Battle in the Bluegrass

Sunday Cardinal Couple

-Are you ready? It's Cards vs. Cats Sunday at 6 p.m.

( We happily give the pre-game preview from our most excellent columnist Jenny O'Bryan. We are so pleased and impressed with her synopsis that we are foregoing inserting any pictures. The straight and un-diluted Jenny...coming right at you....Enjoy it. We'll have the game recap later today.)  

The Louisville Cardinals defend an 8-0 start today at The KFC YUM Center at 6:00 p.m. with a nationally televised game (ESPNU) pitting two top 10 ten teams against each other, and a inter-state rivalry like no other.  The Battle of the Bluegrass!  Louisville Cardinals vs. Kentucky Wildcats, #6 vs. #8, and both led by young coaches who are changing the landscape of women’s basketball in the state of Kentucky. 

Kentucky leads the overall series 30-17,and they won last years match up 74-54.  The home team has won each of the last 4 match ups (convincingly) and Louisville looks to keep the home team winning ways alive for another year. 

The Wildcats enter the matchup 5-1 with their only loss coming to Baylor.  They are led by Louisville native, senior All-American candidate A’dia Mathies who is averaging 14.5 ppg, who also leads the team in assists, steals and 3 point shots made.   Junior forward Samarie Walker leads on the boards averaging 8 boards per game and junior forward  DeNesha Stallworth leads the team with 11 blocks this season.  

The Wildcats are loaded with talent, across the board.  Look for them to pressure the ball early, and hard.  Coach Matthew Mitchell indicated in their loss to Louisville two years ago, at The YUM Center, the crowd really rattled his team.  Look for them to try to minimize that effect this year, by striking early and often.  Coach Mitchell likes a heavy guard line up and builds his system around pressuring the ball and creating turnovers.   He keeps fresh legs on the court substituting at times.Like last year... an entire line up at a time. 

A likely starting line up for the Wildcats will include the aforementioned Mathies at guard, sophomore guard Bria Goss, junior guard Maegan Conwright, and junior forward/centers Walker and Stallworth, mentioned above.  Walker ( UCONN) nor Stallworth (California) saw minutes against Louisville last year due to transfer rules.
 

Stallworth will be a force in the paint... leading the team with blocks this year, but adds an extra challenge for defenders because she can knock down the 3.  This season will be Walker’s first full season playing for the Wildcats, allowed to play late December and all of conference and post season play last season.   

As mentioned before, Coach Mitchell keeps fresh legs in the game.  Expect a lot of bench play in this game.  The lone freshman in the class, Janee Thompson is seeing lots of minutes as is Jennifer O’Neill, Azia Bishop and Kastine Evans.   Like Coach Walz, the Kentucky bench is seeing a lot of time on the court and the bench riders likely could be a starter on any given day. 

I expect this to be a very physical game, the potential for a lot of fouls, and a fun exciting game to watch.  Kentucky has ventured away from their friendly confines only once thus far, travelling to Waco, Texas to take on Baylor.   Road tested this season they are not, and I believe this will be a huge advantage for the Cardinals today.  

Keys to a Cardinal victory:
 

Contain A’dia Mathies- While there are many weapons on this team, and any of them can hurt you on a given day, make no doubt, this is Mathies’s team.  The Cardinals must contain her. 

Valued possessions- I am sure this has been a talking point all week with Coach Walz and this team.  The Cardinals must take care of the ball.  Kentucky will cause turnovers.  Expect it, but limit it.  Additionally, the Cardinals cannot take mental breaks and contribute to this number by contributing with unforced turnovers.   Take care of the ball!

Free throws- With a physical team, the potential exists to shoot from the line.  Cardinals must do better in this stat.  3 missed free throws could be the difference in this game, let alone 10.   The Cardinals must make fouling a liability and must control this stat. 

40 minutes of basketball- At times this season the Cards have looked brilliant, playing great basketball on both ends of the court.  3 minutes later they have gone foggy and get stuck there for minutes or sometimes for an entire half.  Great teams play the entire 40 minutes, whether you are ahead, or behind.  This team must play the entire 40 minutes of good basketball.  I do not even think it has to be great basketball for 40 minutes, but good solid ball.  40 minutes. 

Full squad affair- Like Kentucky, our Cardinals have a deep and talented bench.  Gone are the days of a dominant, one player team.   Louisville has depth, and will need that depth, as a whole, to have a good game.  While is great to be in the position of a different player every game stepping up, to carry the load, this game is different.  All the girls need to have a good game.  A good game, not great, from every player on the team that sees minutes will equal a win.   

In many ways, Louisville and Kentucky match up in a lot of ways.  Both like to pressure the ball and have deep and capable benches.  This has the potential to be an exciting, back and forth match.  If both teams play to their abilities, it should be a close match, to the end.   This is a winnable game for our Cards.  I look for an extension of the undefeated season for our Cards as well as the home team winning streak, but more importantly, bragging rights for the next year on the hardwood.   

