A Tayy Back To Play in WNBA -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

ASIA TAYLOR SIGNED BY INDIANA FEVER

Asia Taylor: Part Deux. 

The Cardinal great has returned to the WNBA for the second time this year -- and for the 2018 season. Just slightly over a month from when she was cut by the Washington Mystics, the Indiana Fever have come calling and included Taylor on their roster. She replaces waived third-year guard Jazmon Gwathmey on the roster and received an undisclosed free agent contract with the 1-10 Fever. 

Asia will be joining the Indiana squad in Los Angeles for tonight's name against the Sparks and their West Coast swing. It's a battle of the two teams having quite different seasons...Los Angeles is atop the WNBA with an 8-2 record. 

It's been an eventful 30 days for the 6'1" Taylor, who led Louisville in rebounding in 2013-14. After leaving the Mystics, she switched teams in the ABL (the Australian league)...moving from east coast to west, from Sydney to Perth. Taylor was one of the top five free agent in Australia and also considered one of the top five players in the ABL. 

Let's hope Pokey Chatman, general manager and head coach of the Fever, gives Asia a chance to do here in the United States what she was able to accomplish in "the land down under". The Fever need something good to happen for them -- they've hardly been "burning up" in the WNBA. 

A first look at the current Indiana roster reveals a lot of youth. There are four rookies on the 12-player squad. Ohio State's dynamic duo of Kelsey Mitchell and Stephanie Mavunga are two of them. We all probably remember Victoria Vivians from Mississippi State. A fourth "rookie" actually came to the Fever from the Turkish League, via California and Belgium in Hind Ben Abdolkader. Three players, including Taylor have just three or less years in "the league". Coach Chatman also has another Mitchell on the squad...Tiffany Mitchell, who was a South Carolina star. 

Kelsey Mitchell has taken the WNBA by "storm"...leading the team with 17.5 ppg in her first season. Tiffany Mitchell checks in at third in team scoring with 10.5 ppg and veteran Candice Dupree contributes 13.9 a contest. The Fever also have one of Worldwide Jeff's favorite players in Natalie Achowna, the Notre Dame powerhouse, who is fourth in scoring with 9.6 a night.   

Taylor feels things happen for a reason. A recent Facebook quote from her reveals: 

"My Mama always told me -- What GOD has for you, no man can take from you. I believe that with everything in me. I said this when Washington released me and Ima say it again. GOD'S PLAN. I never doubt it." 

The Fever could probably use some "Divine Intervention" if they are to make the WNBA Playoffs this season...but they are building a roster with youth and former great DI players and the process could take a few years. 

A-Tayy is back and she's got the Fever. Or, actually the Fever's got her and let's hope she can be a part of the resurgence of the squad that is 90 minutes north of Louisville. The Fever returns to Indianapolis June 24th. for a 6 p.m. Sunday game against the Connecticut Sun. 

Dedicated, optimistic. Unwavering in her faith and belief. We've watched Asia since her years in Columbus, Ohio high school hoops. Commiserated with her on her injuries. Celebrated her successes. Watched her turn into a supremely confident woman who has a passion, a purpose and a path. 

We wish her the best of luck and a productive time with the Fever. From Columbus to Louisville to Minnesota to Israel, Australia, Washington and...now...Indianapolis and all points in-between. If her luggage could talk, what stories I'm sure it could tell. 

And, we can't wait for the next chapters....


paulie
xxxxx



  

USA U23 Women's basketball completes the sweep -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Durr's 16 leads USA over Japan 

While most of you were asleep this morning, the USA U23 team "hosted" Japan in their final game of the round-robin event in Tokyo. (While my colleagues have tried to explain to me how USA could host in Japan...I remain unconvinced). A resounding win for USA...103-71 over Japan.

Asia Durr led the Americans in scoring. She tallied 11 first-half points to help USA lead at the break 52-33. She finished with 16 in the contest...the second time in the three game round-robin event she has led the squad in scoring. A look at the stat line shows she was 5-6 on two-point attempts and sank two of her four 3 point attempts in 20:24 minutes of court action. The Japanese squad reportedly did a little media woofing before this one and were a bit chippy...but USA quickly turned that noise off and did work. 

