Tuesday Cardinal Couple -- Cards WBB falls at Syracuse 68-57

TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Cards "siesta" proves deadly in 11 point loss

-BIG EAST Tournament Pairings

-CARDINAL COUPLE BIG EAST Tournament Pick 'Em

Louisville women's basketball team didn't play too badly for 32 minutes against Syracuse Monday night. It was the eight-minute nap that they took offensively that was the downfall in the 68-57 loss to the Orange in Syracuse, NY.

441 fans in attendance for a matchup between two top-25 teams. Disgraceful. They should send Syracuse to the Horizon Conference instead of the ACC in women's hoops...

A Jude Schimmel steal and layup had the Cards ahead 38-37 with 14:56 to go in the game. Louisville didn't score again until a Bria Smith steal made it 53-40 Syracuse with 6:33 to go.

A 16-0 Syracuse run..where the Orange got points from five different players...and set a lead that the Cards couldn't overcome.

Louisville did try to fight back. The Cards responded with a 18-7 run over a 5:30 stretch to climb back with four at 60-56 after a off-balance, falling down Shoni Schimmel three at the 1:07 mark. Syracuse made the best out of their free throws the rest of the way to end the game on a 8-1 run.

The Cards came out hot to start the game, going on a 8-0 run after Brittany Sykes gave the Cuse the early 3-0 lead. Nita Slaughter's second three of the game put UofL ahead 8-3 at the 15:48 mark. Louisville still lead 14-11 after a Sherrone Vails jumper at the 8:51 mark. Syracuse briefly grabbed a 24-23 lead with 2:39 left in the first half...but the Cards got two Shoni threes in the final 1:25 of the first half...the final one with three seconds remaining...to give Louisville a 29-27 lead at the half.

Shoni and Sara Hammond had eight points in the first twenty, Slaughter added six, Jude with five and Sherrone Vails two for the Cards in the first half. Syracuse out-rebounded Louisville 19-17 but had 12 turnovers.

Syracuse started the second half on a 7-2 run and led 34-31 on a Sykes layup...but Jude drilled a three to tie it with 17:25 left. Jude steal and layup gave Louisville their final lead at 38-37.

Then, the rim closed for the Cards.

Shoni led all scorers with 19 points, Jude added 12 and Slaughter and Hammond ended with eight each. Smith and Denies finished with four each and Vails two points. Shelby Harper and Cortnee Walton played but did not score. Monique Reid was available but Coach Walz chose not to use her...feeling the extra rest before the BIG EAST Tournament would do her good.

Louisville lost the rebounding battle 47-34 and Syracuse enjoyed a 18-8 advantage with points-in-the-paint. Freshman Brittany Sykes and senior Kayla Alexander had 16 points each for Quentin Hillsman's Orange.

Bonita Spence...Paulie's favorite referee in the whole wide world...actually didn't do a horrible job...she only missed about a dozen calls instead of her normal 20-25. Harper and Hammond getting creamed by 'thug-girl' Kayla Alexander in the final minute...and the resulting "no calls" were moronic by Spencer. Especially the swinging of the elbows by Alexander at Hammond's face. Control your dogs, Quentin. I hope Alexander dislocates those elbows the next time she tries to get "street" in a game already decided.

Uncalled for and very poor sportsmanship.

With the win, Syracuse gets the #3 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament. Louisville gets #4 and will play next at noon on Sunday against either Cincinnati, Seton Hall or St. John's in the quarterfinals.

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Norte Dame is the #1 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament defeating UConn in three overtimes last night 97-88.

First round match ups on Friday:

Cincy plays Seton Hall
Pitt plays Marquette
Providence plays Georgetown

Second round on Saturday

#5 seed St. John gets the Cincy/Seton Hall winner
Rutgers and DePaul play each other on Saturday
Villanova gets the winner of the Pitt/Marquette game
South Florida gets the Providence/Georgetown winner.

Sunday action

Louisville against Cincy, Seton Hall or St. John's
Notre Dame against Rutgers or DePaul
UConn faces Pitt, Marquette or Villanova
Syracuse draws Georgetown, Providence or South Florida.

The semi finals will be played Monday night and finals Tuesday night at the XL Center in Hartford.

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CARDINAL COUPLE once again proudly presents the BIG EAST Tournament Pick 'Em Contest. At stake, a $25 CHILI'S gift card to the winner! 14 games in all, pick the winner for each and take the prize.

Here's Bill the Goat's bracket as an example.