If you were on the fence about attending this game today, I cannot impress upon you enough the need to have butts in the seats.  DVR the game to watch at a later date, but show up, stand up, and stand out for this team.  As the 6^th man on the court we are invaluable to our teams success.  I have been excited to be a part of game changing crowds at many events and expect nothing less from the Cardinal Faithful today. 

One added bonus to get there early is the game day arrival of Nell Fortner and her Nell On Wheels event.  Starting at 5:00 p.m. in the lobby of the YUM Center look for former Auburn Coach Fortner for her game day interviews and activities prior to tip. 

This is a big one folks.  No doubt about it.  Likely the biggest game we will see at home this season, less the first rounds of the tournament.  There is a lot to celebrate right now with Cardinal Athletics.  Get out, show your support and let’s help our team defend home court!  I’ll see you there.  

If you cannot go, the game is on ESPNU.

Postscript 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

Just spent about 30 minutes on the phone with former CARDINAL COUPLE columnist David Watson talking about today's game. The irrepressable Mr Watson also sent me this e-mail about the game.

" I see five key points today. First is Mo often and early. Second is controlling turnovers. Shoni and the Cards guards will be pressured the entire game. How well they respond to that is the deciding between a win and a loss. Next  is free throw conversion. The winner of the free throw attempts will win this one, in my opinion. Also, Louisville needs a huge game out of Sara Hammond. Scoring and on the boards. Finally, bench play is going to be crucial. This game will be played at a helter-skelter pace. If the Cards can get valuable minutes out of Jude, Shawnta and Nita, then they should be able to take the victory.

My prediction? It's going to be a thug-fest with both teams shooting 20+ free throws. Some late game heroics by Shoni and Mo pull the Cards from behind to win. 71-69. Cards."

(Editor comments: We cannot agree more with Jenny than stressing that CARDINAL fans need to be in the KFC YUM! Center early and make a lot of noise. Go talk to Nell Fortner or something if you aren't ready to sit. In the conversations we've had with the current Lady Cards...one thread rings true. The players respond and get fired up when they know that the arena is rocking early for them. Cardinal fans, you have your mission! Get there early, make it loud and wear your RED. It would please us in great deal to write about a UofL win in the MONDAY edition of Cardinal Couple. Help us make it happen!)


11 a.m. Sunday

10 Things You Probably Didn't Know about the UofL vs. UK WBB series

1) Since 1975, UK has won 30 times. Louisville 17. Great. UK fans will start calling the UofL Womens' team "little sister".
2) In the 21st. century, Louisville has won eight times, Kentucky five.
3) The most lopsided game was one of the first ones. In 1975, UK beat Louisville 75-37.
4) Dana Nichols attempted 17 free throws against UK in 1987...most by any player in the series.
5) Jill Morton made 12 free throws against UK in 2000...most by any player in the series.
6) Troya Landrum grabbed 21 rebounds against UK in 1989...secondmost in Cardinal womens' basketball history.
7) Jackie Spencer blocked six UK shots in 1985. Yuliya Tokova blocked five UK shots in 2006.
8) The Cards grabbed only 25 rebounds last year against UK. It was their season low.
9) The largest crowd to ever see the WBB team play a home game came against UK on Dec. 5th, 2010 when 22,152 saw Louisville win 78-52.
10) Both squads had 26 turnovers last year in Memorial Coliseum.

12:15 p.m. Sunday

Syd the Kid

Shayna Harmon #22

It's raining in Louisville. I hope it stops before game time. Can't have any weather-related factors keeping attendance down. Jenny texted me a few moments back and to tell me about a tweet she saw that 2016 prospect Shayna Harmon will be in town to watch the game, this prospect is going to be a big-time guard before she graduates. We also heard from Sydney Brackemyer's mom and Syd the Kid will also be in attendance. Cards fans, we really want Syd in this house...if you see either at the game today...please welcome them and tell them that we want them. Both are from the Buckeye state Ohio. Do you know how many current players on the UofL squad are from Ohio? Pop quiz time:



A) Sherrone Vails and Megan Deines
B) Cortnee Walton and Shelby Harper
C) Shawnta Dyer and Asia Taylor
D) Lindsey Wilson and Rose Hulman



(The answer is C.)

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Kentucky High School Hoops: Kentucky's 2012 Class (Girls) Where Are They Going...

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Donny has been busy.


-Reader submitted article: Casey Smith


-We read (and sometimes post) your mail


We lead Friday CARDINAL COUPLE off with a great story from Donny Yaste on his blog Kentucky High School Hoops. 

The Donald

We've had the pleasure of knowing young Mr. Yaste for several years now and we're quite impressed with his knowledge on all things Cardinal sports related. He's taken a step further and now has a site devoted to Kentucky high school basketball. 

Donny after announcing he, Shannon Ruffra, Josh Tinch
and the guy on the right were going to see if they could
replace Steve Kragthorpe's defensive line in 2009. 

