They are involved in a myriad of other activities as well. Visits to hospitals, holiday shopping trips with underprivileged childrens and many other civic and social functions in our community. 

Dazzling in dance, dedicated to community development and distributing high marks in the academic world...they practice as hard and dedicate themselves to the Louisville experience just as fully as a Sara Hammond, Katie George or Kaylin Morissette. 


"L's up" for the Ladybirds and also the UofL All-Girl Cheer Squad...who also took first place in Daytona Beach.

Check the LadyBirds out at the link below:



LADYBIRDS PERFORM IN KFC YUM! CENTER  

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

SARA, BRIA, JUDE GETTING WNBA MENTION

DraftSite.com is a site that tracks and prognosticates on who will be names called at the WNBA Draft on April 16th in the Mohegan Sun Arena. They update the site almost every day, from what I understand. Thanks to a reader comment the other day, we know now that Sara Hammond, Jude Schimmel and Bria Smith are getting some attention and looks as potential WNBA players. 

Draftsite has Sara Hammond projected as the first pick in the third round and headed to Tulsa. Pick 32 in the third round is Bria Smith by Washington. The last pick (#36) is Jude Schimmel and Phoenix the destination. 

Very impressive for three Cards again this year to be getting mention after three last year were drafted. Asia Taylor was the last pick last year by the Minnesota Lynx and made the team. 

Other projections of interest:

-WKU's Chastity Gooch is #34 and projected to Atlanta.

-Ally Malott (the Dayton Destroyer) is #7 and LA is the guess

-Reshanda Gray and Brittany Boyd, the two Cal players that could never beat the Cards, are in the top 12.

-The top three projections? Jewell Loyd, Amanda Zahui B and Kaleena Mosqueda Lewis.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

HEY, MA...IS THE RADIO BROKE? 


There will be no CARDINAL COUPLE HOUR broadcast on WCHQ 100.9 FM or on the internet today.

Crescent Hill Radio is broadcasting the Mighty Kindness Festival live from the Waterfront so we got bumped. 

Play us or trade us.

(just kidding...we are happy to be associated with CHR. Paulie and Sonja may even wander down there today and check out the all-day music fest by the Ohio River)

paulie
xxxxx

Ariana Freeman transferring...Softball falls in extra innings -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

ARIANA FREEMAN LEAVING LOUISVILLE


CARDINAL COUPLE has confirmed that freshman Ariana Freeman will be transferring from Louisville's women's basketball team. 

Freeman, a 5'9" guard from Manassas, VA, played in 19 games for Louisville in the 2014-15 season. She averaged 0.8 ppg in 98 minutes. Freeman scored 16 points and grabbed 23 rebounds for Louisville. She shot 26% from the floor (5-19) and 54% from the charity stripe (6-11).

Freeman is seeking an opportunity for more playing time and her move makes sense to us here at CARDINAL COUPLE. 

Usually the last off the bench and primarily relegated to mop-up minutes...Freeman nevertheless displayed good defensive abilities and passing skills and should be a good fit at a school elsewhere than Louisville...where the current and incoming players had more advanced skill sets. 

We wish her the best in her future career and hope she finds and succeeds in getting the playing time she seeks. 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

SOFTBALL FALLS IN EXTRA INNINGS TO VT

Louisville Softball takes their second conference loss of the season on a no-out, 2 RBI home run in the bottom of the ninth inning last night in Blacksburg, VA to the Virginia Tech Hokies by the score 4-2. 

The Cards took an early lead in the top of the third when Kelsi Jones singled and came home when the Gobblers made two errors on a Whitney Arion at-bat. 

This one went back and forth, one run at a time...Louisville leading 2-1 in the sixth after Kayla Soles doubled home Hailey Smith. The Hokies responded by filling the bags with no outs in the seventh but were only able to push the tying run across the plate. 

A leadoff triple and subsequent home run by VT ended this one in the bottom of the ninth. 

Shelby McCombs takes the loss after two innings of relief to go to 8-3 on the year. The Cards are now 22-10 on the season and 11-2 in the ACC. The teams will get together today for a doubleheader beginning at noon.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

LACROSSE HOSTS #2 UNC TODAY

#10 Louisville Lacrosse hosts #2 North Carolina today at 1 p.m. at the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium. It'll be the first meeting ever between the two schools in Lacrosse.


