Jude Schimmel Scores 11 Points on Senior Night as No. 8 Louisville Cruises Past Boston College 77-60

By Patti Tanewasha, special to ndnsports.com

(Louisville, Kentucky) – Jude Schimmel played her last home game of her senior year for the University of Louisville Cardinals on Thursday evening at the KFC YUM! Center. Jude, and sister Shoni, have been positive influential role models for many Native American youth all across the United States. The sisters have traveled to dozens of reservations sharing their story of success and encouraging others to do the same.  Her college career had started in the fall of 2012 after finishing her high school career and breaking older sister Shoni’s records.

During Jude’s college career, she has been acknowledged for her efforts on the courts and in the classroom. She successfully completed her Bachelor’s degree this past summer in sociology in an impressive three years span and continues to gain academic recognition for her hard work. During her athletics senior year she is working towards a master degree in Sports Administration. J

At the Native American Heritage night, I had the opportunity to interview Jude after the press conference.

During the press conference you had mentioned a book in the making, and the title would be, “Dream Catcher,” Could you tell me a little about the theme?”

“It’s about where I grew up, and were I came from. My experiences since I was a little kid until now I want to inspire hope, and good qualities into people. Giving people a story to be inspired by.

Throughout your college career you have traveled to speak amongst the Native youth across Indian Country, and last year you was a keynote speaker at Unity 2014. What had stuck out about your speech was when you talked about the moment you had missed your flight back to Kentucky the before the beginning of your sophomore year. Could you tell me how you stayed positive, and motivated to make it today?

“It was a mixture of a lot of different things, 1. Knew that I needed to do it for myself, 2. I knew that I needed to do it for my family, 3. I didn’t want to be one of those people that would that would look back, and regret an opportunity they missed. I wanted to do well for myself, I knew that I could go off, and be successful in school regardless if I was playing basketball or not. I wanted to go to school an do well in school if had that opportunity. The biggest thing is I didn’t want to give up on was myself, my family, and the Native American community. I didn’t want to throw that away.

One of the key roles to being a successful athlete is a strong support system. For any Native Kid it’s a mixture of support from one person to everyone. Can you tell me what where the few support systems that kept you going?

“In a way it was myself but also it was the way I was raised. My heart and my rock is my family. If I didn’t have my family I wouldn’t be where I am today, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. It’s a combination of everything it’s the characteristics I have, also my parents and my siblings I wanted to be that role model for them to follow.”

Jude Schimmel shined during her senior night, and her family of 18 where present. Many Natives from across the country had flew in or drove down to watch Jude Schimmel play her senior game.

GAME RECAP (AP)

Mariya Moore scored 18 points and No. 8 Louisville beat Boston College 77-60 on Thursday night in the Cardinals’ regular-season home finale.

Louisville’s winningest class in school history was honored on senior night. Shawnta’ Dyer, Sara Hammond, Jude Schimmel, Bria Smith and Sheronne Vails have 109 victories and all five started.

Dyer scored 13 points and Smith and Schimmel each had 11. Freshman Myisha Hines-Allen added 12 points for the Cardinals (24-4, 12-3 Atlantic Coast Conference).

The Cardinals forced 27 turnovers, including 18 steals, to overcome 12 3s from Boston College (12-16, 4-11).

Nicole Boudreau led the Eagles with 12 points, hitting four 3-pointers.

The emotion of senior night didn’t slow the Cardinals. Louisville scored the first eight points, six by Dyer, and then quickly went on a 14-3 run to lead 22-9 after eight minutes, with all five seniors scoring by that point.

Louisville shot 55 percent in the first half, outscoring the Eagles 30-8 in the paint, but Boston College hit seven 3s to stay within 46-31 at halftime.

Emilee Daley and Kelly Hughes each made 3-pointers in the first minute after the break to cut Louisville’s lead to single digits, and Alexa Coulombe’s layup with 18:32 left again cut the Cardinals’ lead to nine at 48-39.

Boston College hit 10 of its first 19 3s and trailed 55-44 before Louisville went on a 12-2 run to lead 67-48 midway through the second half. The Cardinals led by 26 with five minutes left before Boston College scored the game’s final nine points.

Louisville’s seniors won 33 games last season and went to the NCAA title game in 2013, losing to Connecticut.

Schimmel and Smith both had all-around performances before a crowd of 10,488. In addition to scoring 11 points apiece, Smith had seven steals and five assists while Schimmel added seven assists, five rebounds and four steals.

TIP-INS:

Louisville: The Cardinals are off to their third-best start in school history. Last year’s team made it to the NCAA tournament’s Elite Eight and the 2008-09 squad lost in the national title game.