Survive and Advance - Sunday Cardinal Couple

Elite Eight Achieved

The Louisville women's basketball team advanced to the Elite Eight with a 76-64 win over Tennessee in Wichita.

The Lady Vols got on the board first at the beginning of the game, and would trade buckets with the Cards a few times.  UofL would take their first lead of the game three and a half minutes in on a Kianna Smith three pointer, and would never relinquish the lead in the game again.  Tennessee would get within two at the beginning of the fourth quarter after spending all of the 3rd quarter chipping away at the lead.

Louisville led by as much as 15 points midway through the second quarter, and while it never felt like UofL was about to let it slip away, no lead ever felt truly safe.

Emily Engstler and Hailey Van Lith both had 20+ point games, 23 for Van Lith and 20 for Engstler.  Engstler would pair that with a 10 rebound effort for a double double.  Van Lith was the most giving on the team with six assists, and Chelsie Hall handed out four assists while just missing double-digit scoring with nine.  Kianna Smith had 12 points and four steals.  A great effort by the freshman Payton Verhulst as well.  Verhulst dropped seven points and snagged a rebound in front of what was reported to be a massive group of family and friends with Wichita being only about two and a half hours driving time away from her home in De Soto, Kansas.

Perhaps the most under-stat-captured efforts of the game were Olivia Cochran and Liz Dixon.  Three points, three rebounds, and an assist show up on the stat sheet for Cochram, and more alarming if all you look at is the stat sheet was only 16 minutes and five personal fouls.  Dixon had a similar sort of stat line, two points, three blocks, and four rebounds, but what doesn't get shown is how they battled in the paint against 6'6" Tamari Key and was part of largely shutting down the Tennessee big game, holding Key to only three points as well.

The Cards advance to the Elite Eight and will be facing Michigan tomorrow night with a 9pm EDT start time.  Michigan...it can only be described as survived...against 10 seed South Dakota, winning 52-49 over the Coyotes.  The other 10 seed still in the tournament, Creighton, did advance to the Elite Eight but will have a tall task ahead of them tonight against South Carolina.  Also in action yesterday, again "survive" is the only verb for NC State's win over Notre Dame, 66-63, and UConn handled business against Indiana, 75-58.

The FRED Report

"Yabba, Dabba, Doo ! It's the Elite Eight for you, LOU !!"

FREE THROWS -- The best quarter for free throw shooting for the Cards was the 2nd quarter, with the squad hitting 4-6 for 66.67%.  And if that's the best it got, well, obviously there's not going to be a letter here.  At just a touch shy of 62% for the game, no "f" can be awarded.  -

REBOUNDS -- 36 rebounds for the Cards, not a terrible total, but this is always compared to the opponents total as well, and in this defensive battle with lots of forced shots on both ends of the court, there were lots of rebounds to be gotten.  Tennessee claimed 52 of them, putting Louisville on the losing end of this stat.  Against, no letter can be awarded here.  -

For EFFORT/EXECUTION, there's a lot of "eye test" here, though assists come in to play.  15 assists on 28 made field goals is a nice total, and compares favorably to Tennessee's nine assists on 24 field goals.  Under 42% field goal shooting is ok, but not spectacular.  I'll award an upper case "E" here.  I think there could be an argument that it's a bit generous, but I credit a lot to the team not giving up as the lead narrowed at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and digging deep to finish the game off well.  Capital "E"

DEFENSE -- For the "D" letter grade, I tend to look to the right side of the stat sheet a lot, in addition to feel from watching the game.  11 steals, eight blocks, and only seven turnovers (compared to UT's 18), combined with keeping the effort level high, I'll give the capital "D".  

FINAL FRED TALLY: 

- - E D

Cardinal Couple Bracket Report

Bracket updates from Bracket Czar Jared, with double-check by Paulie, as is our typical practice:

42 wins: Bea, Perry Sosh

41 wins: Kenny Schneider, Nick O, Kenneth Stark Sr, Jared, Jeff (wait, really?  My dumpster fire of a bracket has 41 wins?!)

40 wins: Benny J, Joe Hill

39 wins: Doug Anderson, Jason Wyrick, Katy Whitesell, Blue Lou

38 wins: Case

37 wins: David Watson

36 wins: Arthur, Louavulfan35, Daryl, Vivian, Curtis

34 wins: Paulie

32 wins: Sonya

19 wins: CC Chimps

Brackets with all of their Final Four picks still remaining: Kenny Schneider, Blue Lou, Nick O, Kenneth Stark Sr, Bea, Vivian, Doug Anderson, Jason Wyrick, Jared, Katy, Jeff, Daryl

Lacrosse

Scott Teeter and his Lacrosse squad tangled with UVA yesterday at the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium in what Winnie the Pooh would certainly have called a blustery day.  The Cavaliers would get the win in a close matchup, 12-11.

