Louisville women ready for challenges

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville coach Jeff Walz and the Cardinals players are embracing the challenges that come with their lofty new status as the team to beat in women’s college basketball.

The Cardinals (12-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) have been a team-to-beat for a while under Walz. They believe the cohesion that has carried them to an unbeaten start to the season through pandemic-related pauses and postponements has them prepared to be No. 1.

“I really don’t expect much to change,” said the 14th-year coach, whose team began the season No. 5 and spent the past six weeks at No. 2 before moving up in Monday’s Associated Press Top 25.

Not surprisingly, Louisville’s catalyst is senior guard Dana Evans, a preseason AP All-American and ACC player of the year averaging 19.4 points and 4.4 assists per game. But many others have stepped up to not only fill voids left by the departures of three other starters, but provide depth on both ends of the floor.

Forwards Olivia Cochran and Hailey Van Lith, both freshmen, each average at least 12 points and are 1-2 on the team in rebounding with six-plus per game. Junior guard Kianna Smith, a perimeter threat who scored 600 points in two season at Cal, is averaging 13.3 points after sitting out last season per NCAA transfer rules.

Louisville has shot better than 50% from the field the past two games with five players scoring in double figures both times.

“I feel like anyone that comes on the floor can score and can make a play and that just makes the game fun,” Smith said. “It’s so much fun to see my teammates be successful and also be happy for me when I succeed.”

The Cardinals collectively put points on the scoreboard by finding open teammates when Evans has a rare off night. The Cardinals had 22 assists on 32 baskets in Sunday’s 84-56 home rout of Florida State, including eight assists by Evans.

“We all know we can score at three different levels,” Evans said, “but finding each other and getting each other open shots is what’s most important. And if we can continue to do that and move the ball the way we did, it’s going to be hard to guard us.”