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Brown: Jeff Walz gambling on young Louisville basketball team may help Cards return to top

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Brown: Jeff Walz gambling on young Louisville basketball team may help Cards return to top

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the final season of the so-called COVID seniors, Louisville women’s basketball coach Jeff Walz is gambling on a top-10 freshman class to help get the Cardinals back on top.

It’s worth the risk because the potential payout is huge.

This isn’t a class of pretty good players. They’re exceptional. And they can provide the kind of foundation that Final Four runs are built on.

Guard Imari Berry, forward Mackenly Randolph and guard Tajianna Roberts were all ranked in the top 25 and should provide an immediate boost to the rotation.  

“Extra experience is great, obviously, but at the same time, we’re looking for ones that can come in here and make an impact for us,” Walz said. “And I think this freshman class is very talented. It’s probably the most competitive freshman class that we’ve had in a while considering the depth of it.”

Walz likens the class to 2010 when the group of six freshmen led by Shoni Schimmel, who started from Day 1, arrived on campus. Three from that class — including Sheronne Vails and Shawnta’ Dyer — were key players on U of L’s 2013 Final Four squad that lost to UConn in the championship game.

Louisville’s haul of eight freshmen shows Walz moving in a different direction than other ACC schools. California signed the second-largest class with five, but — 11 signed three or fewer. Florida State went to the extreme and didn’t bring in any freshmen.

Randolph and freshman guard Izela Arenas have NBA pedigree as both of their fathers played in the league. Zach Randolph played from 2001-2018, most notably for the Memphis Grizzlies where he was a two-time All-Star and made the All-NBA team in 2010-11. Gilbert Arenas played from 2001-2012 and was a three-time All-Star and All-NBA with Washington. 

Growing up on basketball shaped the way Mackenly Randolph embraces competition. She approaches the game without fear and wants to make an immediate impact.

“I just love going out each day and trying to beat everybody that’s in front of me, regardless,” Randolph said. “Teammates, freshmen whatever, senior whatever, like it’s me, you and the basket, and I’m not gonna lose.”

Try stopping her.

Now multiply that approach with the rest of the freshmen.

Like the 2010 class, Walz isn’t totally dependent on his newcomers this season. There are enough productive veterans returning who understand the standard expectations at Louisville and can help teach it.

Forward Olivia Cochran and Merissah Russell played on the Cards’ 2022 Final Four team, and both exercised their COVID year of eligibility to return to school, taking advantage of the eligibility waiver the NCAA granted to anyone who played during the 2020-21 season. 

Cochran believed she wasn’t a good leader last season, as she expected some of the Cards’ transfers who were experienced to adapt to the “Louisville way” of playing. As a result, Cochran was all prepared to be tougher on the freshman class to ensure those players made the transition. 

She hasn’t needed to do much so far.

“They already … want it,” Cochran said. “They came in hungry — not saying that the other team wasn’t hungry — but they’re more competitive. …They’re actually putting (in) the work to claim Louisville basketball.”

Don’t just take Cochran’s word for it; believe Walz’s actions. 

Many coaches shy away from bringing freshmen to the ACC Tipoff because they haven’t been in the program long enough to speak for it. There were 25 graduate/seniors representing their schools. Another nine were juniors and three sophomores.

Randolph was the only freshman present.

“I’ve been very impressed with what Mack’s done and how she relates with her teammates,” Walz said. “She’s in that gym, she’s working, she’s talking, she’s encouraging. And, to me, the kid earned it; that’s how we do things.”

Making deep NCAA Tournament runs had been how the Cards do things, too, until last season’s loss in the first round. The freshmen can help U of L get back to its standard.

Walz is banking on it.

Reach sports columnist C.L. Brown at clbrown1@gannett.com, follow him on X at @CLBrownHoops and subscribe to his newsletter at profile.courier-journal.com/newsletters/cl-browns-latest to make sure you never miss one of his columns.

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