#22/20 LOUISVILLE CARDINALS 9 - 3 (1-0 ACC, 5-way tie 1st)
Last season 22-11 (13-5, 5th); ACCT 1-1; NCAAT 1-1 (Lost to TCU in the 2nd Round 70-85)
NCAA NET Ranking 15 (UNC 14); Massey Rating #24 (UNC #22); RPI 83 (Nolan) (UNC 17); Torvik 21 (UNC 10)
Sunday afternoon’s game is against the Louisville Cardinals at Carmichael. Carolina is 9-2 and ranked #12/11 in the polls. This will be Carolina’s only regular season meeting with the Cardinals. Pollsters think the game will be close: Massey has Carolina by 3 points; Nolan Carolina by 9 points; Torvik UNC by 6 points.
Last year the Heels played the Cards in the KFC Yuk! Center, winning at that venue for the first time, 79-75. UNC got 19 points from Lanie Grant and Tray Crisp, plus double figures from Reniya Kelly (16) and Lexi Donarski (13). Crisp saw extended action in place of the injured Alyssa Ustby.
Two Louisville starters return from that game, Taj Roberts and Nyla Harris. Harris now plays for the Good Guys and will no doubt try to boost her current team to a third consecutive win over the Cards.
Even so, it will be just Carolina’s fourth win against the Cardinals since they became an ACC member. Overall UNC is just 6-9 with Louisville and since the Cards joined the ACC in 2014 a lopsided 3-9 record. As ACC members Louisville won the first eight matches, including one in postseason. In the Banghart era, the record is 3-3 including the last two. Fans will remember the 2022 game where the Cards Chelsie Hall tossed up a last-second shot while sitting on the floor and had the ball roll around for five minutes (it seemed) before falling off and preserving UNC’s 1-point win.
The two clubs played three games before Louisville joined the conference; all UNC wins. One of those games was in Anchorage AK and I vaguely recall both teams playing wearing snowshoes. I could be mistaken.
Louisville has had 11 non-conference games, winning 8. It was honestly not as aggressive a schedule as last year, and rates out as #194. Carolina is #72. The first game was against #1 UConn, played at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. The Huskies won 79-66. The first win was the home opener with Northern Kentucky, 89-61. The Cards then hosted Colorado, winning 74-68. Next was a trip to Clemson for a highly unusual mid-November ACC game with the Tigers. The Cards won 65-54, allowing them to brag about being in first place for the next month.
Morehead State paid a visit and lost 96-49 with Louisville putting seven players in double figures. Next in town was archrival #20 Kentucky, a game that Louisville lost 62-72. For the second year in a row, Teonni Key had 17 points for UK.
Louisville then hosted an “MTE”, which I understand stands for “Multi-Team Event” to distinguish it from a “Tournament”. Anyway, the Cards defeated Eastern Illinois 91-38, ETSU 88-50, and Bellarmine 100-37. Five days later a more impressive opponent, #3 South Carolina, came to town. Louisville lost by two, 77-79 in a nip-and-tuck game that had 13 lead changes and six ties. Louisville missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.
The final two non-conference games were with New Hampshire and Ball State, both easy Cardinals wins by 51 and 31 points respectively. Carolina is the next ACC game. It will be Louisville’s second true road game.
Louisville lost several starters from last year’s team including four-year starter Olivia Cochran, the afore-mentioned Nyla Harris, Jayda Curry and Ja’leah Williams. However, rather than getting transfers to fill these slots, Louisville promoted reserves Elif Istanbullouglu, a 6-3 sophomore F from Türkiye (8.2 ppg/4.7 rpg), Mackenly Randolph, a 6-0 sophomore F (7.2/3.8), and the seldom-used Anaya Hardy, a 6-3 sophomore F (6.8/6.8) to starter. Continuing to start is Tajianna Roberts, a 5-10 sophomore G (13.2/2.0).
Of course the transfer portal was not ignored, and it produced the final starter, Laura Ziegler, a 6-2 senior F (11.2/7.3). Ziegler, who’s originally from Denmark, spent her first three seasons at St. Joseph’s where she piled up a stack of A-10 awards including twice a 1st Team All-A10 selection.
Other reserves are Reyna Scott, a 5-10 senior G (8.2/2.8) who was a starter at Oklahoma; Arizona’s Skylar Jones, a 6-0 junior W (9.8/3.6), Imani Berry, a 5-10 sophomore G (9.4/3.9), and Reagan Bender, a 5-10 sophomore G (5.4/2.7). Berry was a POI for Carolina out of High School.