We still have Donny listed on the CARDINAL COUPLE staff as an administrator. He's had to administer us back into our website a couple of times when we got locked out during the infamous hacker attack of January 2012. He's also written some great pieces for us, CARD GAME, CARDINAL DOMINANCE and THE LOUISVILLE CARDINAL student newspaper. 


Donny is on track to get an Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Louisville. That means he'll have expert knowledge on how to insert plugs into electrical outlets, change light bulbs and how to turn breaker switches on and off. 

Many people get Donny and Monkees bass guitarist Peter
Tork confused. Donny actually plays the bass better than
Peter but declined an offer to star in a planned
remake of The Monkees sitcom. 

We invite you to check out the link below where Donny lists where the Kentucky high school girl basketball players are headed to college.


And, check his site out regularly for great information on both boys and girls high school hoops in Kentucky. We appreciate and heartily approve of him giving coverage to both sexes. We wish more sites would. 


Kentucky High School Hoops 


We're sure you'll make his site a daily routine to stop at on your internet travels. He's on Twitter, too. Link below. 

Kentucky High School Hoops: Kentucky's 2012 Class (Girls) Where Are They Going...: I've put together a list where many of the top 2012 players from Kentucky will be playing next year. There are some that I couldn't find a d...

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Since it is "reader submitted articles" Friday here at CARDINAL COUPLE...we wanted to share this article sent to us and written by 11 yr. old Casey Smith. Casey likes UofL women's basketball, volleyball and softball. She hopes to play for UofL someday and hopes to try out for her middle school team this fall.
She has never been to a UofL sporting event (distance issues) but hopes to see the Cardinal women in action this fall.


My Favorite UofL women's athletes
by Casey Smith

My name is Casey Smith and I am a fan of Louisville women's sports. I started watching Louisville women's sports back when Angel McCoughtry played for the basketball team and I have been a fan ever since. I have never been to a UofL women's game before but I have seen the basketball, volleyball and softball teams play on television. I love them all! I would also like to see the women's soccer, field hockey and other teams play someday and hope that they will be on television. I live too far away from Louisville to come to a game but my Dad told me that we might be able to come to Louisville one weekend this fall and go watch a basketball or volleyball game. I hope so! 


I like all of the players that play on the Louisville women's sports teams but I do have some favorites. 
Shoni and Monique are my favorite basketball players. Shoni can do anything on the basketball court! I bet she's going to be in the WNBA someday. Monique Reid can score anytime she wants to when she gets the ball under the basket. I missed not seeing her play last year and I hope she has recovered from her injury and does well again this year. 

In volleyball, I like Lola because she can spike the ball very well and she is always excited and fired up on the volleyball court. I also like Emily because she is another player that gets points and plays well. 


I have learned a lot about Louisville women's sports from the internet and all my friends know I am a big UofL fan. 
I would like to play for UofL someday in basketball or volleyball. I like reading Cardinal Couple and other Louisville sports sites and I hope you will use my article on one of your Fridays. Go CARDS! 


Casey Smith


( Our pleasure to run your article Casey and
keep cheering for those CARDS. If you get to Louisville for a game, be sure to let us know and we'll try to get you seats next to some great UofL fans we know!) 


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Finally, this rather interesting e-mail ( author's name and location withheld by request). 


Many people in the Louisville area that are University of Louisville fans are upset that West Virginia was chosen for the BIG 12 instead of Louisville. I am a WVU lifelong fan that AGREES with you. I wish you would have gotten the slot and we were staying in the BIG EAST or going to the ACC. It was easy for me and my family to travel to away games against schools like Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Louisville and Cincinnati. Now, travel to away games is going to be much harder and more expensive. We have no tradition or rivalry built up with schools in the BIG 12 and I have no interest in travelling to places like Lawrence, Waco, Stillwater or Lubbock. If we were in the ACC, road games to Virginia, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Duke, NC, NC State and such would be a lot shorter and more fun. 

A lot of people criticize our fan base as being rude, unfriendly and "hillbillies". As a WVU fan since the early seventies, I can tell you that we do have our share of "rowdies" but I have found that most of the schools I have traveled to for away games have their share of them, too. I'll miss trips to Louisville. 


Your football fans are knowledgeable, passionate about their team and we found some great people to tailgate with over the years. What Louisville has done with women's basketball over the years is amazing, too. We've been to Freedom Hall and the KFC YUM! Center to watch women's basketball and consider your fan base among the best in the nation. The legendary coaches you've had. Crum, Pitino, Schnellenberger, Corso. All great men who are respected and admired world-wide. Louisville is known for great basketball. West Virginia? Jury's still out on that one.


You have your share of "rowdies" too. Maybe we can both agree that we're not as bad as the Memphis or East Carolina fans?


I like your CARDINAL COUPLE site. You cover women's sports very well and you aren't afraid to poke fun at yourself or tease about other programs. I wish we had something like it covering West Virginia women's sports. You wouldn't consider moving to Morgantown, would you?


So,  farewell to the BIG EAST. I'll still read your site. I hope you beat Pittsburgh one last time before they take off to the ACC. It should be us going there, instead, if you look at it geographically and logically. Who knows anymore about all this conference re-alignment. Maybe you'll come and join us in the BIG 12 down the road. Those Louisville road trips are road trips I'd love to take again. 


