Discussions on the Lady Cards

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Thoughs and observations on the Lady Cards

With the University of Louisville women's basketball team off until Tuesday and visions of bowl games dancing maddeningly in my head...time to break the thought pattern and talk the Lady Cards. You been sending e-mails and leaving comments about Phil's rating system and advocation for a "three" big
system...so let's start there. 

WE can see a lot of benefit from it, given the current case of lack of rebounds, but it's awfully hard to just sit Becky Burke down after she's been the most or second most reliable shooter on the team this year and the leading three-point threat.  So, how about starting her with Shoni, Cierra, Shawnta and Asia?

That, of course, puts Bria on the bench. Tough to do with her very impressive freshman season. Inserting Burke later in the game just may be a viable option...Walz did with Reid off and on for three years...Mo still got her points.

So, Bria, Shoni, Cierra, Shawnta and Asia? I can hear the Sherrone and Sara backers over the roar of Washington scoring (again) on Baylor...

Here's what WE think Jeff is trying to determine. Eight (maybe) nine players to form a consistent, contributing and interacting core. Let's be honest. Shelby and (for this year) Jude probably aren't going to make this cut. That leaves:

Shoni
Bria
Becky
(a good guard rotation that offers shooting, driving and rebounding)

That leaves...

Cierra
Shawnta
Sherrone
Asia
Sara
Nita

All have their strong points and shortcomings. I like the hustle and desire of Asia. She just needs that consistent effort game after game. It's there, she needs to find it. I also like Cierra in this mix. She's the best inside player, the way WE see it..now that Mo is sidelined. She's 6'5". Just go to the basket and forget about the fade away, off angle hook shot. If you want a third "big" I think you have to go with who's been hot lately and that is Shawnta. 

So, we'll offer Shoni, Bria, Asia, Cierra and Shawnta as our picks to get introduced by Sean Moth when the game starts. 

Ultimately, of course, it all depends on what Jeff sees and he knows them better than the collectiveve reader base of CARDINAL COUPLE. With his excellent coaching staff...they will make the right call, the right decision and coach them up. 

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From some of the comments we get via e-mail, some of our readers are living under the illusion that the Lady Cards have won only two games, instead of having just two losses. Fan prognostication and speculation is all well and good. Remember...this is CARDINAL COUPLE, the fan voice for UofL Women's Sports...so we love, encourage and anticipate your comments. 

Let's just keep in mind that this is a top 15 team, their losses have come against top 10 competition and have suffered the losses of last year's leading scorer, leading defender and a promising sophomore. They've survived two challenging road trips, the majority of their games so far away from the KFC YUM! Center and are still a very talented group of ladies. Think any programs out there would turn down Shoni, Bria, Becky or any of the rest on the Lady Cards squad? 

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The BIG EAST looms ahead. Yes it will be tough. The Lady Cards can ill afford to take a night off against any of the conference members. Rutgers, Notre Dame, UConn, Georgetown, DePaul and Syracuse are very capable of hanging a 20 point whipping on this team on a home or away court. Lowly Cincinnati gave Louisville all they wanted..and the Bearcats were picked pre-season to finish down in the basement of the BIG EAST structure. Villanova is over-achieving, Providence looks improved, St. John's is still very, very dangerous despite injuries. The list goes on and on...

2012 will be a thrill packed, face in the wind roller coaster ride for the Lady Cards in the BIG EAST. IF this team can reach the BIG EAST conference championships with 4 or less conference losses, they should give Walz the Coach of the Year award. 

So, there it is. Keep your observations coming. We relish them and people enjoy reading them in columns and in the comments section. Just try to remember that this team is 12-2, not 2-12.

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