Gamedays Galore - Sunday Cardinal Couple

Multiple Gamedays and Recaps

Lots of UofL Sports activity to recap from yesterday, and preview for today, so let's dive in.

Swim & Dive

Despite the "let's dive in", Swim & Dive is not in action today, though they did wrap up the ACC Championship meet yesterday, the fifth day of the event.

The most notable result of the day was the 400 Freestyle Relay, with Gabi Albiero,  Christiana Regenauer, Julia Dennis, and Ella Welch, setting a school record, but still only managing to come in a reasonably close second to UVA's quartet.

The team finished 3rd in the overall standings behind nationally top ranked Virginia and 4th ranked NC State.

Softball

UofL Softball is in the midst of their traditional season opening swing through the south in search of warmer weather with another two weeks before the home opener at Ulmer.

This weekend is the ACC/Big 10 Challenge with Georgia Tech hosting, but alas not streaming to ACC Network Extra.  The Cards and the Yellowjackets are playing against Wisconsin and Illinois.

A double-header for UofL yesterday to play against both foes.  The day started early with the first pitch at 10am against Wisconsin.  The game started with a defensive clinic, playing through six inning scoreless before UofL was able to put a pair on the scoreboard in the top of the 7th.

Transfer extraordinaire, Daisy Hess singled, moved to 2nd on a sacrifice by Sarah Gordon and scored on a Vanessa Miller double.  Miller subsequently scampered home on an Easton Lotus infield hit.

Taylor Roby played the complete game in the circle.

Next up was Illinois who put six across for the 6-1 win over UofL on Friday, but yesterday's contest would prove to be more competitive.

Illinois scored first, in the 2nd inning, with UofL not getting an answer on the board until the 5th.  Maddi Grant, with two outs already recorded, doubled into the right center gap.  Madison "Pickle" Winkler came in to pinch run and scored on a pinch hit single to left field by Makayla Hurst.

The Cards would threaten another run in the 7th after Korbe Otis ripped a triple out to left field, but the Illinois pitching was able to sit the next two batters down to freeze Otis at third.

Illinois would score the game winner in the bottom of the 8th.  Gabby Holloway started the game, was relieved by Sam Booe in the fifth.  Taylor Roby pitched the only out of the 8th.

Today's game will be the second one with Wisconsin and will get underway at 10am with no viewing options that we've been able to find.

Lacrosse

Lacrosse hosts Lindenwood for today's game at the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium.  Only in their first season in Division 1, in the Ohio Valley Conference, Lindenwood is 1-1 on the season so far, with a 17-9 loss to Cal, and a 17-15 win over Central Michigan.

This will be the first meeting between the teams.  It will be a 1pm start and can be seen on ACC Network Extra.

Basketball

The Walz squad is in Chestnut Hill in the Boston area to take on Boston College.

As we've talked about here in the pages of CC, and in audio on the CCRHP, Boston College is a much improved team over what they have traditionally fielded, and needs to be treated with respect.  Now, to be fair, they are still hanging around the bottom of the standings, but in this topsy turvy ACC, they're only a game or two behind the mid-pack teams, and a subjective view of their on-court play shows the improvements, even if the standings don't, yet.

Five players for BC average double-digit scoring, with a sixth falling just barely short.  Dontavia Waggoner leads with 13.1, followed up by Taina Mair, Maria Gakdeng, Jojo Lacey, T'Yana Todd, and Andrea Daley.

The Cards did win the first meeting this season, 73-65, where they went off for 22 points in the 2nd quarter to close the lead down to just one point at halftime.  They also only lost the 3rd quarter by a single point, underscoring the need to take this team seriously as they're not the doormat of the conference that they used to be.

Hailey Van Lith had 24 in the earlier natch between these two and Chrislyn Carr finished with 18

The game gets the full ACC Network linear treatment today, with the tip at noon.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast

The full CCRHP crew connected yesterday for a fun show.  We covered Softball, Lacrosse, and Basketball both looking back and forward, as we are in this winter/spring overlap.

