Thoughts and meanderings on the NCAA WBB -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 

DOES MULKEY BELONG ON THE "MT. RUSHMORE" OF WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL?

I happened to come across an article (not sure who wrote it) recently where the author was trying to visualize who would be on the Mt. Rushmore of Women's College Basketball. In case Mt. Rushmore doesn't ring a bell with you, it's that great carving out of rock in South Dakota with four president's on it. 

(Bonus points if you can name the presidents...)

If there were to be a rock carving of four great figures in women's college basketball, who would you put on there? I think you've got to go with coaches, and you need Pat Summit and Geno, right? I'd make sure there was plenty of talk and consideration to have a spot for Dawn Staley, also. Let's not forget C. Viv Stringer, either,  Maybe some wouldn't. It probably comes down to two "sure Picks" and a debate over the final two. Tara Vavderveer is going to get a lot of calls for inclusion. 

How about the most recent national champ coach? Does Mulkey make your "mountain"? 

As for me, I'd eliminate Mulkey immediately. Even with the three championships. There's just too much baggage in her bin. You don't see a lot of former players lining up to sing her praises and credit her for changing their lives. Geno, Pat, Staley, C.Viv. and Tara can point to the ones who would go to battle for them. . 

She started in Louisiana (Tech) and is now back in Louisiana (State University)...allegedly for love of the state (Surely money had nothing to do with it, right?}  Administrators see her as someone who wins and builds programs. But, it doesn't get her on that fictitious stone carving in my book. 

I pick Tara VanderVeer. 37 years. Over 1,000 wins. I also pick C. Viv Stringer. 50 years as a head coach at three different schools and that rounds out my four....along with Geno and Pat. 

I've been fortunate to have met and talked with three of my four picks. Someday, I hope to meet Tara, too. 

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Enough, already on this Angel Reese and Caitlan Clark stull. In these days, players are going to talk a little smack. Don't think Hailey doesn't either...she does. 

But quit making a issue over it, general media and fans. It went on yesterday, it'll go on next season and beyond. It's a part of the game now. Get used to it. There will be more of it next year and in the future. 

paulie

 

 

LSU is the National WBB Champ -- Softball cancelled because of weather in Syracuse -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 

LSU downs Iowa 102-85 in Championship game

The LSU Tigers are the NCAA DI women's basketball national champs. 

A team that wasn't even considered the best in their own conference (SEC) and came into the tournament as a #3 seed in the Indiana regional (Greenville 2) has grabbed the crown with an incredible offensive explosion from three-point range, including Jasmine Bennett's five for five marksmanship. The Tigers were 11 for 14 from the deep and Iowa shot even better "make-wise'  hitting 14 of their three-point attempts. 

This was no defensive struggle Sunday afternoon and very few predicted there would be. . 

LSU put five players in double figures, with the NCAA M.O.P. Angel Reese netting 15, LaDazhia Williams 20, Alexis Morris totaled 21 points and Bennett led the squad with 22. It was the most points ever scored by a winning squad in the history of the tournament, LSU's first-ever national title and Kim Mulkey's fourth as a DI coach. 

It was also a game that was not even adequately officiated and supposedly had the best DI WBB crew out on the court. Mulkey grabbed at an official and swung wildly in the air at her and no foul was rendered, but Caitlin Clark rolled a basketball back in the direction to where it would have been in-bounded and was "t'd" up. Angel Reese mocked Clark and the Iowa bench by indicating she was going to put on a championship ring and no foul was called, but the refs had Iowa's best players saddled with four fouls when no one on LSU's squad had more than three. 

LINK: 

Mulkey "no tech" and Clark "tech" side-by-side

Ye who scores the most points wins, though and that was LSU. That 17 point halftime lead just proved to be too much for Iowa to overcome.

Honestly, it was a game I didn't have a "dog" in and hoped it might just be a fun, offensive-oriented battle and I got my wish. 

The good news for Iowa is that they get Clark for another season. The bad news is that they're still in the Big 10 and will to battle each night in conference play while losing four key players who played together for three years. 

It might well be remembered as the game where the officiating stank. The NCAA could care less about that, though...ratings for college women's basketball and viewers climb each year and that means more money in the NCAA checking account. 

Bluder "not-commenting" on officiating: 

Bluder postgame

I guess I'll remember Clark's big run for several games and the way Iowa put away the Cards when I think back about this particular NCAA Tournament. Also, how no #1 seed made it to the final game. The ACC had three of the Elite Eight teams and only Virginia Tech made it to the Final Four. 

