WBB at Washington today

[Sonja]

Louisville leaves the KFC Yum! Center after a pair of big wins. They'll try to carry that confidence back out of the building with them as they start a road trip in Seattle today. The Cards will take on the Huskies of Washington to kick off a three-game swing out west where they'll also take on Cal Poly and Colorado State. It's a bit of a homecoming for a few Louisville players, though the Colorado connection is a bit thin since the departure of Kylee Shook. Nonetheless, Hailey Van Lith will be at home in Washington, with Kianna Smith and Ramani Parker both hailing from about three hours away from San Luis Obispo in California.

Louisville and Washington have never played each other, but there's a first time for everything. The Huskies are also led by a Ha(i)ley Van, with Haley Van Dyke returning after being named honorable mention for both the All-Pac12 and the All-Pac12 Defensive Teams last season. She is currently leading the team in points and rebounds, averaging a double-double through two games. The Huskies also return Alexis Griggsby, who shot 38% from three last season while starting 18 games.

Newcomers to the Huskies include head coach Tina Langley, who takes over a team that went 7-14 (3-13) last year. Langley comes from Rice, where she went 126-61 in six years and won the WNIT in her final season. Langley brought along the top two scorers from Rice's 2020-2021 team in 6'9'' center Nancy Mulkey and Lauren Schwartz. Mulkey is preseason All-Pac 12 and on the Lisa Leslie Award Watch List. She'll be a true challenge for the Cards posts Cochran and Dixon

Today's game tips off at 5 PM Eastern and will be carried on the Pac 12 Network Plus. The Pac 12 Network does not have a direct connection with a main distributor like the ACC or SEC has with ESPN or the B1G has with FOX, but there is some availability to watch this one. A fair number of cable providers will give you access to watching this one, but YouTube TV isn't one of them. And, radio is always a good option, with Nick Curran and Adrienne Johnson. They'll bring you today's contest on 1080 AM WKJK.

--sonja--

 

[Bardman]

Let’s go! Turn up the defensive pressure!!

 

[Bardman]

Two bigs would be my choice. Let Liz or Ramani guard their 6’9” center and let Olivia play the four.

 

[Bardman]

Liz having a very effective game today. HVL still struggling shooting. Kianna has knocked down a couple of threes.

 

[CardsFirst]

Cold as ice. Easy layup until the Washington player knocked Robinson to the ground.

 

[Bardman]

6 minutes without scoring. This team is struggling to figure out its offensive personality. Kianna can’t score, Kasa won’t shoot, HVL cold, Chelsie - can’t recall her scoring on anything other than a layup or FT, Emily is pressing…

 

[CardsFirst]

Down right embarrassing

 

[CardsFirst]

Pathetic

 

[CardsFirst]

I wonder if there feeling the effects of cross country travel (Jet lag). They seem tired. Could explain the 4th Q

 

[Bardman]

Once this group gets out of its shooting funk things will really pickup. Right now too many shooters are firing blanks.

 

[armensmith]

Pathetic

Who is this masked poster and where has he/she been at other times? The ladies won on the Washington's court after a long plane ride and it is the second game of a very young season Our two bigs held their own against a 6'9" lass. A good defensive effort. They had 20 TOs to the Cards 9. Instead of being so derisive, go out and celebrate! You will feel better.

 

[2330859]

Just my observation, but I honestly believe that both Men’s and Women’s BB teams are experiencing the consequences when returning so many players from the previous year who depended so much on one player who graduates.

Dana Evans and Carlik Jones were both very good and beyond “go to players”; they controlled the ball offensively and so often their teammates become too dependent on them.

I have never been a fan of having one star player that consumes the majority of attention; much prefer to have balance. Watching IU at his year is an example of returning 5 starters, and each game seeing them distributing the offense more equally.

It is so early that both programs have the ability to find confidence in one another; it ultimately can result in the balance that makes the opponent defend the entire floor. Neither are there right now. With that said, I think CJW will find that before tournament time and these ladies will be very dangerous.