SETON HALL over Cincy. PITT over Marquette. GEORGETOWN over Providence in first day action.

SETON HALL over St. John's. RUTGERS over DePaul.
VILLANOVA over Pitt . SOUTH FLORIDA over Georgetown in the second day of games.

LOUISVILLE over Seton Hall. NORTE DAME over Rutgers.
CONNECTICUT over Villanova. SOUTH FLORIDA over Syracuse in the quarterfinals.

LOUISVILLE over Notre Dame. CONNECTICUT over South Florida in the semifinals.

LOUISVILLE defeats Connecticut in the finals.

Another way is:

Seton Hall, Pitt, Georgetown
Seton Hall, Rutgers, Villanova, South Florida
Louisville, Notre Dame, Connecticut, South Florida
Louisville, Connecticut
Louisville


14 games played, 14 winners picked. (No one said Bill knows anything about basketball...BTW.)

Send your picks to cardinalcouple@insightbb.com or you can leave them in the comments section of any of the articles this week.

-- Entries close at noon Friday. Be sure to give us a name and e-mail or phone # to contact you by...if you win.

We'll try to find a decent bracket set up and post it Tuesday or Wednesday. Good luck and may the best prognosticator win!

Download the BIG EAST Women's Tournament Bracket at:

www.bigeast.org/wbb

-Paulie





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Monday Cardinal Couple -- Softball fells LSU , Hoops ends regular season tonight

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MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- LeCoq closes door on Tigers

- Syracuse vs. Louisville in WBB tonight


The start was shaky for the #15 Louisville softball team Sunday in the Citrus Classic but the end result successful as the Cards defeat #11 LSU 6-2.

Starter Caralisa Connell was having "one of those afternoons" ...loading the bags with three straight walks in the second inning. A wild pitch made it 2-0 LSU and a fourth base on balls loaded the bases again with two outs.

Exit Connell, enter Rachel LeCoq. End LSU threat with a strike out.

Louisville responded in the top of the third against LSU pitcher Rachelle Fico. Katie Keller singled and reached home on a Alicja Wolny double. Maggie Ruckenbrod's base hit plated Wolny and the Cards had tied the game.

UofL took the lead in the fifth inning, Keller scoring after receiving a base on balls and scoring on a Ruckenbrod fielders' choice.

The Cardinals increased the lead to 5-2 with a couple of runs in the sixth. Hannan Kiyohara singled and scored with two outs on a Jennifer Esteban hit. Esteban got greeted at home as well when Keller delivered a single.

Maggie Ruckenbrod delivered an insurance run in the final inning with a bomber over the left field fence to make it 6-2...her first home run of the season.

LeCoq (7-1) with the clutch relief performance...holding LSU to just three hits and no runs in 5.1 innings. The Cards produced 11 hits total.

"This was a great day for Louisville softball. I thought our team did a tremendous job and really came ready to play. A big key to our win was Rachel LeCoq shutting down LSU. I also thought we had great offense throughout the game." said Sandy Pearsall after the triumph.

Jordan Trimble has been sick and did not play. Jasmine Smithson-Willett has been battling a stress fracture but saw limited action. Hoping two of my favorite players on the team can get back to full time participation soon.

Louisville returns to Ulmer Stadium for the Red and Black Classic March 8-10. A good group of opponents coming in to play...Michigan, Miami (OH), Austin Peay and Illinois State.

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After a triple overtime loss Saturday to Villanova, no one could blame the Syracuse women's basketball team for looking for a little redemption tonight against Louisville. Although an NCAA bid appears to be a certain thing for the #22 Orange, who are 22-6 overall and 10-5 in the BIG EAST, the chance for a "double bye" in the upcoming BIG EAST Tournament hinges on a win over Louisville tonight.

Quentin Hillsman isn't a confident man.

" I worry about it every day. I'd be worried if we beat Villanova because we've been on both ends. We're not in that room with that little S-curve thing they talk about...Hopefully we come out Monday and have some legs left after this and win this Louisville game."

The Orange have an RPI of 46 and could fall no further than 6th with a loss to Louisville. The prevailing sentiment is that the NCAA will take eight BIG EAST teams...
(Connecticut, Notre Dame, Louisville, St. John's, Syracuse, South Florida, DePaul and Villanova.)...but a 'Cuse win would guarantee a nicer seeding...since SU has lost their last three games.

