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MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-IU vs UofL in WBB: Why not? 


-Cards south of the border


(David Watson has the Monday Cardinal Couple for you. As usual, he's got questions. Enjoy) 

The campuses of Indiana University and the University of Louisville are only about 90 minutes apart but they've only met in women's basketball nine time in 37 years. Only three of these meetings have been on the Cards home court, all wins. The series record is, coincidentally, 3-6 in favor of IU. The two haven't met since the 2005-06 season, under Tom Collen, when Louisville won 72-67 in Freedom Hall. Helen Johnson had 20 points that night for the Cards and Katie Olson and Missy Taylor added 12 points each. 


Isn't it time for these two to get together again? 

There have been a few changes in Bloomington. Following a 6-24 season in 2011-12, the Hoosiers decided to change coaches and brought Curt Miller on board. A good move. Curt is the 16th winningest coach by percentage in NCAA D1 history. 258-92 (.737) 


Wins are good, IU. Have some.


Curt goes westward from Bowling Green, where he also accomplished a 100% graduation rate in 11 years and a team G.P.A. that never dropped below 3.0 


Knowledge is good also, Curt, Good job. 

UofL assistant coach
Cam Newbauer has
a little sister who plays
at IU. 

The Hoosier are probably tired of being the laughingstock of Big 10 women's basketball. 1-15 last year probably didn't have them lining up early to get into Assembly Hall. Since Tom Crean is busy with turning the men's program around, the brain-trust at IU probably figured that if one change is good, two just might be better. Enter Curt, Exit Felicia. 


It may not be easy at first for Curt. He's losing three out of his top four scorers via graduation. Two players of note that I'm guessing will be back are Andrea Newbauer and Quaneishia McCurdy. 


Newbauer is UofL assistant coach Cameron Newbauer little sister. She got around 28 minutes a game last year and will be a senior in the upcoming season. She was a terrific guard in IU high school hoops. 

Quaneishia McCurdy was an early verbal to UofL back in her high school days at Dalton, GA. She suddenly changed her mind and announced that she was signing with IU. At 6'5" she has the height to be effective in the post. She may have glanced at the UofL roster, though and realized she'd be an after-thought in the playing rotation. In her freshman season at IU last year, she played about 15 minutes a game and averaged around five points a contest. 


It's time to span the bridge and get these two schools playing again. An IU game would probably draw a few more into the YUM! than Gardner-Webb or Austin Peay.


Jeff, meet Curt. Curt, meet Cam. Cam, call your sister. Shake hands and add each other to your non-conference schedules. 


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UofL WBB is headed to Mexico for hoops before Thanksgiving. CARDINAL COUPLE writer Sandy Walker will have more on that tomorrow. I backed off the article because every time I think of my horrible week in Cancun I get nauseous and run to the bathroom. 


When they tell you that you shouldn't drink the water, that also includes ice in drinks. 


Bleck. 


Stay with the bottled stuff, Shoni and Bria. 


(David Watson is a special correspondent for CARDINAL COUPLE. He also claims he invented the sticky stuff on the back of Post-It notes but we're pretty sure he didn't.) 
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Walz spanning the globe looking for future Lady Cards

Jeff Walz took time out from his busy schedule as UofL head womens' basketball coach to take in a little Cardinal Baseball. In this picture, he is posing with CARDINAL COUPLE co-owner Paul Sykes. Cardinal fan Tom Cahill stands in the background..,keeping vigil for any potential Wildcat intruders.

(photo by Shannon Rufra)

The FIBA 17 U World Championships are taking place in France and the USA girls team is the overwhelming favorite to win the event. They'll take on Russia today and are 1-0 so far in play.

Jeff Walz is there. Not sure which of the 15 players on USA's roster he is checking out but one thing is for sure. If there is talent out there, Jeff is going to find it, recruit it and develop it. Whether it's Portland, Oregon...Kansas City...or France, Walz will make the trek and pitch Lady Cardinal basketball to his targets. As the soon to be seniors are starting to make their verbal commits and narrow their lists down nationwide, coaching staffs flock to places like Murfreesboro, Pine Bluff and Eugene to see, be seen and evaluate.

This is the world of college basketball recruiting. No longer enough just to track a potential in high school games. AAU ball must be covered and scouted, where your mark is playing with just as equally talented players on a select, premier team against competition equally rostered. Catching the up and coming talent early...in the 14U games. Dozens of website rating, charting and featuring girls that aren't even old enough to drive a car..but fully capable of driving to the hoop. Keeping prospects on your speed dial and tournament results that you can't get to on your laptop "favorites" list.

Somewhere this morning, there is a 10 yr. old girl out in her backyard shooting hoops with her dad and older brother. And the results of the morning will be on three websites by 12:30....detailing shot selection, percentage, crossover dribble skills and rebounding strength.

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Angel and the Atlanta Dream lost a crucial one in Indy last night...falling to the Indiana Fever 89-70. The win for the Fever pulls them to just one game behind Atlanta...the Eastern Conference leader.

Tamika Catchings led the way with 23 points and 11 rebounds and Katie Douglas added 20 from the floor.

"I think we sent a message that we are the defending Eastern Conference champions and it's not going to be easy to come in here and steal a game from us" Douglas remarked after the contest.

The actually led the contest 46-45 in the third quarter after a Shalee Lehning layup after a Fever turnover...but the magic stopped there. Indiana held the Dream scoreless for the first three minutes of the 4th quarter. The frustration showed, with Dream head coach Marynell Meadows getting a technical foul with 4:34 to play.

The Dream is 0-2 since the All-Star break, both losses coming on the road.

Angel McCoughtry led the way for Atlanta with 27 points but there was no celebrating that after the game.

"I'm just disappointed with our play," McCoughtry said. "We have a second half of the season to play. We need to keep our heads up."

Perhaps the key factor in the Fever win was Katie Douglas limiting Dream second leading scorer Iziane Castro Marquez to just five points on 2-for-11 shooting.

"I just tried to go as fast as she goes." Douglas said. "She's so athletic. We tried to limit her early stuff that gets her going and we tried to keep her frustrated in the second half."

Next up, The Fever travels to New York for a Sunday game. Atlanta continues the road trip, with a Saturday night game against Connecticut.

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Do you like the tasty treats and unmatchable bread and bagels at PANERA BREAD? Make sure and check in each day here at CARDINAL COUPLE...we'll have news very soon on how you can be our guest at one of the Panera locations.

Southern Indiana success

We take a look today at the Floyd Central Highlanders girls' basketball team. To say they are having a pretty good year would be an understatement. Currently, they are 18-1 and coming off a win vs. Jennings Country.

In the USA Today poll, they are ranked 21st in the nation. That poll, dubious as it may be...(California teams hold four out of the five top spots) recognizes what Highlander fans have been saying all season. This team is a top contender for the Indiana High School championship title in their division.

Ah yes, the trials and tribulations of "class" basketball. Created to provide a level playing field, a chance for schools to win titles against similiar sized institutions and confuse the casual basketball observer. A necessary evil in high school sports today but somehow we made it thru without it when I was on the hardwood.

The Highlanders are led by Morgan Rockstool and Jennifer Smith. Smith recently put up some great numbers against Meade County. 22 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.
Angel McCoughtry like.

The Highlanders take on Providence in Clarksville Saturday. If you haven't seen a girls high school hoops game in a while, you owe it to yourself to get out and support the local action. Sonja and I have had the pleasure of seeing college stars Monique Reid, Tia Gibbs, Adia Mathies and Ceria Ricketts over the last couple of years when they were still playing in high school.

Good luck the rest of the way, Highlanders.

Written by Paul 1/28/10