It’s a good year to be a Louisville Cardinal. Not only is the men’s team preparing to battle Michigan tomorrow in the March Madness National Championship, the Louisville women’s basketball team have reached the championship on the other side of the gender bracket. After a thrilling upset win over top-seeded Baylor, the Cardinals have extended their dream season one more game and now await the winner of the Notre Dame-UConn Final Four showdown later tonight.
Antonita Slaughter led the way for Louisville, throwing down 18 points in her 38 minutes on the court. She, along with her teammates, looked to be playing inspired, which seems to fit with the flow when it comes to Louisville sports this weekend. The men’s team erased a 12-point deficit to beat Wichita State, and many are crediting their win to Kevin Ware and the team’s will to win the game for him.
The women’s team may have also been inspired by their colleague’s story, but they’re riding an emotional tidal wave of their own. No one gave them a chance against top-ranked Baylor who were led by Brittney Griner, yet the Cardinals clawed out a one-point victory and have been riding high ever since then.
By beating the Golden Bears on Sunday night, Louisville becomes the first team seeded lower than a five-seed to win a Final Four game and reach the NCAA National Championship.
What we’re all wondering now is how long this magical ride can last. So far it’s lasted through the Final Four and into the National Championship. Both Notre Dame and UConn present incredible challenges, but at this point it’s really hard to bet against the Louisville Cardinals and program has a real chance to pull off something special and win championships in both men’s and women’s basketball.