Louisville is guaranteed a top four finish and double bye in the BIG EAST Tournament regardless of how they do...they own the tie-breaker over St. John's if they end up at 11-5 in conference each.

The players that the Cards have to worry about? It begins in the paint with Kayla Alexander, the 6'5" do-it-all center. She and forward Carmen Tyson-Thomas had 22 points and 11 rebounds each against 'Nova Saturday.

Head Coach Quentin Hillsman will be active on the
sidelines tonight.

Guards Brittany Sykes and LaShay Taft are big-time ballers that will challenge the Cards. Elashier Hall a talented player who scores well in the 'Cuse offensive set. Rachel Coffey a great shooter who is also tough defensively.

Louisville has their work cut out for them. The Cards will need to go toe-to-toe with the aggressive, physical, chip-on-their-shoulder Orange and if Louisville can get the three-ball working (Laura Sweeney from Villanova blasted the 'Cuse from the deep Saturday) the Cards chances for success go up dramatically.

Game time 9 p.m. on the CBSSN network.

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Friday Cardinal Couple - More BIG EAST Changes

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

(Game final from Colorado...Buffs 70-66) We'll have more later on this wild finish)
 
- Non BCS schools vote to leave BIG EAST.

-Texas, Oregon advance in NCAA Volleyball Final Four

-WBB travels to Boulder for showdown with Buffs

On the never ending carousel that also goes by the name the BIG EAST...another development. It looks like Providence, Villanova, Seton Hall, St. John's, Georgetown, DePaul and Marquette have decided to leave the conference that they founded and try their luck elsewhere.

The seven catholic-based schools would retain the automatic bid to the NCAA Basketball Tournaments...should they either decide to go form a new league or go as a group to a different conference. Could the Atlantic 10 become the Atlantic Whole Bunch of Teams? Might they form the Papal Conference and pick the Pope as the new commish? How about from BIG EAST to BIG PRIEST...

What this does is open the possibility and the door for Louisville and Notre Dame to join the ACC a year early. Aren't you glad we've already started our ACC womens' sports reviews early ?

And, just what does all this mean for womens' sports at UofL? A possibility that the Lady Cards might not play Rutgers and UConn in hoops next year? Justine Sowry and Karen Ferguson-Dayes speeding up their look at future conference opponents? Gotta believe Sandy Pearsall is grinning ear-to-ear with the distinct possibility of not having to worry about below freezing temperature games in Storrs, Providence, South Orange and Queens.  

Also, what now for Cincinnati and Connecticut, who desperately wanted to join Louisville in the latest ACC acquisition and now find themselves in a football division without Louisville?

The move by the 'Catholic Seven' has been talked about for several weeks now. It is now a reality. Tired of being driven around as passengers in the economic-engine football sedan, they've stopped by the dealership and bought a new ride.

In women's hoops, we've met some pretty interesting coaching characters over the past eight years in the BIG EAST. Some favorites have been "Q"...Quentin Hillsman,
of Syracuse...who has stormed the court like an enraged K-Mart shopper on Black Friday, passed out on the sidelines and danced in front of the visitor's bench with the precision moves of one of Gladys Knight's Pips. Who could forget Harry Perretta...dressed in the white shirt and tie...untucked by the midway mark of the first half and giving the appearance of a frazzled, stressed out accountant instead of a basketball coach. Doug Bruno, institutionally clad in that blue DePaul logoed long sleeve shirt. C-Viv. Geno. Muffett. Gonna miss some of these folks. A couple will join us out on the Atlantic Coast.

The BIG EAST brought Louisville women's sports titles in volleyball, softball and track. The Cards made a Final Four women's basketball appearance while a member of the BIG EAST. We said goodbye to Collen, Yelin, Clark-Heard, Ord and Bustin in the BIG EAST. We welcomed Walz, Kordes, Sowry, Newbauer, Williams and Trimble.

We started Rowing and Lacrosse in the BIG EAST. We moved from Freedom Hall to the KFC YUM! Center in the BIG EAST. We found out just how horrible it is to tailgate and attend a football game or the BIG EAST WBB Tournament in Storrs and Hartford while a member of the BIG EAST. 

As we like to say here...interesting times ahead. Sit down, buckle up, adjust your seat and close the door. This trip continues...

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Semi-final action from the KFC YUM! Center in the Final Four NCAA Volleyball Tournament provided a thriller in the first match...with Texas needing a fifth game to finally dispose of pesky Michigan. It looked like the upstart Wolverines were poised for the upset, going up 2-1 in games...but the Longhorns used some pretty impressive blocking at the net to slow down the Wolverine offense and advances to the finals Saturday night.

