University of Louisville
UC Santa Barbara
Women's Basketball Falls to No. 25 UCSB
November 17, 2000 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2000
Lincoln, Neb. - The frontline of No. 25 UCSB was too much to overcome as the University of Louisville women's basketball team fell 78-67 in the opening round of the Nebraska Time Warner Cable Classic.
Freshman standout Sara Nord led Louisville with 16 points. Juniors Kara Kessans and Shamika Ingram scored double figures with 14 and 12 points respectively. Jess Hansen led UCSB with 18 points and three other players scored in double-figures.
"We just didn't hit our shots in the first half," said head coach Martin Clapp. "By missing our shots we were unable to press and cause them to tournover the ball the way I had wanted it."
The Gauchos opened up the first half with 7-0 to lead the Cardinals. On two separate occasions in the first half, UCSB led Louisville by 10 points. Louisville fought back in the final five minutes of the half, cutting the lead to five with 4:32 left. Louisville went into the lockerroom behind 35-28.
The Cardinals shot just 27.8 percent from the field in the first half, while the Gauchos shot 43.3 percent. Sara Nord led all scorers with 14 point at the half. UCSB outscored Louisville 20-6 in the paint.
In the second half the Gauchos got off to a quick start building a 21 point lead with 12:15 remaining. Then came the Louisville scoring runs. The Cardinals picked up their shooting, improving to 37.0 percent in the second half.
With 4:24 remaining UCSB had a 18 point advantage over Louisville. That is when the Cardinal offense finally started to click. Louisville began to cut away at the Gaucho's lead.
The Cards got on the offensive boards and spread the wealth with juniors Shamika Ingram and Kara Kessans leading the way. Kessans collecting five points and Ingram with two points and four boards.
Louisville cut the lead to 10 but could get no closer after falling in such a hole in the first half. Despite the size disadvantage, UCSB only out rebounded the Cardinals 49-47.
"I knew this game would be tough," said Clapp. "But I would rather play a team of this caliber so we can find out what we are made of and learn from our mistakes."
