Track and Field and more on women's basketball

FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

( Staff Columnist extraordinaire Jenny O'Bryan brings us the Friday Edition of CARDINAL COUPLE. Track and Field, Nita Slaughter and a shameless pitch to get you to the St. John's game Sunday up next. Grab a seat and call a friend...CARDINAL COUPLE comin' at ya!)  


There are no results to report today for Louisville Women’s Athletics, and only one team competes today and that is Track and Field.

The Track and Field team heads out for a weekend of competition.  The squad splits up and hits the road with most of the squad headed to Lexington, KY for the Rod McCravy Memorial.  The distance runners headed to Bloomington, IN for the Indiana Relays, which also starts today. 

You can get a schedule of events and live results through out the day by going to this Louisville Athletic website: 

 http://www.gocards.com/sports/w-track/spec-rel/012413aaa.html.

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As many of the Women’s basketball followers know, injuries have continued to plague the team this year.   In my mind, one player that has stepped up and started to make the most of her additional time on the court is Antonita Slaughter. 

Slaughter, a junior, has been playing some great, reliable basketball.  There was a nice article by The Courier Journal this week in regards to Slaughter, and you can find it here: 

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20130124/SPORTS02/301240039/Hard-work-gets-Louisville-s-Slaughter-starting-spot

It is great to see Slaughter playing hard and consistently.  Keep it up ‘Nita, your team is benefiting from your play, hard work and consistency!

( Editor note: Jeff Walz confirmed Slaughter being the most consistent Cardinal on the season in his post-game remarks after the UC game. Against Marquette, she totalled 14 points and had (4) first half threes.)

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Another interesting link I found on the internet this week was 2012-13 team statistics across the nation.  The top 50 teams were ranked in categories such as offense, defense, steals, turnover, assists, etc.    

Of particular interest to me was where Louisville was ranked in terms of steals.  I have been very impressed this season with the high-pressure defense.  Any given game so far this season you can find Bria Smith and Jude Schimmel (specifically) and the Cardinals (as a whole) getting in passing lanes, disrupting passes and deflecting balls   The quick hands of this team defensively have kept them in many a games when the offense has been stagnant.  According to the link provided, Louisville ranks 6^th in the country in steals per game. 

In general, I am not a big statistics fan.  I despised the courses I had to take in college many years ago, and generally believe stats can be manipulated to further whatever agenda the statistician is looking for.  That being the case, I just found it interesting. 

On some level these stats are likely a bit deceptive as there are things that are not taken in to account, such as strength of schedule.  The better the team you are playing, the harder they are to guard defensively.  That is not accounted for in these stats.  It is purely numbers.   Take a look and see how our Cards stack up against teams across the nation.
 

http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/statistics/team

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As Jeff mentioned yesterday here at The Couple, Women’s Basketball plays St. John’s Red Storm on Sunday at the KFC YUM! Center at 1:30.  Coach Walz is asking the Cardinal Faithful to sell out the lower “bowl” and help open the curtains to the upper deck.  The goal for this game is 13,000+ fans. 

The Cards lost twice to the Red Storm last season, once during regular season conference play in Queens, New York and the second time in the Big East tournament, in overtime.

While the Red Storm is always dangerous and starters are returning, I am looking forward to seeing what the new coaching staff is doing at St. John’s.   I mentioned it last summer when the news broke that Kim Barnes-Arico was leaving St. John’s for Michigan that I was a huge fan of hers.  I am excited to see how her former team looks without her at the helm. 

If seeing the Cards redeem themselves from the two losses last year is not enough to get you to the YUM! Center, perhaps a BIG Birthday Celebration for Louie (The Cardinal Bird) is.   Grab the kids and come help celebrate Louie’s birthday with some of his best friends as well as propel our team to a win at home.  

( We're hearing that there will also be cake and ice cream served somewhere at the KFC YUM! Center pre-game to celebrate Louie's birthday. The media hasn't been informed of the exact location. The KFC folks have seen what we do to a media buffet and also cookies at halftime. No chance they let us in on this...we may send Timmy the Intern in early disguised as a caterer to brief us...)
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Wednesday Cardinal Couple -- Whatever happen to?

WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Whatever happened to...Kim Barnes Arico?

-He's back...

