All Entries in the "Women's Basketball" Category
Another Bad Day For Lady Cards
NCAA Turns Down Chauntise Wright Appeal;
Nikki Burton Will Be Out Three Weeks
By Sonja Sykes
Just when you were beginning to think not much else could go wrong for the University of Louisville women’s basketball team:
- Senior center Chauntise Wright has lost her battle to gain eligibility and her career is over. The NCAA can be a heartless and cruel governing body.
- An MRI on freshman guard Nikki Burton reveals a hip injury that will have her out for the next three weeks. Burton had been receiving therapy but the Charlotte native was not responding well.
Get well soon, Nikki. It was looking like you were beginning to “get it” out there. Your quickness and athleticism will be sorely missed.
As for Tise, no secret that she was Paul’s favorite and one of mine. We’ll miss that “big battleship” majestically cruising down the court en route to an easy basket or rejecting another shot attempt.
Louisville Endures, But Notre Dame Prevails
By Paul Sykes
The University of Louisville women’s basketball bench often resembles a MASH unit with all the crutches, knee braces, tape and band aids.
Nine players available, five of them freshmen, but they’re not conceding anything.
For the first 15 minutes, U of L was setting the stage for an upset over No. 4 Notre Dame at Freedom Hall. Up 33-21 with 5:26 to go in the first half, the Lady Cards were handling the defensive pressure of the Irish and Monique Reid was putting on an Angel-like performance.
But at that point, as coach Jeff Walz noted after the game, the Lady Cards appeared to ease up, “thinking we didn’t have work as hard.” The Card staggered to the locker room tied 37-37. After a quick 5-0 run by the Cards in the second half, the Irish methodically gained control and steadily pulled away to a 78-60 win.
Skylar Diggins, Irish.
- Monique Reid, playing inspired ball in the first half with 17 first half points and failing to score until 8:00 remained in the second half. A total of 23 points for the Fern Creek sophomore but those seven turnovers hard to overlook, as were her 38 minutes of playing time.
- Becky Burke, playing 38 minutes, Keisha Hines, 39 minutes, scoring 16 and 10 points, respectively. Help is on the way but it may be several weeks, if not months, arriving.
- Shelby Harper got her third start as point guard, picking up three fouls during the first 10 minutes of the game. However, Jeff Walz kept her in the lineup most of the way. Her ball handling and passing abilities are improving. The team’s performance takes a noticeable dip when she goes to the bench.
- Skylar Diggins, the fabulous Irish freshman, taking over in the final twenty minutes with 15 of her 20 points. When she wasn’t scoring, feeding the bigs inside the paint. Louisville saw what good point guard play can accomplish.
- Just four turnovers for the Cards in the first 15 minutes but 6 more to finish the first half. A game total of 20, down from the season average but some costly ones when the Cards were trying to rally in the second half.
- 600th career win for Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw. Her Irish had what it took in the second half but still not fully convinced that they are the fourth best team in the nation.
The Cards return to action Saturday in Freedom Hall to face a Syracuse Orange team that is hovering around the top 25. At 16-2, the Orange are big, bruising and play the typical ball head coach Quentin Hillsman has installed in his 3 years as their head coach. Game time is 2 p.m.
Lady Cards Host Wounded Notre Dame
NCAA Ruling On Wright Possible By Friday
By Sonja Sykes
Bonus points for you if you noticed that Chauntise Wright was in street clothes during the University of Louisville women’s basketball team’s win over Providence Sunday. The reason, though, is not injury or discipline related. The NCAA is deciding whether Tise has used up her college eligibility.
Chauntise Wright
Wright came to Louisville in the fall semester of 2005 but wasn’t eligible to play until the second semester, seeing action in 16 games as a backup center. Still playing backup center in the 2006-07 season, Tise played in all 33 games, leading the team in field goal percentage while averaging about seven points a game.
Then Jeff Walz came to Louisville, inserting her into the starting lineup. She responded with 11.4 points a game and led the Big East in field goal percentage. It looked she was headed toward a banner senior year. But fate stepped in. She was hit by a car crossing Floyd Street in the summer of 2008. Although she recovered in time for fall practice, she blew out her knee in preseason practice. Out for the year, missing the 2008-09 season.
She returned this season but the NCAA made it clear that, in their eyes, she had only one semester of eligibility. The Cards petitioned for the entire year and submitted almost 200 pages of documentation and precedents, seeking one more semester for Wright.
Regardless of what happens, Tise will get her degree and will have some great memories. One would hope the NCAA gives her the chance to end her career on the court and not on the bench.
Louisville Women Rip Providence, 67-48
You be the judge. Does Monique Reid beat the shot clock on the final shot in Louisville’s 67-48 win over Providence on Saturday?
Pretty obvious because the rule says the shot must be launched before time elapses and either hits the rim or goes through the basket. Louisville was led by Becky Burke with 18 points, Reid and Nikki Burton had 13 points, and Keisha Hines had 12. This team is getting better, folks, point guard or no point guard.
The Lady Cards are 10-6 overall and 2-1 in the Big East. They play again next Saturday at Georgetown University. Sonja’s wrapup.
