Pitt takes another hit -- Cards 78 - Panthers 45

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

GAME REPORT

- Five in double figures in 33-point Cardinal win

- Brackemyre says..."Yes" to Louisville!

- Softball sweeps in Vegas: Day Two

Louisville used balanced scoring, led by Shoni Schimmel's 22 points, to put Pitt away early and win 78-45 in the KFC YUM! Center Saturday afternoon in front of 10733 fans. The Cards used an early 17-5 run to take away any Pitt hopes of pulling off an upset. The win puts Louisville at 20-4 overall and 8-2 in the BIG EAST.

Starters: The "S" troops (Shoni, Sara, Sherrone, Slaughter and Smith) opened the game for Louisville, scored off the opening tip on a Nita Slaughter layup and never trailed in the contest. With the score 4-3 after a 3-ball by Pitt's Brianna Kiesel, the Cards held the Panthers to just one basket and three free throws in the next nine minutes to lead 21-8 with 9:58 left in the first half.

After Kiesel's three, Sara Hammond connected on a jumper, Bria Smith cashed in on a layup and Sherrone Vails scored inside to make it 10-5 with 16:28 remaining and head Pitt coach Agnus Berenato called a thirty-second time out to talk about it. The conversation did not solve much...back-to-back layups by Shoni and Bria had it at 14-5 and Berenato stopped action again for another discussion. (Shoni's assist to Bria for her score was a nifty, behind-the-head, no-look pass that only Shoni could have pulled off.) A Shoni jumper, score from Megan Deines and three by Jude Schimmel made it 21-7 at the media timeout with 11:51 to go.

Shoni scored the next five points for Louisville and the Cards led 29-14 when Bria hit again with 6:11 on the clock. A free throw from Shoni, layup by Hammond, layup by Deines and then Hammond again inside had Louisville enjoying a 36-14 advantage with 2:46 showing until the half. The Panthers did outscore Louisville 6-3 the rest of the way and Louisville went to the locker room holding a 39-20 edge.

Shoni led the way in the first twenty with 14 points on 5-8 shooting. Hammond and Smith followed with six, Jude contributed five, Denies was good for 4 and Slaughter and Vails added two each. Shelby Harper and  Cortnee Walton played but did not score...Walton did grab four rebounds in 10 minutes of first-half action.

The Cards began the final twenty in red-hot fashion, going on a 18-5 run in the first five and one half minutes. A  Hammond free throw got the scoring started, Smith followed with a layup, Deines buried a three and Hammond added two more charity tosses to give the Cards a 48-23 edge just three minutes into action. Shoni scored inside and a Slaughter three put Louisville ahead by 30...layups from Slaughter and Deines had Louisville ahead 57-25. A Smith jumper doubled the score on Pitt at 70-35 with 7:46 to go and the Cards largest lead came at 72-35 a minute later after a Smith free throw.

From there on, it was just a matter of how much Louisville would win by. Deines looked good in hitting all three of her trifecta attempts in the second half and Slaughter put in eight second-half points as the Cards tried different combinations over the final minutes. Pitt did outscore the Cards 10-6 in the final 6:25 of the second half.  

Final....Louisville 78- Pitt 45

Shoni ended up with 22, Deines 17, Smith 11, Slaughter and Hammond 10 each to reach double figures. Jude added five points, Vails finished with two and Harper one. The birthday girl Walton had five rebounds, a steal and some very good defense but ended 0-3 from floor and 0-2 from the line.

Louisville lost the boards battle 34-32 to the Panthers, but went 30-63 from the floor (47.6%)...compared to 16-45 shooting for Agnus' girls (35.6%). The Cards won the points off turnovers battle 27-9 and committed just 11 miscues while forcing Pitt into 26. 14 steals for Louisville, but only 10-17 at the foul line.

Pitt was without leading scorer Asia Logan (separated shoulder) and season-starting point guard Brittany Gordon (foot).

6'11" center Marvadene "Bubbles" Anderson is on a red-shirt and did not make the trip. I was severely disappointed over this. A brief conversation with a couple of Pitt players in the pre-game warm-ups garnered me an invitation to the Peterson Event Center next year to watch "Bubbles" play. I may take champagne.

WHAT WE LIKED

1) Teamwork. The Cards had 18 assists and just 11 turnovers. The days of standing around and dribbling the ball waiting for something to happen appear to be over.

