Louisville Cardinals
Overall Rank: #9
Conference Rank: #2 ACC
On the heels of another trip to the Sweet Sixteen, Louisville returns two starters to a team that has now reached the NCAA Tournament seven years in a row. Coach Jeff Walz has done great things with this program and will not end this year. Asia Durr and Myisha Hines-Allen form a great inside-outside duo and were the team’s top two scorers a year ago. Durr averaged 19.2 points per game and connected on 40.5 percent of her 294 three-point attempts. Hines-Allen averaged 13.9 points and a team high 9.3 rebounds.
2016-17 Record: 29-8, 12-4
2016-17 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Jeff Walz
Coach Record: 263-93 at Louisville, 263-93 overall
Key Departed Players (starters in bold)
Mariya Moore, Forward, 12.0 ppg
Briahanna Jackson, Guard, 6.1 ppg
Cortnee Walton, Forward, 2.6 ppg
Ciera Johnson, Center, 4.0 ppg
Taylor Johnson, Guard, 2.1 ppg
Key Returning Players (starters in bold)
Asia Durr, Junior, Guard, 19.2 ppg
Myisha Hines-Allen, Senior, Forward, 13.9 ppg
Kylee Shook, Sophomore, Forward, 5.2 ppg
Jazmine Jones, Sophomore, Guard, 4.5 ppg
Sam Fuehring, Junior, Forward, 3.6 ppg
Sydney Zambrotta, Sophomore, Guard, 2.9 ppg
Bionca Dunham, Sophomore, Forward, 2.0 ppg
Arica Carter, Junior, Guard, DNP last season
Key New Players
Lindsey Duvall, Freshman, Guard
Dana Evans, Freshman, Guard
Loretta Kakala, Freshman, Center
Projection:
Coach Walz has four sophomores who saw some action last season and players like Kylee Shook and Jazmine Jones will need to step into bigger roles this year. Shook, a 6-4 forward, started 13 games last season and averaged 5.2 points and 3.3 rebounds. With more playing time, Shook should complement Hines-Allen in the post very well. Louisville also brings in a very talented three player class. Dana Evans is a superb point guard and could step right into the starting lineup. Guard Lindsey Duvall and 6-2 center Loretta Kakala are both extremely talented and have plenty of potential. If Louisville needs the freshmen to play major minutes, they are capable of doing it. However, this group may not need them all, but that quality depth will come in handy by March, especially once all of these underclassmen gain valuable experience.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 74.6 (27th in nation, 4th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 61.0 (85, 5)
Field-Goal Percentage: 44.5 (29, 4)
Field-Goal Defense: 37.3 (50, 4)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.5 (108, 5)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.0 (44, 4)
Free-Throw Percentage: 69.2 (180, 8)
Rebound Margin: 6.8 (24, 3)
Assists Per Game: 16.6 (15, 2)
Turnovers Per Game: 14.2 (71, 5)
Madness 2018 WNBA Draft Rankings:
#19 Myisha Hines-Allen
Madness 2017 Women’s Basketball Recruit Rankings:
#4 Dana Evans
#26 Loretta Kakala
#44 Lindsay Duvall