With no UofL women's sporting events on the horizon until Friday night...when the WBB squad takes on Colorado in Boulder...we thought we'd catch you up with a former Cardinal coaching foe who has changed directions and is having success in her new surroundings.

Kim Barnes Arico, formerly the head women's basketball coach at St. John's, is now at the University of Michigan and has the Wolverines off to a 8-2 start in her first season in Ann Arbor. The UM squad defeated Eastern Michigan 55-43 last night and has wins over Florida, Illinois State, and Xavier this year.

Losses have come to Utah and #4 Duke. Arico, who was 4-6 lifetime against UofL while at St. John's, defeated the Cards twice last season. The second win knocked Louisville out of the BIG EAST Tournament...a 68-61 win in overtime that saw her Red Storm squad hold the Cards to 1-12 shooting in the final five minutes.

Many were surprised when Arico made the switch to join Michigan and the BIG 10 after resuscitating the Red Storm WBB program. In her introductory press conference, she stressed the desire for her and her husband to raise their three children in an environment like Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan campus. We suspect the Arico checking account got a nice, little bump as well.

Leaving a squad that had starters Shenneika Smith, Eugeneia McPherson and Nadirah McKenith returning couldn't have been easy. She was the head coach at St. John's for 10 years and compiled a 176-133 record there.

Arico knows a thing or two about rebuilding. She took over a Red Storm team that was 3-24 and 0-16 the year before she got there. Last year they were 24-10 and 13-3 in the BIG EAST.

The Red Storm finished third last year in the highly competitive BIG EAST and put an end to UConn's 99 game home-winning streak during the regular season. The Red Storm is 4-3 this season under new head coach Joe Tartamella.  

Although we'll miss seeing Barnes Arico prowling the sidelines when the Cards play the Red Storm, sometimes it's "family first" when it comes to difficult decisions and if anyone can help Michigan return to prominence in BIG 10 hoops...it'll be her.

A bigger arena. And, getting out from under the shadow of Geno, Walz, Muffett, and C. Viv (although that reunion with Rutgers will resume since the Scarlet Knights will join the BIG 10). Good career move? You bet. From city lady to country girl...Kim Barnes Arico has made the transistion and, so far, it's a hayride...

( Sonja adds...When you first see her, you think she might be better suited to be sitting in front of a store on Bardstown Road, playing a beat-up accoustic guitar and smiling trippingly at the passer-bys while she sings Joni Mitchell. Flower child. Then, you watch her coach a game, see her in action. Thinking she picked the right career path.)

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...Also in the "Whatever happened to?" category...

He's back...

Will Big Red fit on the back of a Harley?

How about the news that WKU has hired Bobby Petrino as the new head football coach of the Hilltoppers? Just when we figured it was safe to go back to Bowling Green...
 
As the kids are fond of saying these days...it is what it is.

"I love red towels and I'm anxious to own a few more..."

Temporary stop on climbing the ladder back up the coaching profession? Probably. Wise move for WKU? Definitely. The loss of Willie Taggert had to hurt. Nabbing Bobby Offense has to be a marketing staff's dream. Job security for all in the WKU ticket office, plus maybe a new hire or two. The football S.I.D. at WKU is probably sending out resumes, though..."the Bobster" can be a bear when it comes to the boys with laptops.

With no further adieu, here's our Top 10 reasons why Bobby's back in Kentucky.

10. Always had a "thing" for the 'Topper' mascot Big Red...
 9.  Switching from motorcycles to Corvettes, Bowling Green has the National Corvette Museum.
 8. Lost a bar bet to John L. Smith. Loser had to apply for the WKU job.
 7. Wants to continue personal win streak over UK.
 6. Loves the song "Bowling Green" by the Everly Brothers!
 5. The voices in his head told him to.
 4.  Is Facebook friends with DaMarcus Smith and Ace Wales...taking the relationship one step further.
 3. Has always wanted to try the lunch special at Smokey Pig BBQ.
 2. Will only coach at places who have red in their color scheme ( Louisville, Atlanta Falcons, Arkansas...)
 1. Bowling Green has 12 letters. Bobby Petrino has 12 letters. Coincidence? Or fate?
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Softball, Basketball and the Big East

Softball takes two.

Amanda Zahui visits Louisville.

Big East Coach of the Year leaves St. Johns.

