It was Practice day for all four squads visiting Louisville for the first and second round of the NCAA tournament. I was able to make it as Louisville was wrapping up their practice time slot, Chattanooga prepared for theirs and Tennessee was set to meet with the media.. and this was all just before lunch. Walking up to the court, I hoped to learn a couple of things.. Briahanna Jackson’s minutes/movement and the Cards opponent’s, the Chattannooga Mocs.
Louisville a familiar host for the Cardinals during the postseason, playing at home in the NCAA Championship for the fourth time in five years. Louisville averages a fourth best national attendance record in women’s basketball, averaging about 9,500 as of 2016. Since beginning play in the Yum Center (2010), the Cards have won 88% of its games at home and Louisville hit a millionth milestone mark for women’s basketball earlier this season.
from gocards.com
The No. 4-seed University of Louisville women’s basketball team faces No. 13-seed Chattanooga in the first round on Saturday on ESPN2 at 1:30 p.m.
The Cards defeated Chattanooga earlier this season 63-47, also at the Yum! Center. The Cards were The Cardinals tallied 18 assists on 25 made baskets and went 10 of 10 from the free throw line. Louisville was solid defensively, holding Chattanooga to 29.8 percent shooting and forcing the Mocs into 19 turnovers. Mariya Moore paced the Cardinals with nine points, Louisville’s only victory this year without a double-digit scorer. She added seven assists in the win. Myisha Hines-Allen totaled seven points and 10 rebounds, and Jazmine Jones contributed eight points and four steals.
Queen Alford finished with a game-high 20 points, while Jasmine Joyner collected 15 rebounds, seven blocks, and three steals.
This is Mocs’ head coach, Jim Foster’s, a member of the 2013 Hall of Fame class, has made his 30th trip to the NCAAs… fourth with the Mocs in four years.
Louisville head coach Jeff Walz, who is 21-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, knows both teams have grown since the Nov. 21 meeting.
“Well, there’s a lot more experience from both groups,” Walz said. “We’ve had a good two and a half months of really trying to put some things together offensively, defensively.
“They’re very disciplined in what they’re doing. They’re focused. They know who is supposed to get shots from where. Offensively, I think they’ve improved. Defensively, I think they’ve been solid the entire year, when I go back and watch them on film. As the players said, they’ve got the leading shot blocker in the country [Jasmine Joyner]. She does a fantastic job of erasing any mistakes their guards might have.”
About Briahanna Jackson’s return from a back spasm issue and if he he plans on rotating her back into the lineup for her last go around in the NCAA’s.
“Yes, I sure do. She practiced this past week. She looks good. She feels fine. Its been about a month that she’s not been on the court. So its not something that she’ll go out there and play 35 minutes. But she does feel good, so we do have her in the rotation…. Were going to have a little difference rotation now with BJ back. (with the confident freshman, Kylee Shook, also in rotation) When I have BJ on the floor I might be able to move Kylee to the 5, Myisha to the four and still have four scorers on the floor, which is something I think you have to do at this time of the year if you want to advance and continue playing.”
Asia Durr continues to be the Cardinals’ go-to threat. She is averaging a team-leading 18.8 points, with team highs of 108 3-pointers and 40 steals. Hines-Allen is producing 13.8 points and 9.2 rebounds, and Moore is logging 12.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists.
Chattanooga is coming off its fifth-consecutive Southern Conference Tournament championship. Joyner leads the team in scoring (13.2), rebounding (10.6), and steals (1.3). She ranks first in the country in total blocked shots, with 122 on the year. Chelsey Shumpert is second in scoring, totaling 10.9 points per game.
Collectively, Chattanooga ranks sixth nationally in blocked shots (187) and fourth in blocked shots per game (6.0). The team is 17th in the country in fewest turnovers (386) and first in personal fouls per game (9.5).
GAME FACTS – Chattanooga at Louisville
Date: Saturday, March 18
Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
Site: KFC Yum! Center (22,000), Louisville, Ky.
Television: ESPN2 will broadcast the game, with Dave O’Brien (play-by-play), Doris Burke (analyst), and Kara Lawson (analyst) calling the action.
Radio: WKRD 790 AM will broadcast the game, with Nick Curran (play-by-play) and Adrienne Johnson (analyst) calling the action.
Series History: Chattanooga leads the series 5-2 (2-1 in Louisville, 2-1 in Chattanooga, 1-0 neutral). Louisville defeated Chattanooga 63-47 on Nov. 21, 2016, in Louisville, Ky.
Next UofL Game: Should UofL advance, it faces the winner of No. 5-seed Tennessee/No. 12-seed Dayton, Monday, March 20, KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Ky., Time TBA (TV TBA)
As always, Go Cards Go
@darylfoust4
Daryl Foust
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