Hannah Morris likely scoring one of her pair

Our Jared was there and brought us these pictures, but alas, I couldn't take this one in as I was driving to Cincinnati and back dealing with car problems.  Many thanks to my mother for the rescue and impromptu trip there so I could pick up a loaner vehicle.

UVA did get out to a quick start in the first quarter, getting three on the scoreboard before Louisville could get the offense in gear.  The Cards would get two back, thanks to Nicole Perroni and Paige Richbourg.  The Cavs would get another before the end of the quarter, however.

It was all Cards in the 2nd quarter, though.  A pair by Allegra Catalano, and one by Hannah Morris put the Cards on top 5-4 at halftime.

Catalano would complete the hat trick to open the 3rd quarter scoring, but also set off a blizzard of offense on both ends of the field.  UVA would find the back of the net five times in the quarter and UofL got four.  Catalano claimed three of those with Hannah Morris chipping in her 2nd of the game.

Kokoro Nakazawa tallied a couple of assists

With the score tied 9-9 after three quarters, it was a sprint to the finish.  UVA would score a pair before Nicole Perroni would claw one back with just over five minutes left in the game.  Another UVA score and Paige Richbourg would get another to bring the UVA lead back to just one. 

At the end of the game, Louisville would have one last chance, without about 10 seconds left on the clock, to run the length of the field a fire a shot home, but the long shot was saved by the UVA goalkeeper to preserve the 12-11 lead for the Cavs as time ran out.

UofL Lacrosse alumnae (left to right: Jen Schaaf,
Alex McNicholas, and Ally Hall

Another great effort by the Louisville Lacrosse squad as they continue to chip away at fearsome ACC opponents.

UofL will stay at home for another couple of games, but step out of conference a bit.  Ohio State (no, I'm not putting a "The" in front of it), will come to play Thursday evening at 7pm.  Vanderbilt will be next up at the LLS on Tuesday April 5th with a noon start.

Softball

Softball will be wrapping up their series with Clemson today after falling to the Tigers again yesterday.  Louisville would like to get a win against the solidly Top 20 Clemson team, but so far the Tigers have come out on top

.

Yesterday's bout was a five inning run-rule win for Clemson.  The Tigers put up a trio of runs in both the 2nd and 3rd innings and were threatening for that many or more in the 5th, but the run-rule put a stop to it after the 2nd run of the inning got the score to 8-0.

Chardonnay Harris takes the loss on this one as both the starting pitcher and spending the most time in the circle with 2.1 innings pitched.  Sam Booe made an appearance for 1.2 innings, and Payton Hudson finished out the final two outs of the fifth.

The game today will start at noon in Clemson and is on the ACC Network via your tuner, or as always you can catch it via streaming on the ACC Network Extra.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast

(Not a pic of yesterday's podcast lineup...
but we do have CCR as our show's first three initials.)

Case, Daryl, Jared, and Paulie all convened to record the CCRHP yesterday.  Alas, with my emergency trip to Cincinnati and back, the live streaming component via Youtube was not able to happen.

I did listen to most of it myself on the way back down I-71, and it was a great discussion and a lot of fun to just get to listen to.  Basketball dominated the discussion as you might expect as they covered the tournament journey to that point, and previewed the game against Tennessee.

Good fun, and easy to check out at any of your favorite podcast directories and at it's anchor.fm home at:

https://anchor.fm/cardinal-couple/episodes/Cards-in-the-Sweet-Sixteen-e1g9mmd

JMcA

Softball at Clemson -- WBB in Sweet 16 ; FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FRIDAYS WITH DARYL 

Back to the cold temps here in the Ville but I still get the warm fuzzies for a Sweet 16 berth! It was great to see two solid wins for the WBB squad last weekend.   Coach Walz has officially found himself on to my UofL Mount Rushmore... Sweet 16 is no longer a huge feat for this program, they smell blood.  Now, lets get these next 4 wins! 

SOFTBALL 

Louisville vs #16 Clemson 

Friday 6 P.M.

ACCNX

After 5 days off, the UofL softball team will hit the road to face #16 Clemson in a three-game series starting on Friday at 6 p.m. on the ACC Network Extra.  The teams will meet again in an ACC Network-televised game Saturday at 5 p.m. The Cards and the Tigers will wrap up the weekend Sunday at 12 p.m. on ACCNX.

