by PHOENIX, Ariz. – The University of Louisville women’s basketball team plays at Grand Canyon on Thursday evening at Grand Canyon Arena in Phoenix while in the midst of a week-long trip to the west coast.
The Dec. 18 contest will air on Cox Television, both locally and nationwide, with Barry Buetel (play-by-play), Scott Williams (analyst), and Kyndra de St. Aubin (analyst) on the call. The radio broadcast will be on WKRD 790 AM in Louisville, with Matt Andrews (play-by-play) and Adrienne Johnson (analyst) on the call.
The game serves as a homecoming for junior Cortnee Walton, who’s also expected to make her season debut against Grand Canyon. The Surprise, Ariz., resident starred at St. Mary’s Catholic High, where she was a WBCA honorable mention All-American. In her senior season, she helped the team post a 30-0 record, leading the squad to the second of consecutive state titles.
No. 10 Louisville (9-1), which is meeting Grand Canyon for the first time in program history, is coming off a 100-46 victory over Old Dominion on Monday. The Cardinals shot 52.0 percent from the field, while limiting the Lady Monarchs to 29.9 percent, and also pulled down 59 rebounds. Louisville held a 54-19 advantage at the half.
Senior Jude Schimmel notched her first career double-double, totaling 12 points and 10 assists. She went 5-for-9 from the floor, including a 2-for-3 mark from 3-point range. Freshman Mariya Moore led all scorers with 15 points, pacing a total of seven Cardinals in double digits.
For the season, freshman Myisha Hines-Allen continues to rank first on the team in scoring (15.1), while boasting the 17th-best shooting percentage in the country (59.4). Moore, second on the team in points (14.1), leads the squad with 15 3-pointers and 42 assists. Seniors Sara Hammond (11.8) and Bria Smith (11.7) also are averaging double figures.
Grand Canyon owns a 3-6 record after beating Oral Roberts 54-51 on Dec. 11. Despite shooting just 24.6 percent from the field, the Antelopes knocked down six more free throws in the victory. The win followed consecutive losses for the Antelopes.
Jessica Gajewski paced Grand Canyon with 14 points. Madison Craig had 12 points off the bench, and Tori Morris contributed eight points and 10 rebounds in a reserve role.
Gajewski is first on the squad in scoring (11.3) and is tied for the team lead with 15 3-pointers. Courtney Hayes, second on the team in scoring (8.4), leads has a team-best 20 steals. Cheyenne Hedrington, who is averaging 5.7 points, has a team-best 7.7 rebounds.
The Antelopes, who were picked to finish sixth in the Western Athletic Conference coaches’ poll, do not return a starter from last year’s team that went 21-9 and reached the first round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational.
GAME FACTS – Louisville at Grand Canyon
Date: Thursday, Dec. 18
Time: 9 p.m. ET
Site: Grand Canyon Arena (5,000), Phoenix, Ariz.
Television: Cox Television will broadcast the game, with Barry Buetel (play-by-play), Scott Williams (analyst), and Kyndra de St. Aubin (analyst) calling the action.
Radio: WKRD 790 AM will broadcast the game, with Matt Andrews (play-by-play) and Adrienne Johnson (analyst) calling the action.
Series History: First meeting
Next UofL Game: Dec. 21 at Cal, Walter A. Haas Jr. Pavilion, Berkeley, Calif., 5 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network)
