All Entries in the "Women's Basketball" Category
16,339 A Record For Big East Conference
The Lady Cards set State and Big East Conference records for paid attendance for a women’s basketball game with 16,339 people at Freedom Hall. Should have been at least a couple of thousand more people there. Kentucky fans were few and far between, must have missed the bandwagon on Hal Mumme Drive.
– The only bad thing about packing the house is the danger of a 6-foot-6 guy sitting in the seat in front of you. Oh well, thank goodness for the just-in-time invitation of a fellow fan to move to seats behind the Louisville bench. That’s more like it.
– Lady Cards were either too tight and over enthusiastic at the beginning with Angel McCoughtry missing her first five shots. She would still collect 31 points, nine rebounds and six steals.
– Angel may be the star but Deseree Byrd is the absolute inspiration on this team, not allowing a couple of nights in the hospital a week ago affect her availability the last two games. She gets some difficult points at crucial times. Fun to watch her charging down the court. She may not be in perfect shape, but she takes a backseat to no one on gamesmanship.
– Candyce Bingham seems to be an ultra nice person. Not to the opposition, however, not with 12 rebounds and 14 points.
– Monique Reid is going to be a force on the boards. Just ask McCoughtry who somehow managed to avoid Reid’s elbows when they both went up for the same rebound. The look on Angel’s face: priceless.
Angel Soars Again, Lady Cards 74, Cats 59
By Sonja Sykes
If there is any doubt anywhere that Angel McCoughtry is one of the top five college women hoopsters, it was erased today. Scoring from everywhere on court, blocks, rebounds, steals, deflections. She was a brilliant meteor flashing across the Cardinal sky and blinding the Wildcats with her brillance.
Keeping the game face until she broke out into a big smile after hitting a off-balance three to finish the day’s scoring, Angel was the reason for the win, the catalyst,the offense and the major reason that UofL set records today for a women’s basketball game in Freedom Hall, in Kentucky and the Big East. There were a lot of other stars on the court today…let’s look at a few thru our Cardinal telescope.
–Candyce Bingham’s brave battles with the taller, more physical UK front line of Eleia Roddy, Victoria Dunlap and Lydia Watkins. Give her a double-double with 14 points, 12 boards and several bruises from the thug tactics that UK employed. She also left a lasting impression on the Cats that quick, agile, speedy and positioning will beat bulky and shoving every time.
– Dez Byrd running the show out front with the intensity and hustle of a Andre McGee or Taquan Dean. Dez limited the turnovers today, turned on the defensive intensity and delivered ten points and nine assists. She also delivered a lesson on being an effective point guard to UK hoopsters Amber Smith and Amani Franklin.
–Monique Reid driving to the hoop with the expertise of a senior, and burying several mid-range jumpers. This is going to be a very special Card, friends. 12 solid points and several blocks.
It could have been much uglier for the visitors, but Walz gave the freshmen good big game experience late in the game, and Keisha Hines was whistled for five fouls in 22 minutes, a couple of them visible by only the referee. The Cats got some late, meaningless baskets…Louisville led by 21 with about four minutes left…but, in reality…this one was over by halftime.
The Cards held UK scoreless for a 7 minute stretch in the first half, and committed only nine turnovers for the entire game.
Meanwhile Matt Mitchell takes his Wildcats back across I-64, knowing that he may have gone up against the best team and player he’ll face the rest of the season. Give UK some credit, they have some skilled players in Roddy, Dunlop, Watkins and Morrow…but coaching seems to be the reason they’re .500 and a team without a true leader. They learned a lot about leadership today in Freedom Hall.
Scott Long’s Recovery Will Take A While
The effects of Scott Long’s injury-related problems were much more serious than first reported, according to a story in the Wilmington (N.C.) Star News. The University of Louisville wide receiver suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in a practice session the week after the South Florida win.
AP Photo
During surgery a week later, complications arose when a blood clot in his calf traveled to a lung. It forced him to remain in the hospital for another week. The 6-foot-2, 211-pound Long has started seven months of rehabilitation.
That means Long will probably miss spring practice and will rejoin the team in August, hoping to be ready for the beginning of the 2009 football season.
Long has had his ups and downs at UofL. He injured his foot before this past season and missed the first four games. He was suspended for several games by Coach Bobby Petrino during his freshman season for hitting a female with a paint gun.
Long says he hung around with the wrong crowd and regrets the paintball incident, which he also says gave him a different perspective. “It was actually a blessing I didn’t get more punishment than I did,’’ he said. “It is something I am very remorseful for, and I definitely learned my lesson. It gave me a better appreciation for the things I am blessed with, especially this opportunity to play college football and get my education paid for.’’
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Victor Anderson has been named Big East Conference Rookie of the Year for his prowess during the past season, which included 1,047 yards rushing and eight touchdowns
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The University of Louisville women’s basketball team (7-1) takes on a dangerous Hartford University team at 7 o’clock tonight at Freedom Hall. The visiting team has a 5-4 won-lost record but owns impressive wins over fifth-rated Duke and Providence this season. Sonja has a more in-depth preview here.
Angel’s Muggers Coming To Town
Pack The House — Sunday is Pack The House day and the University of Kentucky is the opponent for the University of Louisville Lady Cards basketball team. Game time is 2 p.m., and tickets are $5 each ($2 each if you buy 10 or more).
The Lady Wildcats were not ladylike last season at Rupp Arena. Coach Matthew Mitchell’s Hell Cats physically abused Angel McCoughtry, sending her to the dressing room for almost 20 minutes. But she returned with stitches on her forehead in the second half to nail down a 80-65 win for UofL.
If you want the University of Kentucky to know which university owns Louisville, you need to be there to send a message to the Lexingtonians. Carly Ormerod, a Wildcat who haughtily snubbed the Cards, played at Sacred Heart Academy in the confused St. Matthews area where there are entirely too many Cat fans.
A few Cat fans is a few too many.
Lady Cards In A Toughie
By Sonja Sykes
While the majority of Cardinal Nation will be glued to the four-letter network watching the UofL football team against Rutgers Thursday night, another big battle will be taking place in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
The Lady Cards basketball team will play Middle Tennessee State University (5-1).
Another Sun Belt pushover for the Cards? In no way, shape or form.
Preseason picks to win the league; the Lady Blue Raiders have knocked off Indiana, Arizona and LSU this year, and suffered their only loss to Oklahoma in Norman. Junior forward Alysha Clark, back-to-back Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, who averages 24.8 a game, leads them.
WKRD Radio 790 will have the action, and I’ll recap it in detail here on Card Game.