A nice shooting effort from USA...they went 50% from 3 point range (9 for 18) and 53.6% from two-point range (30-56). They wouldn't have been awarded a letter in our regular-season FRED scenario for free throws...going 16-23 from the stripe for 69.6%. The stat line also shows one other interesting stat on the sheet....they list Jeff Walz under the players and he was credited for 3 defensive rebounds. Good hustle, Coach!

Defensively, USA did the job....holding Japan to 25% beyond the arc and 33.6% on two point efforts. 19 turnovers and 49 rebounds for USA -- only 8 turnovers for Japan but just 
35 rebounds. 

Lost in translation? Also in double figures for USA were Kelsey Mitchell (listed as Michelle on the sheet) with 13 points, Jamie Nared (listed as Nard) with 11 points and Kalani Brown (listed as Karani) with 11. 

So...a nice effort for Walz's team over the three-game event. Would you like to see this event enlarged next year? Maybe bring in eight teams instead of four. The Russians would probably jump in...as well as a few of the European nations and China if asked. Should WNBA players under the age of 23 be included? Just a few hypothesis I ran across from others while doing my research for today's write. Personally, I'd love to see the event enlarged but would vote against using WNBA or even college graduates in Euroball play.

I do lament the fact that none of these contest were shown on-line or on cable. I would have settled for even a Japanese broadcast (maybe with subtitles) but it was not to be. You would figure with today's technology....something could have transpired. Thanks to USAB for providing Twitter feeds and the photos here today...they helped me to construct parts of this article...but being a basketball junkie, I probably would have gotten up early than I normally do to watch.

I also wouldn't mind seeing this event come to the United States next year...or down the road. I suppose, if it did, they might choose the USAB training facility in Colorado Springs to host it...but I'll venture that if you brought it to the KFC YUM! Center, Rupp Arena, Knoxville, South Carolina or any of the other hotbeds for women's college basketball...they would be a sizable attendance. I'd go if it was within a reasonable driving time...how about you? 

A special congratulations to Asia Durr for her efforts. Our buddy Howie Lindsey actually got a live interview via phone yesterday in Tokyo with her on his morning show Louisville First. You can hear that HERE It would be my guess that...if they do All-Tournament teams and Most Outstanding Player awards for this round-robin...she would be a prime candidate for each category. I'll continue to monitor social media and see if this develops. 

Asia has stamped her mark as the natural floor leader for Louisville women's basketball this season. Remember the questions, concerns and doubts we had about her as a freshman? Let's not forget, she was injured then...but she's turned into the player we all expected we would get out of high school and as one of the top five in the nation on the women's college basketball scene. 

We now turn our focus on Louisville women's basketball to the season ahead. I had an interesting chat with a huge Louisville WBB fan the other evening and was presented with her possible starting and game ending lineup. I think it's probably way too early for such speculations...but her list is definitely doable. She has Asia and Arica Carter at the guards, Myisha Hines-Allen at the "3" and Sam Fuehring and Bionca Dunham in the paint. 

Time will tell...

Coach Walz sent out a couple of tweets after the contest:

Jeff Walz‏ @CoachJeffWalz  1h1 hour ago

Always fun coaching @A_Hooper25 Been an awesome 2 weeks with @usabasketball 

Jeff Walz‏ @CoachJeffWalz  1h1 hour ago

What a great experience these past two weeks have been! Thank you to these 12 wonderful young women and @usabasketball

QUOTES:

USA head coach Jeff Walz (Louisville)
On the game:I thought that was the best we have played in our three games. The kids came out and did exactly what we asked them to do. We knew that Japan was very disciplined on defense, and we tried to attack early, which we did. We shared the ball extremely well and made open shots. It was the best we have shot the ball as well, but a big part of that was because of how well we shared it.

What has this experience been like overall?It’s been awesome, having the opportunity to work with the best of the best in our college game. I told the team after the game, as impressive as they were on the floor playing, was half as impressive as they were off the court. They are great young women. They are great ambassadors for our game, and I’m excited to watch not just my team play this coming season, but these young ladies’ teams, because college basketball is in good hands with this group.

Asia Durr (Louisville/Douglasville, Georgia)
On the game:We started off fast. We pushed the ball, and we played as a team, which was key. We knew that they were aggressive, and they played hard and they played fast. We figured if we could jump on them soon, then we could take them down quick.