They'll meet Oregon there, who upset #2 in the nation Penn State three games to one. Hopefully, Jeff, Sandy or Jenny will stop by and add comments on this one. Truth be told, I was watching at home on ESPN2 and fell asleep at the halftime break with the games 1-1.

They announced on the "Deuce" about 13,000 in attendance. Not enough to break an NCAA record, but a nice crowd from all reports. Staff columnist Sandy Walker notes that there was  massive confusion over seating for the games...with many duplicate seat tickets printed for the evening that resulted in some last-minute seating shifts and long lines at the will-call and event services stations.

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Lest we forget in all this hub-bub and drama, the UofL WBB squad is in action tonight in Boulder, CO. to face the Colorado Buffaloes at 9 p.m. EST. The Cards will be without the services of Sara Hammond (last we heard) because of the death of her grandmother. Her board prowess will be missed. Time for Vails, Dyer, Walton and Reid to step it up one notch and let's hope the Rocky Mountain rare air equals lots of net-swishes for Shoni and Nita from beyond the arc.

We have a report from Sandy that we may be able to see this one on TV. The link is:

Louisville v Buffs

http://pac-12.com/ScheduleResults.aspx#networkId=Live%20Stream

Also from Basil G. Brooks, out of the CU sports information department, this link (for ALL CU home games).

Colorado Women's Basketball broadcasts


You know how we roll here...turn down the video feed sound and listen to our own Matt Andrews and A.J. with the call on 790 WKRD AM.




The Buffs are not to be taken lightly. 8-0 and striving for some national attention by knocking off #8 Louisville. This matchup eerily reminds of us the 2008-09 season...when 5-0 Louisville went to Nevada and dropped a 85-82 decision. The Cards went on to win their next 14 games.

6'1" forward and redshirt freshman Arielle Roberson, who leads CU with 16.5 ppg, talks about the ramifications of a Buffs victory:

" I think more people would definitely recognize Colorado women's basketball...it would be a big boost in a lot of areas, especially in recruiting. I also think it would give our team a lot more confidence and it would really give something to the fans."

Armageddon in the aspens? Clash in Colorado? Beatdown of the Buffs? Rock steady, Cards.

We'll be back tonight with the recap.

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Finally, fingers crossed and good thoughts, all, for staff columnist Jenny O'Bryan...in for a little out-patient surgery today. The rumors that we're having a tracking chip implanted in her or transplanting her brain with Timmy the Intern's are totally false...




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Burke's big bombs blast Syracuse into submission in 89-62 Louisville win.

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GAME REPORT

-Burke's 28 points, eight 3-pointers spark Lady Cards to 27 point win over Orange.

Becky Burke's eyes light up and a big smile crosses her face when she hears the term "2-3 zone".

She responded Saturday afternoon in the KFC YUM! Center in front of 12374 rabid fans with eight three pointers and Louisville set a new school record with 18 total threes in the 89-62 Lady Cards win over Syracuse. Burke tied the individual player record of eight threes and Louisville surpassed the previous team record of 14...set against Xavier last year and Memphis in 2006. Four Cardinals reached double figures in the Louisville win and the Lady Cards shot a sizzling 50% from the field.

Cards come out to an amped-up
and appreciative UofL crowd.

Louisville led 51-40 at halftime, hitting 9 of 16 three attempts in the first twenty minutes.

A much needed today against a solid BIG EAST foe.

STARTERS:  Burke, Vails, Taylor, Smith and Shoni

Young cheerleaders fire up the UofL crowd.

This one actually got off to a weird but successful start for Louisville when Shoni Schimmel went to the foul line and hit two free throws before the opening tip. The reason? Syracuse did not turn in their starting lineup to the official scorer 10 minutes before tip-off. Failure to do so is what is called an administrative technical foul and the opposing team gets two free throws. 

Watching the young ones perform throughout the
game during timeouts was just as fun as watching the game.

When actual play started Syracuse actually scored first in regulation.

Louisville then went on a 12 -0 run over the next four minutes...getting a layup from Sherrone Vails, three from Shoni and three straight layups by Asia Taylor and a free throw. It was 14-2 Louisville with 14:46 left and Syracuse had four turnovers, three fouls and three missed shots before Rachel Coffey connected 30 seconds later.

