KATY, Texas – The No. 20/15 Louisville women’s basketball team (6-1) emerged victorious in a hard-fought battle against Gonzaga (6-2), securing an 81-70 win to claim the Betty Chancellor Classic Championship. In order to clinch the championship, the Cardinals needed to win by at least eight points, and they did just that. With an impeccable performance in the final quarter, Louisville hit their first nine shots and outscored Gonzaga 22-14 to capture the tournament title. This championship victory marks the Cardinals’ first in-season tournament title since the 2019 Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.
Leading the charge for Louisville was Kiki Jefferson, who finished with a team-high 21 points, shooting an impressive 7-for-10 from the field. Jefferson also contributed with four rebounds, tied for the team high with five assists, and racked up a team-best three steals. Nina Rickards also had a standout performance, tallying 16 points on a perfect 8-for-8 shooting, along with five assists, two rebounds, and two steals. Both Jefferson and Rickards were honored for their outstanding performances and named to the All-Tournament team.
Jayda Curry also made a significant impact for the Cardinals, registering 13 points and sinking a season-high three three-pointers. Merissah Russell provided a valuable contribution off the bench with nine points, three rebounds, one assist, and one steal.
Louisville got off to a scorching start in the opening minutes of the game, connecting on six of their first eight shots. However, the Cardinals faced a challenge as they were hit with 10 fouls in the first quarter, with three players accumulating two fouls each. Despite the unfavorable foul situation, Louisville managed to stay within striking distance, trailing by just two points at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Cardinals reclaimed the lead early on, scoring six of the first eight points within the first two minutes. As Louisville gained the upper hand with a 25-23 lead, Gonzaga had to call a timeout. The Cardinal’s strong shooting continued in the second quarter, allowing them to extend their lead to 12 points, the largest of the half. They went on a 12-2 run during the middle of the quarter, converting 11 of their 19 shots (57.9 percent) and sinking four three-pointers. The half ended with a stellar play by Alexia Mobley, who grabbed an offensive rebound and found Curry for a buzzer-beating three-pointer, giving the Cardinals a comfortable 47-36 lead.
Jefferson was the leading scorer for the Cardinals in the first half, putting up 12 points, with eight of those points coming in the second quarter on impressive 4-for-5 shooting. Rickards also had an exceptional performance, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and contributing eight points. Additional support came from Sydney Taylor and Curry, both of whom drained two three-pointers in the first half.
Gonzaga mounted a comeback in the third quarter, outscoring the Cardinals 20-12 and narrowing the gap to just three points heading into the final quarter. With a slim 59-56 lead, Louisville entered the fourth quarter facing a tough challenge.
However, the Cardinals responded emphatically at the start of the fourth quarter, hitting each of their first nine shots. They dominated the Zags, outscoring them 20-6 within the first five minutes. Gonzaga called a timeout after Curry’s three-pointer from the corner gave the Cardinals a commanding 79-62 lead with 4:33 remaining. The Bulldogs made a valiant effort to close the deficit to eight points, but the Cardinals did enough to seal the victory and secure the tournament championship.
Following their tournament triumph, the Cardinals will briefly return to campus before hitting the road again for the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge. Their next destination is Oxford, Mississippi, where they will face off against the Ole Miss Rebels in an anticipated Sweet 16 rematch. The highly-anticipated fixture is scheduled for Wednesday at 9:15 p.m. ET, to be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.
