WBB Visits Cal Poly

[Sonja]

The west coast journey continues tonight for the Louisville women's basketball squad, they'll visit Cal Poly. The university is located in San Luis Obispo, California and they participate in the Big West Conference. Travel brochures for San Luis Obispo proclaim the city to be "the happiest place in America" -- contrary to popular beliefs that the Louisville Rivals women's athletics site holds that title. The city is on the Pacific Ocean, about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Actor/singer Zac Efron claims San Luis Obispo as his hometown.

Cal Poly is 0-1 on the year, taking a 91-77 loss at Santa Clara two weeks ago. Last season, the Mustangs finished 13-11 overall and 8-8 in Big West play, finishing in sixth place in the regular season conference standings. In the Big West Conference Tournament, the Mustangs beat Long Beach State 61-60 in the quarterfinals before falling to UC Irvine in the semifinals.

They have eight returners to this year’s team, including junior guard Maddie Willett who was third on the team in scoring last season at 7.8 points per game and senior forward Kirsty Brown who was fourth on the team in scoring at 6.7 points and second in rebounding at 5.6 per game. The Mustangs are joined by eight newcomers that are comprised of six freshman and two Division I transfers.

Last season, in the Big West Conference Tournament, the Cal Poly beat Long Beach State 61-60 in the quarterfinals before falling to UC Irvine in the semifinals.

The Cards will hopefully be well-rested after their Saturday night contest against Washington. After four games, Hailey Van Lith leads Louisville in scoring at 10.8 ppg, following by Emily Engstler at 10.6 a contest and Kianna Smith good for 9.8 ppg. The Cards average 66.0 points a contest while allowing 42.3 points.

It's the first meeting between the two school. As a sidebar, Kianna Smith's dad (John) is head coach of the men's BB program

Smith and his wife, Kelly, have three children: Jamal, a graduate guard for Cal Poly during the 2019-20 season after playing for his father at Cal State Fullerton (2015-19); Kianna, a 2017 McDonald’s All-America selection and senior guard at Louisville, and Kylee.

This one has all the signs of being a romp for the Cards tonight. It'll be on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. and on 790 WKRD Cards Radio, where I'll be listening.

--sonja--

 

[CardsFirst]

Well I would love to watch, but I think it’s blacked out on the ESPN+ app. We can’t get it. Ridiculous

 

[KozmasAgain]

I agree it is ridiculous you would think in this day in time there would be options to watch your team play. I realize that this is not a game of two top teams playing each other so I can see why it was not picked up by the bigger networks. I understand that but I have been frustrated when our nationally ranked number 1 and undefeated volleyball team plays a good opponent and we aren’t on tv.

It is even more frustrating when they have 2 teams with awful records on tv at the same time we are playing. Not to long ago they had our volleyball match with Ga Tech on the ACC Network scheduled and right before the match they switched it to a soccer match between 2 unranked teams.

 

[CardsFirst]

I agree it is ridiculous you would think in this day in time there would be options to watch your team play. I realize that this is not a game of two top teams playing each other so I can see why it was not picked up by the bigger networks. I understand that but I have been frustrated when our nationally ranked number 1 and undefeated volleyball team plays a good opponent and we aren’t on tv.

It is even more frustrating when they have 2 teams with awful records on tv at the same time we are playing. Not to long ago they had our volleyball match with Ga Tech on the ACC Network scheduled and right before the match they switched it to a soccer match between 2 unranked teams.

Well said

 

[WahooCard]

It was available on ESPN+ Thought to myself the local Cal Poly announcers who had to be students did an excellent job and has truly researched both teams.

 

[2330859]

I listened on the radio, so my takeaway is limited to what I heard but did not see; these ladies play defense at an exceptionally high level. If, and when their perimeter shooting arrives …….they will be worthy of their original top 5 ranking. Right now Van Lith is struggling from the 3 point line, as is a few others. According to those who saw the contest, several of those Van Lith 3s were in the cylinder before popping out.

The defensive speed, athleticism and depth can keep us in a lot of games until the offense comes around.

 

[PushupMan]

Watched on ESPN+. Cal Poly had no match for our size, and we were more athletic as well. Lady Cards do need to pass the ball better. There were way too many attempts to make the spectacular pass instead of the easy one, and not nearly enough movement by players without the ball to give the passer an easy angle to pass the ball to them.