After a hard fought 10 point win in New Jersey on Monday night against Seton Hall, the Louisville women made the plane flight back to Kentucky for a day off and then one practice before the start of the Big East tournament this weekend. Louisville will play the winner of the Villanova/Seton Hall game on Saturday at 6pm in the second round. Louisville is now (21-8) and (10-6) in the Big East. One of their star players Becky Burke graduated from Abington Heights with over 2,000 points in her career and now she's over 1,000 with Louisville.
Becky burke is the only senior left on the Louisville women's basketball team. Ranked 9th in the country in the pre-season the Lady Cardinals slipped 7 spots to 16th all the while playing without their top two scorers out due to injury, but Becky isn't one to bow down. She's leading the fight for a Big East title.
"I definitely feel like we're peaking at the right time. We never use injuries as an excuse. It's definitley time for us to make a big run in the Big East." said Becky Burke.
"It's been fun having the opportunity to coach her for the last 4 years watching her grow up and mature as a person from her freshman year to her senior year. It's been great, it's what our business is all about. She's grown into a leader on the basketball floor. She's taken that responsibility on and she's still doing a very nice job of being able to make shots for us." said Jeff Walz.
7 of Louisville's 8 losses this year have come against teams ranked in the top 25. It's a brutal schedule for Becky Burke here in the Big East year in and year out playing national championship contenders like UConn and Notre Dame, but Becky has done her best for the cardinals cause.
"That's one of the reasons I chose Louisville because I wanted to play in the Big East and I wanted to play against the best competition every single night, and I think that's definitley something we get." again said Becky.
Burke calls Kentucky her home state now. Crowds have swelled to over 13,000 a game in support of these women, and Becky's enjoying every minute.
"What was senior night like in Louisville? It seemes like a send off for Becky Burke? It was definitley very memorable. Definitely something I'm going to remember the rest of my life. I played a pretty good game. The fan support is amazing and I get the same back home." again said Becky.
Road games in the Big East are extra special too. Family and friends fill the seats
"We're real proud of her my wife and I and grandma here too. We're real proud of her and it's just a special thing for someone playing division one and she remains humble throughout it all. She's been a great person throughout it and also a great player and a good hard work ethic. So we're proud of her in many respects." said Mike Burke.
This season alone Burke became the 22nd player in school history to go over 1,000 points in a career and she's 3rd all-time in 3's made, but the highlight moment came her freshman year.
"I think making it to the national championships is pretty much as far as you can get. We didn't win it but it was an experience of a lifetime. I'm glad I've got to experience the high's and the low's here at Louisville. I'm excited for this year and I'm excited for march madness." again said Becky.