I do hope this two regional sites instead of four is an idea that gets dropped. Louisville in Seattle was just ridiculous, except that it was near to Hailey Van Lith's home, but how many other Cardinals' fans made that trip up there?Starting the tournament in Ausin instead of the KFC YUM! Center was tough enough for the Cards' fan base.

Another season ended. I hope the time between now and the Cards first WBB game or exhibition this fall goes quickly, and. I'm glad we're a website that covers ALL the UofL women's sports. 

Stay with us for the news, won't you? 

SOFTBALL VS SYRACUSE CANCELLED

The ground temperature never got above 30 degrees in Syracuse Sunday, so the scheduled game between the Cards and the Orange was cancelled. I've never played on an infield that was below 30 degrees, so I can't tell you what differences it makes on ground balls and traction and such -- but it obviously does something. 

paulie

Softball rubber match tonight -- Baylor the WBB NCAA Champs -- MONDAY CARDINALCOUPLE

CARDS & NOLES FACE OFF AT 7 p.m.

Probably would be pretty good at lawn bowling, too

Louisville Softball faces #3 FSU tonight at 7 p.m. in Ulmer Stadium for the deciding third game in the 2019 series between the two squads. These type of showdown games are sometimes referred to as "rubber" matches. 

So, the question is, how did the term "rubber match" get started? 

Most sports historians and people who research stuff like that trace it back to the quaint, old sport of English lawn bowling.

This bowling is unlike the more popular form of regular bowling -- it takes place on a big lawn instead of an indoor bowling alley -- and the participants throw or "bowl" small wooden balls across the field to see who can get closest to a smaller white ball at the opposite end of the field. Maybe like bocci ball or curling, in a sense.

A "rubber" is bad -- that means the ball you've just thrown has "rubbed up" against another previously thrown ball and usually results in knocking the opponents ball closer to the small white ball and stopping the progress of your ball. 

This sport's matches are usually played in games of three. What any of this has to do with a deciding third game in a series is still pretty nebulous to me -- maybe the term "there were a few rubbers in that third match that cost me" -- helps some, but...I still wonder why we drive on parkways and park on driveways.

Nevertheless, rubber or not, the Cards and Noles hope do to battle despite a Monday weather forecast that looks less than promising. A 60% percent chance in the morning hours, transitioning into cloudy skies tonight. As I look out my front bay window this morning (there's another term that gets me -- I have no bay in front of my house, just taxus bushes) it's overcast but not raining. Maybe I overthink these things...

The Noles sit atop the Atlantic division of the ACC with a 37-4 record and 9-2 in ACC play. The Cards in 4th in the Atlantic at 24-13 and 5-6. 

It'll be interesting to see who gets "the call" to enter the pitching circle for UofL tonight. Danielle Watson tossed a two-hitter at FSU Friday in the 2-0 first game win. She's 8-10 on the season and has an ERA of 2.86. Taylor Roby finished the 4-1 loss in the second game and is 7-1 on the year with a sizzling 1.74 ERA. Senior Megan Hensley tops the Cards with a 9-3 record, her ERA is 2.56. Watson leads Louisville with 100 innings pitched and she also has the most strikeouts of opponents with 106.

ESPN U has the broadcast for this one. Melissa Lee with the play-by-play and former Cardinal associate softball coach Carol Bruggeman with analytic observations and prognostications. 

Let's hope the skies stay dry. Let's hope Cards can get the pitching like they had in the first two and that the bats wake up and do great things for Louisville tonight. 

Play ball!  



BAYLOR BEARS WIN ANOTHER NCAA THRILLER OVER NOTRE DAME 82-81 FOR TITLE

If you're a fan of basketball, this one was fun to watch. The Bears taking control early, getting the lead up to 17 in the second half and then disaster struck when All-American Lauren Cox went down with what looked to be a very bad knee injury with 1:22 left in the third quarter. 

LINK: WARNING THIS LINK SHOWS INJURY AND IS PRETTY HARD TO WATCH

Notre Dame had started to cut into the lead, and without team leader Cox on the court..things went rotten pretty quickly. The Irish, led by Arike Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey were giving it one last push...and it was paying off. Coming back to take the lead with less than three to go. Baskets traded. Baylor hanging on for dear life but getting big plays from a graduate transfer (Jackson), a freshman (Smith) and a force (Brown). 

Then, the scenario that Ogunbowale seems to thrive in on occasion. Keeping your team from losing. The Irish down by two, 1.9 seconds on the clock and you are at the free throw line after getting fouled with a chance to end it to overtime. 