The Cards raced out to a 20-6 lead after two consecutive threes by Burke (she had missed her first two attempts). Coffey rained down a three to get Syracuse within twelve at 23-11...but the Lady Cards took off on a 10-0 run after that...getting a three from Nita Slaughter, two free throws and another three from Burke and a Shawnta Dyer score from the paint.

The Lady Cards played well in the pink uniforms...despite
Walz's reluctance to have the girls in them again. Louisville
is 1-4 in them now...all time.

It was 33-13 with eight minutes to go in the first half and the Lady Cards fans were dancing in the YUM! Center aisles.

Syracuse mounted a mini-rally to trim the Cardinal advantage to 39-23 after a Kayla Alexander jumper with 5:42 left. Sara Hammond drilled a jumper to give Louisville a 48-32 lead with 2:45 left but Syracuse would outscore the Lady Cards eight to three the remainder of the half and get within 10 before a Shoni three with 42 seconds left made it 51-38. Alexander's layup completed the first half scoring...Louisville led 51-40.

Burke led all scorers with 14 points. Shoni had 11 and Taylor 7 for the Cards. Both Slaughter and Dyer contributed six points, Hammond added five and Vails two for the Cards 51 points. All ten Cardinals available for Jeff Walz played. Bria Smith, Shelby Harper and Jude Schimmel were held scoreless.

Louisville shot 16-28 for a red-hot 57.1% and was 9 of 16 from trifectaland. The Cards led 17-15 in the rebounding battle and committed just five turnovers.

Breast cancer
survivors walked
the court at
the half.

Syracuse got 11 points from guard Rachel Coffey and 10 from towering center Kayla Alexander. Iasia Hemingway, the 'Cuse's go-to player besides Alexander was held to 0 points in 12 minutes due to the outstanding defensive efforts of Asia Taylor.

Syracuse opened the second half getting a score by Elashier Hall to get the Orange within nine points. It was the closest they would get the rest of the day. Threes from Burke, Schimmel, Burke again and Bria Smith pushed the UofL lead to 64-46 with 15:18 left. The Lady Cards tied the team three point record when Shoni knocked down her fifth of the day to make it Louisville 69 - Syracuse 52.

This 93 yr. old Syracuse
grandmother was
cheering on her Orange

(Photo from Sandy Walker)

Sara Hammond hit the record-breaking three to give Louisville a 74-54 lead. Burke's eighth three of the day came with 3:03 left and pushed the Louisville lead to 84-60.
Shoni added another three and Taylor connected on a jumper to make it 89-62 Cards. Cards win ! Cards win !

Burke's 28 points came on 9-16 shooting and two free throws. Eight threes tied the record Helen Johnson and four other Cardinals shared. It is a Lady Card individual BIG EAST record and just two behind the 10-in-a-game record this season by WVU's Taylor Palmer and GU's Sugar Rodgers.

Shoni ended up with 20 points. Hammond and Taylor finished with 12 each. Slaughter and Dyer added six points each, Bria Smith good for three points and Vails two. No points for Harper or Jude.

The 18 three's came from Burke (8), Shoni (6), Nita (2) and one each from Smith and Hammond. Taylor popped a shot late that looked like it was behind the line but the official signalled two. Burke had a chance to get a ninth three but missed with 3:22 to go. Louisville did not attempt any more after that until Shoni's with 42 seconds left and a Shoni miss at the buzzer.

Syracuse got 20 points from Kayla Alexander and 11 each from Elashier Hall and Rachel Coffey. Iasia Hemingway finished with just two points on 0-4 shooting and 2-2 from the line in 29 minutes.

The Cards won the rebouning battle 34-33. Louisville committed just 11 turnovers...Syracuse 19.

Playing time for Louisville consisted of 38 minutes from Burke, 33 for Shoni, 29 for Asia, Nita saw 23..as did Vails.
Hammond logged 19 minutes, Bria 16, Dyer 10. Jude seven and Shelby two.

Louisville goes to 18-7, 7-5 with the victory. Syracuse is now 15-11, 4-8.

After the game Walz talked about the cohesion, tightness and freindship between the ten current Cardinals. He stressed that even though today was a big effort and he and the coaches were proud of the players..they'd go right back to work Sunday to get ready for the next game...a trip to Pittsburgh Tuesday.

