Friday, November 12
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.
4:30 p.m. ET
University of Louisville
vs
Arizona
No. 6 Louisville Opens Season against No. 15 Arizona in Sioux Falls
November 10, 2021 | Women's Basketball
The Cardinals and Wildcats will tip off on Friday at 4:30 p.m. E.T. and broadcast on ESPNU.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Louisville women's basketball opens the 2021-22 campaign on Friday against No. 15 Arizona in The Invitational at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. The game will tip off at 4:30 p.m. ET and broadcast on ESPNU.
Louisville was picked sixth in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches' preseason polls, and second in the Atlantic Coast Conference preseason poll. In the AP poll, the Cardinals were listed on all 29 ballots and received 575 points. It marked the seventh consecutive season that Louisville has been ranked in the top 10 of the AP preseason poll, the 10th time in the past 11 years and the 11th time in Walz's 15-year tenure. Prior to his arrival, the Cardinals had never been ranked in the AP preseason Top 10.
Last season, Louisville won its fourth consecutive ACC regular season title and finished with a 26-4 record. They entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed and advanced to the Elite Eight for the sixth time in program history.
With the 74-53 win at Southeast Missouri last season, UofL has won five straight openers and improved to 12-2 in season openers under Walz. Under Walz, they are 8-0 when opening the season on the road and 4-2 when opening at home. All-time, UofL is 27-19 in first games of the year.
For the first time in Walz's 15-year tenure, the Cardinals will open the season with neutral site game. It marks UofL's first neutral start opener since they lost 78-67 to UC Santa Barbara in the Time Warner Cable Classic in Lincoln, Neb., on Nov. 17, 2000.
Louisville faces an AP Top 25 team to open the season for the first time since they hosted No. 15 Texas A&M on Nov. 9, 2012. They won that game 47-45 and finished the year with a 29-9 record while advancing to their second national title game in program history.
Head coach Jeff Walz (385-108) is the winningest coach in program history; directing the Cards to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 10 Sweet 16's, six Elite Eight's, three trips to the Final Four (2009, 2013, 2018) and two appearances in the national title game (2009, 2013). Prior to his arrival, the Cardinals had never reached a Sweet 16.
ABOUT THE WILDCATS
Arizona entered the 2021-22 season ranked 22nd in the AP Poll and 15th in WBCA Coaches Poll. They have received several preseason accolades as Cate Reese and Sam Thomas were named to the Preseason All-Pac-12 team, Thomas was named to the Cheryl Miller Award Watchlist and transfer Taylor Chavez was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watchlist. Last season, the Wildcats finished with a 21-6 record after falling in a 54-53 heartbreaker to Stanford in the national title game. It marked the first time in program history that Arizona advanced past the Sweet 16. They also became the first Division I team to make the Final Four after missing the previous 10- plus NCAA Tournaments.
Series History - Louisville is 0-2 all-time against Arizona, but this marks the first matchup since 2000. The Cardinals and Wildcats played in back-to-back seasons in 1999 and 2000 as UofL fell 80-70 on Dec. 29, 1999 in Louisville and then lost 90-60 on Dec. 17, 2000 at Arizona.
Last Meeting (Dec. 17, 2000) - Louisville fell 90-60 to Arizona in the McKale Center as freshman Sara Nord led the Cardinals with 19 points. The Wildcats were led by Veranda James with 16 points. The Wildcats came out and took control of the second half after surviving a first half comeback from the Cards. Arizona built a 26 point lead with 12 minutes remaining and never looked back. The closest the Cards got was 12 points in the first five minutes of the second half.
GAME FACTS
Date: Friday, Nov. 12
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Site: Sioux Falls, S.D. | Sanford Pentagon (3,250)
TV: ESPNU (Pam Ward, play-by-play; Christy Thomaskutty, analyst)
Radio: 1080-AM WKJK (Nick Curran, play-by-play; Adrienne Johnson, analyst)
Last Meeting: L, 90-60 (Dec. 17, 2000 at Tucson, Ariz.)
