Basketball vs Duke Gameday - Sunday Cardinal Couple

Duke Visits the Yum!

(no...these "Dukes" are NOT the ones visiting today)

Kara Lawson brings her Blue Devils into the KFC Yum! Center today for a 3pm game.  The Cards are still sitting around that 4th or 5th place ranking, though with an absolutely chaotic slate of Thursday night games in the SEC, and specifically with Tennessee losing by 10 to Auburn, there's a possibility that Louisville could move up a spot tomorrow when the rankings come out.

That won't happen if the Cards don't get the job done today, however.

The basics first.  The Dookies come in to the game today 13-5 overall, 4-4 in conference.  That one non-conference loss was a very understandable one to what we know is a very good South Carolina team.  There are also some pretty decent wins in that set, with Iowa, Alabama, and Dayton all going down to defeat.

In conference, we're starting to see a picture painted of a thoroughly mid-level team.  A two point victory over Notre Dame is the biggest hint that there maybe a little something more to Duke than what they've shown so far.  Wins over Virginia, Miami, and Syracuse; with loses to NC State, UNC, and twice to Virginia Tech reinforces the mid-pack assessment.

So let's break it down a little bit.  Lawson has been loving the transfer portal, with nine of the 15 players on the roster having "Previous School"s listed.  That, of course, includes the two former Cardinals Elizabeth Balogun, and Nyah Green.

E has been doing pretty well in Durham, is the second highest scorer on the team behind Shayeann Day-Wilson.  She's among the top rebounders on the squad, trailing Jade Williams and Onome Akinbode-James.  She is the only player on the squad to have started all 18 games in the season thus far, so there's a high likelihood that we'll see her today.

(Green hasn't been "gold" for the Dookies this year)

Green is a different story. She's seen just eight games this season and was hit with a "violation of team policies and standards" suspension and hasn't played since 1/18 and a seven minute, no points appearance against Miami. 

The Duke lineup has been ravaged by injuries and "health and safety protocols".  Stat sheet stuffer Celeste Taylor has missed the last five games since going down with an injury in the game against Syracuse on January 9th.  No word, yet, on whether she'll be back today.

Inside threats for Duke are Jade Williams and Onome Akinbode-James, with occasional appearances by Amaya Finklea-Guity (ex Syracuse), otherwise, just about everyone on the squad can, and fairly frequently does, drop treys.

(Balogun being a factor at Duke)

Duke typically wins if they score more than 70 points, with only two of their wins (Miami and Virginia) being accomplished with less than 70 points.  This bodes well for UofL's strong defensive play, but as always, you have to put the ball in the basket to score enough points to win.

(Robin Verhulst takes the shot) 

On a human interest side note, perhaps spare a moment of thought for Robin Verhulst, mother of Cardinal freshman Payton Verhulst.  She may be dealing with some amount of split allegiances today as she played for Duke from 1989-1992.  Robin was a pretty good player for Blue Devils, racking up 11.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists as a senior.  We can see where Payton gets it.

The game today is on the flagship channel, ESPN, with Courtney Lyle and Carolyn Peck on the call.  Again, the tip is slightly later, at 3pm, due to the TV coverage.

Track and Field

(Leon with the winning combination to the "vault")

The Cards hosted the Lenny Lyles Invitational yesterday, and there were a few highlights for the women.  Gabriela Leon won the pole vault clearing 4.38 meters.  Auriane Viola, and Aliyah Welter finished 3rd and 4th.

Cardinals Brooke Weimer and Synclair Savage finished 2nd and 3rd in the Long Jump with marks of 6.03 meters, and 5.60 meters.

The other podium finish for the Cards was in the 4x400 meter relay, with a 2nd place finish of 3:45.91.  The team is Katie Martin, Kiyah Yeast, Taylor Boggess, and Taylor Herbert.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast

(We don't actually wear tuxedos for the podcast...)

Basketball was on the minds of the trio for the CCRHP yesterday.  Jared, Paulie and I were on the call.  Daryl scored tickets to the men's basketball game against Duke, while Case is apparently still fighting home improvements.

We spent most of the podcast talking basketball, with recaps of the wins over Wake Forest and Florida State.  We also got to hear about Katy, Jared's fiance', hob-nobbing with important FSU folks on the sidelines of the game Thursday.  It's fair play, Katy is an FSU grad.

Available at it's Youtube live stream location, you can check it out at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSv0nu6PgOs

JMcA

Basketball News -- Diving News -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 WBB News

We're still in the COVID-19 gap where Louisville women's basketball has not been active.  Although names of players, coaches, and staff who tested positive were not released for privacy and HIPAA purposes it appears the Cards have been able to address and isolate those cases without any new cases.