The smile on Becky's face in the post game presser said it all. Cold shooting streak abated, at least for now. The self-assured look of confidence Asia Taylor exuded in the presser spoke volumes, too. Confident, producing and a key component. Shoni always has this little half-smile working for her unless the question posed to her is one that requires a ton of thought or is just plain silly. A smile that comes from the knowledge of just how good her game is now and how great it'll be by the time she's a senior here.

No worries or scared thoughts about being down to 10 players currently. It's a strong, hard-working, close-knit and inspired 10.

That'll be needed, along with some luck and good fortune...as Louisville races down the BIG EAST stretch with a trip to Pitt, hosting Notre Dame and DePaul and closing the season at Seton Hall.

(From Sonja...so very proud of you, Becky and all the girls today...Asia. Keep completing the job and helping to spin the wheel. You can do it! All of you can. Go take what's yours.) 

Q does the post
game radio show/

Finally, no major outbursts, fits, dramatic acting or threats of violence today from the "Q". His usual referee-instructing, non-stop chatter and constant movement for awhile...then he just sort of crouched down, took a knee and watched the onslaught.

We expect better next time. Still entertaining to watch and comical on the sidelines with those priceless facial expressions. Probably burdened with the weight of a team that can look fantastic one night and then throw a clunker the next.
That's life in the BIG EAST. Feburary rolls on...3/4th. done with the BIG EAST regular season schedule and "survive and advance or fail and fall" time for the teams.
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Lady Cards face "crossroads" against Syracuse Saturday

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-"Must win" scenario against the Orange for Louisville

Reeling from a three game losing streak, faced with the departure of the tallest player on the team and still suffering from the season-ending injuries of two of the best players...the University of Louisville women's basketball team finds themselves "up against" the wall as they host Syracuse on Saturday.

The last time the Lady Cards lost four or more in a row was during the injury-plagued 2009-10 season...when West Virginia, Cincinnati, Connecticut, St. John's and Pittsburgh put consecutive "L's" in the UofL win/loss column. The test against Syracuse Saturday won't be easy.

The Orange are 15-10 overall and 4-7 in BIG EAST play. Wins against Pitt, Seton Hall, Providence and USF. Losses to WVA, Rutgers, St. John's, Georgetown, Connecticut, Cincy and Notre Dame.

The main drivers of the Orange bus are Kayla Alexander and Iasia Hemingway. They've alternated as leading scorers for Quentin Hillsman's squad 17 times this season.

Iasia has been hot
lately

Hemingway was named BIG EAST Player of the Week last week for her performances against Providence (24 points on 9-13 shooting) and USF (24 points on 9-14 shooting). She also made 12 of 14 from the free throw line. Big, aggressive and a strong rebounder...she is part of a Syracuse team that leads the BIG EAST in rebounding margin. She averages 16.5 points per game. Syracuse is the top offensive rebounding team in the conference.

Alexander is a shot
blocking machine.

Alexander is another banger in the paint. She leads the Orange with 7.3 grabs a game and averages 15.0 point a contest. She's the leading shot blocker in the BIG EAST.

Others that will play...Shakeya Leary, Elashier Hall, Rachel Coffey, La'shay Taft and Carmen Tyson-Thomas...who is the third SU player averaging in double figures with 10.8 a game.

Syracuse isn't normally a three-point threat...but when they do attempt them, it's usually Coffey, Taft or Thomas. They're dead last in the BIG EAST is 3-Point FG pct. (.236) and 13th. in 3-pointers made.



The "Q" is an enertainer extrodinaire on the sidelines !

 The Orange are coached by Quentin Hillsman. He's Paul's favorite opponent sideline coach...because of the crazy, zany antics he pulls. He got so worked up two years ago in Freedom Hall that he passed out in front of the bench and the game was stopped. Two years before that, he got so enraged at the end of 78-57 Louisville win that security had to usher him off the court...fists shaking and screaming like a man who just lost his steak dinner to the family pooch. In his first visit to Louisville, it looked like he was ready to punch out little ol' Tom Collen at mid-court after the game when the Cards ripped the Orange 98-50 back in the 2006-07 season.

He is a show. We look forward to what the "Q review" has in store for us this year. He's starting his sixth season as the Orange skipper and is 133-75 there.

Louisville is 4-4 lifetime against SU, Walz 1-3. Last year saw the Orange win a slow paced, slug it out affair in the Carrier Dome 53-45. Tia Gibbs had 19 against them. Hemingway and Alexander combined for 21 and graduated guard Erica Morrow led Syracuse with 17.

