Cardinals women’s basketball closes out their five game opening home stretch Sunday against Boise State (3-2). The Broncos will likely be the greatest challenge the Cards have faced this season apart from themselves. Shooting woes for Louisville haven’t yet had an impact given the caliber of opponent to date, but another slow start might find the Cards in a pickle. Per Jeff Walz the only cure is practice, practice, practice. Hopefully the Cards found time Friday and Saturday to shake the remaining rust.

Game Info:

DATE: Sun 24 Nov 2019
TIME: 1:00 p.m. EST
SITE: KFC Yum! Center (Louisville, KY)
WATCH: ACC Network Extra
LISTEN: 790 AM WKRD

The Broncos under Gordy Presnell come to the KFC Yum! Center for the third match-up against Louisville in as many years. It would have been the fourth if not for the a heartbreaking loss to Oregon State last year in the NCAA Second Round. Through the years Presnell has been able to build quite the program in Boise and it’s no mystery why Walz selected them as a home-and-home partner.

The Broncos have a bit more depth when compared to the Mocs of UT-Chattanooga, but it’s not that much more. Senior guard Riley Lupfer leads the way with 14 points per game and 42% shooting from distance on 19 for 45 in five games. Mallory McGwire owns the paint with 13.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, while sixth player Jade Loville contributes 10 points and three rebounds off the bench in pure Dana Evans 2018-2019 style.

Boise State has size that’s a far better match for the Cardinals than any opponent to date so Liz, E, and Kylee will have their work cut out for them down low. And the Broncos are not ones to shy away from three-point opportunities regardless of who possesses the ball, thus presenting an additional defensive challenge. Moving the ball well is a hallmark of Presnell’s squad and so the Cardinals will have to avoid the flat-footed defense that plagued them early against Central Michigan.

As for the Cards, Jeff Walz continues to tinker and it’s difficult to blame him. Last season the formula was fairly self-evident, but 2019-2020 is proving to be a bit more of a conundrum. Dana Evans is still settling into her role at the point but in the meantime continues to produce offensively. In the post, Shook and Dixon may flip-flop early on as Walz attempts to find the best approach.

There’s no doubt the Cards are able to get the offense going, but the question remains as to when that will happen. Defensively they should match up well against the Broncos. But where in the first four games they’ve been given some cushion due to mismatch, on Sunday they’ll likely find that dalliance will be punished quickly.

Game Info:

DATE: Sun 24 Nov 2019
TIME: 1:00 p.m. EST
SITE: KFC Yum! Center (Louisville, KY)
WATCH: ACC Network Extra
LISTEN: 790 AM WKRD

PROBABLE STARTERS:

#8 Louisville (4-0)
G #1 Evans
G #4 Balogun
G #23 Jones
F #33 Dunham
F #21 Shook

Boise State (3-2)
G #23 Christopher
G #14 Hodgins
G #21 Lupfer
F #42 Coleman
F #44 McGwire

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Occasional podcast producer, occasional videographer, talentless hanger-on.

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