The undefeated Louisville women's basketball squad went to 17-0 last night with a solid but shaky at the end win over #17 Duke 66-60 last night in the KFC YUM! Center. A crowd of 8101 (Good job, Cardinal fans!) was on hand to see Asia Durr score 22 points despite a rolled ankle and Myisha Hines-Allen pick up her 35th. career double-double in the win.
For scary moments, clutch performances and drips in the Media room, follow me to the 10 things about this game below:
10) Drip, drip, drip. This weather certainly has us all here in Louisville dealing with issues. Coach Walz reported a busted water pipe in his house. Even the magnificent KFC YUM! Center is not immune to weather concerns. A steady, two-source drip near the podium accompanied the post-game interview participants. It distracted Duke head coach JoAnne P. McCauley. Coach Walz noticed it immediately upon his arrival to the room, shook his head, smiled and joked "Things are tough all over." KFC YUM! Center -- Are You In Good Hands?
9) Foul mood. Duke's Coach "P" was a bit chippy about the foul discrepancy. The Cards had nine whistles blown on them, the Blue Devils 19. Three of her players picked up four each. Coach alluded to several things in the difference of infractions, including a thinly-veiled complaint against the crew of Paulie's buddy Billy Smith, Denise Brooks and Ericka Herriman-Camarota. Hey, Duke played rough, aggressive basketball. The whistles were justified and nobody likes a whiner, Jo Anne. Take your medicine and go back to Tobacco Road. You lost.
8) And she said...Mayor-for-life Jerry Abramson is a noted referee baiter. After a questionable call on Louisville, Jer started in on referee Denise Brooks. The Duke player missed her first free throw, which evoked a "the ball don't lie" taunt from "Hizzoner da ex-mayor". Denise came right back with a saucy "The whistle doesn't either." Denise 1 - Jerry 0.
7) How can this be? Duke shot 49% for the game, Louisville 42.9%. They made eight threes to Louisville's five. They scored six points off fast breaks and held Louisville to zero. Yet, they never led in the game and lost by six. In the words of Charlie Brown, "Tell your statistics to shut up." We will speak of these no more.
6) Fearless Fuehring. You know Sam. If she's not on her back 5-10 times a game trying to draw charges, she's having a rough night. She shone, though, in a different accomplishment against Duke, though, hitting two clutch free throws with 22 seconds left in the game to give the Cards a 65-60 lead. She's by far not the best charity stripe maven on the squad, but she gave the Cards a nice cushion late. After the game, Myisha Hines-Allen defended her front-court mate by saying "I knew she had them all along." The incredulous look on Sam's face after that statement tells the rest of the story. Nice shooting, Tex!
5) Here we go again. It seems the Cards have work to do on finishing out contests. For the third time in a row, Louisville saw a comfortable lead at the end of three quarters diminish into a 3-4 point cliffhanger. Like the weeping willow tree in a windstorm, they may bend a bit but they don't break.
4) And your name is....Sophomore Haley Gorecki tried her best to shoot the Blue Devils back into this fray. 10-14 from the floor, 5-7 from three point range for the Palantine, IL player. Six points in the furious fourth-quarter run by the visitors from the Tar Heel State. Hey, Cards! #2 is a shooter. Get someone out there on her, right?
3) Overtime ovation. Arica Carter played all 40 minutes in the win for Louisville. You really can't say enough about the red-shirt junior's leadership efforts. Yes, she only had four points, but five assists sorta off-set the 1-7 shooting. Sometimes, stat lines don't tell the whole story. She ran the point effectively and when freshman Dana Evans came in to try her luck out front, Coach Walz still kept "A.C." on the court. Go punch out on the clock, Arica and enjoy the overtime pay.
2) No shows. Duke had the audacity to put in the Louisville media room mousepads with the "Splash Sisters" (Rebecca Greenwell and Lexie Brown) featured on them...Duke's two All-American candidates. Hey, first of all, who uses a mouse anymore and more importantly...Greenwell didn't play because of continuing knee play and league-leading scorer Brown was limited to eight points on two threes and two free throws. Paulie brought one home anyway, in case he decides to fire up the old Gateway PC sitting in the corner gathering dust and access dial-up. Mouse pads....relevant.
1) Scary situation. Asia Durr was cutting across the lane in the second quarter when she suddenly and awkwardly went to the hardwood. A silence came over the crowd and she pounded the floor with her fist and laid there in obvious pain. She was carried off the court by huge video coordinator Lamont Russell. Several minutes larter, after a trip to the locker room, she bounded back onto the floor. Walz kept the situation light. When she told him she thought she'd rolled an ankle, he replied "Well, you've got two of them. Get back out there." When Lamont picked up Durr and carried her off the court, Walz quipped. "Be careful Asia, it's the first time Lamont has had his arms around a woman." Both comments drew smiles from Durr. Hey, if the coaching thing doesn't work out, there's open mic night at the Comedy Club, Coach...
