After 17 games the faces of all the transfers — seven of them — are becoming familiar on the University of Louisville women’s basketball team. Putting names with all those new faces is becoming fun as they continue to rack up the wins.
As the season enters the back stretch, the Cardinals are 4-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, 15-2 overall, and ranked 13th nationally in the Associated Press poll. That’s following a one=sided 83-62 victory over Wake Forest at the KFC Yum! Center. No one in the conference expected UofL to be in serious contention at this point. Underestimating Coach Jeff Walz can be deleterious to the careers of rival ACC coaches.
Walz has put together a team of individuals who enjoy playing together, players with good track records, players used to winning, and are getting better at the right time. Players who know the game, serious about wanting to win, with height, speed and acumen.
No evidence of any Prima Donnas demanding or getting more playing time than they deserve. A team beloved by the crowd of 8,901 on a day when the temperatures outside were below 10 degrees Fahrenheit and five below zero with the wind chill.
UofL with six players in double figures, paced by Olivia Cochran and Jayda Curry with 12 points apiece. Sydney Taylor chipping in 11 points, Nyla Harris, Kiki Jefferson and Merrisah Russell with 10 points each. Outscoring the Deacons 40-24 in the paint, out-rebounding them 32-26, and turning them over 19 times.
Their togetherness may well be the thing that sets this team apart from some outstanding Louisville teams in the recent past.
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Catching up with former Cardinal Haily Van Lith. Not the best of times Sunday for Van Lith in LSU’s 67-62 loss at Auburn. The UofL transfer making only one of nine field goal attempts and one of two free throws for only three points in 27 minutes of playing time.
The Tigers point guard also managing only one assist while making three turnovers.
