Defense wins games.
The Louisville women's basketball squad played their best defense of the season, in limiting the Tigers to 27.1% shooting, 0-19 three point efforts and five fourth quarter points yesterday in a delayed game, but 25-point win at the KFC YUM! Center. COVID testing result delay were ostensibly to blame for the delay. It seemed a bit eerie to see just seven Cards on the court for the National Anthem, but, as the results continued to come in, the rest of the Cards eventually made their way from the KFC YUM! practice court to the UofL bench.
Four Cards reached double figures in scoring (K.Smith, Evans, Dixon and Balogun) and nine blocked shots were keys in getting the first at-home conference win for UofL.
The 36-19 second half included a 15-2 third quarter Louisville run and holding the Tigers to 6-36 shooting in the final twenty minutes.
FIVE THINGS ABOUT THIS GAME:
1) Balogun Brilliance: "E" had her best effort of the 2020-21 season with 14 points, three threes, six rebounds, four steals, three blocks and three assists. She shot 50% from the floor (4-8) and hit three for four from the free throw line. All in just 21 minutes. That's the 2018-19 ACC Freshman of the Year we've all been waiting for to shine.
2) She's back! Kianna Smith came back from a five-point effort vs. Virginia Tech to lead Louisville in scoring sunday with 17 points. She also led with six assists. When Dana had to sit out the second quarter because of foul trouble, Kianna and Hailey took over for the Cards.
3) Win the quarters, win the game. The Cards won each quarter and put an emphatic exclamation point on the domination in the fourth quarter, holding Clemson to five points and 1-20 shooting.
4) I Love Liz. A big effort Sunday from Liz Dixon, who drew the start and delivered 10 points, eight rebounds and a solid 19 minutes. She just seems to be getting better each game and it's so nice to see those put-backs and in-close jumper tickle the net after going through the rim. It's so nice to have two centers that can be depended on to do good work.
5) No delight from Delicia, Clemson redshirt senior guard Delicia Washington lost her cool big time in the second quarter, when she went after Liz Dixon after a rebounding tie-up, had to be restrained by teammates, used language I wouldn't want to hear again, was T'd up and pulled from the game. She then continued the tirade by getting into it with Clemson coach Amanda Butler and assistant Daniel Barber. If women's basketball awarded a "Miss Congeniality" award after games, Washington probably wouldn't have been nominated.
Boston College next (we hope) on Thursday night at the KFC YUM! Center. 10-0 now 3-0 in the ACC and looking good...
--sonja--
The Louisville women's basketball squad played their best defense of the season, in limiting the Tigers to 27.1% shooting, 0-19 three point efforts and five fourth quarter points yesterday in a delayed game, but 25-point win at the KFC YUM! Center. COVID testing result delay were ostensibly to blame for the delay. It seemed a bit eerie to see just seven Cards on the court for the National Anthem, but, as the results continued to come in, the rest of the Cards eventually made their way from the KFC YUM! practice court to the UofL bench.
Four Cards reached double figures in scoring (K.Smith, Evans, Dixon and Balogun) and nine blocked shots were keys in getting the first at-home conference win for UofL.
The 36-19 second half included a 15-2 third quarter Louisville run and holding the Tigers to 6-36 shooting in the final twenty minutes.
FIVE THINGS ABOUT THIS GAME:
1) Balogun Brilliance: "E" had her best effort of the 2020-21 season with 14 points, three threes, six rebounds, four steals, three blocks and three assists. She shot 50% from the floor (4-8) and hit three for four from the free throw line. All in just 21 minutes. That's the 2018-19 ACC Freshman of the Year we've all been waiting for to shine.
2) She's back! Kianna Smith came back from a five-point effort vs. Virginia Tech to lead Louisville in scoring sunday with 17 points. She also led with six assists. When Dana had to sit out the second quarter because of foul trouble, Kianna and Hailey took over for the Cards.
3) Win the quarters, win the game. The Cards won each quarter and put an emphatic exclamation point on the domination in the fourth quarter, holding Clemson to five points and 1-20 shooting.
4) I Love Liz. A big effort Sunday from Liz Dixon, who drew the start and delivered 10 points, eight rebounds and a solid 19 minutes. She just seems to be getting better each game and it's so nice to see those put-backs and in-close jumper tickle the net after going through the rim. It's so nice to have two centers that can be depended on to do good work.
5) No delight from Delicia, Clemson redshirt senior guard Delicia Washington lost her cool big time in the second quarter, when she went after Liz Dixon after a rebounding tie-up, had to be restrained by teammates, used language I wouldn't want to hear again, was T'd up and pulled from the game. She then continued the tirade by getting into it with Clemson coach Amanda Butler and assistant Daniel Barber. If women's basketball awarded a "Miss Congeniality" award after games, Washington probably wouldn't have been nominated.
Boston College next (we hope) on Thursday night at the KFC YUM! Center. 10-0 now 3-0 in the ACC and looking good...
--sonja--