So, a brief lapse in basketball action for us. We'll still be watching to see how Asia Taylor and the Mystics are faring in the WNBA and we'll be resuming the "Catching Up" series with former UofL women's basketball players in a couple of weeks...but, for now, we'll plunge headlong into fall women's sports....as Case lined out in his article Monday. We'd added a full listing of the women's Soccer, Field Hockey and Volleyball schedules on "The Right Side of The Site"...so you can keep up with the where, when, what and who. 

paulie
xxxxx

Basketball recruiting

WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

(Jenny O'Bryan with the Wednesday CARDINAL COUPLE edition. She looks at one of her favorite areas of college basketball -- recruiting. )

Louisville Women’s Basketball made it’s second appearance in the National Championship game in just 5 years.  Coach Walz took a team in 2009, with the likes of Candyce Bingham and Angel McCoughtry, to the Championship game. 

But, Coach Walz inherited those players.  All of this current team was recruited by Walz.  That legitimizes (in case you needed convincing) that Louisville Women’s Basketball and Walz belong in the conversation of basketball programs.  This team, a team blistered with injuries for the last two years, and who sat 3, sometimes 4, would-be starters due to injuries much of the season, made it to the Championship Game.  

The Cardinals were the talk of the post season.  With a program-changing win over Baylor, equally impressive wins over Tennessee and Cal, Coach Walz and his Cardinals were the buzz in the post season.  As well they should have been!

Every time you tuned in to post season basketball commentators were talking about the game planning of Coach Jeff Walz and crew.  Dubbed the “Mad Scientist” on the sidelines our beloved Coach was talked about incessantly.  Let me tell you folks, you cannot buy that kind of publicity. 

The recruiting boon for Louisville Basketball started happening after the 2009 Championship game.   The recruiting class of 2009 was in the books, but the class of 2010 had the 2009 run on their mind.  Need I remind you of the young women who entered campus in the Fall of 2010?  The class was highlighted by Shoni Schimmel, the highest ranked recruit to ever don a Louisville uniform, ranked at #8 coming out of high school.  I cannot seem to lay my eyes on the rank of the class, but I believe it was in the top 4 in the country.  The following year Bria Smith, Sara Hammond and Jude Schimmel arrived on campus.  Smith also ranked #8 in her class, matching the highest ranked recruit to ever play for Louisville Women’s Basketball. 

The class of 2013 is all but in the books.  We have a lot of great recruits to look forward to joining this team next year.  Even more exciting, is that for the great recruits we do have, we were in the final 2 for the #1 recruit in the nation, Mercedes Russell.  We were in the top 3 of #4/5 ranked player in the country Becca Greenwell.   This was 4 years past the 2009 Championship Game and top recruits in the country were very seriously considering Louisville Basketball for their destination. 

While Coach Walz and Company did not snag those top recruits, it is important that they were in it to the final stages with those kids.  I think the day where Schimmel and Smith are the highest ranked recruits to play for Louisville Basketball is about to come to an end. 

With this post-season run and the phenomenal accomplishments of the entire Athletic Department, Louisville has secured itself as a destination for elite athletes.  I, without a doubt, believe this. 

My intent of this article was to talk about names that are being mentioned as potential recruits.  As I sat down to write it though, I ran across this very nice article by Jody Demling at CARDINAL AUTHORITY.   I am going to just point you to his article to read about the names being mentioned.  Of the kids he mentions I am hearing a LOT of chatter about Ariana Freeman, Jasmine Lumpkin and Kelsey Mitchell.    My intent was to profile those 3 kids in-depth, but that can wait ‘til next week.
 

Enjoy the read:
 

CARDINAL AUTHORITY 

-Jenny O'Bryan

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(Editor Note...Louisville women's golf did finish second to Notre Dame in the BIG EAST Championships and softball (weather permitting) heads to Lexington today for battle with the 'Cats. Last we heard...it was a 6 p.m. start and was to be televised on Fox Sports South.)

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Friday Cardinal Couple -- Volleyball and Basketball today

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Volleyball set for rematch with Marquette in Cardinal Arena

-Women's basketball opens regular season vs. Texas A&M

Exciting Friday for University of Louisville women's sports enthusiasts...with volleyball against league leading Marquette and women's basketball taking on the Texas A&M Aggies. Here's the breakdown:

First Place On The Line in Friday Afternoon game against the Golden Eagles

Louisville, Marquette and Notre Dame are tied at the top of the conference standings with 12-1 records. The Cards dealt Marquette their only conference loss back on Oct. 21st. in Milwaukee...winning 3-1.

