The No. 17/15 University of Louisville women’s basketball team started off their season with a dominant 77-59 win over Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena on Monday night. Head coach Jeff Walz continued his impressive record in season openers, improving to 14-3 overall and a perfect 9-0 in openers played on the road.
The Cardinals had contributions from nearly the entire team, with 10 players getting on the scoresheet. Sydney Taylor led the way with 16 points, while Jayda Curry made an impressive regular season debut with 13 points. Olivia Cochran was a force on the boards, collecting a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with seven points and three assists. Elif Istanbulluoglu and Kiki Jefferson also made strong collegiate debuts, scoring seven and nine points respectively.
The first quarter was a back and forth affair, with both teams finding their rhythm in the opening game of the season. The Bearcats held a slim 15-14 lead at the end of the quarter, but the Cardinals quickly took control in the second.
Louisville began the second quarter with an 8-0 run and held Cincinnati scoreless until the 6:08 mark. Although the Bearcats responded with five straight points, the Cardinals answered back with a quick 7-0 run, forcing Cincinnati to call a timeout. By the end of the second quarter, Louisville had limited the Bearcats to just two field goals and held a comfortable 36-22 lead.
Cincinnati made a push in the third quarter, cutting into the Cardinals’ lead, but Louisville’s clutch shots kept the Bearcats from getting too close. The Cardinals held Cincinnati to just 1-for-10 shooting to close out the quarter, maintaining a 52-40 lead heading into the final period.
In the fourth quarter, the Cardinals saved their best for last, shooting an impressive 63.6 percent from the field to seal the victory. Taylor came alive in the final quarter, scoring eight of her 16 points on 3-of-4 shooting. Cochran continued to dominate the boards, grabbing four of her game-high 10 rebounds in the fourth quarter.
With their successful season opener behind them, the Cardinals will now turn their attention to their home opener against the DePaul Blue Demons. The game is set to take place at the KFC Yum! Center on Sunday, November 12, and will be broadcast nationally on the ACC Network Extra. Louisville will be looking to carry their momentum from this win into their next matchup.
