BOZICH | From embarrassed to energized, Louisville beats Syracuse, 72-62, for 7th straight win | Louisville Sports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Absolute embarrassment.

Those were the words that Jeff Walz used to describe his reaction to how his University of Louisville women’s basketball team played against then No. 2 Connecticut last month.

Nobody argued with him. That was not coach speak. That was precisely how the coach of a proud program like Louisville’s should speak after his team got beat by 33 points in primetime on national television.

His team was not finished perturbing its coach. And Walz was not finished publicly calling them out for it. Eight days after the UConn debacle, Louisville took another 30-point wallop, this time at home against No. 22 North Carolina State on Dec. 15.

Two excellent opponents. Two king-sized losses.

But …

“That shouldn’t happen here,” Walz said.

After 11 games, the Cardinals were 6-5.

This is Walz’s 18th season as the UofL coach. Do you know how many times his teams have posted a worse record after 11 games?

The answer is zero times.

Under Walz, the Cards have been 9-2 or better in 13 of 18 seasons. The only other seasons they started 6-5 were 2010 and 2016. And in 2016 they rallied to finish 26-8 and make the NCAA Tournament.

Fast forward to Thursday night at the KFC Yum! Center. The Cards are 6-5 no longer. They’re 13-5 overall and 6-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

From embarrassed to energized.

“We’ve been in the gym all day, every day,” UofL guard Ja’Leah Williams said. “Getting it in, getting extra shots up. We’re consistent and seeing that the results are working. So let’s just stick with what we know is working and keep it going.”

Walz’s team matched the seven-game winning streak the men’s team hit earlier this week. In fact, they did it against the same university — defeating Syracuse, 72-62.

“We’re actually attempting to guard people,” Walz said. “I’m not sure we’re doing a good job of it. But we’re attempting.

“I’m pleased with where we’re at right now. But we’ve got to play better.”

Always coaching. Always coaching.

All five of the Cards’ losses have been to ranked teams. They finally beat a ranked team when they took down No. 13 Georgia Tech Sunday.

On Thursday, with 7,442 fans watching, the Cards showed they understand how to beat the teams they’re supposed to beat, like Syracuse, which slipped to 7-10 overall and 1-5 in the ACC with the loss.

There were many things for Walz and his players to like about the performance. All five starters scored in double figures, topped by freshman Tajianna Roberts with 13.

Williams flirted with a triple double. She had the points with 11. She had the rebounds with 10. She needed three more assists, finishing with seven.

“She’s going to get (a triple-double),” teammate Jayda Curry said. “She’s going to get one.

Curry continued her solid play. All 12 of her points came from distance. In fact, she made three straight during a 1 minute and 49 second burst early in the third quarter as Louisville pushed its lead from 35-32 to 44-36.

“We have a lot of people who can score,” Curry said. “I’m not sure who is averaging what.”

Eventually the Cards led by 15, 54-39. They let the Orange move within 65-60 with about 2 1/2 minutes to play.

“We look really good at times and then really bad at times,” Walz said.

But the visitors scored only two more points, missing four of their final five shots.

That sent the Cards on their way to three consecutive road games, which will begin with a visit to Virginia Tech Sunday at 4 p.m. in a game that will be televised on the ACC Network.

Walz said that all 8,925 seats in Cassell Coliseum are expected to be full because Tech will retire the jersey of Elizabeth Kitley, its all-American center.

The next time Louisville is home the Cards will host No. 3 Notre Dame on Feb. 2.

“We have to figure out a way to steal a couple of them,” Walz said.

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