Louisville women's basketball -- Knowing the Trees...A look at Stanford WBB -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE - Hallo friendsINFO TODAY, In the article you read this time with the title Louisville women's basketball -- Knowing the Trees...A look at Stanford WBB -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE, We have prepared this article for you to read and retrieve information therein. Hopefully the contents of postings Article economy, Article health, Article hobby, Article News, Article politics, Article sports, We write this you can understand. Alright, good read.

Title : Louisville women's basketball -- Knowing the Trees...A look at Stanford WBB -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE
link : Louisville women's basketball -- Knowing the Trees...A look at Stanford WBB -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Louisville women's basketball -- Knowing the Trees...A look at Stanford WBB -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDS, STANFORD HOOK UP FRIDAY NIGHT IN LEXINGTON

When we speak of knowing the trees in today's headline, it's not an ecological look at those tall conifers and deciduous objects that grace our front lawns and forests. Not even a  philosophical meandering into our understanding and embracing these leaf-bearers and droppers that can make our sinuses swell in the spring and break our backs in the fall when they bloom, prosper and finally shed their cover. 

We look at Stanford. The Cardinal without an "s". AKA the Trees. Coeds and PHD's traverse a campus, an area known as the Farm...derived from the days when horses rather than students roamed the property of campus founders and former farm owners Leland and Jane Stanford. Hey, I guess it might have been a refuse dump or hog-slaughter operation...so the farm fits just fine. Stanford, one of those academic schools. 

So, why a tree on the sidelines? A resting place for the Cardinal? Nope, but good guess. The tree is "a rich and vivid metaphor for the very pulse of life". You see, there is no official mascot at Stanford. The tree is a member of the pep band. A representative of "El Palo Alto" the redwood tree which is the logo of the city of Palo Alto -- where Stanford University is located. 

All this being of whatever interest it may be to you, dear reader...of course, tells you nothing about the Stanford women's basketball squad...who Louisville will try and trim on Friday night in Rupp Arena for Sweet Sixteen action. It's the second time these two have been scheduled to face...Stanford was to be the Cards opponent in the pre-WNIT is Columbus to start off the season, but scheduling requirement and a flight back to campus so students wouldn't miss classes necessitated that the Trees play Connecticut instead of Louisville and the Cards ended up facing home-standing Ohio State in the second contest of the afternoon...while Stanford flew westbound over trees to return to campus.  

The game was a 25 point win for Geno's dogs over Tara VanDerveer's Cardinal. Stanford also got a "pickup" game with Baylor three weeks later in the season when an opponent backed out and fell to the Mulkey Bears in Waco by 24. It was a rough beginning 1/3rd of the season for the Farm dwellers....6-6 at one point and people were wondering what was going on with the usual feared bully of the Pac 12. 

Senior guard Brittany McPhee elaborates: 

"We did fall in the beginning of the season but in our minds, we knew that if we got it together, we could be a really good team."  

Getting it together meant facing powerhouses and having success against Cal, UCLA, Arizona State, Oregon and Oregon State in the PAC 12 and who all made the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinal succeeded, getting to a record of 22-10 and earning a #2 seed in the PAC 12 conference tournament. They advanced to the finals before running into buzzsaw Oregon who vut them down by 20...77-57. 

The finish was good enough to send them dancing, though...as a #4 seed and, coincidentally...into the Lexington region for the third straight year. Not that they minded...The Cardinal beat Notre Dame and Texas in Rupp last year to reach the Final Four and knocked off the Irish two years ago in the Sweet Sixteen. The Trees may know Rupp better than Louisville and Notre Dame's Muffet McGraw probably let out a war whoop and did and Irish jig in her stilleto heels when she saw "that other team" was not in her regional bracket. 


Stanford, on the other hand, is in Lexington with a previous nemesis in Baylor, fellow PAC 12 member Oregon State and Louie's Cardinals. They'll attempt to move forward behind the strong shooting of guard McPhee, who is their leading scorer at 16.8 ppg. THe Cards will also need to keep an eye on Alanna Smith, an Aussie import, who averages 13.7 a night. The 6'4" center has been tearing it up, though, in NCAA wins over Gonzaga and three-bombing FGCU in the first two rounds at the Maples Pavillion on the Stanford campus. 