The Cardinals bring a 17-10 overall record and a 1-2 mark in ACC. Clemson brings a 19-9 overall and 1-5 mark in ACC play.

WBB

#1 Louisville vs #4 Tennessee

Saturday 4 P.M.

ESPN2

Radio: 790-AM WKRD (Nick Curran & Adrienne Johnson on the call)

Last Meeting: W, 75-64 (March 20, 2017 in NCAA 2nd Round)

Series History: 2-2 (1-1 home, 0-1 away, 1-0 neutral)

This pic is from the 3/18/2017 edition of CC, I'm pretty sure Paulie took this from his seat on the sidelines. 

Series History - UofL is 2-2 all-time against Tennessee and 2-0 in the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals won 75-64 on March 20, 2017 at the KFC Yum! Center to advance to the Sweet 16. Louisville upended Tennessee 86-78 on April 2, 2013 in Oklahoma City, Okla., to advance to the Final Four. On Nov. 11, 2010, Louisville fell 63-50 to Tennessee in the first ever game at the KFC Yum! Center with a program-record 22,124 fans in attendance.

In 2017, Asia Durr led the way with 23 points, while Myisha Hines-Allen finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists as Louisville rallied from a point down entering the fourth quarter to a 75-64 win to advance to the Sweet 16.

Key Matchups to watch

Olivia Cochran & Liz Dixon rotation vs Tamari Key.  Olivia is averaging more than 20 minutes a game and Dixon averages 15 minutes on the floor.  This should work to the Cardinal's advantage as Key carries most of the load underneath for Tennessee.  

I think Emily Engstler will do some heavy battles with Alexus Dye and try to take the ball away from her.  With the absence for Jordan Horston for Tennessee (elbow injury), Dye is the second leading rebounder for the Vols behind Key and third in scoring averaging double digits.  Emily is 6'1 with a 14 foot wingspan.  It will be important to limit her ability to score.  She's had a double-double in Tennessee's last four games. 

Kianna Smith vs Rae Burrell should be the anchor of this game.  The ability of these two to guard the other and run an offense will likely dictate the flow and final outcome.  Finger's crossed its Kianna's night!! 


WGolf

Louisville women's golf will compete at The Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic beginning Friday morning at the University of Georgia Golf Course.
A field featuring eight top-25 teams will play in the 50th edition of the tournament on Friday-Sunday.

#3 Wake Forest is the top-ranked team in the tournament along with #4 South Carolina, #11 Texas, #12 Alabama, #13 Southern California, #16 Texas A&M, #17 Arkansas and #22 Ole Miss. Rounding out the competing squads are Charleston, Georgia Southern, Houston, Mercer, Mississippi State and a Georgia "B" team.

Kendall Griffin leads the Cardinals into the tournament after posting three top-five finishes in the last four events. Carmen Griffiths, Mairead Martin, Hana Ryskova and Lauren Thibodeau will also take the course for the Cardinals this weekend.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast - As far as I know, the whole gang should be present for this week's recording.   We will have some softball to recap as well as a HUGE matchup with Tennessee to preview.   

As always, 

Go Cards!! 

~Daryl 

Two Down, Four To Go --WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 TENNESSEE NEXT FOR LOUISVILLE WBB

The Sweet Sixteen is set for the NCAA WBB Tournament.

16 teams on a (at least) two-game win streak strive to keep dancing. It is survive and advance time and beginning Saturday,  four #1 seeds, two #2 seeds, four ACC teams and a few underdogs will see who can survive two more games and wind up in Minneapolis for the Final Four.

The Louisville Cardinals are one of the survivors. The Cards have played five of the remaining teams in the tournament, defeating Notre Dame twice, UConn and Michigan once and falling to North Carolina and NC State. Fellow ACC member Miami drew the misfortune of getting South Carolina in the second round and fell to Dawn Staley's bunch , Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech didn't get by their first round foes. A lot of people were surprised by that. But, Kansas and FGCU weren't in the tournament because of cute mascots. They had skills. 

The Cards handled Albany without too much trouble to open the tournament and then tangled with Gonzaga two days later, A scrappy bunch, those Bulldogs, but when you have a Van Lith and Kianna Smith, two excellent portal pickups in Hall and Engstler, two competent centers in Dixon and Cochran, instant defense in Robinson and key role players in Ahlana Smith and Verhulst.-- opponents usually fall by the wayside. Sure, Gonzaga had board strength. They beat an impressive Nebraska team. They ran into a better team, though, in Louisville. 

After all, Louisville didn't get to 27-4 just on Walz witticisms and snappy uniforms. 

