Brown: On new-look Louisville WBB team, Olivia Cochran is Cards' most irreplaceable player

TORONTO — For all the substantial basketball experience Louisville’s transfers bring that has made them crucial in re-tooling the women’s basketball roster, senior forward Olivia Cochran’s presence stands out as invaluable.

The Columbus, Ga., native is the Cardinals’ most irreplaceable player. She’s not just a veteran who started 38 games last season. She’s a vet who knows what it means to play for U of L.

“O’s three years are Elite Eight, Final Four, Elite Eight,” U of L head coach Jeff Walz said. “For a lot of our transfers, yeah, they played (NCAA) Division I, they played at a high level, but they haven’t been to the Elite Eight.”

There are expectations here. And they are a bit higher than most of the transfers are used to meeting.

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Nina Rickards (Florida), Sydney Taylor (Massachusetts) and KiKi Jefferson (James Madison) played four years at their respective schools and each made it to the NCAA tournament just once.

That’s one more time than Jayda Curry (California), who had two losing seasons and never made the NCAA tournament. And it's virtually a world away from the level of basketball Hennie van Schaik was used to before transferring from Cal State Bakersfield.

Cochran is like a coach beyond the coaching staff who can help the newcomers realize what it takes to play at U of L. She called it a role change, but said as a senior she’s matured and is ready for the responsibility.

“My coach is depending on me, so I feel like I have to step up and I gotta show that he can trust me,” Cochran said.

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Louisville’s participation in the four-game GLOBL JAM has afforded her a quick way to teach the transfers on the court. The way Canada celebrated its 74-71 win over the Cards on Thursday was on par with how a lower seed in the NCAA tournament would celebrate the feat.

Canada had 11 current or former Division I players including Shayeann Day-Wilson (Duke) and Niyah Baker (Wake Forest), who both played against U of L last season. Beating U of L meant something for that team.

The Cards, representing the USA Basketball in the event, will face Canada in a rematch for the gold medal at 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Cochran is doing what she’s never consistently done during her previous three seasons to help bring the transfers along.

She’s coming early for treatment and to watch film. She’s showing up before practice to get extra reps shooting and staying after to get more in. She’s trying to add elements to her game like improving her dribbling skills to get more comfortable bringing the ball up the floor if needed.

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“It is something new because, I’m not even going to lie, the past three years, I wasn’t consistent,” Cochran said.

Leading by example seems to be working. Cochran hasn’t been alone during those morning sessions — most have included Jefferson working alongside her.

Cochran won’t just rely on her actions. She understands there’s a standard, however unspoken, that she’s been measured by at Louisville. So when and if something needs to be said to make sure everyone is living up to that standard, she has no problem being the one to say it.

“You're supposed to hold people accountable and that's what I’m trying to do because I want somebody to hold me accountable as well,” Cochran said.

For someone in a new role, Cochran already seems well-equipped to navigate all that comes with being the leading lady.

Reach sports columnist C.L. Brown at clbrown1@gannett.com, follow him on Twitter 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.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville women's basketball in GLOBL JAM 2023: Olivia Cochran is key