By Paul Sykes
If Louisville has learned one thing under Jeff Walz tutelage this year, it is that defensive intensity leads to good things. When Walz called out the dogs tonight early, the Lady Cards responded with a 10-0 run and never trailed again.
Some things of interest and observation from a 20-point win over Liberty:
- The Cards got good three point shooting from beyond the three point arc tonight from a couple of freshman in Becky Burke and Janae Howard. Burke dropped two in the first half and Howard matched that in the second half. Important blocks to build on for next year.
- Walz avoided the romp by resting his starters the final 10 minutes of the game and still improved upon the half time lead by two. With the freshmen and Laura Terry on the court, the Cards seemed ragged at times but kept the defense up against the Liberty starters.
- LSU is going to be a formidable foe Tuesday night but looked painfully slow against a so-so Wisconsin-Green Bay team. With the added rest, the Cards should be able to play the speed/defense/fast break trifecta that got the win tonight.
- Louisville created 28 turnovers in the game and 18 of those in the first half. Walz worried about the height disadvantage but preventing the ball from reaching the height is the best defense to overcome it and the Cards did that tonight.
- Sonja, our ace Lady Cards reporter, actually fell asleep at half time, so I finished her report for her. A busy weekend finally caught up with her but she’ll be able to watch the tape of the second half and enjoy the romp after a good night’s sleep.
Louisville meets the LSU Tigers for only the third time in history and the first time since 2002. Having to play in their back yard with the school buying tickets for the students to attend is a bit daunting and ridiculous but the Cards should prevail and advance.
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Charlie Springer, the Card Game moderator, finally got a return e-mail from Selection Committee member Wood Selig (of Western Kentucky) asking for an explanation of why the Lady Cards got the shaft in the seeding process. Selig’s response:
“Louisville had to go  to LSU when they got a 3 seed in same region as LSU. LSU got a 6 and that forced Louisville to travel there. Was hoping we would get Louisville but they were sent properly. More teams are closer to home than ever before. That does not mean that EVERY team is closer but more teams than ever are driving this year. Sorry you feel slighted.”
Uh, Wood, that still doesn’t answer the question about why Louisville received a No. 3 seed in the first place. Just raises more questions about your role in the process. There are only 10 members on the committee. Someone was either asleep at the wheel or trying to make things more difficult for the Lady Cards.
Linda2, I love that response. Selig sounds likes a committed bureaucrat.
Maybe we should ask for a 6 seed next year so we can play at home????? That entire statement made no sense whatsoever.
Louisville got a break by not having to play against Rutgers again in the Regionals. Scarlet Knights on fire and they’ll beat Auburn tonight. See you in St. Louis
Egg on my face…sorry gang but snoozed thru the second half of Lady Cards last night. Paul let me sleep and told me he’d wake me up if it got close.
Just finished watching tape of game. I’m glad I got the sleep in. We weren’t too sharp in the last 10 minutes of the second half and will need to pick it up Tuesday night against LSU.
I e-mailed the head of the selection committee..some lady from Duke. No reply yet. Selig can stroll thru the empty seats in Diddle Tuesday night now that the Vols are one and done. His remarks to Charlie are not relevant to the question and one can only hope that the selection committee goes thru some personnel change next year. With Louisville scheduled to host 1st and 2nd round action in 2010, the villians of the committee are likely to send San Diego State, Maine, Alaska-Anchorage and Guam Univeristy here.