Photo by Charlie Springer - UofL Card Game

2) Sold on Schimmel. Shoni has been spectacular over the last several games and today's numbers (22 points, six assists, two turnovers, two steals and four boards) show us she's no longer just a shooter. We feel it's because of Bria's increased time at the point. Shoni says it's just hard work. Whatever the reason, we'll have another, and another, and...more please.

3) Deines delivers. 7-11 from the field and no longer running the court with the deer-in-the-headlights look. She's moving on offense. She's having fun out there (just ask her) and it shows.

THINGS TO WORK ON


1) Free throws. 58.8% today. The Cards are 11th. in the league in this stat. Smith's 1-4 indicates to us she needs to spend more time practicing the freebies. She might stop by and pick up Walton on the way to the gym, too. (0-2).

2) Wide open shots. If there was a stat in the BIG EAST for blown layups and wide open shots under basket, the Cards would be the going-away leader. If Walz had a dollar for each time...you get the point. Close-in, layups..gotta make those.

3) Front-line rebounding. Starters Vails, Slaughter and Hammond combined for only 10 today. The same number Shoni and Bria had. We feel Walton may have just assumed the role of the Cards best interior rebounder (that isn't injured). She had five today.

SUMMATION

A win that needed to be accomplished in convincing fashion and job done within the scope of successfulness. If the Cards were looking ahead to Norte Dame Monday night, it wasn't showing. Jeff Walz just asks for his players to play good and how they are taught in practice. They did that today, except at the free throw line and on some "how did she miss that?" wide open looks and layups. 

Pitt is hurting. A shame, really...the program was once a tough opponent under Agnus. Having two starters out didn't help today, but the body of work is 0 for 10 in the BIG EAST this year. They were young last year, they're still pretty young this year...but it's beginning to look like they're putting in an early bid for doormat of the ACC, in addition to the BIG EAST title they already share in that category with Cincinnati.



Post Game Walz below. The Ho-Jo Show returns for another yeoman performance, getting in all the questions for Walz but one...before the video below stopped unexpectedly.

 Coach Walz Discusses Win Over Pitt


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Good news for the WBB squad in another area, too. Ohio prep star Sydney Brackemyer has committed verbally to the Cards. The junior is going to be a force here. A great "get" for Louisville. Welcome aboard, SYD!

The Clinton-Massie hoopster is currently sidelined with a ACL knee injury but expected back full force for her senior year. Louisville beat out Dayton and Michigan for her services...the 2014 recruiting class is off to a great start...  
 
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The softball Cards took two in the Sportco Classic in Las Vegas on Saturday...downing DePaul 8-2 and uphending UCF 5-3.

DEPAUL/LOUISVILLE

This one started rather slow...scoreless after three innings with DePaul ace Kristen Verdun and Cardinal transfer Rachel LeCoq hooked up in a pitcher's duel.

The Cards broke loose in the fourth inning, though...with a six-run barrage. After Taner Fowler started the inning with and walk and Jordy Trimble reached on an error, Whitney Arion's bunt single got Fowler to the plate on a throwing error. A walk to Krista Mann loaded the bases and a walk to JSW (our new name for Jasmien Smithson-Willett) brought home Trimble. Kayla Soles then poked a deep triple, clearing the bases an it was 5-0 Cards. Katie Keller tripled also, scoring Soles and Louisville had a 6-0 lead.

The Cards added one in the sixth. Maggie Ruckenbrod doubled, Chrisanna Roberts came in to pinch run and scored on a Keller ground-out.

DePaul countered with two runs, but the Cards added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Trimble doubled and two wild pitches got her to the plate.

LeCoq went the distance for UofL, allowing six hits, and two unearned runs.

UCF/LOUISVILLE


Louisville struck early in the nightcap...getting three first inning runs. Alicja Wolny had a two-RBI double and Whitney Arion doubled the senior first-baseman home.

UCF's Haley Barraco tied the contest at 3-3 in the top of the fifth with a two-run "tocuh 'em all" off Cardinal starting pitcher Caralisa Connell.

Keller returned the favor, though, in the sixth with a solo shot over the left field fence to give UofL a 4-3 lead.

Louisville added a run in the top of the seventh when Ruckenbrod doubled, was lifted for JSW to pinch-run and Soles smashed a double to get the freshman to the plate for a 5-3 Cardinal advantage.

"Carl" gets the win...allowing five hits and fanning eight UCF batters in seven innings.