That being said, as of right now we can prepare to see the Cards in action this Sunday at the KFC Yum! Center against Miami.  Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. Given that nothing changes between now and then keep an eye out for that preview in a couple days.

More basketball news coming and this one isn't so positive. Nyah Green has entered her name into the transfer portal.

Green is a redshirt freshman this year and came into the program as a McDonald's All-American. Green saw action in all five games this year. She scored a career-high six points against DePaul, but logged a career-low one minute against Duke.

As Coach Walz begins to settle in on his starting lineup and in-game lineup, we can maybe assume that certain players will start logging more minutes while others will be less fortunate. Louisville, however, looked very good against #24 DePaul and playing time was plentiful for the Cards WBB student-athletes. DePaul knocked off #9 UK yesterday

Green did have a legion of players in front of her on the roster and depth chart so it is not too surprising to see her seek opportunities elsewhere. She will be eligible to transfer and play immediately due to a decision made by the NCAA yesterday, allowing any student-athlete to have immediate eligibility upon transferring.

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

Not much has changed in the standings with ACC women's basketball. Georgia Tech is 2-0 in conference play giving them the top spot. Louisville and NC State both sit at 1-0 in the ACC, although the Cards are 5-0 while the Wolfpack have played an extra game at 6-0. Other undefeated teams (in conference play only) at 1-0 are Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Syracuse and Florida State.  Miami sits a bit further down at 4-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play. Pittsburgh and Clemson also have  1-1 ACC game records. Five ACC squads are still looking for their first conference win -- North Carolina, Notre Dame, Boston College, Duke and Virginia. 

Diving News

Ever heard of a virtual swimming and diving meet? Well, COVID-19 has allowed the world to come up with some creative concepts and alternatives including this.

There was an international meet that the Louisville Diving team was a part of. Each team filmed themselves from their home pool (Ralph Wright Natatorium for Louisville) and the tapes were submitted to a judging panel. Louisville was the only team from the United States of America.

Abby Andrews and Kayla Wilson in the women's three meter. They finished 10th and 11th, respectively. The women's platform included Else Praasterink and Abbie Erickson. Erickson was one spot from the podium and fourth with Praasterink right behind at fifth.

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

For me, it is a Friday as I will enjoy the true Friday this week with a day off from work. I would love to wish you a Happy Friday, but since it is still just Thursday I will say Happy Thursday and Go Cards!

Jared

VB Survives in Five, WBB #1 in ACC, Field Hockey Players Honored -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

VOLLEYBALL RALLIES TO DOWN DOMERS

I suppose this is what you should expect when the Irish and Cardinals get together in Volleyball. A five-set match. One team looking out-of-sync and lost early and then roaring back to take control. Toss in an injury, a key contribution off the bench and Katie George and you have a brief synopsis of what happened in South Bend last night. Both games in 2017 and in 2018 went five sets. It has become the new "expected" when these two get together. A hard-fought, come-from behind and entertaining Cardinal "W"...22-25, 22-25, 25-17, 25-22 and 15-10. 

Both teams came into the match with equal 13-3 and 6-0 in the ACC records. The Cards edging their way into the top 25 and Notre Dame getting votes but not quite there yet. It was Notre Dame, though, who looked like the top 25 squad in the first two sets. Just when it looked like things couldn't get any worse for UofL in the second set when Melanie McHenry...who is "Ms. Everything" for the Cardinals...came down wrong on her left knee at the conclusion of a play and crumpled to the floor in a great deal of pain. Her scream audible on TV. A silent arena. Laying prone and curled up on the court for quite some time while being examined. She was carried off by the UofL staff. What next, you ask? 

What happened after that was nothing short of remarkable. Smiling, encouraging her teammates as she was removed from the floor, McHenry was believing in her team to finish the task.  UofL got a new light in their eyes, a reason-to-rally and, although the set was lost -- you could tell that the Cards were going to halftime with renewed fire and focus.

 "Play well for Mel" is as good as any description for what happened after the break. 

We won't go into a lot of detail on those first two sets. The Cards trailed early in the first, did rally back to get within one at 22-21 but the Irish "hit squad" of freshman Caroline Meuth and sophomore Charley Niego rallied the Irish to the win. 25-22 Leprechaun lovers. 

Second set brought more of the same for the lackluster Cards. Playing from behind most of the way, once again, Louisville rallied to get with that "same one" again at 22-21. Once again, the Irish controlled the end of the set, allowing just one Cardinal point and it was 25-22 again...."Touchdown Jesus" had his arms up outside on campus for a reason.

The adjustments UofL made at the half were superb. Shannon Shields took over at setter. Louisville went with a back line of Aiko Jones, Claire Chaussee and Amaya Tillman.  And, the Cards responded like Secretariat rolling down the stretch with the finish line in sight. 