The Tar Heels (10-2, 3-1) enter the match after wins over Va. tech and Notre Dame last week. 

Louisville (9-3, 1-2) defeated American last week 20-6 in Washington, D.C. The Cards got six goals from Cortnee Daley in the win. Faye Brust and Hannah Kolowski added five scores each. 

It is Louisville's first home game since March 18th....the Cards going 3-1 on the road with appearances at Virginia Tech, Longwood, Northwestern and American. 

An Easter egg hunt, bouncy castle and player autographs are planned as part of the festivities. Probably not during the match...although it might be jolly good fun to see a draw control inside the bouncy castle...

Cardinal Couple will be there for the action and to gather post-game comments and reactions. 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO TODAY! 

Prior to the Lacrosse game, we'll be in the Crescent Hill Studios for another edition of CARDINAL COUPLE Radio Hour

We'll do our Louisville WBB wrap-up and breakdown of the season and also discuss softball and lacrosse. We expect a full house for this one...so tune in to WCHQ 100.9 FM or stream the show at www.crescenthillradio.com at 11 a.m. this morning. Crescent Hill Radio will also be broadcasting the Crescent Hill Frankfort Avenue Easter Parade after our show...so be sure to stay tuned for that!  


We'll also hide Easter eggs around the studio for Sam to find and then crash the parade broadcast, commandeer the microphone and throw eggs at the participants...especially Don Paulie...when he rides by on his float filled with chimps and "associates". 

Join Paulie, Worldwide and Sam 'the dry weather' radio intern as we discuss the joy and excitement of UofL women's athletics! Internet link below:

WORLDWIDE WEARS HIS BUNNY PAJAMAS FOR THE SHOW !!

paulie
xxxxx

NO FOOLIN'... IT'S APRIL -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDINAL COUPLE PARODY

It has become a tradition here at CARDINAL COUPLE to present an April Fool's Parody column each year. Some years, we have gotten a bit of flack over this because readers did not read this disclaimer we have posted below:


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>The first article in today's column IS A  PARODY. The articles below the parody are not parodies. We hope you'll bear with our sophomoric humor on April Fools' Day for a few paragraphs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

CARDS LEAVING ACC FOR BIG 12

In a surprising move, the University of Louisville announced late last night that they will be leaving the ACC after one year of membership and joining the BIG 12 Conference. Since most of the UofL Athletic staff is at a post-basketball season luau and monster-truck fest on Sanibel Island to celebrate spring break...unauthorized spokesman Timmy the Intern released the following statement he swears he got from an influential University official: 

" The University of Louisville is pleased to announced that they will become one of two new members of the BIG 12 Conference. This move will take place August 1st, so that we can get our football schedule changed in time and Petrino won't throw a diva tantrum. We will be bringing cross-town institute of higher knowledge Bellarmine University with us...so we'll have at least one away game that isn't 1000 miles away. 

I have spent long hours wondering...actually lost sleep over the fact that the BIG 12 has only 10 members. The math didn't work out for me...so I called Muggsey over at BU on the hill and said..."Hey, let's do something crazy, let's join the BIG 12!"



We met over at Shenanigan's, hoisted a few and it was a done deal. BU is going to have to get a football team together pretty quickly, but that's small potatoes...we're BIG 12 now, baby!

I kind of like this "difference conference each year" scenario. I get new shirts with different logos. I called my buddy Charlie in Austin to break the good news and he darn near choked on a beef barbeque rib. Yeah, we're gonna have to switch a few sports around...we'll be dumping lacrosse, field hockey and rowing...but we'll be adding riding, roping and shooting! It's the cowboy way.

Most of the coaches I've told this to have asked me if I have gone @@#$%&*! crazy. I thought Pitino was gonna throw me off that second floor balcony he has over there at his palace. Walz is fine with it. He sheds Notre Dame and Florida State..who he can't beat anyway...and adds his old pals Kim Mulkey and Sheri Coale into the mix. Walz doesn't care who he plays anyway...as long as they don't wear blue and have a snarlin' Wildcat on their jersey. 

