PREVIEW: Kentucky WBB prepares for rivalry game with Louisville
It’s been nearly two years, but the Battle for the Bluegrass is back. On Sunday afternoon, No. 14 Kentucky Women’s Basketball will face the No. 7 Louisville Cardinals in the KFC Yum! Center at 1 p.m.
Coming off a loss against DePaul, the ‘Cats have a lot to prove; beating the Cardinals would be a good start. Admittedly, this historic matchup hasn’t been kind to the ‘Cats recently. Louisville has beat UK four straight times, including a one-point barn burner in their last contest.
Let’s talk about how the Cardinals plan on extending their win streak.
Learning about Louisville
After losing their first game of the season in an overtime thriller to Arizona, the Cardinals have rattled off seven straight wins. Led by veteran head coach Jeff Walz, Louisville is averaging 69.6 points per game.
More impressively, Louisville is holding their opponents to 46.4 points per contest, the third-best in the nation. The Cardinals’ iron defense appears in their opponent’s efficiency. When facing Louisville, teams are shooting a poor 33% from the field and 24% from deep.
Statistically, Louisville’s offense isn’t nearly as threatening as their defense. The Cardinals only have three players averaging double-digit point totals and not a single player scoring more than 12 points per game.
Nonetheless, talent must be respected. Redshirt senior Kianna Smith leads the way for Louisville with 11.5 points per game. Additionally, the 6-foot guard is a sniper from deep, making 47% of her 3-point attempts this year.
Controlling the paint for the Cardinals, Emily Engstler brings in 10.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per contest. Star sophomore Hailey Van Lith adds another 10.3 points to the Cardinals’ cause.
As a team, Louisville is shooting 46% from the field and 35% from long range. In addition, the Cardinals have solid size. The team boasts eight players who stand at 6-foot or taller, including 6-foot-5 Liz Dixon.
The Cardinals will undoubtedly present a new challenge to UK. Fortunately for the ‘Cats, adversity is nothing new.
Keys for Kentucky WBB
The most recent adversity for Kentucky struck just an hour before tip-off against DePaul when the program announced star forward Dre’Una Edwards was sidelined due to failing to uphold the academic standards of the program. Nevertheless, she’s back.
The ‘Cats will be in full-strength against the Cardinals. While the the players are undoubtedly excited for the matchup, only one player has experience playing the Cardinals: Rhyne Howard.
During a press conference on Friday afternoon, Elzy was asked whether or not her players understand the importance of the rivalry game.
“Absolutely. It’s something that we talk about. We’re both in the state of Kentucky — great basketball teams that are going to compete against each other,” Elzy said. “[The players] understand the importance of how the fans love this game, the energy, the hype and the intensity that surrounds it.”
If the Wildcats don’t understand the rivalry yet, they will soon. The highest-attended game for Kentucky this season was against DePaul, with 4,906 fans in the stands. The attendance of the last time Kentucky Women’s Basketball squared off against Louisville was more than double that amount. It’ll be vital the ‘Cats keep their cool.
Playing with poise is even more difficult when considering the ‘Cats are facing one of the toughest defenses in the country. Nevertheless, Elzy is ensuring her team plays fearless.
“[The Cardinals] play really hard defensively. We have to be aggressive, take care of the ball and take what the defense gives us,” Elzy said. “We have to be smart offensively and poised.”
Kentucky’s offense thrives best when it has multiple scoring outlets. With Edwards returning to the lineup, Kentucky’s offense will be a flood trying to burst through Louisville’s dam of a defense.
Kentucky has four players this season averaging double-digit scoring figures. Perhaps more importantly, the team has six players that have and can score double digits on any given night. Kentucky will need all the points they can get to take down the chaotic Cardinals.
Looking toward the matchup
Sunday’s contest will mark Kentucky’s second ranked matchup of the season. It’s safe to assume the ‘Cats are looking for a different outcome this time around. As much as coaches may preach it’s just another game on the schedule, Kentucky blue bloods know the truth. This rivalry game just means more. Elzy is ready for the big moment.
“It’s gonna be a great game to play. Those are the type of environments you want to play in, on the big stage.”
Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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