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

Thursday Cardinal Couple -- Wading into the Wade

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Schimmel placed on Wade Watch List

The candidates for the Margaret Wade Trophy watch list have been announced. The Wade Trophy is awarded annually to the best player in women's college basketball. 

Shoni Schimmel, a junior guard at the University of Louisville is on the Wade watch list. This does not mean someone has to keep an eye on her if she takes a dip in the ocean or pool. It basically breaks down to this: she's considered one of the best 25 players in college basketball this year. 

Last year's winner Brittney Griner is back again and is probably the odds-on favorite for a repeat. Since 2000, two women's college basketball players have pulled off the double...one of them getting the honor three years in a row. Any guesses on who? One is pretty obvious...Maya Moore was selected as the recipient in 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11. The other maybe a surprise to most of you (Sonja guessed Candace Parker) but it is Seimone Augustus 2004-05 and 2005-06. 

Since its inception in 1978, the award has been given to UConn players seven times. Besides Moore's three wins, can you name anyone else from UConn who received it? Here's a few hints. Two of them just played on the Olympic team. One is a broadcaster on ESPN and the other is the head womens' basketball coach at Hartford. The answers are Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Rebecca Lobo and Jen Rizzotti. 

Who will win this year? If she stays healthy and has a season like last year...Griner should repeat. Skylar Diggins is standing ready to pick up the pieces if Griner should falter. A couple of Kentucky high school players are also nominated...Adia Mathies and Anna Martin.

Here's a list of the winners since the turn of the century.

2000-01              Jackie Styles          SW Missouri St.
2001-02              Sue Bird                 Connecticut
2002-03              Diana Taurasi         Connecticut
2003-04              Alana Beard            Duke
2004-05              Seimone Augustus  LSU
2005-06              "         "   "       "     "  "
2006-07              Candace Parker      Tennessee
2007-08              Candice Wiggins     Stanford
2008-09              Maya Moore            Connecticut
2009-10              "     "  "      "            "      "      "
2010-11              "     "  "      "            "      "      "
2011-12              Brittney Griner        Baylor

That's right....Angel McCoughtry never won the award. She would have been a good choice in the 2008-09 season but Moore, as a sophomore, led UConn to the title and beat out McCoughtry. 

Shoni isn't the only current UofL women's basketball player to be nominated to the list. Senior Monique Reid was nominated before the 2011-12 season began. 

To be considered one of the best 25 players in your sport is quite an honor. Louisville has two such players on the roster. Let's hope Shoni, Monique and the rest of the Lady Cards are on a watch list to win the BIG EAST title and "wade" into the NCAA Tournament with a great seed. 

41 days until the UofL womens' basketball team plays the first game...an exhibition against Eckerd College. 
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Monique Reid named to Wade Trophy watch list...

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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE:

-Monique Reid one of nine BIG EAST players on list

-Angel's two free throws sink the Sky 83-80

-UK being its typical self...

University of Louisville senior forward Monique Reid has been named to the prestigious Wade Trophy watch list...a yearly list of the top 25 college women's basketball stars. The last Lady Card to receive this honor was Angel McCoughtry. Reid was the leading scorer on last year's UofL squad that made it to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen. Her injury probably prevented the Cards from defeating Gonzaga to advance to the Great Eight.

No such worries this season for the Fern Creek, KY. star. She led the Cards in scoring in two of the three games during the Canada trip and is showing no effects of the hamstring injury that brought her season to an early close.

Reid became an impact player upon arrival to the Louisville campus in the fall of 2008. Along with Angel McCoughtry and Candyce Bingham, she helped lead the Cards to the NCAA Final Four and the championship game against Connecticut. At times, she was the main offensive threat in the Cards disappointing 2009-10 season leading the Cards and the BIG EAST in scoring with 18.4 a game. She averaged over 16 points last year for the 2010-11 Jeff Walz's squad..tops for the team. 

Reid joins eight other BIG EAST players on the watch list. From Connecticut, Stefanie Dolson, Bria Hartley and Tiffany Hayes were selected. Notre Dame stars Natalie Novosel, Devereaux Peters and Skylar Diggins made the list. Also selected were Georgetown's Sugar Rodgers and DePaul's Keisha Hampton.

The PAC 12 placed four players on the team, and the SEC, BIG 12, and ACC landed three players each.

A big CARDINAL COUPLE congratulations to Monique and the LADY CARDS for this honor!

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Two free throws from Angel McCoughtry gave the Atlanta Dream a one point lead with 2.5  seconds to go against the Chicago Sky and Lindsey Harding added a pair with no time left on the clock to give Atlanta a 83-80 win over Chicago. The victory gives Atlanta (14-13) a two game cushion over Chicago for fourth place in the WNBA Eastern Division.

Sylvia Fowles hit a jumper with 6.3 seconds to go...putting Chicago up 80-79. McCoughtry took the ensuing inbounds toss, though and went strong to the basket...drawing a foul and sinking the charity stripe efforts. Harding was fouled as time expired and provided the final margin of victory. Harding finished with 15 for Atlanta. Erika DeSouza had 13 points and Sancho Lyttle finished with 12 for the Dream. Fowles totaled 20 for the Sky.

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First, we get the news from our loyal readership that UK isn't supplying UofL any tickets for the women's volleyball match this year. Now, news that the UofL ticket office won't have any tickets to sell for the UofL vs UK women's basketball game this winter in Lexington. If you want tickets for the voleyball match, they are available from the UK Box office at $5 a ticket. 1-800-928-2287. Hoops? Anyone's guess right now...

They're also holding the contest in Memorial again this year. Duke, however, is coming to Lexington and playing the Lady Kats in Rupp. Louisville played UK in Memorial two years ago and UK destroyed the Cards...but Walz and crew faced Matthew Mitchell's team in Rupp four years ago and won by 15. Angel getting popped in the eye, getting 21 stitches and still coming back out and playing the final seven minutes. Memories...UofL fans chanting at the end of that one in Rupp...yelling at Mitchell "How do you like us now?"...in response to a statement he had made earlier in the season about how he "hated everything about Louisville."

Used to be that the Fastbreak Club would get a busload or two for the game and the women's basketball fan club was a pretty good deal for the avid UofL WBB fan. I'm not seeing any mention of the club this year...however...on the official UofL Sports web site.
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