Probably what Louisville needs to do, most of all, is play Louisville basketball. A quick and successful early start. Combining the shooting of Asia Durr and Jasmine Jones, the inside play of Myisha Hines-Allen and Sam Fuehring and court guidance and leadership of Arica Carter. Stepping on the gas early and leaving the foe in the dust. 

At this time of the season...as if you ever really can...there is no looking ahead. Whatever happens in Game 1 at Rupp happens. Either Baylor or Oregon State will be worthy opponents. The Cards' minds will be in, or on...if you will...the Trees and how to fell them. 

Sonya's Aunt is a Stanford fan. WE all
have those skeleton's in the closet. 

Stanford plays an adaptable style of hoops. They let FGCU bomb away against them, allowing over 50 threes. Fortunately, for Stanford, about a quarter of them found the net. Gonzaga, a bit weaker squad than some of the Bulldogs team of past years. Know this...Stanford has been shooting the ball quite well in the NCAA Tournament. 50.8% from the floor. 51.3% from three-point range and 65.2% from the free throw line. 

Alanna Smith talks about The Trees: 

"This time of year you have to deliver. We've prepared for this time of year all of the season. This is my third time doing it. You get a little experience behind you and when your time comes, you have to step up. I don't think it's just one person that is , or is going to be our 'go-to' star. That's the kind of team we have. We have people who will step up on a given night...it's what Coach VanDerveer calls a 'solo'. and, then another time, someone else might have that 'solo'." 

Louisville, of course, knows all about people stepping up. Myisha Hines-Allen stepped up and jumped over tall buildings wearing a cape in the blowout win over Marquette. Sam Fuehring has had her share of domination games. And, then there's the volatile junior from Georgia.

"Nite-nite".

Arguably the premier player in women's college basketball this season. Asia Durr accomplishes with relative ease in one night, one season what some players never get close to experiencing in a college hoops lifetime. 

A coach, who remains anonymous due because of his personal wishes, told me earlier this season : 

"Durr. What I wouldn't give to have an Asia Durr. She's where you start in building a program. What she can do. What she has done. What she'll do in the future. I'd trade a roster full of good scholarship players for her. The others visualize it. She realizes  and accomplishes it. Makes everyone around her better and is all about team and joint success. Amazing. Jeff has had three like that. Some coaches never get one. I need that knack and that luck for finding them, getting to them first, getting them on campus and developing them. Whatever UofL is paying him, it's not enough. They should double it."  


Yes, it's a game start time that has a few opting to hang at home and watch on the four-letter network instead of going. Probably some of the same people who vowed they would faithfully support the Cards if they got blessed with the Lexington region. Some who won't want to drive on an Interstate after midnight. That's exactly what ESPN wants you to do, stay home and be force-fed their sponsor's commercials. Shorter rest-room lines and less expensive food, right? Defy the logic and poor Cardinal placement and come to the game.

Get out of your chairs and come dance in the Sweet Sixteen. It's Lexington, for goodness sake, not Oklahoma City, Baton Rouge or Austin. An hour and 15 minutes down I-64. 

I know. Most people won't. It was worth a try. 

Survive and advance. Just survive somehow. Play ball. The second of three two-game tournaments is a day and an (rather late) evening away. 



Paulie
xxxxx


  

Thus Article Louisville women's basketball -- Knowing the Trees...A look at Stanford WBB -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

That's an article Louisville women's basketball -- Knowing the Trees...A look at Stanford WBB -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE This time, hopefully can give benefits to all of you. well, see you in posting other articles.

You are now reading the article Louisville women's basketball -- Knowing the Trees...A look at Stanford WBB -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE with the link address https://infotodays1.blogspot.com/2018/03/louisville-womens-basketball-knowing.html

Tweet

Subscribe to receive free email updates: