WNBA Preseason Doubleheader Tonight in KFC YUM! Center -- Saturday Cardinal Couple

DREAM VS. MYSTICS...FEVER VS. SUN 

The WNBA takes over the KFC YUM! Center tonight with two preseason games. Atlanta faces the Washington Mystics in the nightcap and the Connecticut Sun squares off against the Indiana Fever in the 5 p.m. opener.

Tickets are still available and Robbie Valentine, the arena director of premium sales and services expects a big walk-up crowd. Valentine also indicates that the lower bowl of the YUM! Center will be full for tonight's events.

Let's look at the four participants: 

INDIANA FEVER

Our northern Hoosier neighbors went 16-19 last season in the Eastern Division. They were led by Tamika Catchings's 16.5 ppg and T.C. is back on the roster this year. Shavonte Zellous tossed in 11.1 and also returns for Indy. Other essentials back on the pre-season roster are Erlana Larkins (10.0), Briann January (10.5), and Marissa Coleman (8.9).

The Fever also have rookie Natalie Achonwa on the roster but it is highly unlikely she'll hit the court with the bum knee. Cardinal fans will remember Layshia Clarendon from California and Sydney Carter from Texas A&M. 

CONNECTICUT SUN

Will Sean be in the YUM! tonight or
calling baseball on the radio? 

Head coach Anne Donovan may be the tallest person on the sidelines in the first match-up. Her rays of sunshine went 13-21 last year in the Eastern Division. Three rookies will be familiar to Cards WBB followers...Inga "The Russian Rocket" Orekhova (USF), Elizabeth Williams (UNC) and Chelsea Gray (Duke).

Leading scorer in 2014 Chiney Ogwumike (15.5) returns for the Connecticut squad. Also on the roster from last year are Alex Bentley (12.2) and Kelsey Bone (9.3). UConn heart-throb Kelly Faris is trying to make the team and there are two Thomases...Alyssa, who played with the Sun last year and averaged 10.0 and Jasmine...who was with the Dream last season. 

WASHINGTON MYSTICS

If Sean isn't there, maybe they'll let
WorldWide be the PA !!!

They'll face the Dream in the second game and went 16-18 last season in the Eastern Division. Three ex-Geno Huskies are on the roster and played last year for Washington. Stefanie Dolson (6.0), Bria Hartley (9.7) and Kalana Greene.

Lots of returnees from that 2014 squad. Veteran Kara Lawson (7.0), Ivory Latta (12.8), Emma Meesseman (10.1) and Kia Vaughn (Gwen Rucker's best friend) with 9.7 ppg.

Dayton's Ally Malott, who helped sink Louisville WBB last season is a rookie on the squad.

ATLANTA DREAM

The "Big Five" for Michael Cooper's Dream are all back. Our beloved Angel McCoughtry (18.5) and Sho-time Shoni Schimmel (8.3) will try and take the mystery out of the Mystics. Tiffany Hayes (12.9) will face her old UConn pals.
Veteran front-liners Sancho Lyttle (12.2) and Erika DeSouza (13.8) will prowl the paint tonight on Denny Crum Court.

Also back from last season Aneika Henry (4.5), Matte Ajavon (3.2) and Celine Dumeric (3.3). 

Rookies trying to earn a jersey are Brittany Hrynko (DePaul), Sam Logic (Iowa) and Ariel Massengale (Tennessee). 

It should be big fun tonight on the court and off the court as well with the Louisville WBB squad in attendance and Jude signing and selling copies of her book DREAMCATCHER

We hope to see you there! 

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RADIO THIS MORNING! 

We'll discuss the upcoming games on this morning's radio show and also look at hoops, softball, track and field and much more. We'll be without Sam the Dry Weather Intern today but WorldWide will cover the gap and also toss in his clever, snarky remarks that have become a staple of the show.

My lazy butt did not get out and secure any interviews this past week (I'll more-than-make-up for that tonight) but I have prepared a WorldWide Quiz and we'll find other mischief to get into starting at 11 a.m. on WCHQ 100.9 FM and on the Internet at www.crescenthillradio.com

Maybe we'll sing our favorite Beatles songs...since Abbey Road On The River is in town...nah, bad idea.

Join us, won't you. It don't cost nothing.

paulie
xxxxx

Nineteen Cards to participate in NCAA prelims...Angel and Shoni in town for Atlanta Dream Classic -- Friday Cardinal Couple

HENDERSON IN TWO NCAA PRELIM EVENTS

The NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field preliminary events will be held May 28-30 at North Florida's Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fl. from MAy 28-30 and 19 UofL athletes will compete in 20 events. 

The women's squad will have 10 student-athletes competing. Emmonnie Henderson will throw in the discus and shot put. Other Cards headed south:

Benadate Cheruiyot  - 3000m Steelplechase
Maggie Gilbertson - High Jump
Catlin Gilmore - Hammer
Chanel Krause - Pole Vault
Dolly Nyemah - Hammer
Brittany Owens - Triple Jump
Rachel Serafin - Hammer
Kayla Tyson - 100m
Bre'Yana Wash - Long jump

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Angel McCoughtry and Shoni Schimmel are in town for the Atlanta Dream Classic that will be played Saturday at the KFC YUM! Center. 

The Dream will face Washington in the second game...scheduled to start appox. at 7 p.m. or 30 minutes after the first contest between Indiana and Connecticut that will tip at 5 p.m.

The duo are pictured above with the UofL WBB coaching staff. 

Atlanta looks to continue the strong run this season that they have had in the WNBA's Eastern Division over the last several years. Four starters are back for Michael Cooper's squad in Angel, Sancho Lyttle, Erika De Souza and Tiffany Hayes.

Shoni will be vying for the point guard role.

Hard to believe that this will be Angel's seventh season in the WNBA. It seems not so long ago that she was ruling the court at Freedom Hall. 

Do you remember the other starters besides Angel and Candyce Bingham on that 2008-2009 team that went to the NCAA Championship game? 

There has been only one other player beside Angel to wear  #35. Do you know who it is?

(Answers in comments section).  


paulie