Lola Arslanbekova had 24 kills and Emily Juhl contributed 13 in the 20-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-19 four-game win over the Golden Eagles. Louisville will need to be wary of Lindsay Gosh and Holly Mertens this afternoon in Cardinal Arena...the two combined for 29 kills against the Cards in the previous matchup.

Game time is 4:30 p.m. Let's hope the VolleyCards can eliminate Marquette in three games...to give fans plenty of time to make the drive from campus to downtown for the basketball game!

#12 Aggies to Test Cards in Friday Night Showdown

In the season opener for both squads, it'll be the third time in history the two storied programs. Texas A&M defeated the Cards last season at College Station an Louisville won in the Illini Classic back in 1992.

A&M bowed out of the NCAA Tournament last year in the Sweet Sixteen...losing to the same Maryland team that sent UofL to the sidelines...81-74.

Probable starters for Gary Blair's squad:

#23 Adrienne Pratcher ( Senior 5'7" G Memphis, TN) She distributed 102 assists for the Aggies last season and averaged 4.5 points and 19 minutes per game.

#33 Courtney Walker ( Freshman 5'8" G Edmond, OK) 2012 McDonald's All-American will test the Cards back court with her excellent shooting and playmaking skills.

#15 Tori Scott ( Sophomore 5'10" G Marrero, LA)
Played in 23 games last year with 0.7 pts. and 4.9 minutes per game. 2011 McDonald's All-American nominee.

#5 Kristi Bellock ( Senior 6'1" F St. Rose, LA)
Started last year against Cards. Played in 28 games with 0.9 points and 6.1 minutes per contest.

#3 Kelsey Bone ( Junior 6'4" C Houston, TX)
Named 2012 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. Started career at South Carolina where she was 2009 SEC leading rebounder and 2010 Second Team SEC. 11.9 points and 6.9 rebounds last year for A&M.

Head coach Gary Blair begins his 28th. season as a head coach, 11 of them at Texas A&M. Like Louisville, the Aggies will be tested early in the non-conference schedule...with games against Penn State, UConn and Marquette in November and TCU, USC and Kansas State in December. 

Sydney Brackemyer

Now a member of the SEC, Texas A&M also plays Kentucky twice this year. The Aggies can "go big" if needed...with 6'7" Rachel Mitchell and 6'5" Karla Gilbert on the roster. A&M is 8-3 all-time in openers on the road.

Kelsey Mitchell

CARDINAL COUPLE recruiting expert Jenny O'Bryan tells me that 2014 prospects Sydney Brackemyer and Kelsey Mitchell will be attending tonight's game as well...so say "Hi!" to them if you see them and welcome them to the 'Ville!

Should be an action-packed affair in the KFC YUM! Center tonight. Tickets still available for the game and showing a Kroger Plus card will get you in for $2. 

Let's pack the YUM! tonight for this tough contest and give the Cards a full house for their opener. Tip-off is 7 p.m. and it'll be broadcast on 790 WKRD AM radio in Louisville and WHAS TV 11-2 Digital...as well as on Insight-432, Comcast-207 and CARDS TV. For $2 bucks, though...we suggest you see this one live and in person. Gonna be a good one. UofL has designated tonight's game as a "red out"...so put the leisure suit and polyester dress shirt back in the closet (unless they're red...and I want a picture for the site if they are...)

We'll be back later tonight with a recap of both volleyball and basketball...

GO CARDS! 

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Wednesday Cardinal Couple -- Shoni, Mercedes, Kelsey, oh my!

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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Ms. Shoni goes to Washington


-Why don't you rent a billboard? (Hey, they did!) 


-Kelsey Mitchell: A name you need to know.


-Walz Elite Skills Camp Thursday. Be there! 


(Jenny O gets the spin for today's CARDINAL COUPLE. As usual, she brings us the best and brightest about CARDINAL womens hoops. Rumors that she's wire-tapped the WBB coaches phones and sleeps on a cot in front of the WBB offices are entirely false. Here's Jenny!) 

