Selection Monday, Cards split softball Sunday

IT'S MONDAY @ CARDINAL COUPLE:

(run for the Hills...rain, again!)

-Cards learn 1st round foe tonight

-Softball splits Sunday

-Biggest Fan of BIG EAST back in the 'Ville.

-Pitino's Cards headed to Denver

-Sideline Reporters tourney rolls on.

The University of Louisville's women's basketball team will learn their first round opponent and location Monday night shortly after 7 p.m. The team is not having a public showing of the draw with the public...but players and coaches will be made available to the media afterwards to discuss their assignment. CARDINAL COUPLE is trying to arrange coverage of the Cardinal's comments and anxiously awaits the selections. WE will keep you up on the latest news.

WE'RE thinking the Cards could end up as a #7 or #8 seed. An #7 might be the best way to go, since it keeps them out of the #1 seed's part of the bracket until the final game of the regional. #8 plays #1 if they get by #9 in first round action. Where will Louisville end up? Cincinnati, Columbus and Knoxville are the closest first and second round sites. Will the Cards end up in one of these cities? We hope, we hope...

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Louisville softball 1-1 in the final day of the Louisville Softball Classic, losing again the Michigan and beating WKU again. WKU beat Michigan to give the Wolverines their first loss of the season.

The Cards started the day against UM and despite several Cardinal scoring opportunities, it was a scoreless pitchers' duel through four innings. Michigan (25-1) scored a run in the fifth and added one in the seventh to shut the Cards out 2-0. First shutout for the Louisville squad this year...Cards collecting just six hits. Tori Collins takes the loss, two runs allowed on five hits and four KO's.

The Cards (14-8) jumped out early in the WKU game. After a Katie Keller double to start the game, Chelsea Bemis singled and both came home on a Alicja Wolny double. WKU got the runs back in the second. Louisville put the big hurt on the Hilltoppers in the bottom of the inning, though, when a Chelsea Bemis grand slam homer plated her, Hannah Kiyohara, Keller and Jennifer Esteban. 6-2 held for the final...Carlisa Connell went the distance for the win.

Louisville heads to San Diego for the San Diego Classic on March 18-20 next.
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BIGGEST FAN of the BIG EAST Steve Springer and family are back in Louisville after attending the BIG EAST Men's Tournament and picking up a $10,000 check for the University of Louisville and the keys to a brand, spanking new Volvo S60. They're seen here, sporting shirts commemorating the event and designed by Steve's Dad, the "observer"...Charlie Springer.

Charlie has some great footage of Steve receiving the check and the keys to the car up in Madison Square Garden over at his site. Go to http://www.uoflcardgame.com/ to see it. It's been a fun ride...following Steve and his family's pursuit of the title and for him to win the contest is a testament to the hard work, dedication and effort he put in during the various steps involved in the event.

The question is...how do you top this, Steve? NCAA Fan of the Year? WE know that, if such a contest exists, where we'd put our money. (Photo from Charlie Springer.)

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Pitino's guys are headed to Denver for first round NCAA Men's Hoops against...Morehead? The Cards got a #4 seed...about what we figured...but, seriously...all the way our there to play the Eagles? Maybe they could save a lot of money and get more fans of both teams involved and just play the game at Rupp Arena or NKU's Arena. Less travel and seats full of both teams' fans. Just a thought....

The bracket draw looks fairly nice for Louisville. Win the first one and they get either Vandy or Richmond. Both beatable. Kansas probably waiting for them in the regional ...the weakest of the four #1 seeds, in our opinion. Maybe even a rematch against Notre Dame to make the final four.

Hey, if you're going to dream, dream big! Cards knock off Pittsburgh and Ohio State to win the school's third national championship. Never say never...

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Pam Oliver snuck by Stacey Dales to advance to the round of eight. YAY! Pam! Today, it's Eamon McAnaney vs. Sam Ryan. Sammy does a lot of sports and we like her football coverage. Same with Eamon, a quintessential coverage man. Paul is "all in" with Sam, as is David Watson. Sonja selecting Eamon. You can pick your choice in the comments section of today's post...or e-mail it to cardinalcouple@insightbb.com . A $10 charge will appear on your Diners' Club Card...(just kidding!!...and, is there even such a thing as a Diner's Club card anymore?)

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