Bursting out to a 12-4 lead in set three, they forced the UND time out. Ineffective. Louisville pushed that advantage to 21-8 and were looking like the Louisville Volleyball we've come to know and love. Amber Stivrins, Anna Stevenson and Aiko Jones...the "A-Team" was on the job and the Irish were reeling. Notre Dame, to their credit, made a late run to cut the Cardinal advantage to 23-17 but it ended two plays later an a 25-17 win was in the UofL ledger. 

In set four, we saw more Cardinal authority. A 12-4 start. Amber and Aiko were still hot and UofL led 22-16 before the Irish held on at set point twice before the Cards were able to close it on a Jones spike. 25-22 the final and bonus ball awaited. 

A 4-0 early run gave the Cards a 8-4 lead in the fifth. They pushed that to 11-7 and forced a Irish time out, which seemed to temporarily help the beleaguered, baffled and bushed UND squad. They cut the margin to two at 12-10. Then, a couple of UND errors and a Amaya kill ended it.  15-10. Cards take game, set and match. 

Louisville showed a ton of fight, spirit and "never-say-die" attitude last night. McHenry had returned to the sidelines to sit behind the bench, with her knee heavily wrapped, to cheer on her "sisters-in-slams". No official statement yet on her status, just a "knee injury" is all we know. Sure looked like an ACL, though, after watching the replays. 

On a lighter note...Katie George, Cardinal great from a few years back and former beauty queen, did the analysis work on the ACC Network broadcast last night. A stellar performance from her as well, combining solid technical knowledge and explanations of the action. George hardly masking her love for the Cards and tossing her quirky and funny descriptions and sayings out like the way she used to set up players on the court. 

She had that poor boy doing the broadcast with her baffled and dazed. We think she should be on the "A" team for ACC Network Volleyball broadcast coverage. 

Good to have ya back, K.G. !! Keep 'em coming. 


WBB #1 in ACC Preseason Polls

Louisville women's basketball squad has been selected to finish first in the ACC in preseason polls from the conference's coaches and the ACC Blue Ribbon Panel. 

The Cards gathered 13 of the 15 first place votes from the coaches (NC St. receiving two) and 34 of the 49 first place votes from the Blue Ribbon Panel. The Wolfpack garnered eight first place votes in "the B.R.P" version and Florida State plus Notre Dame also received first place votes. 

Once again, Cardinal Couple was not contacted to participate in the Blue Ribbon Panel, most likely because we prefer Yuenging, Budweiser and other select, crafted beverages. 

Louisville also landed two players on the Preseason All-ACC team with junior Dana Evans and sophomore Elizabeth Balogun. Miami's Elizabeth Balogun was selected preseason player-of-the-year. Freshman guard Nyah Green was named to the Newcomers Watch List for the 2019-20 season. 

No surprises in any of this, except for the exclusion of Jazmine Jones on the ACC team. That's a mistake that'll come back to haunt more than a few pundits and teams this season.

Let's face it, Walz's squad is loaded for bear, equipped with plenty of ammunition and could probably enter two teams in ACC play this year and finish first and second in the conference. 

19 days until UofL starts the season against WKU in the KFC YUM! Center. 



FIELD HOCKEY'S AYARS, RUSS HONORED

Louisville Field Hockey seniors Carter Ayars and Bethany Russ have been named to the Victory Sports Tours/National Field Hockey Coaches Association's Senior Game.

38 seniors will participate in the contest, which is planned for November 22 following the conclusion of the NCAA DI semifinal game at Wake Forest. 

Ayars has been brilliant as a defender and penalty corner specialist for Louisville this season and her whole career at Louisville. She gathered ACC Player of the Week, NFHCA All-West Region team selection and USA Field Hockey Under 21 team honors during her time as a CARDINAL. 

Russ, an attack specialist, leads UofL with nine goals this season. She's also been a NFHCA All-West Region selection and All-ACC pick during her time under head coach Justine Sowry. She also leads the ACC with shot attempts (70). 

# 5 ranked UofL (11-2) wraps up their current home stand with Longwood on Saturday at noon (unfortunate time selection on that one) and #6 Iowa Sunday at 1 p.m. 

Have a terrific Thursday ! 

paulie
xxxxx

Louisville WBB -- Start learning the names now, Cardinal fans -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

THESE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN YOU SHOULD GET TO KNOW

Being a bit of a movie buff, one of my favorite remakes of a classic was the 2016 remake of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. This remake of the 1960 movie (of the same name) starred Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke.

The plot was based around seven gunmen being banded together to protect a small town from a private army of a destructive and despicable rich industrialist. 