BIG 12, here we come. Saddle up, buckaroos! "

( THIS ARTICLE ABOVE IS A APRIL FOOL'S PARODY. NEITHER LOUISVILLE NOR BELLARMINE ARE JOINING THE BIG 12.  THE REGULAR CARDINAL COUPLE COLUMN IS BELOW) 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

CARDS DOWN AMERICAN 20-6 IN LACROSSE

Louisville got a season high six goals from Cortnee Daley and scored the first seven goals in a rout of American University yesterday in Washington D.C. 20-6.

The Cards got the party started early in typical quick-scoring fashion when Daley got an assist and fed Faye Brust for a score just 30 seconds into the contest. The Cards scored six more times over the next 12 minutes and took a 14-3 lead into the locker room at halftime. 

The Cards also scored the first two goals of the final half and won going away...freshman Jillian Balog tallied her first two scores of the season in the final 90 seconds of play. 

Things get a bit tougher for the LAX girls next. #2 UNC comes to the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium for a 1 p.m. Saturday draw. 

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

SOFTBALL FACES UK TONIGHT

The #13 UK Wildcats come to Ulmer Stadium tonight for a 6 p.m. game against the Cardinal Softball squad. 

UK comes in after knocking off previous #1 LSU twice in a three game weekend matchup. The Cards are riding a six game winning streak.

Free "Red Out" T-Shirts to the first 250 fans and Louisville softball trading Cards will be given out also.

(I'll trade my Kayla Soles and toss in Jordan McNary for your Maryssa Becker...)

Louisville leads the overall series 18-16, but UK has won the last three meetings. 

Admission is $5 for this one...but the outfield berm is free as usual. It's supposed to be a beautiful spring evening, join us at the ol' ballpark and cheer on Pearsall's Pulverizers! 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

MOORE HONORED WITH AP ALL-AMERICAN HONORABLE MENTION

Freshman Mariya Moore has picked up another basketball platitude...being selected to the Associated Press All-American selections as an honorable mention. She is one of only five true freshmen to receive this recognition this year. 

Moore was previously named to the Blue Ribbon and Coaches' All-ACC second team and the freshman team. 

Moore had 25 games this season with double-figure point production and led the Cards in scoring with 13.4 points per game. She'll have an active summer as well, rejoining her teammates on the 2015 FIBA U-19 squad as they pursue the World Championships in Chekhov, Russia from July 18-26.

Louisville seniors Sara Hammond, Bria Smith and Shawnta' Dyer will also be doing a bit of travelling....headed to Tampa, FL to participate in a international travelling team combine that will tour Asia.  

paulie
xxxxx

Sports Continue On -- Tuesday Cardinal Couple

Sports Continue On

Cardnation is smarting after two basketball losses over the weekend, but there is plenty of UofL sports to still be enjoyed this year. Both teams had incredible seasons despite the sad endings and it only fuels our enthusiasm for the 2015-16 season. Go Cards! In victory or defeat, these are our teams...

Softball

I have to be honest, while Coach Sandy Pearsall claims not to have expectations for the level of achievement of her team at this point in the season, I did, and they didn't include sitting on top of the ACC conference standings (tied with Florida State).  To be fair, with the exception of North Carolina, the conference matchups that the Cards have seen so far basically constitute the bottom third of the ACC rankings.  North Carolina, however, is sitting in 3rd place, immediately behind the Cards and Seminoles.

One of the main tests for the Ulmer-dwellers comes this week as UK comes to play Wednesday.  The Cats bring a 23-9 record with them, but only sporting a 3-6 record in the ever-impressive Softball SEC softball standings.  The Cards will make the return trip to Lexington on the 21st.

The other real test looming for these batters is the Florida State visit on April 11th-13th.

The winter weather has broken, and I can say with certainty that afternoons at Ulmer are, barring rain, an absolutely wonderful way to relax for a couple of hours.  Most contests don't have any admission costs, but do be aware that the UK game this Wed. does carry a $5 ticket price, though sitting on the outfield berm remains free of charge.

Lacrosse

The Lacrosse team continues to be stuck in 10th place in the national rankings and are tied with Syracuse for 5th place in the ACC with a 1-2 conference record.  Overall, the Louisville Laxers are sporting an 8-3 record.

