By Dalton Ray–
Coach Jeff Walz has created a powerhouse from the ground up at Louisville, a powerhouse that is beginning the season ranked fifth.
Entering his 10th season, Walz is 234-85 with eight NCAA tournament appearances, and his conference record is 27-5. Louisville is picked to finished second behind top-ranked Notre Dame in the ACC.
Fifteen players deep, Walz boasts one of the nation’s most talented rosters. Louisville has two All-ACC preseason selects on the team in junior forwards Myisha Hines-Allen and Mariya Moore. The Blue Ribbon Panel and head coaches poll both picked Hines-Allen to win the conference Player of the Year. U of L has three McDonald’s All-Americans. Asia Durr was ESPN’s second-ranked recruit coming out in 2015. Louisville’s last three recruiting classes rank in the top 10.
Starting in the backcourt, Walz has many different combinations to choose from. The lone true point guard on the roster is Arica Carter. The junior guard isn’t one score in double-digits on a consistent basis, but has a respectable scoring ability. Carter is a smart player that operates best as a facilitator, keeping the ball in motion. Carter may not make a huge impact on the stat line, but is very important part of the offense.
Briahanna Jackson and Taylor Johnson are both combo scoring guards. Jackson averaged 11 points a game last year and dished out 96 assists. Starting 33 of 34 games, Jackson is a capable scorer at the point guard position. Last season Jackson posted 20 points four separate times. Defensively, the redshirt senior has quick hands. Leading the Cardinals in steals, Jackson was seventh in the ACC with two per game.
Johnson comes to U of L as a fifth-year transfer. Sixth in all-time points at Loyola Chicago, Johnson has a career average of 14.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.5 steals. A high-caliber player, the Cardinals landed one of the best transfers in the country. With the addition of Johnson, Walz adds more scoring power, leadership and a smart player.
Durr is more of a two-guard, but ran the point in high school. A very gifted offensive player, Durr gives Walz a three-headed attack between Hines-Allen, Moore and Durr. Playing on the wing, Durr is a solid 3-point shooter and knocked down 36 percent last season. Last season, Walz used Durr off the bench and she thrived in the role.
Brianna Jones didn’t get much action last year, but was a five-star player coming out of high school. Walz brought in three more guards this year in Sydney Zambrotta, Jazmine Jones and Jessica Laemmle.
Entering the front court, the Cardinals are led by Moore, Hines-Allen and Cortnee Walton. The team will go as far as these three players can carry them.
Moore is a heady player that plays on the wing. With 269 assists in her first two years, Moore has great vision and feel for the game. She doesn’t have blazing speed but has basketball IQ. Moore is best on the fast break and plays well in transition. Attacking the rim and drawing fouls is one of her strong suits as Moore shot 163 free throws last year. Moore also knows when to get the ball to Hines-Allen.
The reigning ACC Player of the Year, Hines-Allen is truly a special player. Averaging 17.6 points and 8.4 rebounds in her sophomore season, Hines-Allen is the second player in program history to earn Player of the Year honor. Hines-Allen recorded nine double-doubles last season and ranked third in the ACC in scoring. A great low-post player, Hines-Allen is an athletic forward who isn’t afraid to put the ball on the floor. Now a junior, Hines is a national Player of the Year candidate.
Walton is an underrated player for Walz. The redshirt senior is the glue of the team and the team’s best rebounder. While she may not light up the scoring column, Walton does all the dirty work for U of L. Walton ranked second in offensive rebounds per game last year and ninth in total rebounds. Her 136 offensive rebounds last season are second in the Walz era.
The remainder of the front court is young. Three freshmen and a sophomore round out the forward and center positions. Sophomore Sam Fuehring is the most experinced of the bunch and will get the first nod. Fans got a glimspe of type of player Fuehring could be in the Central Arkansas game last season. The 6-foot-3 forward scored 12 points on 6-for-9 shooting.
The bundle of freshmen includes two McDonald’s All-Americans in Ciera Johnson and Kyelee Shook. Both players will have a learning curve early on, but can be a big help in March.
Louisville’s biggest problem will come on the defensive end. The Cards have plenty of offensive power, but struggle in one-on-one defense. Louisville can’t stop teams but have more than enough scoring ability to win shootouts.
Photo by Wade Morgen / The Louisville Cardinal
