The University of Louisville wanted it more.

Oklahoma wanted this one badly, packed house full of crazed Sooners going bonkers, desperate to make an impression, hungry for a championship. Who knew the Okies loved women’s basketball so much?wnit

Pumped from the adrenalin, the home court advantage, and the call prompting an early technical foul on Jeff Walz, the Oklahomans would race to a 9-0 lead and extend it to 17-2 before reality would set in.

The UofL women weren’t going to roll over. They’ve been in this situation before, in opposite situations, knowing that early leads are just that, early leads than can be overcome with patience. They had three starters in early foul trouble, were whistled for 34 fouls and outscored 35-20 from the free-throw line.

But fifth-ranked UofL would prevail 97-92 over the 11th-ranked Sooners in overtime.

Tia Gibbs, taking up where she left off, two years ago, would carry the Lady Cards on her oft-injured-on shoulders, contributing 20 points in the first half. Her third three-pointer would give UofL its first lead 40-39 at the 2:10 mark in the first half. Her fourth would give the Lady Cards a 48-43 advantage at the half. She would lead all scorers with 23 points, a career high for her.

Oklahoma would worm its way back late in the second half and own an 85-82 advantage with 23 seconds remaining in regulation. Jude Schimmel would go the length of the court for two layups between an Oklahoma hit and a miss at the free throw line to send the game into overtime at 86-86.

The Lady Cards would score nine of the first 10 points in overtime, Antonita Slaughter getting them going with a three-pointer. The Sooner had two chances to tie it the last 15 seconds but shots by Morgan Hook and Aaryn Ellenberg (or Ellenberger, according to one TV analyst) were off target. 

Shoni Schimmel would 16 points, most of them in the second half for the Cards. Asia Taylor would wind up  10 points and 10 rebounds.

Sara Hammond would be named the tournament’s most valuable player.

Just wanted it more.

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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.

2 thoughts on “Louisville women roar back to claim WNIT championship”
  1. If memory serves correctly, the last time we played OK Angel was leading us to the Championship game. One of the big girls on OK had promised to pay the school back for her athletic scholarship if they didn’t win the championship that year. Of course, we upset them. Anyone ever hear if the young lady stuck by her word to pay the school back?

    1. Tom, that was Courtney Paris, one of the twins on that team. The estimated scholarship total was $64,000. Oklahoma’s athletic director said a couple of weeks afterwards that the school was not going to hold her to the promise. There are no reports of any repayments to be found.

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