I wonder what Tennessee is thinking. There is no one Cardinals player you can key on that'll shut down the entire offense. The Cards defense will take away what an opponent wants to do and, when you can't score, it's hard to win. 

About half of the participants in our bracket challenge didn't figure the Vols would get to the Sweet Sixteen -- Oregon was a popular pick to head to Wichita. Someone forgot to tell Belmont that, though, and the Ducks were open season for the Bruins. Those Belmont Bruins gave Tennessee all they wanted in Thompson-Boling Arena before Rocky Top escaped with a 70-67 win. 

Former, long-time Louisville assistant and former Eastern Ky, head coach Samantha Williams is in her first year at UT as an assistant.  Her knowledge of the Walz system of hoops is pretty strong, but one wonders if anyone can fully understand the true workings of the Cards mad scientist. Knowing personnel is one thing, but knowing which or how many of the game changers on Louisville roster will be hot and take over a game....I doubt even Walz knows that from game to game. 

And that's maybe the big key to Louisville's success. Which assassin is going to pull the trigger? No Dana Evans, Asia Durr, Myisha Hines-Allen or Angel McCoughtry on this squad -- but a double-digit contingent that works well together, likes each other, knows how to find the hot hand in a game and hangs their hat on stopping an opponent from putting the ball in the bucket.

The Cards are 2-2 against UT in the Walz era.  They've faced Pat Summiit, Holly Warlick and Kellie Harper.

 Pat Summitt Memories..

I remember Pat Summit addressing the media when the Vols played the Cards in the 2010-11 season, looking at the media, smiling and saying:

"Y'all sure got a lot of bars in this place. Never seen anything like it." 

It was after her Vols beat the Cards 63-50 in front of 22,124 fans in the KFC YUM! Center. Pat was complimentary, gushed about Monique Reid and surmised that a freshman named Shoni Schimmel just might make some big noise for Louisville down the road. 

I went to talk with her some more after the presser. She was standing in the hallway that leads to the visitors locker room, just gazing out at the KFC YUM! Center. I asked her about what she thought about Jeff Walz's work at Louisville. It took her a bit to answer, she was weighing her words, but finally told me that he had the potential to be one of the best in the game. She also looked around again and commented what fun it would be to coach in the Cards arena with the kind of environment present that night...all season long. 

Will UofL WBB ever draw 22,000 to the KFC YUM! Center again?  It's going to take a pretty special opponent to make that happen. NC State? UConn? Baylor or Stanford? Arch rival UK? 

Pat left a legacy that is still legendary. The Vols haven' been quite the same since she retired and eventually passed away. Here's hoping their two game tournament comes to an end Saturday. 

paulie

  

Louisville women's basketball-- Asia Durr named Wade Finalist -- Walz wondering? THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

ASIA MAKES FINAL FOUR FOR WADE TROPHY

Hopefully, it's the first of several Final Fours in store for senior Asia Durr. 

The Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced yesterday that Durr is one of the final four for the award that signifies the best player in women's college basketball. Joining her on the list are Megan Gustafson (Iowa), Sabrina Ionescu (Oregon) and Teaira McCowan (Mississippi State).

What! (you say)...Not one player from ESPN darlings Connecticut squad or NCAA favorite Notre Dame? Surely this can't be right! (First off...don't call me Shirley and, yes...it is correct). Sorry Arike and Katie Lou...this bus hasn't room for anymore passengers. 

The announcement of the winner to come Thursday April 4th. in Tampa at the Final Four's 2019 WBCA Convention. 

So, how did they get to the last four standing? 


Sabrina Ionescu. She has a team "still dancing" in the Sweet Sixteen and she was the Pac 12 player of the year. Twice in a row she's garnered that honor and she was first team ESPNW All-American. She also holds the NCAA DI record for career triple-doubles (for both the women and men). Her Oregon Ducks are the #2 seed in Portland and will take on upstart #6 seed South Dakota State at 11 p.m. Friday night on ESPN 2. 

Megan Gustafson. You can catch her in action Saturday in the Greensboro Regional action when she leads her #2 seed Iowa Hawkeyes in a 11:30 A.M. tilt against #3 seed North Carolina State. She has a pretty good resume, too. Big Ten Conference player of the year, ESPNW's National player of the year and led the nation in scoring. She's also the all-time leading scorer for the Hawkeyes.

Teaira McCowan. The Mississippi St. powerhouse was the SEC Player of the Year, SEC Tournament MVP, ESPNW First team selection and will lead her #1 seeded Bulldogs against #5 seed Arizona State on Friday night at 9 p.m. in the Greensboro Region on ESPN 2. McCowan averaged 13.5 rebounds per game and is the MSU all-time leader in field goal percentage. 