Louisville needs this one. A loss drops them to 6-6 in the BIG EAST. With DePaul and Notre Dame still to be played...and probable losses for Louisville...gotta get wins in the KFC YUM! Center. Syracuse is very beatable, but the Lady Cards must shoot much better than they did against Geno and the Huskies.

Get ready to rumble !

Game time is 2 p.m. Looks like it'll be a knock down, slug it out affair. Bring your mouthpiece, gloves and trainer. Maybe we can get Michael Buffer to do the player introductions instead of Sean Moth.  "Mr T". and Rocky can be the halftime show. Bring a friend to fight with and they get in free. OK. Dress 'em out and tip it up. Touch gloves in the center of the ring and come out swinging. It's either going to be the Cards road back to redemption or another boulder on what's been a rocky path in Februrary.
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Louisville WBB @ Syracuse Tonight

WEDNESDAY (Oh, yeah!) as seen by CARDINAL COUPLE

-Cards go to the 'Cuse.

-Hillsman fights a battle of his own.

-Golf keeps swinging

-Honors for Grieshaber

-Another conflict..
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Kayla Alexander, shown above, leads the Syracuse Orange in scoring and rebounding. The Orange get a visit from the University of Louisville women's basketball team tonight. Game time is 7 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. Unfortunately, the University of Louisville's men team plays at the same time on ESPN ....so it's one of those listen to the ladies and watch the guys nights for those of you who like both...
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Syracuse (17-7, 5-6) is the best rebounding team in the Big East. Besides Alexander, the 'Cuse get plenty of paint proficiency from Iasia Hemingway, Elashier Hall and Erica Morrow...who also score in double figures. The Orange enter the game fresh off a 70-49 drubbing of Villanova, a win that stopped a three game losing streak. Syracuse rolled through the pre BIG EAST part of their schedule 12-1...losing only to Baylor. Since conference began, they've taken losses against Georgetown, WVU, Rutgers (twice), Notre Dame and DePaul. Notable wins have come against Clemson and Marquette.
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Louisville comes into tonight's game on a two game win streak and begins a two game road trip. Monique Reid is expected to play tonight...the junior sprained an ankle Sunday before the WVU game and sat out 32 minutes of the contest. Reid leads Louisville in scoring with 15.6 points per game. Shoni Schimmel follows with 15.6 a contest. Schimmel leads the BIG EAST in 3-point field goals made with 68 and freshman teammate Nita Slaughter is tops in conference with a 3-point % of .431 (25-58).
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The Cards success behind the 3-point stripe could play a significant role in tonight's contest. Louisville faces tough sledding around the rim tonight and a successful 3-point barrage would not only draw the 'Cuse away from the hoop defensively..it would also put a bunch of points on the board. Let's hope the Orange get 'Schimmeled'
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We'll have a recap of the game later tonight. No TV for this one...WKRD CARDS RADIO 790 AM and 101.7 FM will have the radio broadcast. Paul and Jim (no...not me and my older brother) will have the words and music.

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Quentin Hillsman (pictured left) is fighting another battle in addition to
the one he faces on the court as Syracuse head women's basketball coach. Former Syracuse women's basketball player Lynnae Lampkins has brought a Title IX sexual harassment complaint against Hillsman and the Syracuse women's basketball program.

Lampkins, a junior who no longer plays on the team, accuses Hillsman of inappropriate texting and touching. She did not rejoin the team this year because "I couldn't be around him. He would slap butts and chest bump. I was very uncomfortable with it."

