WICHITA, Kan. — Olivia Cochran sat most of the first half with foul trouble. She reacted incredulously when what she thought was a clean block was whistled as a foul, and she played the final five minutes of Monday night’s game knowing that one miscue would foul her out for good.
When No. 1-seeded Louisville needed her most, when its offensive stars could not get free, Cochran, the team’s defensive anchor, broke through a stubborn Michigan defense for three layups in the final three minutes to send the Cardinals to the Final Four, defeating Michigan, a No. 3 seed, 62-50.
Louisville knew the rematch would not be as easy as the teams’ game in December, when the Cardinals blew out Michigan by 22 points at home. They knew Michigan would be able to handle the pressure defense better and that they would need to win a dogfight.
“We can look at it for things that went well for us, but it’s March,” Louisville’s star guard, Hailey Van Lith, said before the game.
It is March. What took place at Intrust Bank Arena Monday night before a large pro-Louisville crowd was a fight. This time, it was closer, but still ended in a Louisville victory.
Van Lith led the Cardinals scoring 22 points and Chelsie Hal, who had 15 points to tie the season record. The majority of those points were from behind a 3-point arc.
Michigan was down 2 points, 52-50, at the time Laila Phelia committed an offense foul. “52-50, with the ball,” said Kim Barnes Arico, Michigan’s coach. “I’m going to have nightmares about that for the next eight months until we play again.”
The decisive possessions would come in the next few possessions. Louisville’s Emily Engstler found a cutting Cochran with just under three minutes left to take a 4-point lead. Michigan thought it was going to score a 3-pointer, but Naz Hillmon was called on Cochran for an offensive foul after her layup hit the rim. Cochran scored a nice drive basket on the next possession and the Louisville defense stopped Michigan for the rest of the game.
Louisville led by as much as 9 points at the end of the third quarter. However, every time the Cardinals were close to taking the game out, Michigan was able to draw closer to the line, often at the free throw line. Michigan made 11 more free throws that Louisville.
Monday night’s matchup was between teams that, on paper at least, had many similarities. Both teams are determined to cause chaos by intense pressing. In Hillmon and Engstler, both are led by rangy, defense-first forwards who could be selected in the first round of next month’s W.N.B.A. draft. Both coaches are tough on their players, telling them blunt truths, but also showing a love for their players.
Players and coaches on both teams tried to downplay the importance of that December game, but Barnes Arico conceded that Louisville’s defensive intensity was probably the highest her team had faced all season. Michigan had practiced for four months how to defeat Hillmon, an All American last season.
“That’s become a staple in our practice plan because they really kind of went at her and tried to take her out of the game plan,” Barnes Arico said.
Louisville’s pressure once again flustered Michigan, as each Wolverines starter turned the ball over at least three times. However, Michigan didn’t collapse like it did in Louisville in Dec. Hillmon was a great free throw shooter, scoring 10 of her 18 points. Phelia and Maddie Nolan shared some of the offensive load at the perimeter. It was also helpful that Cochran lasted only 20 minutes.
Engstler was the Louisville defense specialist. She grabbed 16 rebounds as well as six steals, and she led the press. “It seemed like every big play they made, she was involved in,” Barnes Arico said. Engstler was unable to score offensively. She shot 1 of 9 from the field, and 0 out 5 from 3-point range. She preferred outside jumpers.
Louisville was the last team that made it to the Final Four. South Carolina, the No. 1 seed, will be facing Louisville. The No. 1 seed, which has lost only twice this season and just beat Creighton 30 to 1, is the best overall seed. Stanford will face Connecticut on the opposite side of this bracket. Minneapolis will host the national semifinals. The final will be played on Sunday.
Louisville’s Final Four appearance is its first since 2018, when it lost to the eventual runner-up Mississippi State. Michigan’s appearance in the round of 8 was the first time the team had ever advanced that far.
Source: NY Times