Asia Durr. "Nite-nite" was the ACC Player of the Year for the second straight time and averaged 21.3 points per game. She was First Team ESPNW and is second in school history in points scored with 2447 behind Angel McCoughtry. #1 seed UofL faces #4 seed Oregon State in the Albany Regional at 9:30 p.m. Friday night on ESPN. The Cards are 123-22 since Durr arrived on campus. So graceful on the court, so talented and so very confident. 


So...a west coast representative, mid-west player, south-eastern star and south contender. Four different conference represented. Two players from #2 seeds and two from #1 seeds.All still dancing. All legends in their fan-bases hearts and minds.

It should be interesting. My pick? ASIA DURR.  Not just because I'm a Cardinal fan. The Cards were consistently ranked higher than any of the three other contestant's squads and Durr was the main reason Louisville had the success they did. That spells "best player" to me. 

I've heard opposing coaches all season long gush about Durr, laugh when asked how to stop her and say she's the best they've seen this year. 

And, that sums it up. 


WORRIED ABOUT WALZ? 

Feeling uncertain about the future and having anxiety attacks when you think about the status of Louisville's head coach? You are not alone. 

I've fielded a ton of worried and concerned e-mails about Jeff Walz leaving for Tennessee. Some make very good points. There are conspiracy theorist I have heard from among you. Many wanted to hear Walz say these 11 words yesterday in his press conference: 

"I am not taking the Tennessee job. I am staying at Louisville". 

He did not say those exact words in a fun, informative, slightly silly and revealing Wednesday presser. He danced around the issue, pointing out that Tennessee still had a head women's basketball coach. He goes through this every year. It's getting old on his side. It's his players' fault...they are so good that they make him look good...and desirable to other programs. He wants the Lakers job and to hit Powerball. Jeff answering for nearly 30 minutes the sometimes moronic questions from media who have never been to a Walz presser. People who wouldn't know Asia Durr from Asia Taylor. Self-important television bozos who are all about their own image and getting their voice heard.  And, somehow, he made it fun. 

Yeah. It was that kind of day. 

"Rut row... Phil's walking our way." 

A few hours later on Wednesday, Phil Fulmer uttered the words that many Vol fans were waiting to hear. 

Holly Warlick had been let go. That set off a renewed panic in the Louisville fan base and unmitigated glee among Vols fans. I trolled a few message boards lie night. Not only are the Tennessee fans confident Walz is coming, some are thinking he'll bring Dana Evans with him. 

Nuts. 

We, as Cardinal fans, go through this every year, it seems. Jeff gets linked with more openings than the help wanted board down at the local unemployment center. has posted 



Take a step back. Breath. Come back to reality. UofL women's basketball fans. Jeff Walz has one thing only on his mind right now. Beating Oregon State. He is excited that Sam Williams got the EKU job, proud of Asia's recognition and maybe dismayed he didn't hit Powerball last night. (I got one of the six numbers, in case you're interested, on my solo ticket). And, somewhere in Coach's thought-process is the need to find a board game that he can occasionally win against Lola and Lucy.

Cardinal fans. Please read carefully below.

Focus on the game ahead. There will be no "John L.Smith going to Michigan State" surprises at the halftime of the Louisville women's basketball games. No one needs to track air-flights out of Knoxville to the Louisville or Southern Indiana airports. Sightings of Phil Fulmer in town can be related to the fact that the Vols A.D.'s #2 ranked Tennessee  men's team is playing in the Louisville Regional of the NCAA Sweet Sixteen tonight at the KFC YUM! Center against Purdue at 7:30 p.m. 

Celebrate the current. 

I even heard..."Walz rhymes with Vols". (Putting hands over ears and loudly chanting... "LA.LA.LA.LA.LA"!) Walz is on several "top 10 replacement for Holly" lists and Mechelle Voepel seems to think is he the #1 candidate. I'm a little disturbed about those lists. I looked at several of these lists and didn't see "Paulie" on any of them. I did see Michelle Clark-Heard, though, on a couple of lists and I think "MCH" would be a fine fit in Knoxville. 

Set it aside, this worry and fretting about "WWJD" (What will Jeff do) and join me in celebrating that the Cards are in the women's Sweet Sixteen, that Sam Williams got the EKU head coaching job and Asia is up for the most prestigious player award in WBB. 

Celebrate the positive going on with UofL WBB right now. I guarantee you Coach Walz and the players are...and I want to go to Tampa. How about you?