Softball headed to New Jersey and took care of business on Saturday, winning both, 6-3 and 6-1.  Taner Fowler had a week’s worth of play in just two games hitting 6-8 with 3 home runs on the day. 

Game one, 6-3

Taner Fowler went fence
three times Saturday.

The Cardinals took an early lead in this one with a Taner Fowler two-run homer in the second.   Seton Hall got one back in the bottom of the second, and the bottom of the third took the lead 3-2.     Watching my twitter feed, the softball Cards had me nervous in this one, not regaining the lead until the top of the 6^thwith another Fowler home run, this one a solo shot, tying the game.  The Cards went on to score another 3 runs in the 6^th.  This proved enough offense for the game and the Cards sealed the victory.  Senior Tori Collins (20-1) got the win and sophomore Caralisa Connell got the save, her second on the year, holding the Seton Hall Pirates scoreless in the bottom two innings. 

Game two, 6-1

The Cardinals took a 4-0 lead in the top of the second, and never looked back.  The Pirates never threatened.  Fowler hit her third home run of the day, ninth of the season, in the top of the 3^rd bringing the score to 5-0.  The Pirates notched one in bottom of the third, which would prove to be the only run in the game for them.  The Cards scored once more in the 5^th, bringing the final score to 6-1. 

As Mark mentioned yesterday, Softball Cards return home for their final home stand of the season this Saturday against Georgetown.  Get down to Ulmer Stadium at 2:00 on Saturday for a double-header and/or 1:00 on Sunday.  The softball team is currently ranked 9^th in the country and should feel the fan support and love this weekend as they close at home for this fantastic season.  Currently, the Cardinals are 42-2, 13-2 Big East.  We’ll see you next weekend at Ulmer. 


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Amanda Zahui and Monny Niamke, both international basketball players will be visiting Louisville this upcoming week.   Cardinal Couple readers may remember Monny Niamke from recruiting news last summer. 

Niamke is from France and signed her NLOI to play with the Cardinals in 2011.  Due to academic issues she was ineligible to play last season and spent the year at Lindsay Wilson getting herself eligible, presumably.   Niamke played in 32 of 33 games on the season and had a FG% of .446, 3pt FG% of .351, FT% of .660.  Niamke averaged 3.8 rebounds/game, 7 blocks on the season, 52 steals and created 95 assists to 91 turnovers on the season. 

Amanda Zahui hails from Sweden.  Coach Walz reportedly was in Sweden a little over a month ago visiting Zahui.  Sounds like the visit paid off as Louisville is among 3 programs vying for her services.  Washington and Minnesota, along with Louisville will each get a visit from the Swede this upcoming week, as reported by Cardinal Couple a few days ago.  

Zahuia is a big-bodied 6’3.  Her body type looks tailor made for the Big East.  She looks to have the ability to clog up the lane defensively.  In an email exchange I had about two weeks ago with a Swedish sports columnist he suggested Zahui has a good shot, can shoot mid-range shots as well as from beyond the arc.  For a big body, she also shoots very well from the free throw line.  He went on to say  “although big, her best post moves are based on her being pretty quick and agile. She's quick around the rim, but she's not very good running up and down the floor.” 

Guestimates on my end are that Zahui will be on campus some time between Monday-Wednesday, for a 48-hour visit, before she heads off to Washington for her last of three visits. 

Cardinal fans, we should know about both of these young players in the next few weeks as the signing period ends May 16.


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Finally, Kim Barnes-Arico, most recent Big East Coach of the Year has left St. John’s to take a position with Michigan.  Barnes-Arico spent the last 10 years with the Red Storm culminating in finishing second in the Big East this year behind Notre Dame.  Barnes-Arico and her Red Storm also ended a 99 game home winning streak by Connecticut this past season.  She and her team finished the season with a loss in the Sweet Sixteen, the deepest post season run the Red Storm have ever had. 

This has to be a huge loss to the St. John’s faithful.  It definitely is a loss to the Big East.  Barnes-Arico was one of my favorite coaches in the Big East to watch.  I am sad to see her leaving, but happy that she is making a decision and change that is good for her and her family.   Michigan hit the jackpot with this hire, I believe.  Good luck in the Big 10, Coach.  We here at Cardinal Couple wish you well and much success!