Jeff Walz is offering a live, basketball version of the classic Western when he brings seven "new to the KFC YUM! Center floor" women's basketball student-athletes together for the first time to join another group of student-athletes who seek to defend their ACC Women's basketball regular season share of the title.  We know some of the names...because of their previous exploits in DI WBB. I recommend you commit all seven to memory.

Say "Hello!" to Elizabeth, Kianna and Liz..." 

From Georgia Tech, both ELIZABETH BALOGUN and LIZ DIXON saddle up and ride north to take shots at ACC foes from a different perspective. The duo teamed up for a combined 25 points per game and average of 30 minutes a game down in "hot 'lanta". While Cardinal fans wait to see if they can join the party right away or in 2020-21 -- having that kind of arsenal available will pay huge rewards for the squad -- be it practice or game situations. Balogun, a guard, was the ACC Freshman of the year. Dixon, a 6'5" paint player, was named to the All-ACC Freshman team and the leading freshman rebounder in the ACC. How this for a trade...lose a couple of key guards and post-player to graduation and to the WNBA and gain a couple of key guards and post? I like the restocking strategy. 

KIANNA SMITH makes the journey to the "Ville" from California, where she was a key guard in the Bears system for two years. We do know she'll have to redshirt the 2019-20 season but...look out Cardinal fans after that! A PAC 12 All-Freshman team selection in 2017-18, 35% from beyond the arc and, oh yeah...she was a "burger girl" like Liz and Elizabeth.

A Cardinal Couple welcome to Ramani, Nyah and Norika !

NYAH GREEN arrives from Texas carrying the titles of 2018-19 Texas Ms. Basketball and the 6A Texas Player of the Year in her saddlebags. She's been committed to carrying on the gunfight on Main Street for quite sometime now and, as we all know, you don't "mess with Texas". Green is a delight to watch on both ends of the court and will fit in very well with the "WalzBall" philosophy. 

RAMANI PARKER leaves the "Sunshine State" , where she showed she was a 6'4" forward with outstanding three-point skills and strong rebounding numbers during her one year at Montverde Academy. For Cardinal fans who have been hoping "height" would become more prevalent on the UofL WBB roster...Happy Birthday! You're going to love her game. Talk about a nightmare matchup for opposing squads...

NORIKA KONNO journeys the farthest of the seven to sprout her Cardinal wings and fly. The 5'10" guard has a wealth of international experience. She spent November playing for the Japanese National Team. She was on Japan's 2018 3x3 team. She's a scorer who thrives in a fast-paced basketball environment and should become a fan favorite quickly. 

MOLLY LOCKHART had one of the best seats in the house last year during her red-shirt season at UofL. But, she was busy...as well. Now much stronger, quicker and having gained a lot from the daily practice battles with Sam Fuehring, Kylee Shook and Bionca Dunham...Lockhart hardly resembles the high school senior that arrived last year. At 6'1", she's a force to deal with.

Let's put it this way. You try handling and challenging Sam Fuehring up and down the court everyday for a year in practice and see what it does to your game and skills. 



OK.  It's not like these seven are walking down a dusty and deserted Main Street. The Cards have plenty of veterans back from last year's 32-4 squad. Dana Evans, Jazmine Jones, Kylee Shook, Bionca Dunham and Yacine Diop return. They could start for almost any team in DI WBB. Kasa Robinson, Lindsey Duvall and Seygan Robins had key roles on the 2018-19 squad. Jess Laemmle is a crowd favorite "spark plug" who can run the offense and knows Walz's system.  

We sadly say "Goodbye" to these three who affected the Cards so
much in their careers here. 

So..."Magnificent Seven"...meet the "Nine Lives" who greatly impacted the UofL WBB successes of last season. And, Cardinal fans...a bit of personal advice to you from the "Paulie". You better start early with the process of putting these seven's faces and names to numbers. 

Instead of clearing Main Street for an epic shootout, I'm recommending you pack Main Street (and the KFC YUM! Center for UofL WBB home games later this year. You're going to love the fireworks. This "corral" looks "OK" to me! 

It might be wise for the rest of the ACC WBB squads to circle the wagons and get ready for this upcoming attack...


paulie
xxxxx 

Louisville women's basketball -- The recruiting game is played on many levels -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

RECRUITING AND THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

I don't take a lot of stock in a promising high school player announcing that a particular college or university is in their final three or four list. For years here at CARDINAL COUPLE, we went by the philosophy that "a player is going to go where they are most comfortable...and if and when they arrive, we'll start to notice them." 

If they choose Louisville, we're happy to have them and hope they do well, last 4-5 years and have a great college experience. If not, that's the way it is. Coach Walz has said in the past and if you were to ask him today, he'd tell you that he wants players who want to be here....or in similar words. 