There are three freshmen and two of them will on occasion get into games: Yevheniia Putra, a 6-3 F from Ukraine (3.7 ppg) and Peyton Bradley, a 5-9 G (3.9). The third, 6-4 Grace Mbugua, may be redshirting. The other 6-4 player, Australian sophomore Isla Juffermans, is injured and has not yet played.
Hardy replaced Scott in the lineup, the Cards feeling that more front-line size was needed. She leads the team in blocks. Ziegler leads in assists and Jones in steals. Louisville can and has gone 12-13 deep in some games but against ranked opponents 8 or 9 have been used.
For this game, Louisville has the better numbers overall. They average 82.9 points (UNC 79.6). The Cards are a quality rebounding team and are +7 on the boards. Louisville does not have either a top-20 scorer or rebounder, and neither does UNC. This season there has been more emphasis on the three, 275 attempts and 102 makes (.371). Carolina has 263 attempts and 95 made (.361). Ziegler (.405), Roberts (.373) and Jones (.367) all appear to bear watching.
The head coach is Jeffrey Jacob (Jeff) Walz, in his nineteenth year with a record of 495-149. Louisville has made 16 trips to the NCAA in Walz’ 18 years, and certainly would have made a 17th except for Covid-19 cancelling the 2020 tournament. They are still seeking their first NCAA Championship but have been runner-up twice. Still, Walz is considered one of the top coaches in WBB with four overall Final Four appearances and 15 consecutive 20 win seasons.
This current team is anxious to break a three year run of double digit losses, as well as two consecutive to the Heels.
This is a big game for both schools. Some will say “well, it’s just one game” but in conference play every game is huge. As they used to say at the Stearns Pickle Works out on Long Island, “It’s a big dill”. UNC saw this last year when the home loss to Florida State cost at least one seed and the Virginia home loss another. If Carolina is going to make a legitimate run at a top four seed in the ACC, this is a game they need. It will not be easy. Louisville is a quality team, well coached, and will play hard for 40 minutes.
The game is 4:00 PM EST. The game will be broadcast by ACCN. There is an audio link on GoHeels..
Last season 22-11 (13-5, 5th); ACCT 1-1; NCAAT 1-1 (Lost to TCU in the 2nd Round 70-85)
NCAA NET Ranking 15 (UNC 14); Massey Rating #24 (UNC #22); RPI 83 (Nolan) (UNC 17); Torvik 21 (UNC 10)
Sunday afternoon’s game is against the Louisville Cardinals at Carmichael. Carolina is 9-2 and ranked #12/11 in the polls. This will be Carolina’s only regular season meeting with the Cardinals. Pollsters think the game will be close: Massey has Carolina by 3 points; Nolan Carolina by 9 points; Torvik UNC by 6 points.
Last year the Heels played the Cards in the KFC Yuk! Center, winning at that venue for the first time, 79-75. UNC got 19 points from Lanie Grant and Tray Crisp, plus double figures from Reniya Kelly (16) and Lexi Donarski (13). Crisp saw extended action in place of the injured Alyssa Ustby.
Two Louisville starters return from that game, Taj Roberts and Nyla Harris. Harris now plays for the Good Guys and will no doubt try to boost her current team to a third consecutive win over the Cards.
Even so, it will be just Carolina’s fourth win against the Cardinals since they became an ACC member. Overall UNC is just 6-9 with Louisville and since the Cards joined the ACC in 2014 a lopsided 3-9 record. As ACC members Louisville won the first eight matches, including one in postseason. In the Banghart era, the record is 3-3 including the last two. Fans will remember the 2022 game where the Cards Chelsie Hall tossed up a last-second shot while sitting on the floor and had the ball roll around for five minutes (it seemed) before falling off and preserving UNC’s 1-point win.
The two clubs played three games before Louisville joined the conference; all UNC wins. One of those games was in Anchorage AK and I vaguely recall both teams playing wearing snowshoes. I could be mistaken.
Louisville has had 11 non-conference games, winning 8. It was honestly not as aggressive a schedule as last year, and rates out as #194. Carolina is #72. The first game was against #1 UConn, played at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. The Huskies won 79-66. The first win was the home opener with Northern Kentucky, 89-61. The Cards then hosted Colorado, winning 74-68. Next was a trip to Clemson for a highly unusual mid-November ACC game with the Tigers. The Cards won 65-54, allowing them to brag about being in first place for the next month.
