Let’s just assume Louisville and Notre Dame both make it all the way to the ACC Championship. Louisville is going to pull off the upset and beat the Irish.
Jeff Walz and the Louisville women’s basketball program are not going to let Notre Dame beat them again. The Cards are not the kind of team that lets a team show them up twice, not behind Jeff Walz.
Notre Dame gave Louisville their first loss this season in an 82-68 victory back on January 10. Asia Durr had 29 points in that game while the rest of the Cards combined for the other 39.
The difference makers for Louisville to winning this game will be everyone staying out of foul trouble and getting the entire team involved in scoring.
In the previous loss, the Cards racked up 28 combined fouls against Notre Dame. Arica Carter, Bionca Dunham and Evans all had five and Sam Fuehring had four. Four key players wanted and needed on the court.
The Irish only combined for 15 fouls, with no one getting five which let them keep their key players where they needed to be. The Cards are going to have to find a way to play defensive and keep the Irish from scoring without fouling.
Against the Irish, Jazmine Jones went hit zero of her four field goal attempts and Dana Evans went one for eight. These are key players that will need to hit shots if the Cardinals want to put up a fight against Notre Dame.
Notre Dame has four girls averaging over 14 points a game in Arike Ogunbowale leading that with 21.4. The Cards only have one averaging over 11 per game and that’s Durr who’s also averaging 21.4 a game.
Other Cardinals are going to have to score of the Cards want to win. They can do it, though. Louisville has the talent to come out and beat Notre Dame.
Notre Dame has the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in Brianna Turner, the Cards will have to find a way to work around her and score.
The odds are against Louisville in this matchup, but if you think Louisville will walk away without giving Notre Dame a run for your money, you should rethink that. The Cards have been on fire lately and have grown as a team even since the loss two months ago.
Whichever team wins will be the team that comes out and plays harder. It won’t be an easy game, but I don’t see Louisville walking away this season with another loss from the Irish.
If the Cards can trade fouls for points, they’ll be the ACC Champs.