That's not to say we haven't watched with interest in the past. I've talked to former and current Cardinal WBB greats before they arrived on campus but approached it from purely a generalized interested in what they are interested in. I've talked to some players who didn't end up at Louisville. I've posed questions about favorite movie starts, cars and comfort foods to prospective players and had fun doing it. 

I've called players mom's and dad's and asked permission to speak with them. All from a human interest standpoint. Once you get past the numbers...the points scored, rebounds grabbed, assists created and such...there is a living, breathing human being there. Someone who has likes, emotions, feelings and thoughts. 

I get asked about players and recruits a lot.

"Do you think [this girl] will end up at UofL?". "Why did [that girl] go there? Why is Louisville after [so-and-so]? Why isn't [name your player] playing more? I

 'm not the one to answer these types of questions and I can also tell you that I have no idea or clue, usually. I'm not there during the decision process, the talks with family, friends, mentors and coaches. I can speculate like most of you do. I choose not to for the most part. I leave recruiting alone, assured and trustful that those who do it for a living and understand the game, the process....full well know what they're doing, who they are targeting and why they are in pursuit. I leave playing time issues alone as well. (Like I know better than the coaches? I think not...) 

I've heard from various sources that the Cards want Zia Cooke and Breanna Beal out of the 2019 class also. If that's who the coaches want, I hope they get what they desire. I like Cooke's game. I don't know much about Beal but she sounds like a great one. 

Recruiting is a "who, what, where, when, why and how" process. Social media, more than ever, allows people to know so much about prospective players and their thoughts. I recently saw a tweet from Bree Hall. She's a 2021 target for Louisville and a whole bunch of other schools. 

Bree Hall ✨ ‏ @breezyhalll 22h22 hours ago More Thank you to the coaches of the University of Louisville WBB for an amazing unofficial visit 🤩! I really enjoyed being there 😎! #GoCards #GoCardinals ❤️!

The things I first thought of were...I'm glad she had a nice time on her visit. It's always nice to read about someone enjoying going somewhere. Then, I considered, she's a sophomore in high school. A whole lot is going to go on in her life before she moves on to college, Finally, I made a mental note to check out her stats and where's she's from. 

I'm glad she liked our city, the UofL campus and the coaches. I like them, too ,and I'm proud of what my city is (for the most part) and what the Louisville coaches have done. 

So, here's what I know about current recruiting. Louisville has three players in the 2019 class who have indicated they'd like to come to Louisville, so far, and given verbals. Here's also some questions I have. From purely Paulie perspectives. 



NYAH GREEN is a 6'1" guard from Allen High School in Texas. She's highly ranked in all the recruiting services. She's been a Louisville commit for quite some time. I hope she does well here. I wonder if she plays any musical instruments? Does she have regular study habits? Are her parents and family in love with the city like she is? Does she binge watch things on Netflix? All things we'll hopefully get to know about her as she pursues the college experience. 

RAMANI PARKER is a 6'4" forward from Montverde Academy in Florida. The staff at Louisville can't talk about her, but she has verballed. I wonder if she gets those "Oh, there is a tall girl" stares when she goes about in public and how she deals with them if she does? Has she any pets and what are their names?  How will she adjust to the sometimes bitterly cold Louisville winters and has she ever thrown a snowball?  Does she like to plant seeds and watch them grow into flowers?  Will she hang out at the newly renovated S.A.C. with her teammates? 

NAKIRA KONNO is a 5'10" guard from Seiwa Gakuen High School in Japan. Not much is known about her, except that she's played on the Japanese U 18, U 23 and 3x3 teams and played quite well. I wonder if her parents will try to learn English like she did, or whether Jeff Walz will have Sam Purcell learn Japanese to better communicate with her. I wonder if she's ever seen a Seinfeld episode and what she things of Kramer if she has?  How will she adjust to American food and dining habits? What will she choose as a major and will she go watch softball and lacrosse when she has free time? 

Many tend to look at players purely from a stat level and competitive nature. Let's turn that around. How would you like your life to be summarized in that fashion? 

"Let's see...Harold woke up and went to the bathroom with a smooth, full-out stride and finished well near the sink. His crossover toothbrush move was impressive and he communicates well with toothpaste in his mouth. Possesses great coffee-making skills and excels at getting the exact and right amount of creamer and sugar in his cup. Needs to work on turning off lights when he leaves a room and finishing the bowl of cereal he started. Son of a butcher and candle-stick maker. Has three brothers...Moe, Larry and Curly. Plans on hitting his boss up for the open Underwater Bicycling supervisor position at work. Doesn't like beets in a salad. His Uncle once crossed the street in the pouring rain and without an umbrella. Voted for Trump and thinks puppies are cute"

We get to know things about student-athletes as they progress toward their degrees. Sometimes, the knowledge is sad. Sometimes enlightening. Sometimes revealing and sometimes surprising. Let's remember this: They are student-athletes. I hope they enjoy their college experience like I enjoyed mine. (OK, maybe not in the way I did...) 