Piece of cake, right, for the senior who already had 30 points. Who is an 81% free throw shooter on the season.  Your team is 17-20 from the charity stripe for the game. You're five for six in the contest. Overtime ahead...no doubt about.

Nah.

She rimmed the first free throw out. She needed a miss on the second one to give ND a chance to rebound and get up a game tying or winning shot.

She makes it.

Baylor ball and they have fouls to give before free throws.

LINK: Not today, Arike.


I have no doubt that she was trying to miss...but this "fate" stuff can be tricky. The miracle kid just struck out. Arike will go on and make good money in the WNBA, in Europe but that memory is bound to haunt her for a very long time. 

The ball bounces funny ways, sometimes. 

I'm not much for post-game celebrations and such, but I watched a bit of this one and was honestly worried Kim Mulkey was going to drop her grandson. Mulkey, obviously overcome with Cox's injury...a blubbering, hot mess in the post-game.

Like her or despise her, Mulkey was able to get the "bigs", has more on the way for next year, and finally got her third NCAA Championship win. A comeback to remember, tainted by the horrific injury to Cox.

No Griner. No Odyssey Sims. But...two post-players who learned how to work with each other, a couple of guards who could shoot and pass the ball to the post and managed to win despite the antics of their flamboyant coach on the sidelines. What might have been one of the biggest "folds" in the NCAA WBB Championship game history averted. 

Cox will be back, eventually. Maybe not in time for next season, though.  Baylor next year is minus Brown but Mulkey returns good talent. Notre Dame graduates four starters.

Cox... an inspiration to all, playing with a diabetic pump attached to her that provides insulin when it senses she needs a boost. A player that the Cards really went after a couple of years ago. We got Ciera Johnson instead. 

Baylor survives the comeback. Seeded #1 overall in the brackets, and living up to that pre-tournament ranking. They should send a thank-you, or condolence card -- something -- to Arike. 

2019. The year of the Bear. 


paulie
xxxxx

Asia Taylor trying to earn the jersey...Mulkey to leave -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

TAYLOR PROVIDING THE MINUTES ON MYSTIC ROSTER

Asia Taylor will tell you that playing in the WNBA has been one of her major dreams since she was a little girl growing up in Columbus, OH. She looked like the second coming of Angel McCoughtry in her high school career until a devastating leg injury her senior year sidelined her. 

The Asia Taylor that arrived at Louisville wasn't 100%. Far from it. Other injuries basically had her playing below the capabilities she always knew she had. Jeff Walz continued to believe...knowing that the high school star he recruited and brought to campus had the potential. Finally, it came to pass. A senior season that was a bit of a redemption tour for her...after having to sit and watch her team go to the Final Four in 2013...drew enough interest to where she was selected in the third round of the WNBA draft and ended up with the Minnesota Lynx. 

It was a valuable season as far as gaining experience. The playing time was limited for a rookie on a solid and veteran roster. Last year, the Connecticut Sun needed a reserve to finish out the season and Taylor answered the call. 

Sydney, Australia was the next stop. A chance to be one of the big fish on a hard knocking and competitive team that played in a hard-scrabble and competitive league. Now completely healthy and still possessed with the goal to play in the WNBA again, Taylor had a huge season for the Sydney Flames and caught the eyes of Washington Mystics head coach and GM Mike Thibault and owner Sheila Johnson. They had already acquired Elena Della Donne for the roster and were looking to build a complement of players around her. Based on her play in Sydney and reputation for hard work, Taylor got the invite to be a free agent for the Mystics. 

Last night the Mystics played their final exhibition game...against the powerful Minnesota Lynx. Della Donne sat out the contest...resting a minor groin strain suffered in practice. Emma Meesseman and Kristi Tolliver still haven't arrived from Europe...where they are trying to win the Russian Premier League title for their squad...so the Mystics were without three of the main players expected to lead the Mystics this year. They suffered a 74-59 loss to the visitors. 

Taylor did not draw the start but came off the bench and led the reserves in minutes played (18) and points (6). In the previous exhibition, Asia led the squad in scoring (13) in a win over the Indiana Fever. 

It's not hard to envision Taylor sticking with the Mystics for the season. Depending on how many they keep on the squad...one can see her as a valuable reserve at the forward spot.  The Mystics are currently carrying six forwards on the roster...besides Della Donne and Taylor...Krystal Thomas, Tianna Hawkins, Ally Malott and Caira Washington are currently on the squad. Meesseman is the only listed center. One would expect the forward contingent would get trimmed to four or five...Taylor valuable in the aspect that she can also provide minutes at guard if needed. 