If you didn't catch it live on the YouTube stream, you can find it at anchor.fm or just about any podcast directory.  You can listen to it directly at:

https://anchor.fm/cardinal-couple/episodes/Up-and-Down-Week-for-UofL-e1v5qj0

-- JMcA

WBB escapes BC with 73-65 victory -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FRIDAYS WITH DARYL


Good morning readers

(We threw Daryl out of media row but she landed in fine company!)

Happy weekend to you. It was UofL staff and faculty appreciation night at the game but if there were any festivities, I missed them. I got a couple friends to come out to the game so I was all over the place Thursday evening. But it was a good time and the Cards got the victory so it was a good night overall. Coach Walz might've considered it less than great but his team walked away with the victory, that's a good night to say the least.

I also wanted to give a special shout out to a fellow staff member on Staff Appreciation night, my friend Karen! Karen is a huge UofL fan and works on campus and helps a lot of staff and students access their accounts and navigate systems throughout the university. Karen regularly attends UofL athletic events with her Cardinal entourage. The staff were gifted with awesome computer mouse pads that look like Denny Crum court! 



WBB

The Cards welcomed Boston College to the Yum! Center for a mid-week bout where the Cards were given all they could handle by the Eagles but managed to eek out a 73-65 win. Per usual, Hailey Van Lith led all scorers with 24 points on 7-17 shooting at 8-10 at the free throw line. The next best scorer of the night was Chrislyn Carr with 18 points on 6-12 shooting, 4-6 from beyond three. Louisville moves to 15-6 on the year, 6-2 in the ACC.

End of 1Q 20-9 Cards

FG %
8-14 57.1% Cards
4-12 33.3% BC
Reb. 9-7 Cards
3-pt %
2-3 66.7% Cards
1-3 33.3% BC

Morgan Jones with the tip off for UofL but she wasn't able to secure the ball.. I believe both players whiffed it and the ball bounced around midcourt before fumbling out of bounds. It was an early glimpse as to how the quarter would go for both teams as the two squads combined for 17 turnovers in the quarter, 8 were steals by the Cards. But the Cards started the game with a 4-0 lead before allowing BC to go on a 5-0 run. There were a couple steals and a three attempt rolled in and out for Carr. Jones lands her second basket to make it 11-7 with 4:24 left in the first quarter. Mykasa Robinson, Josie Williams and Nyla Harris made their first appearance at the first media timeout. Harris provided a burst of energy that is so much fun to watch. She comes in and gets the steal but then she travels at the other end and exits a couple minutes later. We love this freshman!

End of 2Q 22-12 BC

FG %
3-10 30% Cards
9-16 56.3% BC
Reb. 9-5 BC
3-pt %
2-4 50% Cards
4-6 66.7% BC

The second quarter started like the first, with a BC turnover and CC hitting the shot and the Cards extending out to as many as a 13 point lead, BC pushed back with an eleven point run of their own and then a questionable offensive foul was called on Carr. The Cards would go on a more than 6:30 minute field goal drought. Kasa made her two free throw attempts in that period. UofL managed to secure the lead back on a three from Carr and two made free throws from HVL.

HALF 32-31 

End of 3Q 18-17 Cards

FG %
6-13 46.2% Cards
6-13 46.2% BC
Reb. 8-7 BC
3-pt %
1-3 33.3% Cards
0-4 0% BC

HVL mishandled it to begin the second half but the UofL bigs took some control, Liz Dixon and Olivia Cochran scored the next six points. With 3:45 to go, Olivia and Andrea Daley bodied up the other and both received fouls. The result was a technical on Louisville and two intentional fouls on Boston College. HVL makes the two FTs for the technical on BC to make it 46-38 with 3:38 left in third quarter. The Cards push the lead to 8 points with 2:15 to go in the quarter when Norika Konno dished it to Liz Dixon in the paint for the layup but the Eagles would not be intimidated and BC closed the quarter on an 8-2 run.

