The University of Louisville womens basketball squad improved to 11-0 Thursday night with a 89-70 win over visiting Boston College in the KFC YUM@ Center. The Cards are now 4-0 in ACC play, while dropping the Eagles to 5-6 overall and 1-6 in the ACC.
Dana Evans led all scorers with 24 points. The Gary, IN senior was 9-16 from the floor and found success from beyond the arc with 3-5 three-point accuracy. Five Cards in all reached the double figure plateau -- the five starters. Olivia Cochran went for 18 points, Kianna Smith and Hailey Van Lith added 13 points each and Elizabeth Balogun finished with 11 points. In all, Louisville WBB head coach Jeff Walz played 11 Cardinals, but, Liz Dixon (six points), Mykasa Robinson (two points) and Mercedes Russell (two points) were the only other Cards to score.
Louisville jumped out to a 26-16 first quarter lead, thanks to five made threes but struggled a bit with the Eagles defense in the second quarter and managed just 16 points to lead at the half 42-28. It was wide open offense in the third quarter, BC actually out-pointing the Cards 28-26, but UofL shut the door with a 21-14 final quarter.
FIVE THINGS ABOUT THIS GAME
1) OUCH ! Haley Van Lith dislocated a finger on her right hand around the seven minutes in the third quarter. She was escorted off the court with her hand wrapped in a towel, but returned to the game six minutes later with the finger wrapped in tape. She proceeded to knock down a jumper a few seconds after returning. Van Lith is left-handed.
2. OUCH AGAIN! Kianna Smith sprained an ankle with 6:24 left in the game. She left the court with some assistance and did not return. Both Hailey and Kianna would be helpful against FSU Sunday, so let's hope they heal quickly.
3) THEY'RE FREE? GIMME SOME.! If the Boston College motive for stopping the Cards offensively was to foul the Cards, they chose unwisely. Louisville was 11-13 from the charity stripe and Olivia Cochran went 6-8.
4) DANA DELIVERS. A spectacular seven-point, one steal run for Dana in the third quarter. She sank a three with 5:38 left in the third session. Second later, received a rebound-outlet pass from Cochran and drove the court for a layup. Then, she stole the ball from BC center Ally Van Timmeren and drove to the hoop again for a layup. Just like that, the score went from 50-42 to 57-45 and the once-fired up BC sidelines lapsed back into silence.
5) NICE SHOOTING TEX! The Cards went 34 for 60 from the floor for 56.7%. They shot 19-31 in the second half. Out of the 89 points, 42 came from the paint and 16 off turnovers. And 10 threes made on 21 attempts.
A nice win for Louisville but it was against Boston College, who isn't exactly tearing up the ACC right now. Taylor Soule was supposed to be all the rage last night. She turned in a very ho-hum nine points and, once again, spent time on the side lines with foul trouble. She was a non-factor.
SONYA'S M.O.P. = Impressive for the Eagles was the play of freshman post Ally Van Timmermen. The 18 yr. old just arrived on the BC campus during Christmas break, deciding to join now instead of waiting for 2021-22. She was 7-13 and the 6'3" center also showed a nice outside touch by sinking three threes as part of her 17 points. And, she didn't even start. She's got a thing or two to learn about defense and staying out of foul trouble -- Cochran and Dixon schooled her several times -- and the six turnovers weren't exactly what head coach Joanne Bernabei McNamee wanted to see, but, Ally could be a starter soon for the Eagles. She had a cheering section in the YUM! last night and it was nice to see her spend some time with family and friends after the game in the southeast corner of the arena chatting with them.
Shoot, at 18 I was wondering what to wear to the senior prom. She's playing DI WBB against the #2 team in the nation and not doing too badly at all. I'll be watching this young future star. Yes, overall Dana was probably the M.O.P. but she almost always is and I don't think Ms. Evans would mind one bit if I share a little love with a freshman. After all, Dana was one, once....
--sonja--
Dana Evans led all scorers with 24 points. The Gary, IN senior was 9-16 from the floor and found success from beyond the arc with 3-5 three-point accuracy. Five Cards in all reached the double figure plateau -- the five starters. Olivia Cochran went for 18 points, Kianna Smith and Hailey Van Lith added 13 points each and Elizabeth Balogun finished with 11 points. In all, Louisville WBB head coach Jeff Walz played 11 Cardinals, but, Liz Dixon (six points), Mykasa Robinson (two points) and Mercedes Russell (two points) were the only other Cards to score.
Louisville jumped out to a 26-16 first quarter lead, thanks to five made threes but struggled a bit with the Eagles defense in the second quarter and managed just 16 points to lead at the half 42-28. It was wide open offense in the third quarter, BC actually out-pointing the Cards 28-26, but UofL shut the door with a 21-14 final quarter.
FIVE THINGS ABOUT THIS GAME
1) OUCH ! Haley Van Lith dislocated a finger on her right hand around the seven minutes in the third quarter. She was escorted off the court with her hand wrapped in a towel, but returned to the game six minutes later with the finger wrapped in tape. She proceeded to knock down a jumper a few seconds after returning. Van Lith is left-handed.
2. OUCH AGAIN! Kianna Smith sprained an ankle with 6:24 left in the game. She left the court with some assistance and did not return. Both Hailey and Kianna would be helpful against FSU Sunday, so let's hope they heal quickly.
3) THEY'RE FREE? GIMME SOME.! If the Boston College motive for stopping the Cards offensively was to foul the Cards, they chose unwisely. Louisville was 11-13 from the charity stripe and Olivia Cochran went 6-8.
4) DANA DELIVERS. A spectacular seven-point, one steal run for Dana in the third quarter. She sank a three with 5:38 left in the third session. Second later, received a rebound-outlet pass from Cochran and drove the court for a layup. Then, she stole the ball from BC center Ally Van Timmeren and drove to the hoop again for a layup. Just like that, the score went from 50-42 to 57-45 and the once-fired up BC sidelines lapsed back into silence.
5) NICE SHOOTING TEX! The Cards went 34 for 60 from the floor for 56.7%. They shot 19-31 in the second half. Out of the 89 points, 42 came from the paint and 16 off turnovers. And 10 threes made on 21 attempts.
A nice win for Louisville but it was against Boston College, who isn't exactly tearing up the ACC right now. Taylor Soule was supposed to be all the rage last night. She turned in a very ho-hum nine points and, once again, spent time on the side lines with foul trouble. She was a non-factor.
SONYA'S M.O.P. = Impressive for the Eagles was the play of freshman post Ally Van Timmermen. The 18 yr. old just arrived on the BC campus during Christmas break, deciding to join now instead of waiting for 2021-22. She was 7-13 and the 6'3" center also showed a nice outside touch by sinking three threes as part of her 17 points. And, she didn't even start. She's got a thing or two to learn about defense and staying out of foul trouble -- Cochran and Dixon schooled her several times -- and the six turnovers weren't exactly what head coach Joanne Bernabei McNamee wanted to see, but, Ally could be a starter soon for the Eagles. She had a cheering section in the YUM! last night and it was nice to see her spend some time with family and friends after the game in the southeast corner of the arena chatting with them.
Shoot, at 18 I was wondering what to wear to the senior prom. She's playing DI WBB against the #2 team in the nation and not doing too badly at all. I'll be watching this young future star. Yes, overall Dana was probably the M.O.P. but she almost always is and I don't think Ms. Evans would mind one bit if I share a little love with a freshman. After all, Dana was one, once....
--sonja--