It’s the offseason for Louisville Women’s Basketball but you would never know it by the goings on this past week.  Shoni gets invited to the White House, a billboard goes up in Springfield and at least one special guest was on campus last week. 

Shoni Schimmel at the White House in Celebration of Title IX! 

Shoni was one of five panelists at a White House event discussing Title IX and the opportunities it has provided to female athletes.   Shoni was in extraordinary company as she shared her experience as a female athlete who has benefited from Title IX.  Shoni shared the stage with Billie Jean King, former tennis great and founder of Women’s Sports Foundation, Tom Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights with the Department of Justice, Amy Mullins, a double amputee who was a track and field standout at Georgetown University and Laurel Ritchie, Director of the WNBA. 

Attached is a video of the day.  For those of you who do not want to watch this lengthy video, Shoni is introduced around minute 27-29, and she speaks around minute 38 and again around the 49^th minute. Link below.


Shoni at White House

Congratulations to Shoni for continuing to represent the University of Louisville as well as her family and hometown folks in Mission, Oregon.  Well done, Shoni!


*****************************************************************

According to a tweet from a reporter out of Oregon, the University of Louisville has installed a billboard in Springfield, Oregon.   I have asked this reporter for a picture of the billboard, but to date, I have yet to receive/or hear what the billboard says.  Fans on opponents' message boards are crying foul, stating that:

“Promotional materials designed to solicit the enrollment of a prospective student-athlete” are prohibited by NCAA by-laws. 

Given that we do not yet know what the billboard states, it is hard to declare it a NCAA violation.  While Springfield, Oregon is the hometown of 2013 recruit Mercedes Russell, Oregon is the home state of 3 people affiliated with Louisville Basketball.  Not only do Shoni and Jude Schimmel hail from Oregon, so too does Coach Norman. 

Whatever the case may be regarding this billboard I am sure the University has researched and knows the rules as it pertains to NCAA standards.   So long as it is  legal by NCAA standards, I think it is brilliant marketing.  We Louisville fans know that the Schimmels have helped to create a huge following of Louisville basketball throughout the Pacific Northwest, and all over the country.  Why not market to that population?  Seems like a no brainer to me.    If any reader has a picture of this billboard, we would love to see it!   


( Editor note: Courier-Journal sports writer Jody Demling commented in an article that he was supposed to receive a photo of this bulletin board. CARDINAL COUPLE e-mailed Jody and asked to see it. Demling has not responded. )


A link below to read more about the billboard:


UofL Billboard


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Finally, it has come to my attention that Coach Walz was hosting several “special guests” on campus last week.   Thanks to social media I was able to track down at least one of the special guests,  Hoopgurlz ranked #1 in the class of 2014, Kelsey Mitchell.   Mitchell is a 5-7 guard out of Princeton High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Hoopgurlz evaluators describe her play as “consistent and explosive…scoring off penetration, pull ups and the three”.   Cardinal fans, this will be a name to watch over the course of the next year.    Just an hour + up I-71, perhaps Mitchell will make the trek back down tomorrow and attend the elite skills camp.  No confirmation on that, but, one can not help but wonder.  


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Speaking of the camp, tomorrow is the big day!  Camp runs from 1-5:00 at Cardinal Arena.  As we have been stating for weeks, Mercedes Russell is a confirmed attendee at the camp.  Makayla Epps, 2013 verbal from Marion Co., will also be in attendance.  We are getting mixed reports on whether Becca Greenwell # 6 ranked recruit 2013 and Louisville prospect will be in attendance.  Certainly we hope to see her there.  Multiple players mentioned several weeks ago about in-state talent will be in attendance, specifically Maci Morris, 2015, who also holds an offer from Louisville.  I am adding Kelsey Mitchell to my wish list to be in attendance tomorrow, and it does not seem so far fetched that she would be. 

Cardinal faithful, hope to see you tomorrow at Cardinal Arena.  I can hardly wait!!


 Another outstanding column from Jenny today! We hope to see plenty of CARDINAL COUPLE readers at Cardinal Arena tomorrow for the skills camp.


WE sent several of the staff chimps down to campus to see if the event could be moved to the KFC-YUM! Center but they weren't successful. They did come back with a bunch of autographed Steve Kragthorpe pictures, though...and napkins from the University Club. 


Can't wait to see the credit card charges on this excursion...
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