Recruiting is a game. A game of chess. Of Clue. Of Blackjack and Monopoly. Some play the game, some prefer to watch. It's jockeying for high schoolers who you want to consider an education at your school and participate in an activity in your athletic department. An activity that also serves as entertainment for the community. Ultimately, coaches are judged on how well they recruit and how well their squads do. Coaches lose jobs, change jobs.  People want winners. Look at all the current Petrino debate out there. One thing we have to remember, most of all, though:  

It isn't life-and-death. It's a game. 


NOVEMBER IS DONATION MONTH AT CARDINAL COUPLE

In a couple of days...we will start our annual donation drive. November is our designated donation month. CARDINAL COUPLE is a non-profit organization. We have expenses. 

We come to you, hat-in-hand, and ask if you'll be kind enough to donate. No amount is too small or too large. We appreciate what you decide to do. We'll get into the details of the different ways to do so and why we ask for your help in a few days, but checks are always appreciated. 

Send to: 

CARDINAL COUPLE
P.O. Box 91521
Louisville, KY   40291

Thank you! 


paulie
xxxxx  

Who's Next for Louisville basketball -- Goodbye John Asher -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDS WBB IN THE RUNNING FOR SEVERAL 2019 PROSPECTS

So, on one of those rare days here in late August where there are no UofL women's athletics events to attend, watch or cover...let's turn to one of the sports on campus that brings a goodly share of readers to Cardinal Couple and peaks Cardinal fans interest. Women's basketball. 

First off, yes, the 2018-19 team is on campus, going through practice a few times a week under NCAA guidelines, of course, with Jeff Walz, his associates and assistants and the Cardinal training staff. The 2018 freshmen are on campus and working to gel with the returning players from 2017-18. 

As it is, though, with some programs, the Louisville fan base is akin to a toddler who has weathered a Christmas morning and later wants to know: What's next? 

That "next" would be the 2019 recruiting class. Some of the answers are already in place. The Cards WBB program will be bringing in several good players. Nyah Green, a 6'0" guard (or wing...we feel she can play either) is in the Cardinal camp. So is Ramani Parker, a 6'4" post. 


So, how many more does UofL WBB want to bring in? That would be the question of the day. Although we're pretty sure here at CARDINAL COUPLE that Coach Walz and the staff probably have a "number" in mind...you never really know until the final determining factor of them making the commit and then showing up on campus. 

Like some of you, we've hear some names and have  done a bit of speculation. We have no "inside pipeline" to the thoughts and strategies of Walz...so we'll throw a few names out there and see what happens down the road. Mind you, again, this is just speculation on our part.

Today, I'll toss out five names that have shown interest in the Cards for 2019. I'm definitely "flying on instruments" here but, here goes. I know I'm leaving a few out. 

AIJAH BLACKWELL, who played for Walz and USA Basketball in Mexico City, has narrowed her potential places to further her student-athlete status to six schools. As it is with many of these, they are in no particular order. Louisville, Ohio St., Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi St. and St. Louis are who she's considering. This 6'0" guard has it all and would be a welcome addition to the Cardinal roster. 

MAORI DAVENPORT. She's another player who went with USA Basketball to Mexico City and she was named to the All-Tournament team. She's named Louisville, Mississippi St., Georgia, Florida and Rutgers. Depending on what you read and who said it, there are conflicting reports on if any of these are in the lead for her enrollment. At 6'4" she'd be a great "add" to any of the schools listed above. 

JORDAN HORSTON. A 6'1" guard out of Columbus, OH who is ranked in the top three at her position...she recently agreed to visit Tennessee for a weekend. Still on her list, at last glance, were Louisville, Tennessee, UConn, North Carolina, Ohio St., South Carolina and UCLA. Any time you have a shot at one of the top three at a position, that's a good thing, right?  She's also had official visits to UCLA. UConn, South Carolina and North Carolina. She's had one unofficial visit to Louisville and plans another. She likes Jeff Walz and the staff. We'll see...

JADA BOYD. She was the Virginia Player of the Year and a force on the court at 6'2". She has her list down to four schools. Louisville, Maryland, NC St., and West Virginia. She says: " I really like coach Walz a lot and my mother is fond of him and his coaching style." Jada plans official visits to all four schools. She's developed into a top target for the Cards in 2019 and played well here in the NIKE EYBL tournament here in Louisville this summer. 
As a junior, she average 35 points a game and 13 rebounds, with eight blocks per game. 