Keeping pushing, A-Tayy. From Columbus to Louisville to Minnesota to Connecticut to Sydney to Washington sounds like a businessman's nightmare trip...but, for #31...it's a pursuit of a dream. 


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MULKEY LEAVING OKLAHOMA

No, this isn't about Kim Mulkey leaving Baylor. It would probably take a SWAT team or a group of Navy Seals to get her out of her entrenchment in Waco, TX. 

It is about 6'9" freshman center Nancy Mulkey (no relation to Kim). She's decided that one year of being a Sooner is enough and has been granted her release from Oklahoma WBB.  

A question posed to me last night about Louisville's interest in her gave me cause for thought. Height is always good. Good height, though, is better. 

Mulkey, in 33 games, averaged 3.8 pts., 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. She's a work in progress and could probably use a season of intense coaching and teaching to utilize her height. 

Would Louisville take the chance and do the Cards have any interest? These are questions that I do not have the answer to. A talented 6'9" post would have obvious advantages. Might even look impressive in the warm-up line and on the bench cheering. Do you use a scholarship for that, though? 

The guess here is that she ends up at a mid-major or lower where she can get minutes and flourish against a group of MAAC or Missouri Valley Conference type of competition. 

6'9", though. It does make one wonder...


paulie
xxxxx

Wisconsin no-hits Softball Cards...more on Baylor -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

MENZ ENDS CARDS WIN STREAK WITH NO-HITTER

Louisville softball faced #21 Wisconsin yesterday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium and the visitors handed the Cards a 10-1, five-inning loss that featured Badger pitcher Kaitlyn Menz tossing a no-hitter against Sandy Pearsall's squad. 

The Cards win streak ends at six. Louisville did manage a run in the bottom of the second to tie the contest. Tiarra Sanabria drew a base on balls and advanced to second on a Lillie Goetz fielders choice. Megan Hensley walked to load the bases for Jamie Soles...whose ground-out brought in Sanabria. 

Other than that, the Cards bats were held at bay. UofL starting pitcher Maryssa Becker was touched for seven runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings...Hensley pitched 2/3 of an inning and allowed three runs and three hits. It was the first no-hitter thrown at UofL since Michigan performed the feat back in 2006

After 12 straight games at Ulmer, the Cards take to the road for a three-game series at Syracuse that starts tomorrow. Louisville is 18-8 overall and 3-0 in the ACC. 


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GOING BEAR HUNTING NO WALK IN THE PARK

When the Louisville women's basketball team faces Baylor late Friday night in Oklahoma City...they better (to borrow an old cliche) come loaded for bear. 

These Texan Bears from Waco have plenty of players who can hang a loss on an opponent and when they are on their game...there may not be a better team in the country...except Geno's dogs in Connecticut. 

Like many bears coming out of hibernation, Baylor started slowly against the Golden Bears from California in their last outing...but finished with a roar. 

 Baylor led just 17-12 after the first quarter, then cranked off a 15-0 run in the second quarter, including back-to-back three-pointers by Natalie Chou, and went into halftime up 40-20. Baylor had three players score in double figures, led by seniors Alexis Prince and Nina Davis with 16 points each. Kristy Wallace added 10 points and nine assists.

Down 20 at halftime is daunting enough...but with all Big-12 and starting center 6'7" Kalani Brown picking up two early fouls and watching 19 minutes of action next to head coach Kim Mulkey in the chairs...realizing that she would be back to add firepower to the Baylor attack had to be of great concern to California head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. 

Quite frankly, California should have been placed in the WNIT instead of the Big Dance. They were 19-11 on Selection Monday, had gone 6-12 in conference play....were seventh in the Pac 12, got knocked out in the first round of the PAC 12 tournament by 22 points against Oregon St. and were 4-8 in their last 12 games. I'll say it again...Virginia got hosed. 

Mulkey presented Gottlieb with a baby-shower type gift during the shoot-around the day of the game...since Lindsay is about seven months into term. She should have given her a couple of aspirin or a fifth of red wine for pain relief. 

The Bears come at you with multiple threats and have complied some pretty impressive numbers. (This is where our Jeff McAdams moans...Paulie is about to start throwing stats out). 

Brown leads a balanced attack with 15.1 ppg. She's has plenty of company in double figure scoring...Alexis Jones is at 13.4, Nina Davis 12.6 and Alexis Prince 12.1. . Prince and Davis are regular starters. Off the bench, Beatrice Mompremier adds 8.3, Lauren Cox 8.0 and Kristy Wallace 7.5. These seven, plus Natalie Chou, average anywhere from 15-28 minutes a game.  

