This afternoon, Katrina Merriweather and the Bearcats kicked off their 2023-2024 season as they welcomed in No. 17 ranked Louisville to Fifth Third Arena as part of a double header as Wes Miller and the Men’s team would follow suit shortly after vs UIC.
The Bearcats return 75% of their scoring, 77% of their rebounds, 82% assists and 72% of their minutes played from a season ago. Jillian Hayes returns for her senior season as she led the Bearcats in scoring (12.8ppg) and rebounding (8.6rpg) a season ago. Mya Jackson also returns for her final year of eligibility after appearing in 29 of the Bearcats 30 games a season ago as she looks to lead the Bearcats offense at the point guard position. Jackson averaged 11 points per game and led the Bearcats in minutes played a season ago (32.4).
The Cardinals on the other hand are coming off their 13th straight season with 20 or more victories and 11th straight season with 25 or more victories. However, this will be a new look Louisville squad after seeing Hailey Van Lith, arguably one of the best players in all of college woman’s basketball transfer to LSU this offseason. However, Jeff Walz quickly went to the transfer portal to retool this Louisville team as they added Kiki Jefferson (2022-2023 Sun Belt Player of the Year), Jayda Curry (Pac 12 Freshman of the Year in2022, All-Pac 12 selection a season ago), Sydney Taylor who finished 7th in the country last season in made 3 pointers.
Final Stats- Jillian Hayes led the Bearcats with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting while grabbing nine rebounds.
How it Happened- The Bearcats struck first after Jillian Hayes knocked down the midrange jumper for the first points of the 2023-2024 season. However, Louisville was looking to attack early after drawing two quick fouls on Destiny Thomas, they’d take an early 7-2 lead following the Curry made three pointer. Mya Jackson would knock down the contested three, that would eventually spark a 7-0 run for the Bearcats. The Bearcat’s defense was giving the Cardinals troubles early as they held the Cardinals scoreless for nearly three minutes, while shooting just 20% (1-5) while the Bearcats were shooting at a 57% clip (4-7) to start.
The Bearcats would take a 15-14 lead after Mya Jackson sliced the Cardinals defense for the easy layup right before the end of the first quarter. The Bearcats made it an emphasis to get downhill and attack early as 10 of their 15 first quarter points came in the paint. Meanwhile the Bearcats shot at a 50% clip in the first quarter, while the Cardinals struggled to find any momentum early as they shot 31% from the field. The Cardinals meanwhile known for their three-point shooting was just 1-of-7 from deep to start this contest.
The Cardinals would flip the momentum to start the second half following a seven-point run that gave the Cardinals a 21-15 lead. Mya Jackson would then knock down the mid-range jumper, followed by a three point play from Hayes, that would cut the Cardinals lead to two as the Bearcats trailed 22-20 with 5:20 remaining in the first half. Jeff Walz and the Cardinals would turn it up a notch as they went on a 12-point run that opened this one up a bit as the Cardinals lead 34-20 over the Bearcats late in the first half.
The Bearcats would trail the Cardinals 36-22 at the break after 15 first half turnovers really eliminated any momentum for the Bearcats offensively after going shit for shot with the Cardinals in the opening segment. After 10 of their first 15 points in the paint, the Bearcats would struggle to find anything on the offensive end to end the first half, but that plays a huge credit to Jeff Walz and Louisville for turning up the full court press in the second quarter. Mya Jackson and Jillian Hayes each had seven points for the Bearcats in the first half as the veterans looked to will the Bearcats early, but the Cardinals press was to much to handle in the first half.
The Bearcats would come out and put the pressure on Louisville to start the second half following consecutive baskets by Hayes to open the second half. The Bearcats would start the second half on a nine to three run following a made three points shot from Mya Jackson, that cut the Cardinals lead to 39-31. Jillian Hayes was doing whatever she could to will the Bearcats back in this one after nine points in the first four minutes of the third quarter as the Cardinals had no answer for the senior forward as she was now up to a game high 17 points for the Bearcats.
Hayes would bring the Bearcats back in this one after trailing by as much as 14 in the second half. The Bearcats would have ample opportunities to claw back but they would eventually go cold as they finished the third quarter just one of their last ten from the field following the hot start from Hayes. However, the Bearcats trailed 52-40 at the end of the third quarter.
The Cardinals were just too much to handle for the Bearcats this evening as the Bearcats could never recover from the Cardinals big second quarter. Despite multiple chances to get back in this one, the Cardinals just had an answer for everything the Bearcats threw their way this evening.