RICKEA JACKSON. A 6'2" wing that recently visited Tennessee along with Horston and Zia Cooke (who has also shown UofL interest). Jackson made an unofficial visit to Louisville back in December and is another in the top three according to ESPN at her position. Last we heard, there are still seven or eight schools on her list. She's a wing that runs the court extremely well, makes opponents pay with a variety of scoring options and can definitely clear the glass. 

As mentioned above, we have NO idea how accurate or relevant this list is, or how it will be in the next few months...but these are a few players that caught ol' Paulie's eye. Any or all would be a great addition to the Louisville roster. The Cards graduate four after the 2018-19 season, so there will be ample opportunities and roster sports open. 

Time will tell. 


A FAREWELL TO JOHN ASHER

John Asher and I were the same age. He went to college at WKU with CARDINAL COUPLE Co-Founder and my wife Sonja. I saw John a lot over the past 20-something years. He faithfully addressed The Sportsmen's Supper Club each March or April with an annual Derby preview and I was usually responsible for lining him up for the engagement. He always said "Yes" and always told me how much he enjoyed addressing our group. 

He actually gave us the winner this year as well, in Justify, when he delivered his picks. 

I will miss him. John was a huge part of Churchill to me, along with the Twin Spires, Scotty Harris and that long stretch

I'll share a couple of Asher stories in his memory.

-- Last Saturday, I went to Churchill after THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR broadcast. A combination of reasons...to be with some people who knew recently-departed Scott Harris as well as I did...and to watch an important stakes race at Saratoga (The Travers). John used to tease about his inability to pick a Derby winner, but he nailed his 2018 pick.  

As I pulled into the lot, I saw John in the row in front of me walking to his car. I went over to talk to him. He was leaving after taking care of a few details at the track (he was the vice-president of racing communications at Churchill Downs) and going home to prepare for a vacation in Florida with his family. He said he was ready for some fun and rest with them. We talked about the Travers, he didn't give me a pick, but smiled and nodded when I mentioned CATHOLIC BOY, who won the race at 7-1 odds. John was a "Catholic boy" himself, attending Holy Spirit parish here in Louisville.

I also teased him about former WKU WBB Coach Michelle Clark-Heard leaving the 'Toppers' to go to Cincinnati. John was a huge WKU fan but also knew a lot about UofL WBB. John had a photographic memory. He recalled Clark's playing days at WKU, her time at Louisville and then also reminded me that Greg Collins, the new coach at WKU, was another former UofL assistant and John thought he'd be a great head coach for the Toppers. He pointed out that Collins basically held the UofL program together after Martin Clapp left and before Tom Collen accepted the job.  

I could tell he was in a hurry, so I wished him a "happy vacation" and walked away. With the sun shining down on him, that "always-big-glad-to-see-you-grin" on his face...two regular guys just exchanging a few pleasantries...that's the way I'll remember my last encounter with John. Doing what he loved and loved what he was doing. 

Another John-related story: 

-- It was Thursday of Kentucky Derby week this year.  "Thurby", as it's called...if you will, and I awoke that morning and discovered I was missing my cell phone. I thought back to Wednesday. I had been at the track. I remembered using one of the charging plugs in the Gold Room at Churchill Downs to re-charge it. I checked the car, it wasn't there, so I told Sonja I must have left it plugged-in at Churchill and I was going to go see if it was still there. Fortunately, David Watson had agreed to do the Thursday Cardinal Couple column for me.



Getting into Churchill on Derby Week Thursday...without tickets, proper passes or before they open...beginning with parking in the Longfield Lot, is akin to climbing Mt. Everest in a "speedo". My gift-of-gab, out-dated WCHQ media pass and tale of woe got me by parking lot guarders, gate attendants and security folks and I went into an almost deserted Gold Room  quite early on that Thursday morning. 

The phone was no longer plugged in where I had left it. One of the hosts of the room, no other than Scotty Harris, who was already on-duty,  suggested I try lost-and-found over in the administration building...so off I went. As I walked over, back-tracking to get around locked gates, I turned a corner and there was John Asher, getting in a little morning cardio-walk.

We smiled at each other and started to talk. I explained my plight. He wished me the best of luck in the search and told me to keep positive thoughts. He told me that they had a good group of people there at Churchill and it would most likely turn up somewhere. I told him that it was good to see him that morning. I went down the steps in front of me, he continued up. 

After I had a lengthy wait, lost-and-found opened but no one had turned in my phone. Dismayed, I left. The attendant said she'd call my home phone if it showed up. I asked her to call the Gold Room, since I planned on being there.

 I went back to the Gold Room to see if I could get a coffee. As I entered, my bartender from the day before was coming on shift and she asked me if "I was missing anything?". The bartenders have a cabinet behind the bar where they store lost or forgotten items...which I didn't know about. My phone, with charger, waited for me on one of the shelves in the cabinet. 

