Monday Cardinal Couple -- Dunbar impressive, Tucker on the move

MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Kortney Dunbar one to watch in 2014 Class?

- Jannah Tucker on the move?

- USA Women's Basletball WUGS start it up today

Normally, I leave news on recruiting in women's basketball to our recruiting ace Jenny. But, faced with a Monday column to write and no real ideas on where to go with it...a couple of e-mails from regular reader Kenny S. gave me a little fuel to get across the finish line.

Kortney Dunbar is a 6'2" guard out of Edwardsville, IL that will be a senior this upcoming season. If the city sounds familiar...it's because current freshman Lady Cards Emmonnie Henderson played with Dunbar last season. It seems Kortney may be on the UofL WBB watch list for 2014. We're hearing UofL head coach Jeff Walz is in Florida...not working on his tan, but watching Dunbar and her Midwest Elite Platinum team play in a tournament there. Her squad has made it to the semi-finals and will play on ESPN 3 Monday morning.

Dunbar (along with Henderson) was a big reason why Edwardsville went undefeated in the 2012-13 regular season. She averaged 14.4 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.8 assists. She's also got range, sinking 54 three pointers. Other major universities are also in on the hunt.

6'2" guard. That alone is impressive. Along with her numbers from her junior year, I can see why the coaches are on the trail.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Holly Warlick is getting a feel of what it's like to finally be a head coach. #12 ranked in the 2013 class Jannah Tucker, who also played on the 2012 U17 USA Basketball team isn't enrolling in Tennessee. According to Warlick, Tucker changed her mind for personal reasons.

According to sources, two other UT recruits...Mercedes Russell and Jordan Reynolds are on campus for summer sessions.

Tucker has played this game with UT before, verbally committing to the Vols in June 2012, briefly de-committing and then signing a National Letter of Intent in November. This time, it looks like it's her final answer. She won't be learning the words to "Rocky Top".

Tucker did not play her senior high school year because of an ACL tear but averaged 30 points a game as a junior at New Town High School in Randallstown, MD. Prior to committing to UT, Tucker listed Duke, Baylor, Maryland and UConn on her short list.

UT now has just 10 players on the roster for the 2013-14 season.

We know Louisville currently doesn't have any room for Tucker...we hope she ends up somewhere that she's happy and can play with the skills that wowed the coaches in the U17 games and tryouts.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The USA women's basketball WUGS get it started today with pool play in Kazan, Russia. We'd rather they play basketball...but if the USA needs them in the pool...so be it.

USA is in Pool B and startes against Mail. By golly. If they win, we can retool an old Little Richard song and proclaim:

"Good Golly Beat Mali"

Other teams splashing around in the water in Pool B are Brazil and the Czech Republic. USA will play each opponent in their pool once and then, hopefully, move on to the quarterfinals that start on Friday.

Get out the flotation devices and snorkel, the Women's WUGS are making waves.

And, get the ball to Shoni, Coach Coale.

--Paulie--

--