Baylor outscored opponents by an average of 89.4 to 55.0 during the season. They dismantled Winthrop 140-32. They scored over 100 points eight times.  

Height-wise...they are impressive as well. Brown, as we mentioned earlier, is 6'7". Cox and Mompremier are 6'4" and Prince and Chou go 6'2". Out of the top eight...there are two red-shirt seniors, one junior, three sophomores and two freshmen. 

The Bears have lost three games this year. Against UConn in a early season 72-61 loss at Storrs, they trailed by just three at the half. After being tied at 54-54 early in the fourth...Baylor went nearly four minutes without scoring, had five turnovers and missed seven out of eight shots. 

They also fell to Texas...in Waco...during early February by a score of 85-79. Texas came out and "punched them right in the mouth" to start the game...according to Mulkey and led the Bears 47-35 at the half. UT shot 72% in the second quarter. Baylor fought back and tied the contest at 74-74 but the Longhorns hit seven free throws in the final 30 seconds to ice the win. 

West Virginia provided a bit of a surprise to Baylor in the Big 12 conference tournament final with a 77-66 beating of the Bears. Leading 39-30 at the half, the Mountaineers extended that to 65-44 going into the final quarter and hung on for the win. WVU's Tynice Martin had 32 in the win.  

Baylor. They can be beat. Not very often, but it is possible. Are they as good as the 2013 squad Louisville beat in the regionals. I will say "no". There is no Griner on this 2016-17 team...although Kalani Brown is pretty fearsome in the paint. No Odyssey Sims present...even though the Alexis duo does a fine job at the guard sports. Is Louisville as good now as they were in 2013? Another hard question, but I will say "no". There is no Shoni. Asia Durr can put up Shoni-like numbers...but isn't quite the on-the-court leader, driver and force on the court. 

Yet. 

The Cards are close, though. If Hines-Allen, Moore, Shook and Ms. Durr can ignite that fire we saw against Tennessee late and get a solid bench performance....it could be another upset in the making. Taylor, Slaughter, Reid were key factors in 2013. Myisha, Mariya and Kylee have comparable skills...if not better. 

A high scoring affair ahead? The numbers would indicate definitely...but Walzian defenses can...and have...limited some pretty powerful offenses to considerably less points than their season averages. Coach will tell you that defense and scoring more points than the opponent wins games. The Cards allow 60 points a contest. Accomplishing this against the high-powered Baylor attack will be a challenge...but Walz will have had four days to prepare, plan and scout these Bears. I like the Cards chances. 

Or, they could follow the Sylvia Hatchell philosophy. After winning their first game in the ACC Tournament, Hatchell was asked what the Tar Heels needed to do to defeat Syracuse. She responded: 

"I guarantee ya we're gonna be praying a lot"

We'll look more closely at what the Cards need to do to win in our Friday morning article. 


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WNIT and ACC? 

The WNIT has a Sweet Sixteen now and two ACC schools are a part of it Georgia Tech knocked off UCF to get there and will face MTSU next. Virginia Tech downed Navy to advance and gets Penn St. next. Of local interest, Indiana also is a Sweet Sixteen participant .

The engineers move forward! Good job Techies and keep on rolling. 


paulie
xxxxx

Lacrosse wins, Baylor looms -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

NINE SCORERS IN 15-6 LAX WIN OVER DUKES

The Duquesne nickname is "the Dukes". One would think it would be fair play, then...if Duke adopted the "Duquesne's" as their moniker...but as we know, with Grayson Allen on board, fair play is hardly in the Duke vocabulary. Or, maybe this "Dukes" thing is a tribute to Bo, Luke, Cooter and the rest of the crew from the late 70's - early 80's television show THE DUKES OF HAZZARD.

Duquesne sent their duchess contingent to Louisville Tuesday and they got "duked" by the Louisville Lacrosse team 15-6 yesterday. A win that looks great on paper but wasn't that phenomenal...according to coach Kellie Young: 

"We could have won this game 8-2 and I would have been very happy if we had followed our game plan. We kind of get distressed, get frustrated and then get emotional and make bad decisions. We have to stay invested in the game for 60 minutes at a time. We have to understand the scout, play the scout and stay within the system. I know it's crazy to be frustrated...but we are trying to hold our team to a higher standard and we're trying to do great things this season." 

