Former Bear Smith is looking to upend Cardinal in Elite 8
Blue and gold ties often run deep, as Louisville guard Kianna Smith can attest.
Smith, who spent her first two collegiate seasons at Cal, starts for the Cardinals (263), who take on topseeded Stanford in San Antonio on Tuesday night with a spot in the Final Four at stake.
“I’ve heard from a lot of my old Cal teammates, just encouraging me — not necessarily because we’re playing Stanford, but just because we’re super close,” Smith said during a Zoom news conference Monday morning.
“They definitely know the challenge tomorrow’s game will bring, so they’re just really excited for me to be playing in the Elite Eight.”
Smith averaged 9.2 points and 3.8 assists in her two seasons with the Bears. She made the Pac12’s AllFreshman team in 201718.
After sitting out last season because of transfer rules, Smith is the Cardinals’ secondleading scorer at 11.5 points per game, behind AllAmerica guard Dana Evans (19.9).
“This year has been great playing at Louisville,” Smith said. “I’ve loved playing for coach ( Jeff ) Walz. He definitely challenges me in completely different ways and pushes me more than I have been.”
Walz said Smith “did not embrace a whole bunch of physicality to start off the year.” Walz has been pleased with Smith’s progress on that front.
He said that in Louisville’s 6042 thumping of Oregon in the Sweet 16 on Sunday night, Smith “played as physical as she has since she’s been here.”
Said Smith: “We’re in March. This is the NCAA Tournament, so I’m going to play however coach Walz and our team need me to play to win the game.
“And if that is being more physical, then I’m going to show up as a more physical player.”
Before Sunday, Evans had failed to score more than 15 points in any of the previous five games, going 25for80 (31.2%) from the floor in that stretch.
She ended that slump with a 29point performance against the Ducks as she hit on 11 of 21 fieldgoal attempts.
“Darn it, she did get going, didn’t she?” Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer cracked, adding that it was “just a matter of time” before Evans got back on track.
“She’s a very confident player, a very talented player. So, we’re going to have to work very hard. I think it’s going to be a job by committee.”
Stanford (282), which owns a 17game winning streak, has shut down many top scorers this season. Through Sunday, the Cardinal ranked second in the nation in fieldgoal percentage defense (32.6), behind only Baylor (32.3).
Cal went 23 in Smith’s five games against Stanford. She scored 16 points in each of the two wins and a combined 14 points in the three losses.
Walz called Smith “an absolute joy to coach,” but won’t rely on her for any scouting reports on the Cardinal.
“It’s not like I need to Ki to tell me they’re good,” he said. “I can figure that much out on my own.”
Briefly: Louisville has reached the Elite Eight in each of the past three seasons. In 2018, the Cardinals beat Stanford 8659 in the Sweet 16, the only previous meeting between the programs. … Stanford seeks its 14th Final Four appearance, Louisville its fourth.