( Not much chance in us moving to Morgantown but thanks for the nice words and Good Luck in the BIG 12. Maybe we'll get there someday...)
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Manual, Marion County advance in KHSAA Girls Tourney

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SATURDAY with the COUPLE:


-Semifinals set for KY. Girls Basketball Tournament


-Softball kicks off Red and Black Classic today


-Pitino's guys knock off Notre Dame advance to title game


-CARDINAL COUPLE "Pick Em" NCAA WBB Challenge


-Time to Spring forward...


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Marion County rolled past Hopkinsville in the quarterfinals yesterday in Bowling Green 67-30 to advance to the Kentucky High School Girls State Tournament semi-finals. Makayla Epps and Patrice Tonge had 18 each in the win. The Lady Knights finished the first half on a 10-0 run and the rout was on. They led by 40 early in the final quarter and are now on a 14 game win streak. Marion County gets Lincoln County today for a chance to go to the finals tonight. 


--Lincoln County earned their shot at the semi-finals with a 72-59 win over Magoffin County. They led by 10 in the first quarter but Magoffin County rallied to make it 40-36. Magoffin's leading scorer Jamie Castle had a shot blocked with a chance to cut it to two and hit the floor hard, spraining an ankle. She had to be carried off the court, finishing with 18 points. Emily Fox led Lincoln with 21.


Player to keep track of: 8th. grader Jazzy Howard had 21 points for Magoffin County in the loss.

--Louisville Manual demolished Montgomery County 71-33 in  quarterfinal action. Balanced scoring for the Crimsons...Kara Wright was one of three in double figures with 13 points. The Crimsons led by 14 at half and by 40 with a minute left in the game. They advance to play Lexington Paul Dunbar today...who ruined the chances for an all-Louisville semi-final match-up by knocking off Louisville Butler 70-52.


--Lexington Paul Dunbar took control early in this quarter-final contest and got 21 points from Morgan McEldowney (16 in the first half) in their win over the Bearettes. Louisville Butler could only manage 32.1% from the floor in their 10th. loss of the season. Danielle Lawrence finished with 16 in a losing effort. 


They wrap it up today in Bowling Green with two morning sessions (Marion County vs Lincoln County and Manual vs. Paul Dunbar) and the final tonight. Marion County defeated Lincoln 63-35 in regular season play. We'd love to see a Marion County vs. Manual rematch...they faced off back in January and the Lady Knights escaped with a 63-61 win over Manual...Makayla Epps and Kyvin Goodin-Rogers had 16 each for Marion County in the two-point thriller. 


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Cardinal softball hosts the Red and Black Tournament starting today at Ulmer Stadium. The Louisville sluggers will play four games in three days...starting with an 11:00 a.m. first pitch against St. Louis this morning.


Sandy Pearsall's diamond dwellers are 15-0 on the season and are 16/17 in the polls. Kristin Austin leads the team with a .469 batting average. The senior outfielder had five triple and three doubles on the season. She's followed closely by sophomore Taner Fowler at .440. Fowler has launched five over the fence this year -- a team high -- and driven in 16 runs. 

Louisville pitching this year just may be the best in Pearsall's 12 years as Cardinal skipper. The combined staff of Torrid Tory Collins, Caralisa Connell and Chelsea Leonard have an ERA of 1.23, seven shutouts, 140 strikeouts an a no-hitter to their credit. 


St. Louis (11-9) comes into today's game after going 1-3 in the Missouri Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament. They lost to Missouri, Missouri-Kansas City and Missouri State by a combined score of 21-2. They did manage a win over SEMO 5-4 in eight innings. 


First pitch at 11 a.m. The Cards play again at 1 p.m. against Michigan (15-5). The Wolverines are 15-1 lifetime against Louisville and won in Ulmer last year 2-0. Time for a little payback, ladies! 


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NO! Not the Pitino again! 

WE don't normally go here, but...


Congratulations to the University of Louisville men's basketball team and their win over Notre Dame last night! The men advance to the finals of the BIG EAST Tournament to play arch-rival Cincinnati tonight. 


Are we back in Conference USA? 


UC defeated #2 in the nation Syracuse to reach the final...in overtime. UC head coach was a Pitino assistant before landing his first head coaching job at Murray State. WE always like to refer to him as Rick's "mini-me". 

Mick and wife appear interested in something.
Maybe an Austin Powers movie? 

"It's a hard, hard life..."

Cronin came to Louisville after serving as Bobby Huggins assistant at UC. From Cincinnati, Mick's dad Mutt Cronin was a legendary and successful high school and AAU coach in the area for years. The Cronin move to Louisville raised a few eyebrows, but Cronin claims he and "Hugs" are still good friends. Cronin finally made it back home when he accepted the head coaching position (I almost typed 'head job' in here but...hey, I did anyway!) and this is UC's first appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament title game. The Bearcats did defeat Louisville earlier in the season at Cincinnati 60-56. 