One thing that was pretty awesome, if not downright great, was the multiplicity of scorers yesterday for the Lax gals. Jillian Balog got the first net-finder, Meghan Siverson and McKayla Conti received feeds from Madison Hoover and it was 3-0 Cards early. Taylor Webster dove into the scoring pool next and this one looked like it might be a runaway blowout early. 

The Dukes, though...with no assist from Roscoe P. Coltraine or Daisy Mae...struck back with two consecutive scores and it was a 4-2 contest with six minutes until the half. Elise Koehl acheived net success, Conti poured in another and Balog blogged about her second score to close the half.

It was 7-2 Louisville at the break and Hannah Koloski hadn't scored yet. What separate reality and far-away universe had I been transported to? 

Hannah opened the second half with a tally, alleviating my fears that I wasn't at the "Ellis"...it was the first of five straight for the Birds...Ashley Lynch, Allison Ferrara, Koehl again, and Siverson's second score set the margin at 12-2. 

(People ask me why I call the Lacrosse stadium "the Ellis" . It's because the initials L.L.S. sound like "ellis" when you roll them off your tongue. Or maybe it's in tribute to long-time Cardinal sports orthopedic surgeon Rudy Ellis. I haven't quite decided yet...maybe I could be thinking of my basketball buddy Ellis Blanton?) Or all of the above...Plus, it's positioned right cross from soccer's "Palace"...Lynn Stadium. 

The Dukes fired up the General Lee one more time and ran off three straight scores from Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley and JoAnne P. McCallie to make it 12-5. I missed most of those...engaged in a conversation with WDRB reporter Stephan Johnson about the tragic shooting at the Tim Faulkner Gallery over the weekend  and the connection to the Louisville lacrosse program. Savannah Walker, who was a Louisville student and played club ball for the Louisville Club Team program died in the incident. Yellow ribbons were distributed at the game and a moment of silence took place before the contest. Johnson was there to do a story on the connection.

I also spent time explaining the basics of Lacrosse to Johnson and we discussed

why there weren't any players from Louisville on the Cards roster. The Cards recruit the hotbeds of high school lacrosse...Maryland and New Jersey....14 of Louisville's 27 players are from those two states. 

Backup goalie Lexie Ball took the field for the final 9:37 of the game for UofL. She allowed just one score and the Cards got goals from Julia Schmucker (which allowed me to use the phrase "Schmucker stuck'er in the net!) and second scores from Webster and Koloski to end the game in Louisville's favor 15-6. Ball's going to be a good one, continuing the strong tradition that current starter Brittany Read has established. 

Louisville heads to Evanston, IL to face rival Northwestern on Sunday. If the past holds any pitch here...it'll rain and it'll be a tight contest. 

THEY SAID IT

Post game interviews below. We got an airplane involved, but no sirens nor trains. 

Thanks to THE CARDINAL Sports editor Dalton Ray for helping me formulate the questions for Young and McNamara. A man who's beard puts mine to shame. Standing together, we probably look like a couple of roadies from the Grateful Dead tour to the unsuspecting.



KELLIE YOUNG DISCUSSES THE WIN

STEPH MCNAMARA REVIEWS THE CONTEST



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BEARS AHEAD!

The Louisville women's basketball team is in the Sweet Sixteen and travels today to Oklahoma City to face #1 seed in the region...the Baylor Bears...Friday night...somewhere around 9:30 p.m. 

As a reader has commented...and I agree with...I am surprised there is no send-off pep rally for the Cards before they head to O.K.C.

Or maybe I'm not. The WBB Cards have one horrible marketing program. Coach Walz and the players deserve better than this. I've seen way better at significantly smaller schools. Combine that with their media relations fails and maybe it isn't any wonder that only 5800 showed up for the 1st and 2nd rounds. I've seen dog racing get more publicity and media assistance. But, their egos are definitely top-five ranked....OK, back to the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports. Excuse the diversion. 

As much as I wish I was going to be there, unfortunately financial situations and health are going to dictate that I watch this one in Louisville. We looked good financially at CARDINAL COUPLE going into January...but a few unforeseen expenses, road trips to Martin, Nashville, Murfreesboro and the ACC Tournament...plus donations literally non-existent since January have put us on a tight-rope in order to get through the year with any bank account balance at all. As far as a personal financing by me for the trip...no bucks there either. 

Sadly, my knees are getting worse, hip still degenerating and the tendinitis in my IT bands have reached new levels of tightness and making it hard to do steps or any long walking distances. Driving 11 hours is out of the question currently as well. Anyone willing to drop $1000 in the coffers or transplant this brain into a new body, please step forward now. 