The Cards face Minnesota tomorrow.

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Saturday Cardinal Couple -- WBB faces Pitt, Softball splits in Vegas

SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-WBB hosts Pitt today at 2 p.m.

-Softball splits in first day of Sportco Classic


(Quentin Voigt gives us the scout on today's opponent -- the Pittsburgh Panthers -- with some comments by Paulie. Also, softball defeats Texas Tech 10-6 but falls to UNLV 10-1 in Vegas.)

WE'RE DOIN' THE PANTHER WALK THIS WEEKEND!

This Saturday, Feb 9th...at 2 p.m., the Louisville Cardinal women's basketball team entertains BIG EAST foe Pittsburgh in the KFC YUM! Center. The Panthers are coached by Agnes Berenato, in her ninth year as the head Panther. She brings a young team into the YUM! that is made up of mostly  freshmen and sophomores. Add in a few juniors and no seniors for the 0-9, 9-13 BIG EAST Pennsylvania invader.

Junior Asia Logan, a 6'0" guard/forward leads Pitt with 15.3 ppg.  Along with 5'7" sophomore guard Brianna Kiesel, who averages 14.4 ppg, they've led Pitt in scoring 19 of their 22 games.

The smart money goes on the Cards today. Wouldn't surprise me to see a Louisville win by 20 or more.

-Quentin Voigt.

OK, these aren't sneaky Pink Panthers and their 0 for BIG EAST leads me to believe it just might be Peter Sellers' character Inspector Clouseau as the head coach instead of loveable, long-suffering Agnes...one of the nicest ladies you'll ever meet.

Indeed, what intrigues me the most about this team is someone who isn't playing for them...6'11" (yes, 6'11") freshman Marvadene "Bubbles" Anderson...who is red-shirting this season. The highly sought-after Rutgers Prep High School star landed at Pitt, her coach at RPHS the twin sister of Pitt assistant coach Patty Coyle. 

Pitt's been in a few games...losing narrowly at DePaul 57-55 and falling in a close one when Providence came to Steel City Wednesday and left with a 85-83 double overtime win. Non-conference wins aren't spectacular...with triumphs over William & Mary, Siena, Wagner, Brown, Longwood, Loyola (MD) Mt.St.Mary, Buffalo and ODU.

Louisville went to overtime against them last year before winning 71-66 at "the Pete", Walz is 5-2 against them and the Cards are 7-2 lifetime over the Panthers. The Panthers have never won in the YUM! or Freedom Hall.  

Louisville in a romp today. I hope Bubbles makes the trip. Never seen a 6'11" girl in person before.

-Paulie


( We'll be back with the recap later today.)

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Louisville softball split two games Friday on the opening day of the Sportco Classic in Las Vegas. The Cards overcame a 5-0 deficit to thump Texas Tech 10-6 in the opener but the bats disappeared in a 10-1 loss to host UNLV in the nightcap.

CARDS 10 - Texas Tech 6

Caralisa "Carl" Connell got rocked by the first seven batters she faced in the first inning of the game. That brought transfer Rachel LeCoq to the mound and she pitched the final seven innings allowing just two runs.

Down 5-0 in the bottom of the third, the Cards strung together four singles, two walks and a wild pitch to tie the game. In the bottom of the fourth, they brought out the heavy artillery...a two-run homer by Katie Keller and solo shot by Alicja Wolny put Louisville ahead to stay 8-5. UofL added two runs in the fifth, Keller's single scoring Jennifer Esteban and Keller reaching home on an error.

UNLV 10 - CARDS 1

Connell drew the starting assignment again in game two, but a two-out, three run homer had her behind after one inning. The Cards lone run came in the second when Jordy Trimble reached on an error and freshman Jasmine Smithson-Willett, who started both games in right-field, doubled her home.

The Cards had the bases loaded in the third with no outs, but a double play and ground out kept them from drawing any closer to the Runnin' Rebs.

Smithson-Willett treated rudely
in first collegiate pitching effort.

After four innings, and Vegas up 6-1, Pearsall turned the pitching assignment over to Smithson-Willett. The Rebs touched her for four straight runs and the game was ended after five innings.

Rough Friday for Connell. Rude introduction to DI pitching for Smithson-Willett. The Cards return to the diamond today for two more contests. They'll face BIG EAST foe DePaul in a non-conference game first and then UCF in the nightcap.