Sonja (with a HUGE assist from Paulie.)
For scary moments, clutch performances and drips in the Media room, follow me to the 10 things about this game below:
10) Drip, drip, drip. This weather certainly has us all here in Louisville dealing with issues. Coach Walz reported a busted water pipe in his house. Even the magnificent KFC YUM! Center is not immune to weather concerns. A steady, two-source drip near the podium accompanied the post-game interview participants. It distracted Duke head coach JoAnne P. McCauley. Coach Walz noticed it immediately upon his arrival to the room, shook his head, smiled and joked "Things are tough all over." KFC YUM! Center -- Are You In Good Hands?
9) Foul mood. Duke's Coach "P" was a bit chippy about the foul discrepancy. The Cards had nine whistles blown on them, the Blue Devils 19. Three of her players picked up four each. Coach alluded to several things in the difference of infractions, including a thinly-veiled complaint against the crew of Paulie's buddy Billy Smith, Denise Brooks and Ericka Herriman-Camarota. Hey, Duke played rough, aggressive basketball. The whistles were justified and nobody likes a whiner, Jo Anne. Take your medicine and go back to Tobacco Road. You lost.
8) And she said...Mayor-for-life Jerry Abramson is a noted referee baiter. After a questionable call on Louisville, Jer started in on referee Denise Brooks. The Duke player missed her first free throw, which evoked a "the ball don't lie" taunt from "Hizzoner da ex-mayor". Denise came right back with a saucy "The whistle doesn't either." Denise 1 - Jerry 0.
7) How can this be? Duke shot 49% for the game, Louisville 42.9%. They made eight threes to Louisville's five. They scored six points off fast breaks and held Louisville to zero. Yet, they never led in the game and lost by six. In the words of Charlie Brown, "Tell your statistics to shut up." We will speak of these no more.
6) Fearless Fuehring. You know Sam. If she's not on her back 5-10 times a game trying to draw charges, she's having a rough night. She shone, though, in a different accomplishment against Duke, though, hitting two clutch free throws with 22 seconds left in the game to give the Cards a 65-60 lead. She's by far not the best charity stripe maven on the squad, but she gave the Cards a nice cushion late. After the game, Myisha Hines-Allen defended her front-court mate by saying "I knew she had them all along." The incredulous look on Sam's face after that statement tells the rest of the story. Nice shooting, Tex!
5) Here we go again. It seems the Cards have work to do on finishing out contests. For the third time in a row, Louisville saw a comfortable lead at the end of three quarters diminish into a 3-4 point cliffhanger. Like the weeping willow tree in a windstorm, they may bend a bit but they don't break.
4) And your name is....Sophomore Haley Gorecki tried her best to shoot the Blue Devils back into this fray. 10-14 from the floor, 5-7 from three point range for the Palantine, IL player. Six points in the furious fourth-quarter run by the visitors from the Tar Heel State. Hey, Cards! #2 is a shooter. Get someone out there on her, right?
3) Overtime ovation. Arica Carter played all 40 minutes in the win for Louisville. You really can't say enough about the red-shirt junior's leadership efforts. Yes, she only had four points, but five assists sorta off-set the 1-7 shooting. Sometimes, stat lines don't tell the whole story. She ran the point effectively and when freshman Dana Evans came in to try her luck out front, Coach Walz still kept "A.C." on the court. Go punch out on the clock, Arica and enjoy the overtime pay.
2) No shows. Duke had the audacity to put in the Louisville media room mousepads with the "Splash Sisters" (Rebecca Greenwell and Lexie Brown) featured on them...Duke's two All-American candidates. Hey, first of all, who uses a mouse anymore and more importantly...Greenwell didn't play because of continuing knee play and league-leading scorer Brown was limited to eight points on two threes and two free throws. Paulie brought one home anyway, in case he decides to fire up the old Gateway PC sitting in the corner gathering dust and access dial-up. Mouse pads....relevant.
1) Scary situation. Asia Durr was cutting across the lane in the second quarter when she suddenly and awkwardly went to the hardwood. A silence came over the crowd and she pounded the floor with her fist and laid there in obvious pain. She was carried off the court by huge video coordinator Lamont Russell. Several minutes larter, after a trip to the locker room, she bounded back onto the floor. Walz kept the situation light. When she told him she thought she'd rolled an ankle, he replied "Well, you've got two of them. Get back out there." When Lamont picked up Durr and carried her off the court, Walz quipped. "Be careful Asia, it's the first time Lamont has had his arms around a woman." Both comments drew smiles from Durr. Hey, if the coaching thing doesn't work out, there's open mic night at the Comedy Club, Coach...
Sonja (with a HUGE assist from Paulie.)