(Thanks for cheering us all up, Paulie...) 

I love the call on radio that Nick Curran and A.J. provide. There have been many a road game this season where I've abandoned the video feed and retreated to my porch to listen to the call and "beverage".  Good times...

Kim Mulkey also power-lifts players...isn't that special?

Jeff Walz and his WBB squad will face a tough bunch of Bears in Oklahoma. We'll get into a more descriptive breakdown and analysis in Friday's column...but we'll start with the 86-46 dismantling of another bunch of bears...the California Golden variety...to reach the Sweet Sixteen. 

Lindsay Gottlieb, Cal head coach, says this: 

"They have a darn good team. I know they have to go to Oklahoma City first...but I think they have a great chance to be playing in Dallas." 

A keen eye there, Coach G. Sequential order is of importance in any accurate dissertation this time of year...

Kalani Brown, Nina Davis, Natalie Chou, Kristy Wallace, Lauren Cox. The deadly Alexis factor...Alexis Prince and Alexis Jones. This magnificent seven, along with a little help from their friends...has complied a 32-3 record. UConn early, Texas late in the regular season pinned losses on Mulkey's bunch. Improbable West Virginia in the Big 12 tournament knocked them off. 

Poor Texas Southern drew the misfortune of drawing them in the NCAA opener. 119-30 was that outcome. A forty-point drubbing of a Cal team that many questioned deserving an NCAA bid. 

But, they run into the mad genius of Jeff Walz next. We all remember 2013 in Okla. City. The biggest upset in women's college basketball. Wanna see that one? Click the link below: 

LINK: CARDS DEFEAT BAYLOR

Kim is also known for the screaming death stare

Difficult...but not impossible. Is this Baylor team as good as the one in 2013 that Louisville beat? Is this Louisville team as good as the 2013 version? Does it matter? 

Kim Mulkey. Such a shy and non-controversial soul...She's taken Baylor to nine straight Sweet Sixteen's. She has talent galore. She's played two less-than-impressive teams so far...how will the Bears handle a Cardinal squad with...perhaps...just as good, if not better talent? 

The Cards handled a tall and impressive Vols squad with defense, successful shooting and a strong finish. Louisville has faced their share of tough competition in Notre Dame, South Carolina, Maryland and Florida State...who are all still dancing. Asia Durr is putting up fantastic numbers, Myisha Hines-Allen the force in the paint, Mariya Moore has been re-born and exuding confidence and this Cardinal team is playing like a team and not just a bunch of All-Americans. 

We'll cover more on this match-up later. The shootout at the OK Corral. It should be a good one...


paulie
xxxxx 

Monday Cardinal Couple -- One for history

MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Biggest upset in NCAA WBB history

-USA WUGS WBB schedule

A friend and I were discussing the Louisville WBB win over Baylor in the NCAA regionals yesterday. As I got home last night, it was still on my mind...so I watched a replay of it.

It never gets boring.

Not a lot of sports news going on right now for the UofL women's programs....so, enjoy the link below and watch "threedom" ring, since the 4th of July is coming up soon.  Enjoy the game! 

82-81 LOUISVILLE DEFEAT BAYLOR


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If you are interested in following those wrascally WUGS in their WBB adventures in Kazan for the World University Games, here a website you can go to that'll keep you in the loop.

USA WBB WUGS


The squad leaves today to fly to Russia. I wonder if they'll play this little ditty on the flight on when they land? 

PAUL MCCARTNEY - BACK IN THE USSR





-Paulie

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Friday Cardinal Couple -- More Bears

FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Just another bunch of Bears.

-Lacrosse today!

Just when the Lady Cards thought it was safe to continue up the trail to the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament title, another bunch of Bears are in the path. This group is of west coast variety...Cal Bears...and, while not as tall or widely known as their Texas counterparts...still just as dangerous and appear to be fully out of hibernation.

Coached by relatively unknown (but hugely successful) Lindsay Gottlieb, Cal has put up a 32-3 record on the season...losing only to Duke in early December, Stanford on January 8th. and to UCLA in their second game of the PAC-12 Tournament.

The Bears were picked by a lot of writers to finish second in the PAC-12 and a check of our CARDINAL COUPLE Pick' Em contest showed that 25% of the entries had Cal going to the Final Four.

In the NCAA Tournament, they opened with a thumping of Fresno State 90-76 and squeaked by South Florida in overtime 82-78 in Lubbock. USF came from 10 points down late to force the extra five minutes.