Morehead State paid a visit and lost 96-49 with Louisville putting seven players in double figures. Next in town was archrival #20 Kentucky, a game that Louisville lost 62-72. For the second year in a row, Teonni Key had 17 points for UK.
Louisville then hosted an “MTE”, which I understand stands for “Multi-Team Event” to distinguish it from a “Tournament”. Anyway, the Cards defeated Eastern Illinois 91-38, ETSU 88-50, and Bellarmine 100-37. Five days later a more impressive opponent, #3 South Carolina, came to town. Louisville lost by two, 77-79 in a nip-and-tuck game that had 13 lead changes and six ties. Louisville missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.
The final two non-conference games were with New Hampshire and Ball State, both easy Cardinals wins by 51 and 31 points respectively. Carolina is the next ACC game. It will be Louisville’s second true road game.
Louisville lost several starters from last year’s team including four-year starter Olivia Cochran, the afore-mentioned Nyla Harris, Jayda Curry and Ja’leah Williams. However, rather than getting transfers to fill these slots, Louisville promoted reserves Elif Istanbullouglu, a 6-3 sophomore F from Türkiye (8.2 ppg/4.7 rpg), Mackenly Randolph, a 6-0 sophomore F (7.2/3.8), and the seldom-used Anaya Hardy, a 6-3 sophomore F (6.8/6.8) to starter. Continuing to start is Tajianna Roberts, a 5-10 sophomore G (13.2/2.0).
Of course the transfer portal was not ignored, and it produced the final starter, Laura Ziegler, a 6-2 senior F (11.2/7.3). Ziegler, who’s originally from Denmark, spent her first three seasons at St. Joseph’s where she piled up a stack of A-10 awards including twice a 1st Team All-A10 selection.
Other reserves are Reyna Scott, a 5-10 senior G (8.2/2.8) who was a starter at Oklahoma; Arizona’s Skylar Jones, a 6-0 junior W (9.8/3.6), Imani Berry, a 5-10 sophomore G (9.4/3.9), and Reagan Bender, a 5-10 sophomore G (5.4/2.7). Berry was a POI for Carolina out of High School.
There are three freshmen and two of them will on occasion get into games: Yevheniia Putra, a 6-3 F from Ukraine (3.7 ppg) and Peyton Bradley, a 5-9 G (3.9). The third, 6-4 Grace Mbugua, may be redshirting. The other 6-4 player, Australian sophomore Isla Juffermans, is injured and has not yet played.
Hardy replaced Scott in the lineup, the Cards feeling that more front-line size was needed. She leads the team in blocks. Ziegler leads in assists and Jones in steals. Louisville can and has gone 12-13 deep in some games but against ranked opponents 8 or 9 have been used.
For this game, Louisville has the better numbers overall. They average 82.9 points (UNC 79.6). The Cards are a quality rebounding team and are +7 on the boards. Louisville does not have either a top-20 scorer or rebounder, and neither does UNC. This season there has been more emphasis on the three, 275 attempts and 102 makes (.371). Carolina has 263 attempts and 95 made (.361). Ziegler (.405), Roberts (.373) and Jones (.367) all appear to bear watching.
The head coach is Jeffrey Jacob (Jeff) Walz, in his nineteenth year with a record of 495-149. Louisville has made 16 trips to the NCAA in Walz’ 18 years, and certainly would have made a 17th except for Covid-19 cancelling the 2020 tournament. They are still seeking their first NCAA Championship but have been runner-up twice. Still, Walz is considered one of the top coaches in WBB with four overall Final Four appearances and 15 consecutive 20 win seasons.
This current team is anxious to break a three year run of double digit losses, as well as two consecutive to the Heels.
This is a big game for both schools. Some will say “well, it’s just one game” but in conference play every game is huge. As they used to say at the Stearns Pickle Works out on Long Island, “It’s a big dill”. UNC saw this last year when the home loss to Florida State cost at least one seed and the Virginia home loss another. If Carolina is going to make a legitimate run at a top four seed in the ACC, this is a game they need. It will not be easy. Louisville is a quality team, well coached, and will play hard for 40 minutes.
The game is 4:00 PM EST. The game will be broadcast by ACCN. There is an audio link on GoHeels..
