Louisville women’s basketball will make it all the way, here’s why

Even with two losses in ACC play, there’s not a better team in the country. After years of getting close, Louisville women’s basketball’s time to win it all is now.

Let’s start with seven names you’ve been hearing all season long for Louisville women’s basketball: senior Asia Durr, sophomore Dana Evans, senior Sam Fuehring, redshirt senior Arica Carter, junior Jazmine Jones, junior Kylee Shook, and junior Bionca Dunham.

Got those names remembered? Good, because you’ll be hearing them April 7 at the National Championship.

Jeff Walz’s team has the potential to make it all the way with this team and earn a ring.

Durr is dominant on the court, that’s no question. She’s led the team in their 25 victories this year shooting .440 from field goal range and .343 from 3-point range.

Durr isn’t doing it alone, though, she’s got girls next to her every game killing it on the court. Fuehring, a tough defender for the Cards, Shook, who’s dynamite off the bench, Jones, and Dunham are all shooting over .500 from field goal range.

After losing Myisha Hines-Allen, I don’t know if everyone expected Louisville to be as good, but with all the other Cards returning and growing, this team is still phenomenal, maybe even better than last year.

The only two losses Louisville has had this year were both against ACC schools, arguably the toughest conference in women’s college basketball. One of those losses was against No. 5 Notre Dame (82-68).

Nobody is perfect and losses happen. The Cardinals have beat every other school, ACC and non-conference, this year so far and are likely to beat NC State for the first time Thursday and Pittsburgh again Sunday. That would leave them a well-earned 27-2 for the season.

Louisville handed UConn, a team that Walz had never beat before, one of their two losses this season in a 78-68 victory.

Regular season play isn’t tournament play, but these girls have something other teams don’t: They’re tough. There’s no other way to put it and you can’t see it unless you watch them play. If you do, you know every girl on that court plays hard all 40 minutes of every game.

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Watching Durr, Jones, Carter and Fuehring play is always a guaranteed 40 minutes of strong, resilient and exciting basketball. The Cardinals are eager every play and nonstop all game.

Louisville puts every bit of heart and effort into every play no matter the score.

There are two obstacles the Cards will face in the tournament, the first being women’s basketball issues with officiating. One could argue it cost Louisville a chance at the NCAA championship game last year.

Every team has to face this issue, though, and the Cards have worked through it so far. We can only hope they find a way to do the same in tournament play.

The second obstacle will be in some other teams that play hard too. Cards will have their challenges in Baylor, Oregon, UConn, Norte Dame, and Mississippi State, but they keep putting their hearts into every game and they can handle these teams.

There’s little question if Walz will lead his team to a Final Four again, they have the talent and the determination. They play their cards right and this team could find themselves a seat in the Championship and a ring on their fingers.