Good luck CARDS! 


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Selection Monday will provide us with the match-ups in the NCAA Women's College Basketball Tournament. That doesn't mean that you have to wait until then to sign up for the CARDINAL COUPLE Pick 'Em Challenge, though! 


YAHOO! Sports is where our group's bracket (CARDINAL COUPLE) is...and it's really quite easy to sign up and be a part of it. You can even register with your Facebook, Google or Yahoo information automatically, if you want.


When you do, keep in mind that our Group ID is 814 and our password is ladycards. 

Can you predict the future of NCAA WBB hoops? 

Under the auspices of Commissioner Schneider, blessings of Paul & Sonja and supervision of Bill the Goat, we feel that you'll revel in excitement as the rounds progress and you are locked in friendly competition with other CARDINAL COUPLE readers and foreign dignitaries. 


Link to get you there below. Whaddya waiting for? Get over there, pronto...amigos! 


CARDINAL COUPLE WBB Challenge


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Just a friendly reminder from your insomniac friends here at  CARDINAL COUPLE. Remember to set you clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed. It's that time of year again. Or do it next week, in a month or so...whatever. They're your clocks, your call. We have the staff Chimps busily at work as we type this...identifying clock locations, accuracy and ownership throughout the entire CARDINAL COUPLE complex and auxiliary facilities area. (At least that's what we sent them out to do...results may vary).
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Ky. High School girls down to eight teams

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Manual, Butler, Marion County advance in play


-Meet UofL renaissance man -- Jared Stillman


-Michelle Clark-Heard in running for WKU job 


The Houchens Industries Kentucky Girls Basketball state tournament goes into its third day of action this afternoon with eight teams still alive and taking the court for another full slate of games on the Western Kentucky campus at Diddle Arena in Bowling Green. 


From yesterday:


--Hopkinsville 56 - Marshall County 52
--Lincoln County 56 - Clay County 50
--Magoffin County 63 - Ashland Blazer 59
--Marion County 56 - Walton-Verona 49

Louisville 2013 verbals Makayla Epps and Kyvin Goodin-Rogers had big games for MCHS in their seven point triumph over Walton-Verona. Kyvin with 15 points an 12 rebound and Makayla totaling 14 points. The 32-4 Marion County squad advances to face Hopkinsville today. Jason Frakes of The Courier-Journal has an excellent article on the game. View it by clicking the link below.

Marion County advances to quarterfinals

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Meet Jared Stillman, man of many hats down on the UofL campus. One day he might be sitting at the end of the Lady Cards basketball bench, taking care of duties as a student manager. Or, you might find him doing interviews with Cardinal athletes for CARDS TV. 
That's him up in the press box at Ulmer Stadium-- handling the public address announcer duties for Cardinal softball. It wouldn't surprise us if he rakes the infield in between innings and hawks a few programs out by the front gate. 


The senior from Nashville is one of many college students across the nation that combines studies with full time duties assisting the athletic programs on campus. It's prep for the world after college and Jared fully intends of pursuing a career in the sports field upon graduation in May. 


"I think I can do this, and do it well. I listen to a lot of sports commentators and broadcasters out there and say to myself...'That's something I could handle and be good at.'" the affable Stillman told CARDINAL COUPLES Paul Sykes at a recent Louisville softball practice. 

"J-Bone" getting a framed acknowledgement of his
4 years of hard work at the Senior Day
ceremonies for UofL WBB.  (Photo courtesy of
Howie Lindsey. Louisville Sports Report)

To watch him prepping a player for an interview showed Paul that he has a casual, easy-going style and congeniality with the student-athletes. Louisville's Jordan Trimble rates him at "a 101" in a scale of 1-100 when it comes to professionalism and popularity with the players.


"Jared does so many things to help and assist me in my duties." UofL assistant sports information director Lori Korte insists. "He's always ready and willing to do whatever needs to be done." 


Softball star Taner Fowler sees it this way. 'We don't want him to leave us after he graduates. I can't imagine playing softball here and not having him around." 


The future is bright, indeed, for the "J-Bone". Whether it's assisting Coach Walz with duties in Hartford or making off-the-cuff hilarious comments, quips and impersonations between innings at a UofL home softball game, Mr.Stillman has the bases covered.


He's a "solid" fixture around the Belknap Campus and we hope he can stay connected with the UofL sports programs well past receiving his diploma. Wherever he ends up, he'll do well and be successful.


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Mary Taylor Cowles was relieved of her head coaching duties at Western Kentucky University Thursday. She was the Hilltoppers had coach for 10 years and complied a record of 199-119. She headed the team to six straight 20+ win seasons early in her career but reached that plateau only once in the last four years. 


Ross Bjork, AD at Western, says he's "looking to restore confidence, public support and energy back into the women's basketball program and will begin the process of finding a replacement immediately". 


(Sounds like he needs to try some 5 Hour Energy)


One name that has surfaced as a potential candidate is Lady Cards assistant head coach Michelle Clark-Heard. She's no stranger to Hilltoppers hoops, having played there from 1987-1991 for Paul Sanderford and leading the team to four straight NCAA appearances and two Sun Belt titles. Heard also coached with Sanderford and Jeff Walz at Nebraska and was the head women's basketball coach at Kentucky State for two years. 

Michelle leaving Louisville for WKU? 

During her second season at KSU, her 2007 squad was the second most improved team in NCAA D II women's basketball with a record of 19-9. She was named SIAC Coach of the Year honors that year, too. 


She re-joined Jeff Walz as a member of his first coaching staff when Walz took the Louisville job prior to the start of the 2007-08 season. A Louisville Atherton graduate, Michelle earned Kentucky High School State Player of the Year honors in 1986. 


We hate to see good assistants leave. Michelle is definitely one of those and her coaching skills are a valuable part of the Louisville women's basketball program. If chosen, though, Western will be getting one of the best in the business in Michelle. 
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Lacrosse falls to Northwestern

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


SIGN UP FOR THE CARDINAL COUPLE NCAA WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT CHALLENGE! 


-Lacrosse battles Northwestern


-What's up with Monny


-KY Girls high school basketball tournament


That's right, readers! CARDINAL COUPLE is having a NCAA Women's Tournament Challenge!! Amaze your friends, baffle your enemies and impress the in-laws with your knowledge of women's college basketball! Or, just enter for the fun of it and, hey...it's free!


Hosted by Yahoo and with commissioner Mark Schneider, a regular CARDINAL COUPLE reader and all about man-around-town, you can win a 
$25 Panera Card if your bracket is the best! Click the link below to get started and registered.


 vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvLINKvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv


Cardinal Couple NCAA Women's Tourney Challenge


^^^^^^^^^^^^^LINK^^^^^^^^^^^^^^




A couple of things you'll need to get started:


OUR GROUP ID# is:   814
OUR PASSWORD is:   ladycards


You can sign in with Facebook, Google or 
Yahoo! accounts if you want and it easy to check your results and standings. WE'LL also provide regular updates. You DON'T have to use these if you don't want to...but they make it pretty easy to get started.


E-mail us if you have any difficulties and we'll forward them to our Commish (who is monitoring the massive "L" spotlight shining atop the KFC YUM! Center over the fair Louisville skies).


Have fun, choose wisely and always use your turn signals when changing lanes. 


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The University of Louisville Lacrosse squad hosted last year's national champions Northwestern on a windy Wednesday at the Lacrosse Stadium on the UofL campus but came up on the short end of a 16-7 score. 


Kellie Young's young squad got off to a good start against the Wildcats, battling them to a 4-2 score before a late first half 7-0 run gave Northwestern a 11-2 edge at halftime. 

The Cards battled strongly against the Wildcats in the final half of action...playing them to a 5-5 tie in the second half. 


Eleni Kozas led Louisville with three goals. Jamie Redding added two for the Cards. 


With the loss, Louisville is now 1-3 on the season, with losses to Ohio State and Old Dominion and a win over Longwood. Louisville departs on a five-game road trip next, starting with a match against Presbyterian on Saturday.


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Point guard from France having a
impressive season for Lindsey Wilson

CARDINAL COUPLE writer Jenny sends this link about UofL WBB target Monny Niamke, who is playing her freshman season at Lindsey Wilson. WE don't like the fact that she had to sit out the first half of a game because of a violation of team rules...but we can't say much more on that because we don't know exactly what she did. The article doesn't portray her as a "lock" to show up on the UofL campus this fall, either...but a source down on the Belknap Campus assures us that she'll be in Cardinal Red and Black.


Monny producing for Lindsey Wilson


Also, in Lady Cards related info, Monique Reid reports that her knee is at 70%. A cause for celebration. 



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Action began today in Bowling Green, KY in the Kentucky Girls High School Basketball Tournament. 

--Louisville Butler had a rougher time than expected against Glasgow but eventually won 54-49.


--Lexington Paul Dunbar pulled the upset over Boone County 72-70 in overtime. Boone's Sydney Moss had 41 in the loss. 


--Louisville Manual knocked off Perry County Central 50-41. 


-- Montgomery County knocked off Muhlenberg County 60-43. Macie Spencer had 18 for the winners. 

Louisville 2013 commits Makayla Epps and Kyvin Goodin-Rogers play tomorrow in first round action in the annual Sweet Sixteen. They face Walton-Verona at 1:30 Thursday. 


Thanks to CARDINAL COUPLE "detective" Mark Schneider for the live broadcast link below...


Girls High School Basketball Tournament

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Sparks spank Lynx...Ballard, PRP advance in girls softball...Ky. All-Stars to scrimmage twice

SLEEP IN...IT'S SATURDAY AT CARDINAL COUPLE!

Maya Moore's debut in the
WNBA a losing one...but she
led all scorers with 21 points.

-Parker leads Sparks past Lynx in WNBA season opener

-Ballard, PRP headed to the Sweet Sixteen

-Ky. Girls All-Stars will scrimmage twice

The WNBA season kicked off last night with the LA Sparks vs.
Minnesota Lynx. Candace Parker vs. Maya Moore. For awhile, it looked like the Maya Moore show, with the Lynx leading by 10 in the third quarter.

Then, the queen of the league took the throne and the promising princess learned that UConn success doesn't always translate into WNBA wins.
Spurred by three straight Noelle Quinn three's and a Parker layup, the Sparks used a 11 point run late in the third to take a 59-57 lead and never looked back. The 82-74 win was largely led by the hot-shooting Quinn and Parker's 19 points.

Candace Parker, sidelined last year with a shoulder injury and subsequent operation, is back. The WNBA should be plenty worried....

The Atlanta Dream gets their season underway Sunday at 3 p.m..hosting the New York Liberty. Kia Vaughn vs. Angel McCoughtry. All we need is C Viv. Stringer on the sidelines scowling and Jeff Walz in his black sweater vest....OOPS, check that...Angel is day-to-day with the knee sprain and probably won't play.

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Sara Hammond will lead the
Kentucky All-Stars against
the Indiana All-Stars.

The Kentucky All-Star Girls will have a couple of scrimmages next week before taking on the Hoosiers. They'll face two talented groups of Kentucky junior all-stars....Tuesday at Eastern High School and Wednesday at Mercer County. The Tuesday face-off will feature juniors from around the Louisville area and standouts April Wilson, Christine Roush and Sydney Moss will lead the juniors against the seniors. The Wednesday scrimmage will pit talented juniors Bre Elder, Sydney Brown and Megan Pittman on the junior squad against the All-Star team. The 12 who will represent Kentucky in the annual clash against Indiana are listed below with college choices beside their names.

#1 Sara Hammond (UofL)

#2 Carla Booth (Eastern Kentucky)

#3 Averee Fields (West Virginia)

#4 Danay Fothergill (Western Kentucky)

#5 Chastity Gooch (Western Kentucky)

#6 Natallie Greenwell (Morehead State)

#7 Mechael Guess (Pittsburgh-volleyball)

#8 Juliann Miller (Evansville)

#9 Maddie Peabody (Lafayette)

#10 Caprisha Rogers (Wallters State)

#11 Kristen Stanback (Austin Peay)

#12 Lauren Tibbs (Marquette)

WE think this group has an excellent chance to sweep the Hoosier in the two contests next weekend. Hammond, Fields, Tibbs and Greenwell are all quality DI prospects who will  have a major impact at their future colleges. Mecheal Guess is a leaper who will play volleyball at Pitt...but don't be surprised if Pitt women's basketball coach Agnus Berenato isn't hanging around the locker room with a basketball practice jersey in hand for Guess....

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Louisville PRP and Louisville Ballard have emerged victorious from the softball regionals and will be two of the sixteen teams to compete in the state Girls softball tournament in Owensboro beginning next Thursday.
Ballard punched their ticket with a 9-1 rout of Eastern to win the 7th region...but their biggest win might have been the day before when the upended perennial softball power Mercy Academy to reach the finals.

PRP won a 7-6 thriller to earn the 6th region title and trip to state over Butler. The Butler Bears had the bases loaded, no outs in the bottom of the seventh but relief pitcher Savannah Mercer pitched her way out of the jam...which ended with a spectacular double play when Baleigh Bell flied out to left with one out and pinch runner Destinei Hollis was thrown out at the plate after tagging for the final out.

Softball enthusiast Ken Richards was at the game and told CARDINAL COUPLE:

"(Left fielder) Rachel Fox fired a perfect throw from left to nail Hollis at the plate. I feel bad for the Butler girls...but it seemed to me that Hollis got a jump on the attempt to score...leaving the bag before the ball to Fox was caught."

The Panthers will face Montgomery County in the first round of the Sweet Sixteen at 5 p.m. Thursday. Ballard gets Letcher County Central at 7 p.m.
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Softball pounds Morehead, Girls Sweet Sixteen

THANK GOODNESS IT'S FRIDAY...at CARDINAL COUPLE!

-Softball Cards win 12-1 in five innings.

-Sweet Sixteen Thursday Games...

-The Sideline reporters Sweet Sixteen.

-Marra, Knowles advance the CARDS in BIG EAST and David Watson comments.

Chelsea Bemis (pictured here) and Maggie Ruckenbrod had the hot bats on a cold day at Ulmer Stadium...driving in four runs each in Louisville's 12-1 win over Morehead State. The Cards (12-6) got three strong innings from starting pitcher Carlisa Connell who allowed one run on three hits and Tori Collins threw two innings of shutout relief for Louisville. Connell is 4-2 on the season.

Louisville started the scoring in the first when Jennifer Esteban singled and came home on a Ruckenbrod double to give the Cards a 1-0 lead. Louisville would add five runs in the second. Hannah Kiyohara began the inning with a single and scored on a Esteban double. Bemis doubled to score Esteban. After Alicja Wolny reached first on a base on balls...Ruckenbrod took one deep to left for a three run homer...making it 6-0.

The Eagles got their lone run in the top of the third when they loaded the bases and scored on a Louisville fielding miscue. Connell was able to retire Morehead, though, with no further damage.

Lousiville struck again in the bottom of the third. A Chelsea Bemis triple got Katelyn Mann and Katie Keller to home plate and Bemis reached there when Wolny singled to make it 9-1.

The Cards lit up the scoreboard for three more in the bottom of the fourth. Louisville loaded the bases with two Morehead fielding errors and a walk. Christina Roberts tapped a fielder's choice that Tanner Fowler scored on, Sarah Anderson came home on a bases loaded walk and Roberts completed the Cardinal scoring when Bemis grounded out.

Louisville returns to action at Ulmer this weekend in the Louisville Softball Classic. Michigan and WKU come to town and Louisville will play each team on Saturday and Sunday.

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First round action in the Kentucky Girls Sweet Sixteen concluded with four games yesterday:

-Sheldon Clark advanced over Boyd County 74-59. Three Sheldon Clark players hit double figures, including Carla Booth. Sheldon never trailed in the contest.

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-Calloway County got past Newport Central Catholic in overtime 62-57. West Virginia signee Averee Fields had 30 points for the winners. NCC missed a chance to win it in regulation as time expired.

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-Rockcastle County moves to the "great eight" with a hard fought win over Madison Central 55-52. Louisville signee Sara Hammond had 23 for Rockcastle. Madison led 32 -31 at the half and this one went back and forth until Angie Lawrence hit a jumper with 28 seconds left to make it 54-52 Rockcastle County. She was one of three in double figure scoring for Rockcastle.

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-Clay County used a strong fourth quarter to get past Owensboro Catholic 61-48. They held a 40-37 lead after three quarters. Sophomore Becca Greenwell, the state's leading scorer had 28 for Owensboro in the loss.

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Tony Siragusa sneaks by Suzy Kolber in first round action in the CARDINAL COUPLE Sweet Sixteen of Sideline Reporters. Today's matchup is Jeanine Edwards vs. Allison Williams. Jeanine (pictured left) is a veteran sideline reporter and seems to find controversy everywhere she goes. Former UK head basketball coach Billy Gillespie embarrassed her on national TV during an 'at the half' interview. Then, this year...former ESPN announcer Ron Franklin used a slur and obscenity when referring to her during a production meeting during college football bowl season. Franklin was fired for the remarks. She also covers horse racing (never go with her selections...she's a horrible handicapper!) Allison Williams is the "next big thing" on the sidelines and has drawn rave reviews for her BIG EAST and SEC Women's tournament reports. She's pretty easy on the eyes, too. I know which one I'd rather have explain "deep penetration by the post" to me...

You can vote in the comments section or e-mail it to cardinalcouple@insightbb.com

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To those who raised questions and offered protests about yesterday's guy vs. girl matchup...objection noted and over-ruled. And, there will be another one down the road as well when Eamon McAnaney goes up against Sam Ryan. We're equal opportunity and objective here at CARDINAL COUPLE. To those who are upset that ex-Pittsburgh Steeler and NFL sideline reporter Lynn Swann didn't make the sweet sixteen...get over it. I'm upset that Fern Creek's girls basketball team didn't make the Kentucky High School Girls Sweet Sixteen but you don't see me shedding any tears over it. (But thanks for the comments...).

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Mike Marra and Preston Knowles led Louisville's men's basketball team to a win over Marquette last night. Marra had (6) three pointers in the 81-56 romp. The CARDS get Notre Dame tonight in the semi-finals. Game time is 9 p.m. on the four letter network. Rick Pitino says that this has been his favorite team to coach since he had eight future NBA player at Kentucky in 1996. David Watson says this about Rick Pitino:

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Rick spins another win. All the worry about the mighty Marquette, Buzz 'the best young coach in the league' Williams and 'not deserving' the win last time against the Golden Eagles in the"Miracle on Main Street" went out the window in a flurry of Louisville threes and Marquette's dead legs. Rick wants none of this double bye stuff for the BIG EAST, you see. If the Cards hadn't received this dreaded double bye, though, they'd have the same problem going into the Notre Dame game tonight that Marquette had last night. Dead legs. According to Rick, none of the BIG EAST coaches, that holy grail of men in suits (and Huggins), wanted a double bye. I personally think that all this tournament stuff is way over-hyped and it serves to wear teams out before the NCAA. I'm told I'm wrong, I'm crazy and I don't realize the strength and resiliency of today's college athlete. All I know is I saw a bunch of worn out Golden Eagles in the last five minutes of last night's game. And, I won't be picking Marquette to advance in the NCAA Tournament, provided they get in and I think they will. Hey, this is my spin. If Rick can do it, so can I. The difference being that people listen to his and not mine.

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DAVID WATSON is a special contributor to CARDINAL COUPLE and we think he'd enjoy taking 'spinning' lessons. Maybe he and Rick can enroll together...

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