Gardner Webb comes to Louisville looking for a win

.
SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE:

-Gardner Webb faces Lady Cards today

-BIG EAST WBB from Friday and Saturday's games

The University of Louisville women's basketball team returns to the hardwood in the KFC YUM! Center six days after taking a 20 point defeat in Lexington to the Kentucky Wildcats women's basketball team. The #15 Cards will be looking to start a new win streak against today's opponent - Gardner Webb.

They shouldn't have much trouble in doing so.

GWU hasn't entered conference play yet this
season. Based on last year's results and their
current schedule...they're probably really looking
forewatd to it...

The Bulldogs are 0-7 on the season and only one of the losses have been remotely close...losing last time out to Wofford College 58-50. GWU has battled against an ambitious schedule...losing at North Carolina (109-44), at Davidson (67-46), against Duke (97-31) and hosting Southern Cal (82-41).

This is the first meting ever between the two schools in women's basketball.

No Bulldogs average in double figures...Catrina Green and Jasmine Dale lead Gardner Webb in scoring with 7.6 and 7.3 p.p.g. respectively. Green grabs 7.4 boards per contest and Brianna Dillard is the assist leader with 13 total in seven games.

The Bulldogs have been outscored by an average of 78.6 to 43.0 and are shooting 31% on the young season. They are 14-66 from beyond the arc (21%) and average 26 turnovers a game.

Monique Reid is the Cards
leading scorer this season.

Louisville comes into the contest with four players averaging in double figures. Monique Reid leads the way with 15.7 p.p.g., Shoni Schimmel at 13.7, Becky Burke next at 12.3 and freshman Bria Smith averages 11.0 a game.

Who will Walz start and will
it have any significance?

The main question here is whether UofL can shake off the disappointing loss against UK and come out and take care of business today.

WE fully expect that they will and this looks to be one of those "feel-good" games against a cupcake.

Another thing we'll look for is if the attendance numbers are down after losing to the Cats. WE don't expect a significant drop off...most Lady Cards fans are not of the "fair weather" variety...if anything...the men play at 4 p.m. so there could be a bump in attendance from the bonus of two games in one day.

We'll also be watching to see if Coach Walz has effected any starting lineup changes. Minutes on court should be plentiful for all 12 Lady Cards today and we'll watch for hustle, desire and smart play from the Lady Cards. The Bulldogs' opponents only average 16 turnovers a game...we'll watch and see if the Cards can end up with fewer than that. Another thing will monitor is how the Cards do on the offensive boards and if they're capitalizing on second chance points. Despite the winless record, Gardner Webb is only being out rebounded by seven boards a game.

The Cards tumbled to #15 in the NCAA rankings after the Kentucky loss...a big win today probably won't send them soaring back up the polls ladder...but could do wonders for a team that was left without answers after the annual showdown against the Lady Wildcats.

CARDINAL COUPLE will have a full post game report and quotes today after the game.


Full day of hoops today at the KFC YUM!...with the men's team taking on Farleigh Dickinson at 4:00 p.m. Ex-Card George Goode returns as a starter for FDU.  

******************************************************************

In BIG EAST conference action last night, UConn handled Seton Hall 70-37. Out of conference, Providence downed UMass 66-45 and DePaul bested SIUE 75-65.

On tap today:

One conference matchup...St John's and Villanova square off.

Out of conference, five schools besides Louisville take to the hardwood:

-WVU vs. UNF
-Syracuse vs. Coppin State
-Pitt vs Valparaiso
-Marquette vs Iona
-Cincinnati vs Marshall
.
..
...