Goodbye, John. Churchill won't be the same without you. I hope you and Scotty Harris get together up at that big race track in the sky and get some successful handicapping done. 


paulie
xxxxx

Looking at...Shalia Beeler 2019 -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

DOIN' THE HIPPIE, HIPPIE SHAKE"

Back on these hallowed pages after a few days off...getting one of the load bearing structures on the Paulie machine replaced...into day five this morning of hip replacement surgery and trying to get a little better each day. One direction here and one goal...making that walk without pain that so many of us take for granted. I never will again, I can assure you. Haven't decided whether to call the new hip 'Asia' or 'Tia' yet...two of my favorite WBB Cards of all time and both came back pretty well after hip injuries. Or, as Sonja says...."You'll have no excuse for not cutting the lawn by Labor Day..." 

Paulie has missed being outside the Cardinal
Couple offices lately...

A special thanks to those who took over the Cardinal Couple ship and piloted it into port successfully and safely over the last few days.  Worldwide and Case took us from Louisville, to Omaha, Oregon, Cleveland and points in-between in their writings and teamed up with #1 Louisville Cardinal fan Julie "Bird Lady" Sullivan to put together an unequaled radio show Saturday in terms of topics talked about and variety of subjects discussed. They took you from ditch vaulting to baseball, discus throwing to jumping in dumpsters full of ice water...and tossed in a little rock and roll...baseball and there might have even been a apple pie in the studio with a dog, monk and banana. I tip my cap to my radio-mates. I hope to join them again soon.  I think it would be safe to say...we are our own summer replacements. 

A REVEALER ON BEELER

I was asked what I knew a couple of days ago about a recent visitor to the Louisville campus and basketball program.

A 2019 point guard out of Warren Central (think Indianapolis area) named Shai Beeler allegedly was on campus to have a "look-see". Or Sheila Beeler. Maybe Shalia Beeler...I've seen and heard her name in several different ways and forms.

What's most impressive to me... is not the multi-name capabilities, though. It is the descriptive adjectives and words that flow after the mention of her. 

An incredibly quick guard...Ms. Beeler is... who habitually collapses defenses. A floor leader who excels at interior passing. One of the participants in the USA WBB U16 trials. She dictates the tempo and pace in an upbeat game and she finds the rim and breaks down defenses easily. One of the top 100 for 2019 by Prospects Nations and #11 players in that class...according to ESPNW. She is a born leader on the court. she put up 14.1 ppg and 6 assists in a sophomore season that was cut to just 13 games by injury.

She's also currently 5'6"...which could also get her a gig on the Attack Yorkie squad. 

And she may not even have her driver's license yet....


Danny Riego is her coach for the Nike Gym Rats in Club ball. He's coached a ton of impressive players that have received D1 scholarships and has a dynamo in her. He's unquestionably glad to have her back for the summer circuit. Beeler did win Warren Central Player Of The Year. A lot of upside here, obviously.  

So...what do we make of her summer visit to the 'Ville...as she prepares for her junior year in high school? It's certainly an exciting time to be on the Belknap Campus with the switch over going on with Volleyball and WBB and their facilities. All three WBB freshmen are on campus now and Beeler (let's call her "SB" for now until we come up with something more creative) probably battled with two of them (Evans and Duvall) in club ball. Dana played for the Indianapolis Gym Rats Siver team...I need to ask Riego for some comparisons, I guess...I'm not showing that West Side High (Dana's previous digs) and Warren Central played during the season. 

S.B. has received offers already. Illinois is one of the several DI schools to  extend one.  No doubt those will accumulate this year like empty wings bones in front of Paulie at BW3. Coach Walz has had guards on his mind in 2019 recruiting...with all-Universe Nyah Green heading that list to say "Yes" to the 'Ville. 

When a rising junior that is getting lots of national attention comes to call, it's a very good thing for a program. 

The 2019-20 Louisville Women's Basketball team will not have Arica Carter, Myisha Hines-Allen, Asia Durr, or Sam Fuehring on their roster ...if the graduation process goes as normal. Jazmine Jones, Bionca Dunham, Jessica Laemmle, Sydney Zambrotta and Kylee Shook will be seniors...which is a distant vision barring any transfers, injuries or other things that can pop out of the blue. we'll be in the heat of another Presidential campaign by then, as well...and the Rolling Stones will just be coming off their 55th. anniversary tour. So...yes, 2019-20 is a long, long way off and anything can happen. 

Join me in a dream here... a potential back-court of Nyah Green, "S.B." Seygan Robins and Dana Evans just has to bring a smile to anyone's face...unless you're a ACC opponent. A team that also has Jazmine Jones and Kylee Shook on its roster. Are you smiling as broadly as I am? 

After all...what are we...without our dreams? 



paulie
xxxxx