In lieu of Jeff Walz’s Louisville women’s basketball program moving to #1, is this the best team in program history?
On Monday afternoon, the Louisville women’s basketball team was voted atop the Associated Press ratings for the first time in program history. The Cardinals rose to the top ranking after Stanford lost to Colorado in overtime on Sunday afternoon. Louisville currently sits at 12-0 after dismantling Florida State 84-56 over the weekend.
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A closer look
In his 14th season as the head coach, Jeff Walz has the program in a state of competing for national titles perennially. With a ton of hype heading into the season and increasing with each victory, the end goal remains the same.
The nuclear offensive abilities mixed with the surplus of depth has many questioning if this is not only Walz’s best team during his tenure but the best in school history; the newly-awarded top ranking has only added fuel to that hypothetical. So, let’s take a deeper look.
The argument itself, when discussing “top” teams in any program’s history will always be subjective. In its history, Louisville has reached the Elite Eight five times, the Final Four three times, and the national championship twice. Program legends such as Angel McCoughtry, Shoni Schimmel, and Asia Durr have all respectively led some of the best Cardinal squads of all time. Despite not being able to reach the promised land, those teams (2008-09, 2012-2013, and 2017-18) all battled top teams to reach the Final Four.
Simply put, the 2020-21 Louisville squad cannot be considered the best in program history right now due to the fact that they’re only 12 games in. However, time will tell; if this team reaches the Final Four, the discussion is valid. Furthermore, the Cardinals have only beaten one ranked team so far, when they defeated DePaul on December 4th. I understand that some are not fans of the “too soon” argument, but we simply have not seen enough to consider this squad the best in Louisville history.
With that being said, it is perfectly logical to refer to this as the deepest team in school history. For the first time in Walz’s tenure, the Cardinals have four players averaging double-digits in terms of scoring. Reigning ACC Player of the Year Dana Evans highlights the team with 19.4 PPG on near 50/40/90 shooting splits. California transfer Kianna Smith is averaging 13.3 PPG while leading the team in three-point percentage (41.1%). The remaining two on the list are star freshmen Hailey Van Lith and Olivia Cochran, who are scoring 12.8 and 12.6 points per contest, respectively.
What makes this Louisville women’s basketball team so special
The four-member nucleus of the Cardinals is as good as any core in the country. However, it’s the depth that separates Louisville from the rest; six other players also play at least nine minutes on a nightly basis for Louisville. Two-way wing Elizabeth Balogun and defensive specialist Mykasa Robinson lead the team’s efforts on defense with their high-intensity play and active hands. Elizabeth Dixon has taken a step forward this season in her progression and proven to be a solid big around the rim with her towering 6-foot-5 frame. Guards Norika Konno and Ahlana Smith serve as notable sparks off the bench, while freshmen Merissah Russell and Ramani Parker are also serviceable pieces when their numbers are called.
Overall, Louisville currently sits eighth in the nation in total points per game (85.8). The Cardinals may not have a Durr or McCoughtry level star on the squad, but Evans is one of the best players in the nation and Walz is able to go two-deep in his rotation. Whether or not this year’s squad is the best in school history is yet to be seen, but it is certain that it is the deepest.
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