In the movie Caddyshack, the character Carl spent most of his time looking for an elusive gopher. On the Cardinal softball team, their Carl is searching for the form that got her to 19-1 last season.

Coach Pearsall mentioned that the Louisville pitching didn't show up Friday and when the bats fell silent in game two, it was a deadly combination. And, with 16 runs allowed in 12 innings of play...we'd have to agree that the Cardinal combination of Connell and Smithson-Willett was less than effective.

Sometimes, you go to Vegas and take a bath. Let's hope the Cards can start rolling sevens and elevens (on the scoreboard) and take two today. 
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Friday Cardinal Couple -- Stats and more on BIG EAST WBB.

FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Statistical leaders in the BIG EAST WBB

-Softball swings into action

It's been awhile since we've run the numbers here at CARDINAL COUPLE on BIG EAST WBB, so here goes:

CONFERENCE STANDINGS

Notre Dame 9-0                       USF       4-4
Connecticut 8-1                       Rutgers 4-4
Louisville    7-2                        Seton Hall 3-6
Syracuse     7-2                        Marquette 3-6
DePaul        6-3                        Providence 3-6
Villanova     5-4                        Pittsburgh  0-9
St. John's    4-4                        Cincinnati   0-9
Georgetown 4-5

Who's hot?  Notre Dame. On a 16-game win streak and heads to Seton Hall next. Skylar Diggins is now over 2000 points in her career. The Fighting Irish are 6-1 against ranked opponents this season. Some rebuilding year...

Who's not? Pitt and Cincy. Losers in their last nine.

Surprise? Seton Hall. Didn't figure they'd get three wins in the conference for the entire season. They've matched that already.


OVERALL CONFERENCE TEAM STATS (As of 1/30/13)

Scoring Offense:  Connecticut 82.5  (Louisville 73.6 - 5th)
Scoring Defense:  Connecticut 46.5  (Louisville 52.8 - 4th)
Scoring Margin:    Connecticut +36.0 (Louisville +20.8 - 3rd)
Free Throw Pct:  Notre Dame .810 (Louisville .685 - 10th)
Field Goal Pct:    Connecticut .494 (Louisville .456 - 3rd)
FG Pct Defense:  Connecticut .302 (Louisville .373 - 8th)
3-Point FG Pct:   Connecticut .370 (Louisville .332 - 3rd)
3-Point FG Def:   Syracuse .272      (Louisville .277 - 2nd)
Rebounds:          USF 912               (Louisville 863 - 4th)
Rebounds allowed: Connecticut 626 (Louisville 722 - 9th)
Rebounding margin: Connecticut +11.7 (Louisville +6.4 5th)
Blocked shots:  St. John's 117         (Louisville 74 - 9th.)
Assists:               Connecticut 427   (Louisville 330 - 4th)
Steals:                Louisville 286
Turnover margin  Connecticut +6.5  (Louisville 6.2 - 2nd)


Cardinals that rank in the top 20 of individual stats:

Scoring: Shoni Schimmel 13.7 ppg (19th)
Rebounds: Sara Hammond 6.7 rpg (13th)
Field Goal %: Monique Reid .552 (4th), Hammond .511(12th)
Assists: S.Schimmel 3.3 apg (14th)
Free Throw %: Hammond .750 (14th)
3-point%: S.Schimmel .363 (8th), Nita Slaughter .357 (9th)
3-pointer made: S.Schimmel 57 (4th)
Steals: Bria Smith 2.3 a game (9th)

The Cards are second in the BIG EAST in attendance with 9424 a game at home. UConn barely ahead here with 9585 a game at home. Average attendance for both home and away game has Louisville third...with 5757. Notre Dame leads with 6652 and UConn is at 6606.

Shoni's 38 points against USF ties Sugar Rodgers as a season high in the BIG EAST. Since Sugar got hers against Yale and Louisville held her to six...we give Shoni the nod here. The Louisville vs. Kentucky game is the second highest attended with a BIG EAST team (15486). DePaul vs. UK drew 18488.

The Cards return to action Saturday @ 2 pm with (9-13, 0-9) Pitt coming to the KFC YUM! Center. We'll have a preview of it in Saturday CARDINAL COUPLE and a report of the action later that night.


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Softball swings into action today with two games in the SportCo Classic in Las Vegas. Here's the three-day, five-game slate:

FRIDAY

Cards vs. Texas Tech  2:15 p.m. (All times EST)
Cards vs. UNLV  6:45 p.m.