End of 4Q

FG %
7-11 63.6% Cards
6-14 42.9% BC
Reb. 8-5 Cards
3-pt %
1-2 50% Cards
3-7 42.9% BC

Just like that, BC tied it up early at 50 all with 9 min to go in the game and then again at 55 with 6:42 left and had the lead one last time at 57-55 with 5:20 to play. HVL got the final lead for the Cards with 5 min. left in the game 59-57 when she drove to the bucket and scored. The Cards and primarily Mykasa Robinson took control of the game from that point on, getting the steal and dishing it out to CC at the other end for a 3 to put the Cards up 62-56 with 4:20 left in the game. The 7,600 in attendance roared. Kasa dished it to Nyla underneath for 64-57 lead. The Eagles landed another three pointer with about 3:30 min to go but the Cards had enough with the mind games and the two teams battled the next 3 minutes at the free throw line before the BC defenders backed off and let UofL dribble it out to victory.

CARDS WIN 73-65 !

UP NEXT

Louisville vs NC State

Sunday 1 p.m.

KFC Yum! Center

FRED REPORT

(Cards finished strong to avoid a nightmare on Main Street)

FREE THROWS -- Louisville spent quite some time at the charity stripe against BC. They went 19-25 with HVL making 8 of her 10 attempts and Kasa made 6 of 8. In contrast, the Eagles produced but barely got the opportunity going 7-8 on the evening. I want to see this number at a consistent 80% because that's what is going to be needed to win games in the post season. 76% will get a Capital F.


REBOUNDING -- It was an even battle on the board last night both squads pulling down a total of 29 in the game. The leading rebounder on the night was BCs Dontavia Waggoner with 9. Olivia lead the Cards with 7. lower case r


EFFORT/EXECUTION -- The Cards showed the most amount of confidence in the last 5 minutes of the game. They were able to convert 17 assists on 24 made buckets and committed 14 of their 21 turnovers in the first half. lower case e

DEFENSE -- UofL had 15 steals against BC, Carr leading with 4. As a team, UofL had 28 point off of 23 BC turnovers. BC had 20 points off of the Cards' TOs. BC dominated the second quarter 22-12 and 45.5% from the field and 40% from beyond three which made it interesting for the final half. lower case d


FINAL FRED TALLY: F-r-e-d

(No, you turn right on 3rd, get on River Road and it leads you to I-64)

Sunday... NC State comes to town. You don't want to miss this one ! 

(GAME PHOTOS BY JARED ANDERSON) 


As always
Go Cards!


~Daryl

MLK Day -- CARDS DEFEAT BOSTON COLLEGE 63-53

 

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY HOLIDAY

A day today where we remember the works and efforts of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr and his works and efforts to battle racial discrimination and injustice in our nation. One of the early pioneers in the civil rights movement, King strove to make America an equal land of opportunity for all. Besides looking at today a just a national holiday, let us never forget his efforts to battle injustice. 

SMITH, VAN LITH LEAD LOUISVILLE PAST BOSTON COLLEGE

What a difference a quarter can make. 

Louisville women's basketball stumbled out of the gate in the first quarter Sunday afternoon against Boston College as if they'd had one too many at Roxanne's on Beacon Street Saturday night. I'll call it the worst quarter of the season for the #2/3 team in NCAA DI WBB, and I'd dare you over a shot of Jameson's to find one worse. The Cards trailed the Eagles 20-10 and were allowing way too many Boston easy baskets and shooting just 33% from the floor. 

If the Cards are known as one of the best defensive teams in the country, it was way overdue in displaying that in the Conte Forum. So, Jeff Walz decided to go "small" (without Olivia Cochran or Liz Dixon on the court and try to convince his troops to pick up the man-to-man defensive pressure. 

And, the strategy worked.  The Cards went on a 11-1 run in the first four minutes of the second session, and a Hailey Van Lith jumper tied the contest at 21-21. The Cards were not through yet, either. They soared to a 30-23 lead after another Van Lith jumper, and had pulled off a 20-3 run on their hosts, forcing nine Eagles turnovers in the quarter and just 20%.shooting.  When the halftime buzzer sounded, it was 32-25 Louisville and the Eagles players were probably wondering if anyone caught the license plate number of the truck that has just hit them. A 22-5 Cardinals quarter. 