Moving to Spokane for the regional, UC sent LSU home with a 73-63 defeat and eliminated underdog Georgia 65-62 in overtime. They were the #2 seed in the Spokane regional and avoided a third game with #1 seed Stanford in the regional finals after Georgia pulled the upset.

Lindsay is also an expert at the
macarana...as seen here.

"It's hard to argue that Louisville is the hottest team in the country right now. They're clearly an exciting offensive team. They put a lot of fine players on the court at one time and we're going to have a challenge to slow them down." -- Lindsay Gottlieb

(We should also note we contacted Ms. Gottlieb about an e-mail interview several days ago. One of her administrative interns sent a response e-mail that Lindsay would be glad to answer the questions we sent later that evening. That was two days ago. It is the left coast, however. Or maybe we just got 'catfished'...)

It's California's first trip to the Final Four and Lindsay's as well. She was Joanne Boyle's assistant at UC before taking the UCSB head coaching job a few years ago. When Boyle departed, Gottlieb was offered and accepted the job last season.

So which Bear will try and keep Shoni contained? We expect

Cal sophomore Brittany Boyd will draw that unenviable assignment. Boyd is also the second leading scorer for UC with 12.6 ppg a game. Top honors go to Layshia Clarendon with 16.4 points a contest. The Bears average 72.8 points a game while allowing just 58.3...and outrebounded their foes prior to Louisville by 11.3 a game.

Throw all that out the window and give it a David Akers kick as well. Statistics have meant nothing to the Lady Cards over the last three games.

Purdue...rough, tough and BIG 10 Tournament champs. Currently back in West Lafayette or on Spring Break. A #4 seed that played like a #14.

"Don't you know who I am and why am I not winning?"

Baylor. Oh, yes...Baylor. #1 seed, #1 in the nation and #1 in most fans hearts and minds. A 28-point favorite in Vegas to beat UofL. Someone forgot to tell Shoni, Nita and Mo. Mulkey getting some early, unexpected flower-planting and mulching time in currently...when she's not whining on podcasts or TV about the horrific abuse that her precious darlings received from those mean-spirited Cardinal girls...and the unjust, horrific referees who conspired to turn a women's basketball game into a MMA event.

Tennessee. Came out bewildered, baffled and blown away by Louisville's defense and audacity to challenge them on the boards. Holly Warlick did a fine job in her first year as the head Volunteer. Maybe she needed a few more hours of community service or a book on the Schimmel sisters. She's back in "Orangeville"...probably hoping Mercedes Russell missed viewing the game.

Win or lose Sunday, it's been one heck of a fun and wild ride for Louisville WBB. The team that so many turned their back on after the loss to Kentucky. A guard that people said weighed too much, shot too often and never played defense. A coach who couldn't prevent opponent runs, didn't play the right combinations and wasn't kind and gentle enough with his players. A collection of not-ready-for prime time underachievers and timid prima donnas...according to some. Or thugs and villains, according to others.

A team in the Final Four.

They may be ugly ducklings and party crashers...but they are OUR quackers and interlopers...and we couldn't be prouder, happier or anymore in love with them.

They've been through the season from hell, as far as injuries go...but still smile like heavenly angels and play like possessed demons.

And all you can do is just smile. Hollywood couldn't have written a better script or plot line. Just one question, if it were to go to film...

Who would play the evil Waco witch Kim?  

-Paulie

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Cortnee Daley is a freshman mid-fielder for
the UofL Lacrosse team.

Lacrosse returns home today after a month on the road to play rival Notre Dame. Got two great interviews with Cortnee Daley and Kay Morissette Wednesday on campus while waiting for the WBB bus to pull up at the SAC...but you'll have to listen to the CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO SHOW Saturday to hear them. All I can say is...if I liked lacrosse before, I'm absolutely enamored with it now. Two very nice, polite and exuberant young women, those two.

Notre Dame is currently #7 in the nation, so a Louisville win would be the highest ranked opponent to fall to the Cross Cards in Louisville Lacrosse history. 

We think you should go to the Lacrosse game today. Starts at 5 p.m. You're gonna have a good time and you may even see a couple of CARDINAL COUPLE staffers out there as well. Or chimps. We never really know for sure...

Free pizza for UofL students. I'll find a way to circumvent that...

If you can't make the Friday game, they play again on Sunday at noon against Marquette. It's Marquette's first year in Lacrosse...but their head coach is a former Notre Dame assistant. Also, Marquette does not play in the BIG EAST in Lacrosse...but Loyola, MD does. Go figure.

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