In an impressive display of basketball prowess, the 15th-ranked Louisville women’s basketball team secured another conference win on the road, demolishing Pitt 77-44 at the Petersen Events Center. Improving to 3-0 in ACC play, the Cardinals dominated from the start, scoring the first 14 points of the game and outscoring the Panthers 26-6 in the final quarter.
The Cardinals showcased a balanced scoring effort, with seven players contributing eight or more points in the rout. Leading the way was Sydney Taylor, who dropped 13 points and sank three three-pointers, accompanied by four rebounds and four assists. Nyla Harris emerged as a force on the boards, claiming six rebounds along with eight points. Eylia Love led the team in dishing out assists with five, while also adding eight points. In total, the Cardinals registered 20 assists on 30 made shots throughout the game.
From the opening tip-off, it was clear that the Cardinals were determined to dominate. They initiated a 12-0 run, forcing three turnovers within the first 2 minutes and 27 seconds of play. Taylor’s second three-pointer in the early minutes prompted Pitt to call an early timeout. By the time the Panthers notched their first points at the 5:42 mark of the first quarter, the Cardinals had already forced five turnovers. The Cardinals stifled the Panthers, allowing them only three made baskets in the entire quarter and carried a 20-11 lead into the second.
Scoring became more challenging for the Cardinals in the second quarter as the Panthers narrowed the gap, even reducing the deficit to just two points in the final minutes. However, Louisville’s Merissah Russell drained a crucial three-pointer to halt Pitt’s momentum, and Jayda Curry sunk a buzzer-beating three to give the Cardinals a 32-25 lead going into halftime. Led by Cochran’s seven points, Curry and Taylor both contributed six points each. Impressively, the Cardinals had eight players add points on the scoreboard and forced the Panthers into committing 11 turnovers in the first half alone.
The third quarter saw another low-scoring start, but the Cardinals quickly found their rhythm. Embarking on a 9-0 run over a span of 3 minutes and 18 seconds, Louisville forced Pitt into calling a timeout, establishing a 42-30 lead. Closing the quarter strong, the Cardinals connected on four of their last five shots, carrying a 48-38 advantage into the final quarter.
The Cardinals raced out of the gate in the fourth quarter, scoring five points in quick succession and prompting another timeout from the Panthers just 1 minute and 37 seconds in. Sustaining their dominance, Louisville unleashed an 11-0 run, concluded by Taylor’s third three-pointer of the game. The Cardinals continued their tremendous shooting in the fourth quarter, converting 10 of their first 11 shots. They finished the game with an impressive 52.6 percent shooting percentage (30-for-57) from the field.
The Cardinals will now return to their home turf to prepare for their next game, a Sunday matinee against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at the KFC Yum! Center. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET and the game will be nationally broadcast on the ACC Network.