A quarter where Hailey Van Lith had six points and Ahlana Smith came off the bench for five of her seven points. 

Credit the Eagles for going in at halftime and gathering their wits somewhat. And credit Louisville for not relapsing into their first quarter ways. The Cards would build their lead to 12 in the quarter, and see it shrink to four. A strange turn-of-events with two seconds left in the third, when a technical foul was called on BC's Jaelyn Batts for running out onto the court from the bench in celebration after the Eagles came up with a loose ball. Van Lith sank the ensuing two free throws and the Cards held a 48-39 lead after three quarters. 

Boston College would never get closer than nine points in the final quarter and Louisville led by 15 at 62-47 with 1:04 to play after a Kianna Smith jumper. A 63-53 win for Louisville, one where they outscored BC 53-33 in the final 30 minutes of the game, 

An unexpected 21 turnovers for the Cards and Boston College did get 10 steals. But, BC shot just 38% from the floor, despite Taylor Soule's heroics with 17 points. 34 combined points from Kianna Smith and Hailey Van Lith sends Louisville to 15-1 overall and 5-0 in the ACC. Van Lith and Smith got scoring support from Cochran (8 points), Ahlana Smith (7 points) and Kasa Robinson (6 points). Emily Engstler was limited to four points but had six steals and seven rebounds.

It wasn't a classic nor very pretty at times. but Louisville did overcome the sluggish, staggering start and remains tied for the lead in the ACC with NC State, who rolled Duke 84-60 on Sunday.

THE FRED REPORT

The late Sen. Fred Thompson's expression
probably mirrors how most Cardinal fans felt
after the first quarter of this one... 

Free Throws --  7 for 11 from the line for Louisville, a 63.8% effort for Louisville which doesn't quite meet our 70% standard to earn a letter. only four Cards attempted them, and only Olivia Cochran was perfect from the stripe. NO LETTER HERE. 

Rebounding -- Louisville won the battle of the boards 38-36. Engstler led the Cards with seven in 24 minutes, An interesting stat where 11 Cards rebounds were credited to "TEAM".and I'm not sure why so many went undesignated to a player.  BC had nine team rebounds.  But,, not bad for Louisville, in a game where the Cards played "small ball" quite a bit and Cochran and Dixon played just 26 of the 200 total minutes. CAPITAL "R" HERE.

Effort/Execution -- The Cards had 13 assists on 26 made baskets (Kasa Robinson 4 but she lead Louisville in turnovers with five) and did a much better job moving and throwing the ball accurately after that horrendous first 10 minutes. But, those first ten minutes would have sunk a lesser team for the game. I liked the way the Cards battled back, but 22 fouls are a bit too high, so I can only award a lowercase "e" here. 

Defense  -- Defense got Louisville back into this one and ultimately helped them win the game. BC was 2-15 from three-point range and had 24 turnovers. The Cards got 10 steals and had four blocks. I'll award the CAPITAL D" -- they did hold Boston College to 53 points and just five second chance points.  

FINAL FRED TALLY: _-R-e-D 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, road wins in the ACC are worth their weight in gold and this was a much improved Boston College team from the one Louisville played on Dec 30th. But, if the Cards start out this poorly at NC State on Thursday, they'll lose by double digits. Louisville didn't panic, slowly and methodically worked their way back into this one and pulled away. What is sad is that barely over a 1000 attended this one?. Maybe the city was still in a post-game New England Patriots depression and hangover after they got throttled by the Bills, but the Eagles are only drawing in and averaging a little short of 800 per game this year. 

Nevertheless, the Cards roll on and let's hope they got home without too many problems, based on the wicked weather headed Massachusetts way Sunday evening. The big one awaits Thursday, in Raleigh, a battle of two top-five teams. Cards and Wolfpack.

paulie