SATURDAY

Cards vs. DePaul  noon
Cards vs. UCF  4:30

SUNDAY

Cards vs. Minnesota  1:15 p.m.

Sandy Pearsall's charges are #18 in the nation and have more power in their lineup than the law should allow.  They return four players that hit for over .300 last year and had a team batting average of .309.

As Sandy Pearsall mentioned in our exclusive interview with her...pitching is the question mark a lot of opponents have when it comes to looking at this squad. Caralisa "Carl" Connell is the lone returnee from a staff that won 55 games last season. She also won the "Most Popular Louisville women's athlete poll" here at Cardinal Couple.

We have seen yeoman efforts on the mound for Louisville in years past. Aja Sherman, Kat Bishop, Kristen Wadwell, Tori Collins. We feel confident that "Carl" will join these illustrious names in Cardinal Softball Pitching history.

Good luck in the desert, Softball sluggers!

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Finally, former Cardinal WBB great Angel McCoughtry has re-signed with the Atlanta Dream. Terms of the multi-year deal were not disclosed.
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Previewing Pitt

SATURDAY @ THE COUPLE:.


-PITT PAYS A VISIT TO YUM..

The University of Louisville Lady Cards put a three game winning streak on the line Sunday when the University of Pittsburgh comes to town for BIG EAST women's basketball action in the KFC YUM Center. Game time is noon.

Pitt (8-6, 0-1) returns four starters from a tean that went 16-15 last season and split the matchups against Louisville. The Panthers defeated the Cards 72-69 in the Peterson Event Center during the regular season...but Louisville got revenge in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament...winning 79-71. Agnes Berenato's squad went to postseason play in the NIT but bowed out in the first round. Berenato begins her ninth season as the Panthers' skipper and is 138-95 as the head honcho of Pitt. She's also one of the most friendly and engaging coaches in the BIG EAST...two years ago when the Panthers lost in Freedom Hall 75-71 to the Cards...she greeted everyone on press row, the scorers table and just about everyone but the popcorn vendors.

This year's version of the Panthers is led by several returning and talented players. Brittaney Thomas is putting up 15.2 points per game for Agnes' bunch. Jania Sims averages 14.5 for Pitt.

Taneshia Harrison chips in with 13.4 a game. Chelsea Cole contributes 9.7 a game and grabs 10.4 boards a contest. Shalya Scott's numbers are 9.1 a game and 7.3 boards. Cole, Harrison, Thomas, Scott and Sims all battled against the Cards last year.

The Panthers have defeated Youngstown State, Radford, Loyola, Mt. St.Mary, Valparaiso, UT-Arlington, Austin Peay and Central Michigan this year. Losses have come at the hands of Minnesota, Duke, St.Francis, DEPAUL, Texas Tech and Duquesne.

The Panthers average 72.2 a game and allow 63.4 points. Cole is second in the BIG EAST in rebounds and also has seven double-doubles on the season. The Panthers are 5-2 at home and 3-4 out of "the Pete".

SONJA SEES IT:

Louisville will find the rebounding against Pitt a challenge. Keisha Hines, Sherrone Vails, Monique Reid and Asia Taylor will need to go to the boards strong and avoid fouls in the paint that an experienced team like the Panthers can draw you into. The Cards would be best served by opening up the tight Pitt defense with long range bombing and then working the frantic full court transition game that has served Louisville well in the last three wins.
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Louisville could win this one rather easily if the Cards can follow the blueprint that DePaul used to beat the Panthers in Pittsburgh 67-51 earlier this year. The Blue Demons allowed the less than stellar Pitt guard outside shooters to go 4 of 27 from 3-point range and used a 21-11 first half run to build an insurmountable lead. DePaul guard Sam Quigley had 15 against the Panthers and there's no reason Shoni Schimmel can't do the same. DePaul went 7-21 from deep against Pitt...Louisville may attempt more trifectas than that...
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The game will be televised on ESPNU and Jim Kelch and Paul Sanderford will have the radio call on Cards Radio WKRD 790 AM / 101.7 FM. Show up and bring a poster in support of the Cards. A poster contest is being held and the winner gets 2 floor seats to a LADY CARDS game.
How about...
(E)nter
(S)chimmel...
(P)itt's
(N)ightmare...??

(Feel free to use this one...they frown on posters down on press row...so WE can't do it.)