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At some point in the 3rd quarter when the score was 64-27 I turned to the people next to me and asked, "What should I write about this game??" For while Louisville did a lot of things well, this was not a game that exemplified the thrill and excitement of college basketball. The final score was 86-58, but this game seemed over before it had barely started.
Myisha Hines-Allen had a a double-double (14pts/10reb) in the first half. She had 9 points and 6 rebounds in the first quarter and seemed to have the aggressive mindset that Coach Walz has been trying to motivate her to recapture. After the game Coach Walz said, "I'm happy for her. That's what we need to see out of her...she needs to be aggressive from the get-go."
The team as a whole held the Cougars to 23% shooting in the first half. Asia Durr (who finished the game with 20 points) said, "We started off strong." Myisha added, "We know defense is how we're going to win once we start getting to ACC games."
There was a drop-off in play when the starters sat in the 3rd quarter. Myisha said, "To be a great team the Breakfast Club [the nickname for the non-starters who practice first at 10:30AM] has to come with more intensity." One player who got a little more time tonight and made the most of it was freshman Bionca Dunham. She had 10 points and 4 rebounds. Myisha said of Bionca, "She's really athletic so I knew she was going to get on the boards. That's what she does. She tries to go after all the rebounds and she showed it today with her put backs too." Bionca didn't even start playing basketball until she was 13 so her learning curve is pretty steep.
Maybe the team was extra motivated in the first half because it was Ugly Sweater night? When asked about his ugly sweater Coach Walz joked, "This is one of my nice ones. I don't appreciate that." Coach Purcell took it next level and wore an entire ugly suit that Asia called "very creative" and Myisha said had "swag."
Great game and love the suit @coachsampurcell @UofLWBB pic.twitter.com/waykMYBiPl
— Cheryl Blair (@auntcherylb_y) December 17, 2016
Coaches enthusiastically participating in Ugly Sweater (Suit?) night. #GoCards pic.twitter.com/NspyeenOT3
— Rachel (@snicklefritz35) December 16, 2016
The next game is Sunday vs. Evansville at 2PM and is on ACCN Extra. That's another quick turnaround between games, but as Asia Durr says, "That's what we came her to do, we came here to play....I just want want to play instead of practicing."