One day at a time. One game at a time. Beat the Beavers Friday, Cards. 


paulie
xxxxx

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

MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Kortney Dunbar one to watch in 2014 Class?

- Jannah Tucker on the move?

- USA Women's Basletball WUGS start it up today

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Good Golly Beat Mali"

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

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

And, get the ball to Shoni, Coach Coale.

--Paulie--

--

Tuesday Cardinal Couple -- UT next UofL

GAME REPORT -- GAME REPORT -- GAME WON!

Guess who is headed to the FInal Four in New Orleans?

Your LADY CARDS! Louisville defeats Tennessee 86-78 in Oklahoma City tonight to gain a Sunday 6:30 p.m. berth against Cal. Shoni and Jude Schimmel spectacular at the end!

Jenny O'Bryan with much more later...but it's Lou Orleans again in 2013!

UofL...they never believed they couldn't. And, they did.

They've ruined the prom. They're the unvited party guest. And Coach Walz loves it.

Shoni with 25, Jude with 15 and Mo...god bless Mo...32 minutes and 13 points. Five in double figures as Louisville led by 15 at the half...20 in the second half and saw that lead drop to three with 4:28 left in the second half. A determined UT effort falling short due to the Schimmel(s) wizardry, Mo and Jude's free throws and grit, determination and refusing to lose. As Coach Walz says...it's all about the kids...but given enough time...I honestly believe he could devise a plan to end world hunger, erase the national debt and clear the streets of crime.

Kim Mulkey, how do you like us now?

-Paulie

"We ruined the entire party. We're the ugly ducklings that ruined the party. No one gave us a chance and we shocked everybody. It's a journe and we're going to continue."

-- Jeff Walz



TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Talented Tennessee next for Walz's Wonderkids



So...how do you send the Volunteers home after putting the Bears into hibernation? Unlike Baylor, which had two definable targets in Griner and Sims, Tennessee has seven players who can potentially be game-changers and make an opponent pay.

Meghan Simmons (who Cardinal fans may remember from her breakout performance in the KFC YUM! Center the last time UT came to town) leads Tennessee in scoring with 17.0 points a game. The flashy, quick guard also is UT's leading three-point threat...with 65 out of 177 trifectas on the season.  Bashaara Graves is next in line, averaging 13.2 ppg and a team-leading 8.0 boards per game. Veteran Taber Spani provides the Vols with 10.8 points a night and is also a long-range threat with 47 of 124 threes in 34 games. Isabelle Harrison works the paint for 9.5 ppg a game and is second in missed shot collecting with 7.6 grabs.

It doesn't stop there. Cierra Burdick's numbers are 8.5 and 6.8 a night. Ariel Massengale adds 8.1 ppg and is 34 for 95 from the deep. Kamiko Williams rounds out the "magnificent seven" with 7.2 points a contest.

It is a team built by Pat Summit but one that has prospered under first year head coach, long time assistant Holly Warlick. UT is 27-7 on the year, a questionable loss to Chattanooga early in the season...a stumble to Missouri but somewhat understandable defeats from Kentucky, Stanford, Baylor, Notre Dame and Texas A&M. 

Louisville will need to have another superlative night from long range and play overall great defense against a Vols squad that can come at you in waves.

We know not what game plan Jeff Walz has come up with but you can rest assured it is one that will give Louisville a fighting chance. Tennessee is a team that can basically get their scoring from anywhere on the court and the speedy Simmons is a magician at making slow to react defenses pay.

It should be another thriller in Oklahoma City tonight. Will defeated Baylor fans hang around to throw their vocal support to the "Red" or the "Orange"? Can the Cards keep the wonderfully wild and world-stunning triumphs coming?

We'll be back tonight with post-game recaps and analysis.

They are Tennessee, but she is Shoni Schimmel...and has nine believing teammates ready to head to New Orleans. Confident and hopefully not suffering from an elation-hangover after shocking the women's college basketball world.

Let's just hope Holly doesn't have a wardrobe malfunction...

Link for Cards presser from Monday below:

Pre-Tennessee presser

-Paulie

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Saturday CARDINAL COUPLE -- C.E. and I go trout fishing.

Saturday CARDINAL COUPLE


-Paul returns to the stream


-More hip trouble at UofL?


One of my favorite reasons to go to Gatlinburg is to go fishing with my friend C.E. I met him years ago on the Arts and Crafts Community loop south of Gatlinburg. We hit it off right off the bat. 
Mind you, he's a die-hard Vols fan...but we still get along quite well. 