Series History: 0-2 (0-1 home, 0-1 away)
UofL National Ranking: 6th Associated Press, 6th USA Today
Next UofL Game: Tuesday, Nov. 16 vs. Bellarmine
For the latest on Louisville women's basketball, visit GoCards.com, follow the team's Twitter account at @UofLWBB or on Facebook at facebook.com/UofLWBB.
Louisville was picked sixth in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches' preseason polls, and second in the Atlantic Coast Conference preseason poll. In the AP poll, the Cardinals were listed on all 29 ballots and received 575 points. It marked the seventh consecutive season that Louisville has been ranked in the top 10 of the AP preseason poll, the 10th time in the past 11 years and the 11th time in Walz's 15-year tenure. Prior to his arrival, the Cardinals had never been ranked in the AP preseason Top 10.
Last season, Louisville won its fourth consecutive ACC regular season title and finished with a 26-4 record. They entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed and advanced to the Elite Eight for the sixth time in program history.
With the 74-53 win at Southeast Missouri last season, UofL has won five straight openers and improved to 12-2 in season openers under Walz. Under Walz, they are 8-0 when opening the season on the road and 4-2 when opening at home. All-time, UofL is 27-19 in first games of the year.
For the first time in Walz's 15-year tenure, the Cardinals will open the season with neutral site game. It marks UofL's first neutral start opener since they lost 78-67 to UC Santa Barbara in the Time Warner Cable Classic in Lincoln, Neb., on Nov. 17, 2000.
Louisville faces an AP Top 25 team to open the season for the first time since they hosted No. 15 Texas A&M on Nov. 9, 2012. They won that game 47-45 and finished the year with a 29-9 record while advancing to their second national title game in program history.
Head coach Jeff Walz (385-108) is the winningest coach in program history; directing the Cards to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 10 Sweet 16's, six Elite Eight's, three trips to the Final Four (2009, 2013, 2018) and two appearances in the national title game (2009, 2013). Prior to his arrival, the Cardinals had never reached a Sweet 16.
ABOUT THE WILDCATS
Arizona entered the 2021-22 season ranked 22nd in the AP Poll and 15th in WBCA Coaches Poll. They have received several preseason accolades as Cate Reese and Sam Thomas were named to the Preseason All-Pac-12 team, Thomas was named to the Cheryl Miller Award Watchlist and transfer Taylor Chavez was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watchlist. Last season, the Wildcats finished with a 21-6 record after falling in a 54-53 heartbreaker to Stanford in the national title game. It marked the first time in program history that Arizona advanced past the Sweet 16. They also became the first Division I team to make the Final Four after missing the previous 10- plus NCAA Tournaments.
Series History - Louisville is 0-2 all-time against Arizona, but this marks the first matchup since 2000. The Cardinals and Wildcats played in back-to-back seasons in 1999 and 2000 as UofL fell 80-70 on Dec. 29, 1999 in Louisville and then lost 90-60 on Dec. 17, 2000 at Arizona.
Last Meeting (Dec. 17, 2000) - Louisville fell 90-60 to Arizona in the McKale Center as freshman Sara Nord led the Cardinals with 19 points. The Wildcats were led by Veranda James with 16 points. The Wildcats came out and took control of the second half after surviving a first half comeback from the Cards. Arizona built a 26 point lead with 12 minutes remaining and never looked back. The closest the Cards got was 12 points in the first five minutes of the second half.
GAME FACTS
Date: Friday, Nov. 12
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Site: Sioux Falls, S.D. | Sanford Pentagon (3,250)
TV: ESPNU (Pam Ward, play-by-play; Christy Thomaskutty, analyst)
Radio: 1080-AM WKJK (Nick Curran, play-by-play; Adrienne Johnson, analyst)
Last Meeting: L, 90-60 (Dec. 17, 2000 at Tucson, Ariz.)
Series History: 0-2 (0-1 home, 0-1 away)
UofL National Ranking: 6th Associated Press, 6th USA Today
Next UofL Game: Tuesday, Nov. 16 vs. Bellarmine
For the latest on Louisville women's basketball, visit GoCards.com, follow the team's Twitter account at @UofLWBB or on Facebook at facebook.com/UofLWBB.
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