She also testifies that Hillsman sent her a text over the summer that read "I love you, I miss you, I can't wait to see you." She wasn't aware of any other Syracuse players receiving such a text.
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Hillsman denies the accusations. He considers them untrue and hurtful to him, his family and the Syracuse women's basketball program but is trying to prevent it from distracting the program and the players. (Excuse me..but this is typical coach-speak out of 'Meeting the media' 101). After the allegations came out during last summer, Syracuse used outside council to do a investigation. The investigation team reported that they found no substance to the allegations and no basis for action to be taken. Syracuse's president, chancellor and athletic director have all come out with statements showing support for Hillman. Lampkins remains on campus, still on scholarship and is majoring in health and wellness. It's funny how outside council hired by an academic body to investigate the hiring entity almost never sides against who is signing the paycheck.
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Cover up, collusion and denial mode? Or just a player disgruntled with conditions and the daughter of a high school coach who has filed two previous incident claims over the last six years...a defamation suit and conflict of interest charge in Upper Marlboro, MD. Things getting crazy up in Boeheim-ville, yo! No other 'Cuse players are talking about it and it hasn't gotten the coverage of the Pitino/Sypher mess Louisville has had to endure for almost a year now.
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WE at Cardinal Couple still remember Hillsman storming off the court in 2009 at Freedom Hall after a heated discussion and finger pointing at Jeff Walz following a 78-57 Louisville win...and then making some unflattering gestures to Lady Card fans during his exit. Last year, Hillsman appeared to pass out near the end of Louisville's 64-58 loss to the Orange. The guy has a flair for the dramatics...for sure. Whatcha got in store for tonight, Q?
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Louisville's womens golf team completed day two in the Northrop Grumman Regional and moved up the ladder to 10th place. UCLA, USC and Pepperdine hold the top three spots. Anna-Karin Ljungstrom fired a 72 for the Cards and is tied for 29th. Sara-Maude Juneau carded a 73 and is tied for 27th. Maria Castellanos toured the Palos Verdes Golf Course with an 80. Laura Anderson finished at 84 and Candace Wiley shot an 84 also. Freshman Tara Lyons, playing as an individual, did 18 in 82.

The five-iron Cards finish up play this morning.
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A big congratulations to cross country's Kim Grieshaber for earning All-Academic honors from the U.S. Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association. She led the Cards to a top 15 finish last fall in the NCAA Regionals and was the top finisher for Louisville in five out of their six races. Getting it done in the classroom and on the competition course...we salute you, Kim!
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WE don't know about you...but we're not overly happy that the men and women play tonight at the same time. WE know a lot of our readers cheer for and follow both squads and one would think that the BIG EAST scheduling folks could avoid such snafu situations. The guys are in Cincinnati tonight...on ESPN...
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WE'RE not big fans of trying to follow both teams at the same time. At least both are on the road, so WE don't have to decide whether to attend one and catch up on the other afterward. It's the seventh time this year that both teams have played on the same day.
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Paul had this brilliant idea last night (a first for him) that same day game conflicts could be avoided by designating a specific night or weekend day for the two sports. Let's say men's hoops on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Women's hoops on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Leave Friday alone and go out and support the high school teams in your area...because a lot of them play on Friday nights. The plan is a good one...but it would never fly past the guys holding the puppet strings over college hoops...ESPN and the other networks that televise college basketball.
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Reminds us of the old joke...'I control the destiny and fate of my actions and doings...as long as it's OK with you, dear..."

Coach "Q" is OK.

(Coach "Q" signals touchdown in a game obviously not in Freedom Hall. The fourth year Syracuse women's basketball coach is fine after slumping to the Freedom Hall floor yesterday)

It was a scary moment in Freedom Hall. 5:36 to go in the game, the Cards inbounding the ball from underneath the Syracuse basket and then the action stops. Officials and the Syracuse coaching staff rushes to the end of the scorers' table. My attention, focused on how the Orange were going to defend Keisha Hines at the other end of the court. I asked Paul what happened. He tersely replies that Hillsman just went to the floor. Action stops. A dead silent Freedom Hall. Syracuse players circled at the free throw line, hands clasped...in prayer. A very nervous time. The last time I've heard Freedom Hall that quiet was when Luke Whitehead landed on his head several years ago.

Coach 'Q" is OK. Commented last night that he had never experienced anything like that before. Felt a little light headed and then the next thing he remembers...20 people are standing over him. And, he doesn't even play for the Chicago Bears.

I've had my cross to bear with Hillsman in the past but that's over. I saw the warm and friendly chat "Q" and Louisviile coach Jeff Walz had before the game. If it's over between them...same here. Never delay gratitude.

Syracuse assistant coach Rick Moody, who handled the post game interviews and radio show for Hillsman Saturday joked:

"I think he overdid it. He was guarding (Syracuse guard Erica) Morrow one on one Friday in practice. He's too old to be doing that stuff."

"Q"'s defense must have helped Morrow shake the shooting slump she had been in. She torched the Cards with 23 points and 5 connections from beyond the arc.

Glad your OK, Coach Q. He's having a follow up examination Monday. He praised the Louisville physicians that gave him a full inspection, including a mini EKG moments after his collapse. And, next time you decide to be dramatic in Freedom Hall, return to the show you put on for the fans two years ago after the game. Yesterday was much too scary for those of us there. Good guys are hard to come by and it looks like you've turned into one. We need all of those we can get in the Big East.

Written by Sonja