When I go to Gatlinburg, I usually call him a few days in advance. Although he still owns his shop on "the loop"...he lets his daughter and son-in-law handle the day-to-day stuff. That allows him plenty of time for his passion. Trout fishing. 


We set up a trip for Friday, and C.E. likes to get "out and at them" early...so he swung by our cabin to pick me up at 5:30 a.m. I hear you groaning out there...yes, it was early...but a few cups of coffee and his lively conversation had me going full throttle in no time. We stopped for a quick breakfast and we were ready to hit the waters as the sun was coming up.  Accompanying us was his newest beagle, Snoopy. 

Dancing with Bears in Pigeon Forge! 

For our trips, I bring several things. My "hip waders", rod and reel, hand-held scoop net and a few artificial flies. I proudly wear one of my UofL hats when I go hit the secluded streams where he likes to fish. The trout don't seem to mind.


His 4X4 got us about a quarter of a mile from where he were going to fish. It took us about a half hour time to drive there...we gathered up our gear and hiked in the rest of the way. Fortunately, we didn't run into any snakes on the way...but did startle a wild turkey...who fluffed off in anger and gave us a verbal assault. I'm not the most limber of guys anymore, and it took me awhile to get down the steep bank and into the water. He's 70+years old and beat me to the stream by several minutes. Must be the air or water down here...he had the agility of a man half his age. 

We've fished this area before...some really nice brown and rainbow trout can be pulled out of the holes in the area. There were brook in the water as well, but those are strictly "catch and release" in the Smokies for now. Snoopy entertained himself by flushing rabbits out of the brush and jumping in and out of the slow moving parts of the stream. I can't divulge the exact location...C.R. guards his trout spots closely. 


Since I only go trout-fishing once a year anymore, it takes me awhile at the beginning to get accurate at casting again. I was still trying to hit holes with my casts when he caught the first fish of the day, a fighting brown that measured in about an inch short of "keeper" size. We catch and release if they aren't keepers, so this one got a reprieve.


C.R. had pulled in three, one keeper size, before I got my first strike. A good fighter...it gave me a nice five minute battle before I got a net on him. A keeper brown, biggest of the day, so far. 

We fished the spot, walking the side of the stream and bank, for several hours. We totalled 10 trout "keeper" size and that was the limit for the day...five each (even though he caught seven and I just hooked three). We also released some furious-fighting "brookies" per park regulations. I was tired but happy as we went up the bank and back to his 4X4. His wife, Cheryl, had prepared some bologna and cheese sandwiches for us and we ate those and sipped on iced tea sitting under an expansive, shady oak tree. It was barely noon and it already felt like it was ninety degrees. C.R. is working with Snoopy on tracking rabbits and the beagle is getting good at it.  


I rode back with him to his house and we went to his garage to filet our catch. One thing that we have in common is that he's also a women's basketball fan...the Vols, of course...and as we de-boned our catch we talked Pat Summit, SEC and also UofL. C.R. is a big Walz fan. He kids me that Jeff will be learning the words to "Rocky Top" in a few years. I kid him back that UofL WBB will lead the nation in attendance now that Pat has retired.  

Once we finished our knife-work, he stuck the filets in cool, salty water until breading in a couple of hours. We all were to be guest for dinner...fried trout, slaw, potato salad, green beans and chicken fingers for the kids. Sonja and crew arrived around 5 p.m. with cherry pies for dessert.


All the food was delicious. He uses a cast-iron skillet and a cornmeal batter. Olive oil, not vegetable oil or lard to fry the filets in. The filets were fresh and meaty. No one left the table hungry. 

Snoopy.

Finally, after lemonade and conversation on their huge front porch, the evening took upon us and we left C.R, his wife and his seemingly never-out-of energy beagle Snoopy. One of those days you wish you could capture in a jar and release whenever you're feeling blue or frustrated. 


Have a great weekend, Cardinal Couple readers! 


-Paulie


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Rumors spreading that another of Louisville's women's basketball team member might be going under the knife are true. Senior forward Asia Taylor has been experiencing hip pain. She is expected to be back and 100% by the start of the season.


Better to get these things taken care of before the season begins. And, maybe the rest of the Cardinal squad should walk around in medieval armor suits to avoid any further injuries for the season begins. 
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Cards travel to Purdue for 1st & 2nd rounds of NCAA Volleyball...