They tangle with American this afternoon at 2 o'clock in Washington DC.  The Eagles bring in an 8-3 overall record, 1-3 in the Patriot League.  The fast scoring Cardinals hope to get another win tucked into their belt before returning to Floyd Street to welcome 2nd ranked North Carolina (3rd in the ACC) to town for what looks to be one of the toughest tests of Kellie Young's squad this year.  The cards are coming off another narrow and very competitive loss at what was then 4th-ranked Northwestern (they fell to 6th after beating us and losing to top-of-the-leaderboard Maryland...I still don't get where these ranking movements are coming from).

By the end of the season, UofL will have played 6 of the other 9 teams ranked in the top-10 right now, skipping only Maryland, and 8th and 9th ranked Florida and Stony Brook.  The rest of the top 10 are filled out with conference foes North Carolina, Boston College, Virginia, Duke and Syracuse, as well as the aforementioned Northwestern.  The Cards will also finish the regular season with a game at currently 17th place Notre Dame.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

So don't give up on Cardinal Athletics for the year, there is plenty more sports to be played, and with Spring making its long-awaited debut, its a great time of year to be a Card fan.

I'll see you on Floyd Street!

Basketball

OK, if you really must have some basketball news.

Three of the freshmen for the coming year are in Chicago in preparation for the McDonald's All-American game.  Sam Fuerhing, Taja Cole, and Asia Durr are all participating in the all-star game, but Cole and Durr were also tabbed to compete in the 3rd point shooting competition last night. Durr also participated in the skills competition.

You wanted some outside shooting, it looks like you're going to get it.  Asia Durr scored 16 points, including all of the 2 point bonus balls in her final round, to win the 3-point competition.

jmca

Cardinal Couple Pick 'Em Contest

The four teams headed to Tampa are UConn, Maryland, South Carolina and Notre Dame. They were all #1 seeds.

With three games left to play...here's how the leader board looks:

49-11   Sonja, Charlie McAdams and K. Starks

- Sonja and Charlie both have UConn and Notre Dame advancing to the final game. They also have UConn winning.
K. Starks has Notre Dame and UConn advancing...with the Irish winning. If Charlie and Sonja end up in a tie, we'll go to a points scored decision. Charlie predicts 135 points will be scored in the final. Sonja says 112. If Sonja wins, she has already stated she'll give the $25 Cracker Barrel gift card to the runner-up. Hope you like dining out, Charlie...

48-12    Kenny S. and Curtis F. 

- Kenny S. has UConn and Notre Dame advancing to the final game with UConn winning. Curtis F. could be the spoiler here..with Maryland and South Carolina advancing and South Carolina cutting down the nets. 

Several possibilities...three games away from a title. Does Curtis rally to get his second title as "King of the Bracket Pick 'Em" here? Can Charlie or Sonja take first ever titles? 

Close but no cigar to the (6) entries that are 47-12. Who do you think will take the crown? 

paulie
xxxxx

Softball sinks Syracuse...Lacrosse falls to #4 Northwestern -- Monday Cardinal Couple

SANABRIA HITS TWO HOME RUNS IN UofL WIN

The Louisville Cardinals softball team engaged in another slugfest against Syracuse Sunday at Ulmer Stadium and swept the series against the Orange with a 13-7 win. 

With the victory, Louisville remains atop the ACC Conference...tied with FSU at 11-1 in conference play. The Cards are 22-8 on the season.

Louisville jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the second inning...Sanabria delivering a two-run blast off the scoreboard and Jordan McNary circling the bases for an inside-the-park homer off a deep shot to center. 


The Cards pushed it to 4-0 in the fourth and looked to be in good shape until Syracuse chased starter Maryssa Becker with seven runs in the bottom of the fourth to grab a three run lead. 

Shelby McCombs came in for relief duties and held the 'Cuse scoreless the rest of the way. Louisville got closer in the sixth with two runs and blew past the Orange with seven runs in the seventh...a two-RBI double from Kayla Soles being the big hit of the inning. 

The Cards will host Kentucky next...a Wednesday single game at 6 p.m.  Admission will be $5 for this one.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

LAX FALLS SHORT IN NORTHWESTERN GAME


Louisville Lacrosse suffered their third loss of the season on the road at Evanston, IL. to #4 Northwestern 12-10. Louisville also lost to the Wildcats in the second round of the NCAA last year. 