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MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Lady Cards will play Cardinals Friday in West Lafayette

-Baylor handles Vols...the Walker report

-Current top 15 rankings for College WBB

The University of Louisville will face Ball State Friday at 5 p.m. on Purdue's campus in their first round match of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament. Louisville received an 'at large' bid...based on their winning the BIG EAST regular season title...but was not one of the top 16 teams selected and did
not get a home venue for the first two rounds. Doesn't matter, according to head coach Anne Kordes:

"I couldn't be more excited. Purdue is a familiar venue for us in tournament time now. Coach Steve Shondell has done a phenomenal job at Ball State since getting there. They will be the toughest ball control and defensive team we will face all year. It's a very tough first round opponent. Our first goal is to concentrate on preparing for them because they are very good."

Purdue and Morehead State are the other two team beginning play at West Lafayette. Louisville has faced both this year, downing the Eagles Sunday in straight sets and falling to Purdue 3-2 back in September in Champaign, Ill. in the the BIG EAST/BIG 10 Challenge.

64 teams will compete for the title. From the BIG EAST, Cincinnati and Marquette join the Cards. The top four seeds were Texas, Nebraska, Illinois and Iowa State. The University of Kentucky also made the tournament and drew Dayton in the first round. The only other team from the state to receive a bid is Western Kentucky, who will play Marquette in the first round.

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(Sandra Walker reports on the Baylor vs. Tennessee game yesterday from Knoxville.)

16,000 fans watched Tennessee threaten Baylor's #1 ranking yesterday in the Thompson-Boling arena. Although the Vols out-rebounded the Bears 56-34, they took a 76-67 loss at home. UT used a solid 2-3 zone to slow Brittany Griner down, but, in the end...they were plagued by 29% field goal shooting and the Bears pulled away late for the nine point win.

Tennessee's early, stagnant 1-4 offense, their inability to capitalize on shots in the paint over the 6'8" Griner and a brief but futile effort to try and contain Griner in a man-to-man defensive set was too much for the Vols to overcome.

At halftime, Pat Summitt and her son Tyler made an announcement featuring the introduction of the Pat Summitt Foundation...whose purpose is to raise funds for the eradication of Alzheimer's disease. Featured events and a website are already in place. Additional plans are in the works.

There is a Facebook page set up and you can find out how to donate there or e-mail contactus@patsummitt.org

(Thanks, Sandy...for the great report on the game! WE, here at CARDINAL COUPLE have been touched with the dreaded dealings and heartbreak of Alzheimer's...Paul's Dad and one of his uncle's were diagnosed with it.

Pat's cause is a worthy one and we hope our readers will do what they can to contribute. )

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Top 15 rankings in Women's College Basketball from the AP and ESPN polls:

AP                                                                     ESPN/USA

1) Baylor                                                  1) Baylor

2) Connecticut                                           2) Connecticut

3) Stanford                                               3) Notre Dame

4) Notre Dame                                          4) Texas A&M

5) Texas A&M                                            5) Stanford

6) Tennessee                                            6) Duke

7) Duke                                                    7) Tennessee

8) Maryland                                               8) Maryland

9) Miami, FL.                                             9) Miami, FL.

10 Georgia                                                10) Georgia

11) LOUISVILLE                                        11) Kentucky

12) Oklahoma                                            12) LOUISVILLE

13) Rutgers                                               13) Rutgers

14) Kentucky                                             14) Oklahoma

15) Purdue                                                15) North Carolina

(Here's how we see it at CARDINAL COUPLE)

1) Baylor. Bears have done nothing wrong this year. Won at tough Tennessee
2) UConn. They're not missing Maya Moore yet...
3) Texas A&M. They can punish you inside or out.
4) Notre Dame. Muffett has a strong cast of returning stars, good freshmen
5) Stanford. The Ogumike sisters still there. Lost to UConn, beat Xavier.
6) Duke. The best in the ACC this year. Should have beat Notre Dame.
7) LOUISVILLE. With Mo back and only one loss, the Cards are for real.
8) Maryland. Brenda will give the ACC title chase her full effort.
9) KENTUCKY. This group of Cats have some sharp claws and shoot well
10) Tennessee. Despite two losses, the Vols are solid, best in the SEC.
11) Rutgers. C-Viv has a strong, deep roster this year.
12) Miami, FL. Don't know a thing about them...but everyone likes them.
13) North Carolina. Sylvia's stars depleted, but Chay Shegog is all that.
14) Oklahoma. Will pull a few BIG 12 upsets. Team has a shot vs. Baylor.
15) Florida State. Despite the early rough going, Sue has a talented team. 

I know, we're heavy on ACC teams in here (5)...but there's a lot of talent in that league this year. Second best conference, next to the BIG EAST.  We almost stuck DePaul in at #15...but the loss to San Diego State was puzzling and they've got Tennessee coming up in the Maggie Dixon Classic...wait and see on the Blue Demons and Keisha Hampton currently...

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