The Cards fell behind 1-0 before Faye Brust collected three straight goals...the hat trick being performed in a 2:30 stretch in the first half...to give UofL a two goal edge. 

Northwestern responded with six straight goals before Carissa Corbett could tally again for UofL. NU tacked one more score in the remainder of the half to lead 8-4 after thirty minutes. 


Northwestern and Louisville played fairly evenly for most of the final half...the Wildcats leading 12-7 late before the Cards came at them with a furious rally to cut the margin to 12-10 before time ran out on Kellie Young's squad. 

Lacrosse heads to our nation's capitol next to face American on Tuesday. The #10 Cards (8-3) have only lost to squads ranked in the top five of the NCAA this season. 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

BOTH UofL BASKETBALL TEAMS DONE FOR THE SEASON NOW

A heartbreaking loss for the UofL men's basketball squad yesterday in Syracuse to Michigan St. 76-70 in overtime. Louisville squandered a eight point half time lead to Tom Izzo's Spartan squad due to atrocious shooting but managed to find themselves on the free throw line with less than five seconds remaining in regulation with a chance to take the lead. 

Mangkok Mathiang sunk the first free throw (after a high bounce, roll and drop) but the second bounced free and the Spartans missed a buzzer-beater to send it to OT. Louisville never led in the overtime. 

The season is now over for both Pitino and Walz's squads. The underclassmen go back to work almost immediately for next year, though, it seems...Sam Purcell tweeting out that the first practice of the 2015-16 season went well yesterday. 


We've had great fun covering the Cards hoops this season and will keep abreast of the progress of the team as they get ready for action in Louisville's second season in the ACC.

In the meantime, there are softball home runs to keep track of, lacrosse sticks to watch in action and other sports that the UofL women's teams will participate and train in. We'll keep you posted on all the Cardinal women's squads' activities here at the fan voice for UofL women's sports. 

Don't forget to follow us each day and also on the radio at WCHQ 100.9 FM for the best in Louisville women's sports. 

paulie
xxxxx

Dayton Flyers ground Cards 82-66 -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

13-0 Flyer run in second half sends Cinderella to Great Eight, Cards home.

It is often said that defense and rebounding wins game. Shooting the ball well is a third caveat that can be added as well... and the Louisville WBB squad had a tough time of that in their 82-66 loss to #7 seed Dayton in the NCAA Regionals Saturday afternoon in Albany, NY.

Louisville shot 31.5% (23-73) against UD in 40 minutes while their counterparts put up twenty less shots and made four more than the Cards (27-53) to register 51% from the floor. 

Louisville also went a dismal 1-15 from the three point range in a contest that had a series of runs.


The Cards trailed 7-2 in the early going before a few substitutions paid off and spurred Louisville to a 16-4 run that gave then a 18-11 lead. Myisha Hines-Allen was riding the pines with two early fouls...but Shawnta' Dyer and Bria Smith were handling the offensive for Jeff Walz's crew. 

Dayton roared back. They outscored Louisville 19-11, including a 12-0 run, the rest of the twenty minutes to take a 30-29 halftime lead. 

The Flyers continued finding offense to begin the second half and went on a 15-8 run to lead 45-37 in the first six minutes of the half. Myisha Hines-Allen, who didn't start the second half, came in and was hitting...getting the Cards back into the came. All of her team high 14 points came in the final twenty minutes. 

Hines-Allen helped spur the Cards back into contention...her layup with less than nine minutes to go drew Louisville within two at 55-53. Just when it seemed the Cards were rolling and ready to roar past the Flyers...two things happened:

First, Hines-Allen picked up her fourth foul and went to the bench. 

Next...the Cards went over four minutes with out a score and a 13-0 Flyer run pushed them to a 68-53 edge with 4:49 to go. Eight consecutive Louisville possessions without a score. Dayton getting points on their eight possessions.

It was Hines-Allen, re-inserted into the game, who broke the scoring drought...but the damage had been done and Dayton outscored Louisville 14-13 the rest of the way to advance to a Monday night matchup against Connecticut. 

Cinderella advances but gets as a reward the powerhouse Huskies...the glass slipper doesn't fit here, in our opinion.

Jim Jabir (Dayton head coach) jabbed a sharp stick at the state yesterday when he wondered aloud who else he could beat in the commonwealth of Kentucky. Maybe a dead man walking musings before falling through the Geno-built gallows awaiting him. 

A poor poke, Henry Kissinger look-alike. Your next round? Well, it's going to go badly for you. 

Put 100 on them, Huskies. Win by 50.  

We saw Tennessee yesterday erase a 17-point Gonzaga lead

with less the six minutes to go to force overtime and beat the Zags. They were getting easy shots and making them. Dayton was not providing Louisville many easy looks in the final eight and when they did...the Cards had difficulty in sinking them. Jeff Walz will tell you...if you don't shoot well, it is hard to win. It was evidenced yesterday. 

Hines-Allen led the Cards with 14 points. Bria Smith ended with 12, Jude finished with 11 (on 4-23 shooing) and Shawnta' Dyer completed the Cards double digit scorers by posting a double-double with 10 points and 10 grabs.

Guard Andrea Hoover perfected the dribble drive against Louisville and led all scorers with 26 points. Amber Deane came off the bench for Jim Jabir and totaled 15.

Tough way for the season to end for the Cards. 27-7 is better than most expected and third in the ACC after losing four major players from the previous season quite the feat for Walz's Warriors.

How this bunch would have fared against UConn in a Great Eight matchup is anyone's guess...but Walz got a lot...maybe more than expected out of two freshmen and five stalwart seniors that took incredible journeys to get this far. 

Sara, Bria, Jude, Shawnta' and Sherrone...you will be missed. So many great memories and contributions here. 


Myisha, Mariya, Arica, Emmonnie, Cortnee, Megan, Syd and Ariana...it is time to go to work for next season. Time to set the foundation for the future and make room for the #1 recruiting class of 2015 to join you. 

Although the sun has set on this season, the future looks bright, indeed. 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

PICK 'EM CONTEST A CLOSE AFFAIR

Our CARDINAL COUPLE Pick 'EM rolls along with 56 total point and three rounds of action in the books. Atop the leader board is Charlie McAdams with a 46-10 mark. The proud father of our Worldwide Jeff McAdams, Charlie was a teacher before his retirement and is schooling the field at this juncture. He has a Final Four roster of UConn, Tenn, Notre Dame and South Carolina prognosticated. 

Close behind at 45-11 are Cardinal Couple's Sonja, Kenny S, K. Starks and Curtis Franklin. Sonja has indicated she'll give the $25 Cracker Barrel gift card to second place if she wins. She's got a Final Four of UConn, Maryland, Notre Dame and South Carolina.

Good luck to all contestants over the next seven games! 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

SOFTBALL SLUGS PAST SYRACUSE

Softball continued their winning ways with a double-header sweep over Syracuse yesterday at Ulmer Stadium. The Cards outslugged the Orange 15-11 and 5-4. 

Louisville enjoyed shutout leads in each contest (8-0 and 5-0) before holding off Syracuse challenges. 

Hailey Smith went 4-4 in the first game with two home runs and Kelsi Jones drove in 4 runs. In the nightcap, Whitney Arion's three RBI double was the key blow...

The Pitch and Hit Cards have won 11 of their last 12 and sit atop the ACC Softball standings. Pearsall is getting hitting production from a good mix of freshman and returning players...the pitching is working their way out of jams and Maryssa Becker has shown she can be a dominant force in the circle or at the plate. 

The Cards and the Orange do it again today at noon. Free Louie Beanie Babies to the first 350 in the ballpark. Gates open at 11. 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

WE'RE ON CRESCENT HILL RADIO...

Our Saturday broadcast should be available on the crescenthill.com SoundCloud later today. It was a fun show...with me in the studio, Jeff joining in on location at the Ohio Valley Volleyball Center and Sam the Intern AWOL. 

If you go to the Crescent Hill Radio home page at crescenthillradio.com and click on Programming and then click of Cardinal Couple...you can hear any of our previous shows all the way back to November. That's a lot of shows! 

The link for today's show is below when it does become available on Soundcloud:

WHAT? YOU LEFT PAULIE ALONE IN THE STUDIO? HEAVEN HELP US ALL...

PAULIE
XXXXX